“Hello, Selena.” He tried to keep his voice as level as possible, but it was hard as hell when she stared at his body as if she could see under his clothes, and her attention remained on his crotch. For the first time it didn’t respond to her interest.
“I expected to see you today, Vince. But I didn’t think you’d hunt me down on my morning jog.” She rocked her weight back and forth between her right and left legs. She didn’t intend to stop and talk to him long. She wanted to get back to her run. “I have a busy day today, cleaning up after your mess. So if you’ll excuse me.”
She moved to put her earbuds back in her ears, but Vince grabbed one of her hands and held it. “I’d hoped our past wouldn’t taint your views of Arianna.”
She didn’t skip a beat when she said, “Our excursions never interfered with our work, you know that.” She smiled as she saw Jordan sitting on the bench watching them. “I heard how the FBI found you in the motel room; still the same old Vince.”
“I thought the bureau was dropping the investigation into the Secretary,” Vince’s voice was low, and he glanced over his shoulder. He had the feeling they were still being watched. “Why did they decide to arrest her?”
“Because your little genius friend over there leaked info to the media. After that we couldn’t shelve the investigation quietly, everyone knew about it.” She smiled and waved at Jordan. “This one’s adorable by the way. Where did you find him?”
“She had me shot in broad daylight, Selena. What were we supposed to do?” He quickly approached angry, and his hand tightened on her wrist.
“As much as I used to like you holding me down, I’d appreciated not having bruises when I walk into the courtroom today. I’m asking for no bail for your new playmate. Because I know whatever figure the judge sets genius over there can come up with the money.” Jordan raised his hand in a half wave back at Selena. “God I’d like to teach him a thing or two.”
“I’m sure you would, Selena. Listen, do you know what Sam Clark has going on right now? I was thinking of hiring him for Arianna.”
Selena’s eyes lit up, and she tried not to chuckle. “Sam Clark? God he would have a field day with this one. I’m not sure what he has going on right now. But I would love to spar with him again.” Her pretty green eyes twinkled.
“Did you get Clark in bed?” Vince frowned. “I tried for weeks and he shot me down.”
“Of course I got him in bed,” Selena chuckled. “I have boobs and a cunt dear. For some men that’s a requirement. We can reminisce more later; after I’ve had a shower, dressed, and arraigned your new girl.” Then she ran off with a gait that made her fake breasts bounce with her ponytail. He wouldn’t trade her for Arianna for anything in the world; but she was nice to look at.
Vince walked back to a stunned Jordan. “Did you have sex with her?” Jordan wondered as he stood and they walked back toward the car.
“I’ve had sex with a lot of people,” Vince sighed. “Half of them I probably couldn’t even tell you their names.” Jordan’s eyes grew wide. “Don’t look at me like that. It isn’t as glamorous as it sounds.”
“I was just wondering if you were going to give Arianna any diseases,” Jordan said in a holier-than-thou voice.
“I practiced safe sex, most of the time,” Vince’s jagged voice made it sound even dirtier than Jordan imagined it. “Don’t worry, I’m totally disease free.”
“Thank God,” Jordan mumbled as they returned to the SUV. “Where to now?”
“Back to your apartment; I need to shower.”
Vince put his body on display again, dropping his towel because he knew Jordan was watching. This time Jordan took a step closer and stood in the doorway. “Did you take steroids to get that big,” he wondered aloud.
“No, just a lot of self-discipline.” Jordan frowned. “I do have it about some things, you know.
“Do you need help with…” Jordan’s eyes inadvertently lingered on Vince’s penis. He seemed to be hard all the time. Jordan was glad he didn’t have that problem. Although, he was glad he could get hard when he needed to be, like every time he was around Ari.
“If we didn’t have other things to do today, trust me, I’d let you help me with that all you wanted.” Jordan closed his eyes and tried not to turn bright red. When he opened his eyes again he kept them focused on Vince’s face. But it was just as attractive as his body. “Just kidding, come help me with my clothes.”
Jordan was immediately at his side, helping him dress. Eventually Vince was going to kiss the boy right on his pretty mouth, and he was afraid after that he wouldn’t be able to stop.
