Gone Bad by J. B. Turner Page B

said nothing.
    “And don’t fucking stare at me like that.”
    “Kathleen, I’m not staring at you. You need to calm down.”
    Burke felt helpless and out of control. “No, I won’t fucking calm down. I want to get out and into the sunshine. Is that asking too much?”
    Limez sighed and looked at her long and hard. He then pulled out his cellphone from his jacket pocket and punched in a number. “Ma’am, sorry to bother you … but Ms Burke is insisting she leaves the premises.” He nodded. “Yes, I explained that.” He handed the cellphone to Burke. “Assistant Director Meyerstein wants to talk to you.”
    Burke took the phone. “Yeah, I’m going crazy here.”
    Meyerstein said, “Listen to me, Kathleen, you’re safe there. It’s important that you stay on the premises and keep out of sight till this dies down.”
    “And when the hell will that be?”
    “I don’t know is the honest answer.”
    “You don’t know? So what am I supposed to do? Just sit around here for the next year, is that it?”
    “Kathleen, what exactly do you want?”
    “I want out. I want the sun on my face. I want to chill the fuck out. I want a beer.”
    “We can get you a beer. But it’s important you stay out of sight for now.”
    Burke closed her eyes and felt tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m scared. I don’t like this. Please … What do I do?”
    “You’re fine, Kathleen. Look, I’ll send a doctor across and get you some medication to make you feel better for now, how about that?”
    “Yeah, whatever.”
    Burke ended the call, stared at the TV and began to cry.

FIFTEEN
    When Meyerstein emerged from the videoconference room, Jon Reznick was waiting for her. He walked down the corridor toward her as she carried a pile of briefing papers. He thought she looked exhausted, dark shadows under her eyes.
    “You okay?” he said.
    “Nothing I can’t handle.”
    “Your boss giving you a hard time?”
    “Like I said, nothing I can’t handle.”
    “They wanted you to fire my ass, right?”
    “I can’t discuss that, Jon.”
    Reznick grinned. “You know, Meyerstein, you really are something.”
    Meyerstein flushed. “Yeah, well …”
    “So what’s the latest?”
    Meyerstein sighed. “We’re on the move.”
    “Where?”
    “Vero Beach on the east coast of Florida.”
    “Why?”
    “Just got intel about a guy who knew Hunter inside Leavenworth.”
    “What else?”
    “Hunter killed this guy’s friend in cold blood. His boyfriend.”
    Reznick said nothing.
    “Guy’s name in Vero Beach is Jimmy Samson.”
    “What else?”
    “We’re going to fly down there and see what he has to say.”
     
    A few hours later, the SUV with Reznick, Meyerstein and two other Feds inside pulled up outside a trailer on the outskirts of Vero Beach.
    Reznick followed Meyerstein. She knocked three times on the door. The door opened and a tattooed guy wearing a vest was sitting in a wheelchair.
    Meyerstein flashed her badge. “Jimmy Samson?”
    He stared at the badge for a few moments. “What’s this about?”
    Reznick said, “We need to talk in private.”
    Samson cocked his head and they went inside while the two Feds stayed behind in the car. “Take a seat.”
    Meyerstein sat down on the made-up sofa bed as Reznick stayed standing.
    Samson shrugged. “I’m clean. I did my time. Okay, I don’t want trouble or anything.”
    Reznick said, “Jimmy, you can rest easy on that. We’re looking for help locating a guy you used to know.”
    Samson winced. “Man, don’t be giving me all that stuff.”
    “Jimmy, I’m gonna be straight with you. I was reading your file. And we know you have MS, and I’m sorry about that.”
    Samson said nothing.
    “Jimmy, we’re looking for Hunter Cain.”
    “What are you talking about? He’s inside. Leavenworth still, right?”
    “Not anymore, Jimmy.”
    “Bullshit.”
    “Afraid not. Managed to escape. And we believe he’s in Florida.”
    Samson closed his eyes and shook his head.