could be saving by getting rid of that scumbag.”
He slaps his hand on the table. “Don’t think I don’t know what’s at stake here. I do. But I can’t let you get more involved.”
“Why the hell not?” I blurt, feeling pissed that he can’t see how much progress I was able to make in just few short weeks. But when I see him look at me, unimpressed by my outburst, I rephrase my question. “Why the heck not, sir ?”
“Look, Harrington. I like you and appreciate your enthusiasm. Really, I do.” He sighs, pushing away from the desk. His eyes grow softer. “I know this is about Fisher. I’ve had a close eye on him since he left the academy. And I know you want to help find closure for your friend, but I can’t allow you to move forward with this. You’re personally invested in this case, Lovelly. You need to back off and let the senior agents do their job.”
“I am—”
“Yes, Agent Lovelly, you are. I know Fisher’s ties to this case, and I’m afraid you’ve been emotionally compromised.”
“I’m not compromised.” I narrow my gaze and fight to keep my anger in check. I don’t get emotionally invested in anything . Not the way he means, anyway. “I’m only three months away from becoming a special agent,” I say with utter control. “I’m certain I can do this, sir. And Stamos likes me. A lot. He thinks I’m lively .”
Wilson’s eyebrows shoot up. But before he can voice another round of “You’re done with this case,” his speaker phone buzzes. He presses a button. “Yes, Sin.”
“Sir, the Assistant Director is here to see you. She’s on her way up. And she wants Agent Lovelly present.”
“Thank you, Sin.” He sighs again, exasperated, and turns to me. “Whatever you do, keep your mouth shut and let me deal with this.”
I gesture that my lips are locked and even throw away the key, just as the door swings open and Assistant Director Benson walks in. She’s a short lady in her late fifties, but she can pull off a pencil skirt and heels like she’s in her thirties. Her bun is pulled up in a tight knot and her eyes stay on me as she walks over to stand next to Wilson. “Wilson, Lovelly.”
She looks at me, and I feel like a teenager in the principal’s office under her scrutiny. She shakes her head, but the corners of her lips twitch like she’s trying to hold back a smile. I wonder what she’s up to . . .
“I should’ve kicked you out the moment you started flirting with me, Agent Lovelly.”
I grin widely. “In my defense, ma’am, you didn’t look a day older than thirty. You still don’t.”
She shakes her head in disbelief. “Flattery doesn’t get you places, Agent.”
I stand a little taller and school my face back into seriousness. “No, ma’am, it doesn’t.” But it sure as hell gets me out of trouble. Whatever she’s here for, it won’t hurt to butter her up a little first.
“And you,” she says, turning to Wilson. “I want him out of there. We already have an agent ready to jump back in on the case.”
“Back in?” I ask, and Wilson shoots me a look. Right, shutting up.
She nods. “Our previous agent was made, so we had to pull him out. But we’re confident this new agent can take his place. His profile is more of a fit with Stamos’s business than the last agent.”
I scoff. Is she for real? Hello! I ’ m right here . I ’ m on the in with Stamos . Use me! But before I can utter a single thought, Wilson glares at me. I put my hands up, frowning.
“Actually, ma’am,” Wilson says, keeping an eye on me as I fume quietly on the sidelines, “Lovelly and I were just talking about our current situation before you arrived.”
“Is that so?” Benson leans back on the desk, looking a little bored.
“I’m certainly not trying to encourage his radical behavior, but he does have a point. He’s already gotten Stamos’s attention. I don’t think it’s a good idea to pull him out now,” Wilson says and my heart beats hard
He slaps his hand on the table. “Don’t think I don’t know what’s at stake here. I do. But I can’t let you get more involved.”
“Why the hell not?” I blurt, feeling pissed that he can’t see how much progress I was able to make in just few short weeks. But when I see him look at me, unimpressed by my outburst, I rephrase my question. “Why the heck not, sir ?”
“Look, Harrington. I like you and appreciate your enthusiasm. Really, I do.” He sighs, pushing away from the desk. His eyes grow softer. “I know this is about Fisher. I’ve had a close eye on him since he left the academy. And I know you want to help find closure for your friend, but I can’t allow you to move forward with this. You’re personally invested in this case, Lovelly. You need to back off and let the senior agents do their job.”
“I am—”
“Yes, Agent Lovelly, you are. I know Fisher’s ties to this case, and I’m afraid you’ve been emotionally compromised.”
“I’m not compromised.” I narrow my gaze and fight to keep my anger in check. I don’t get emotionally invested in anything . Not the way he means, anyway. “I’m only three months away from becoming a special agent,” I say with utter control. “I’m certain I can do this, sir. And Stamos likes me. A lot. He thinks I’m lively .”
Wilson’s eyebrows shoot up. But before he can voice another round of “You’re done with this case,” his speaker phone buzzes. He presses a button. “Yes, Sin.”
“Sir, the Assistant Director is here to see you. She’s on her way up. And she wants Agent Lovelly present.”
“Thank you, Sin.” He sighs again, exasperated, and turns to me. “Whatever you do, keep your mouth shut and let me deal with this.”
I gesture that my lips are locked and even throw away the key, just as the door swings open and Assistant Director Benson walks in. She’s a short lady in her late fifties, but she can pull off a pencil skirt and heels like she’s in her thirties. Her bun is pulled up in a tight knot and her eyes stay on me as she walks over to stand next to Wilson. “Wilson, Lovelly.”
She looks at me, and I feel like a teenager in the principal’s office under her scrutiny. She shakes her head, but the corners of her lips twitch like she’s trying to hold back a smile. I wonder what she’s up to . . .
“I should’ve kicked you out the moment you started flirting with me, Agent Lovelly.”
I grin widely. “In my defense, ma’am, you didn’t look a day older than thirty. You still don’t.”
She shakes her head in disbelief. “Flattery doesn’t get you places, Agent.”
I stand a little taller and school my face back into seriousness. “No, ma’am, it doesn’t.” But it sure as hell gets me out of trouble. Whatever she’s here for, it won’t hurt to butter her up a little first.
“And you,” she says, turning to Wilson. “I want him out of there. We already have an agent ready to jump back in on the case.”
“Back in?” I ask, and Wilson shoots me a look. Right, shutting up.
She nods. “Our previous agent was made, so we had to pull him out. But we’re confident this new agent can take his place. His profile is more of a fit with Stamos’s business than the last agent.”
I scoff. Is she for real? Hello! I ’ m right here . I ’ m on the in with Stamos . Use me! But before I can utter a single thought, Wilson glares at me. I put my hands up, frowning.
“Actually, ma’am,” Wilson says, keeping an eye on me as I fume quietly on the sidelines, “Lovelly and I were just talking about our current situation before you arrived.”
“Is that so?” Benson leans back on the desk, looking a little bored.
“I’m certainly not trying to encourage his radical behavior, but he does have a point. He’s already gotten Stamos’s attention. I don’t think it’s a good idea to pull him out now,” Wilson says and my heart beats hard
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