Jordan looked around and realized that everyone in the office knew he was in bed with Vince and Arianna. It was this team, after all, who had driven all the way to Bluefield to arrest Arianna. He was so embarrassed to know that people knew he was in bed with another man and a woman. His feelings, his curiosity, about Vince were fine and all that. He could handle it. But knowing that people knew what he’d done… His eyes went down to the floor and he lagged behind Vince.
“Keep your head up, Jordan. These people smell fear. Be proud of who you are, and don’t let a single damn person judge you, because none of them have walked an inch in your shoes.” Finally they were in Vince’s office. It was just after 8 am, and as soon as he sat down at his desk his phone rang.
“Get in here, now,” White ordered. He wasn’t the same cordial fellow, and Vince thought he knew why. The Secretary must have told him they’d recorded the phone call. “Bring your new BFF with you.”
Vince stood and motioned to Jordan. They walked the few short steps to White’s office. The man looked angry, and Vince had never seen that before. “Sit down,” he ordered succinctly.
Vince and Jordan both sat immediately.
“I know what you do, Agent Stewart.” White’s eyes were hard, and narrowed. His nostrils flared. “I will not have you ruining this case further by posting all of the information we have on the internet.”
“Colonel White…” Vince stated, but White flashed him a look and cut him off.
“If there are any more leaks of information I will have you arrested for interfering. Do you understand me,” White practically snarled.
“Yes, sir,” Jordan murmured. He felt bullied again, just like he was back in high school.
“You’re not his boss, you don’t have the authority to speak to him like that,” Vince stated.
“But this is my investigation,” White hissed.
“And you couldn’t call me and ask me to bring Arianna in?” Vince’s tone was just as heated as White’s.
“Would you have done it?” White asked harshly.
“Probably not,” Vince said honestly. “How did you find us, by the way?”
“Low jack,” White stated. “So old school your new boy here had no idea it was happening.”
Jordan was offended that they did this behind his back intentionally, and hunted him down like a criminal. “If I find the link between you and Vince’s shooting, don’t worry, everyone is going to know.”
“Don’t threaten me son, I’ll have your head,” White threatened.
“I’d like to see you try it,” Vince responded as he stood. Jordan stood with him.
Vince opened the door to leave, and White yelled out, “I haven’t dismissed you. You have yet to report to Kang and the surveillance team.”
“I was shot, if you forgot. I’m off for the week, doctor’s orders,” he said as he threw the slip the doctor gave him on White’s desk.
They walked out of White’s office shoulder to shoulder, heads high. Jordan knew now that Vince had his back in any circumstance. And Vince knew that Jordan wouldn’t roll over when his friends needed him. Jordan didn’t shy away when he heard the whispers, he stood even taller.
They drove to Jordan’s office after that. “How are you today, SIB,” Jordan asked, and the lights in the office came on, along with the monitors.
“All systems running adequately, Jordan,” a female voice answered.
“Play some Chicago for me,” Jordan said, and slow jazzy sounds filled the room.
Vince looked around then, thinking someone was there with them. But he saw no one. “Who’s SIB?”
“I see you have a guest,” the voice said again. “Welcome, Jordan’s friend. How are you?”
“I’m fine, how are you?” Vince seemed bemused.
“I’m adequate on all levels today,” the voice answered. “May I ask your name?”
“Vince,” he answered. “Vince Argento.”
“Special Agent Vincenzo Michele Argento. Born August 12, 1976. Graduated from Nassau Community College in 1996. Eight years in the Marines, serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait; discharge rank of Gunnery Sergeant with an excellent service record. Received Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Afghanistan Service Medal, Iraq Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal.” Jordan looked shocked when he heard it, but Vince just shrugged. “Aggressively recruited by the FBI in 2004. Received FBI Shield of Bravery, FBI Medal of Valor.”
“That just about sums me up,” Vince shrugged. “What other tricks do you have, SIB?”
“You would be surprised,” she said in a teasing manner.
“She is truly a sentient intelligent being,” Jordan said. “There are very few of these in existence. I’ve been creating her for years.”
“I have helped, Jordan,” the voice answered.
“Can you call Sam Clark, lawyer,” Vince wondered.
“His home phone, cell phone, or office phone,” she asked.
“I think his office will be fine,” Vince chuckled.
