Allison Brennan - Fatal Secrets

Dean stepped toward her and grabbed her by the arms, pulled her to him so their faces were inches apart. She thought he had been still as a rock, but she felt his muscles vibrating. “I hate him for what he did to you. That man is selfish, he doesn’t consider anyone but himself, never thinks of the consequences or who might be hurt. I can’t forget, it’s eating me up inside. I can’t forget because it happened to you . You, Sonia Knight, I can’t get you out of my mind. You complete me. You make me want more than this job. I want you . I think about what he did and see red. I feel your pain here.” He pounded his chest. “I look at you with such pride, knowing that most people would never have recovered from such an evil betrayal. Evil-that’s what Charlie Cammarata did. He may not have thought it through, he made excuses to himself to justify it, but he should have been in prison.”

Dean was shaking. Tears rolled down Sonia’s cheeks and she reached for his face. His mouth turned and kissed her hand, then his arms were around her, holding her tight, his lips on her lips, pulling her as close as he could, close to his body, his heart, his soul. Sonia felt every ounce of anger and passion and love pouring out of Dean. It humbled her and empowered her.

She kissed him, her hands around his neck, his hands fisted in her back. He kissed her neck, her ear, got down on his knees and held her, his face pressed against her stomach. His body shook and she dropped to her knees, took his face into her hands.

“Dean-” she whispered.

He stared at her, his eyes red with unshed tears. “I can’t lose you, Sonia.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “You won’t.”

Dean sent two agents to bring Charlie Cammarata from the West Sacramento jail to FBI headquarters. Sonia was working with Sam Callahan in the war room putting together a map and search grid. She was certain that the women were being held on property owned by Jones or one of his three primary clients, and Dean concurred. Unfortunately, though the analysts were making great headway with Jones’s journal, they’d been premature in their declaration of knowing where the girls were being held. They did confirm, however, that Jones had paid two thousand U.S. dollars for their abduction.

Sam and Sonia were more than capable of coming up with a game plan. Dean needed to meet one-on-one with the man who had become a wild card-not only in this investigation, but in Dean’s relationship with Sonia. Whether Sonia realized it or not, Cammarata stood between them and the future.

The agents brought the former immigration agent into an interview room. Cammarata took one look at Dean and scowled.

Dean motioned for him to sit.

“How about taking off these handcuffs?”

“Not until we have an agreement,” Dean said. He waited for the agents to leave, then sat down across from Cammarata.

“You can’t hold me. You have nothing on me. No case. I haven’t done anything.”

“Possession of fake identification and social security number, which is a federal crime.”

“Misdemeanor.”

“Possession of a concealed weapon without a CCW.”

“Misdemeanor.”

“Aiding and abetting a known trafficker. Obstruction of justice. Concealing information from a federal law enforcement officer. Resisting arrest. Breaking and entering. I think we’re getting into some pretty good felonies now.”

Cammarata scowled. “What the fuck do you want, Hooper?”

“I’d like you in prison. But I’m giving you an offer.”

“I’ll take my attorney.”

Dean slammed his palm on the table. “That’s not an option.”

“I’m sorry, when was the Constitution repealed?”

“I don’t like you.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

“The only reason you’re here is because Sonia thinks you will help.”

At the mention of Sonia’s name, Cammarata’s eyes shifted. He swallowed uneasily, asked gruffly, “She okay, after today?”

Dean didn’t answer the question. “This is the deal. You help us locate the Chinese women Omega transported into the area, and I let you go.”

“If I knew where they were, I would have told Sonia.”

“Just like you gave her the journal? A day late and a dollar short?”

Cammarata leaned forward. “You don’t know anything about me or Sonia.”

Dean wasn’t going to rise to the bait, but his gut churned. “I know you pretend to care about her, but she’ll be the first you’ll sacrifice if it gets you what you want.”

“What do you know about what I want? My record was stellar.”

“Your record was built on the backs of other agents you used or sacrificed so you could take the credit and glory. You’re right, I don’t understand you. I don’t understand how you could sell your own partner and not even send in backup.”

“We saved dozens of innocent civilians.”

“And you were willing to let Sonia die.” Dean stood. “Sonia has more compassion in her little finger than you have in that huge ego you carry. She seems to have forgiven you. I haven’t. I never will. You have two choices. Agree to help, share all information you know, adhere to all my conditions, and I’ll grant you immunity for your part in this fiasco. Or you can go back to jail and I will have you prosecuted for every last charge the U.S. attorney and I can come up with. But you will never get out of prison. Those are your choices. You have five minutes.”

Dean walked out and shut the door. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, took a deep breath. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to work with that bastard. But they had little to no choice at this point. Time was running out, and Sonia’s idea was that somewhere in that man’s memory was information that would lead them to the women. If that was the case, Dean had to use him. Lives were at stake. Sonia’s life was at stake until they stopped this ring of traffickers.

He didn’t have to like it.

Bob Richardson came around the corner. “Did he agree?”

“He’s thinking.”

“I sent out the press release and photos of Ling and Devereaux and am giving a statement as soon as the media gets here. This is a risk.”

“I know. But we have to do it. Devereaux is in hiding and as long as he’s free, Agent Knight is in danger. Not to mention the captive women. I feel like we’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t.”

“I hear you. But you’re right, it’s our only option at this point. You take anyone you need.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Richardson walked away and Dean glanced at his watch. He walked back into the interview room.

Without looking at him, Cammarata said, “I’ll do it. I want it in writing.”

“My word is going to have to be good enough for you.” He uncuffed him, but didn’t let down his guard.

Cammarata looked like he wanted to punch him, but didn’t.

“Show me what you have.”

Sonia tensed when she saw Charlie walk into the conference room. Neither he nor Dean looked happy with the arrangement, and she wasn’t one hundred percent sure they were doing the right thing. But they were stuck. Devereaux, or someone else on his orders, had already brutally murdered three of the women and Sonia had no doubt they would kill others if it would further the criminals’ goals.

Sonia made a quick introduction of Charlie Cammarata as a civilian consultant in this investigation and caught Dean’s eye. She couldn’t read him again, but she’d never forget his brief, powerful emotions in his apartment. Dean Hooper was the personification of the saying “still waters run deep” and Sonia would never doubt his compassion or honor.

“Mr. Cammarata has some knowledge of Xavier Jones’s movements during the weeks prior to his murder and can hopefully help us narrow the search.”