“Dialing now,” SIB replied. Vince felt his phone vibrate, and he pulled it out of his pocket. He didn’t realize when he’d asked the computer to dial the number it would take over his phone and dial the number from it. But as he stared he heard a young woman answer with “Clark and Darling, esquires, how may I direct your call?”
“This is Vince Argento, and I would like to speak to Sam Clark, please,” he said with his most pleasant voice. “It is of an urgent nature.”
“Thank you Mr. Argento,” the young girl said. “Please hold.”
Vince waited for several moments listening to the type of music Jordan played on his radio in the car. It was kind of mellow, he thought. “Hey Vince, how’s it going?” Sam asked when he answered.
“Hey, Sam, pretty good. How are you? You still owe me for that bet on the Av’s Wing’s series,” he replied.
“Next time I see you, I’ll buy your drinks,” Sam said with a chuckle. “What can I do for you today, buddy?”
“I need you to represent a close friend of mine; Arianna Becker.” He was solemn, hopeful.
“The Sex Offender Killer?” Sam asked with a bit of hero worship. “I’d almost do it for free. How do you know her?”
“I met her investigating the Margo Tremblay case,” he sighed. “It’s a long story. She has an arraignment at 10. Can you be there?”
“I’ll be wherever you need me to be,” Sam said enthusiastically. “Who is prosecuting?”
“Selena Davies.” Vince hesitated, but Sam just laughed.
“This is going to be the most exciting case I’ve had in a long time, and a lot of media coverage too. Thanks for thinking of me, man,” Sam said. “I’ll meet you at the courthouse at 9:30.”
“What does he mean media coverage,” Vince wondered when he turned to Jordan. The bottom row of monitors changed in sync to a 24 hour news channel. SIB diverted the sound to the stereo speakers, and Vince heard an anchor talking about Arianna.
“So all of the men she is accused of killing, all of them, were on a sex offender list somewhere,” she asked.
A lawyer on a split screen shot, who stated she did not represent Arianna nodded and answered. “From what I’ve read, all of them are in a sex offender registry in one of the 50 states.”
“And how many men is she accused of killing exactly,” the anchor asked. They changed the video to a recorded feed of Arianna being led out of an SUV in handcuffs by a female officer. Jordan’s hands balled into fists, and Vince wrapped his arm around his shoulders.
“She’s fine,” Vince reminded him. “Is this your doing too?”
Jordan nodded.
“Twelve,” the anchor stated.
Vince sputtered. “I bet it’s twice that.” And then he looked to Jordan.
“There’s no way to know unless she tells us. The other girls didn’t last as long as Arianna. They burned out after two or three years. Alexandra Copeland only lasted two and a half years, and then she was killed because she could implicate the Secretary.” The clock in the corner of the screen said 8:50, and he glanced at Vince. “We should leave now.”
“Yea, you’re right,” Vince nodded. He gave his shoulders another quick squeeze, then let him go.
Chapter Eighteen
Arianna sat in a well lit room with a table and four chairs. It looked just like it did in the movies: the interrogation room. She stared at herself in the two-way mirror and wondered who was on the other side. She gave no indication of being nervous. She didn’t want them to think they could break her. She slept in a holding cell at the field office of the FBI in DC. She was sure Vince’s office was somewhere in the building. They told her after her arraignment she would be transferred to the regional jail.
Arianna stared at her nails, then drummed her fingers on the table. She wouldn’t be argumentative, but she wouldn’t be helpful either. Like Vince instructed, she would simply be silent.
When a beautiful blonde woman entered the room with a legal pad and an expensive bag Arianna was a little stunned. This woman couldn’t be a lawyer. Did lawyers really look like that? She wore her shoulder length blonde hair in soft waves around her face, with a tiny bit of bangs framing her beautiful green eyes. Her suit was black and severe, but she wore feminine diamond jewelry around her neck, wrists, and huge diamond solitaires in her ears. Arianna noticed she didn’t have a ring on her left hand, though. She wasn’t married, Ari assumed.
“So, Ms. Becker, my name is Selena Davies. I’m the special prosecutor assigned to your case. You’ve been read your rights, correct?” Her voice was just as soft and warm as Jordan’s. And then she glanced up at Arianna and smiled. The woman was flat-out gorgeous. Arianna nodded. “I’m sorry, Ms. Becker, please say you understand aloud.” Selena knew she would try to remain silent. This way she had to speak.