R. Griffin: Seamless

“Damn, Mil, if I knew the answers to those questions I’d be better off,” Stella said. “What are you both doing home anyway?”

“Well, you wouldn’t let us go to Montana, so we’d thought we’d be here when you got back,” she responded insolently.

Patrick pulled Millie protectively into his chest. “I called in a favor and my buddy from the ATF is coming to take a look at the car for any sign of explosives. I’m taking Millie home.” He attempted to pull her toward the door. “Call me if you need me, El.”

“Wait, I want to know what the fuck is going on!” Millie demanded, refusing to move.

“Babe, we’ll talk about it later. Let’s just get out of here now, okay?” Patrick ran his thumb over Millie’s right eyebrow and she melted into him, finally letting him guide her toward the door.

“Fine, but don’t think this is over.” She pointed her pointer finger and her middle finger at her own eyes and then at Stella’s.

Stella couldn’t contain her laughter and then held her hands up in surrender. “Of course not.”

Stella’s laughter was short lived. She was wound up and George’s hold on her was making her claustrophobic. She wiggled out of his grasp and gazed into his eyes. He, Millie and Patrick were her heart now and she couldn’t live if anything were to happen to them. She pulled out her cell phone and looked up the phone number she knew she needed to call. She glanced at George and groaned before she hit send. “Agent Harris. I just got a death threat.”

George walked into the kitchen and poured them both a glass of Glenfiddich. He took a gulp of his drink as he walked back over to where she was still standing in the entryway.

“Well, I didn’t think I’d hear from you again, Ms. Murphy,” Agent Harris responded. “Is this call related to the trial?”

“Yes, because of my testimony.” She looked at George and sighed. “I also think I have some more information you may want, too.”

Agent Harris had testified yesterday too, after Stella, but was still in Montana because he wanted to stay through the entire trial until they got a guilty verdict. Regardless of his plan, his tone was all business when he assured her he’d be there the next day, with someone from the DC office as well.

She sighed again, loudly, walked toward the bar in the kitchen and put her phone down. Her throat burned as she took a gulp of the scotch.

“Well?”

“He told me not to bother calling the police. He’s sending someone over to check out the car and then he’ll be here tomorrow.”

“So this is it. You’re going to tell him everything?” George asked.

“Most things.” Stella nodded. “I guess I better call Greg.”

George took another sip of scotch. “That’s probably smart.”

Stella picked up her phone and punched in Greg’s office number. “Mr. Cotter, please.”

While she was waiting, she heard a knock on the door. She watched George answer it and follow a man dressed in his ATF uniform outside. Cooper paced by the door.

“It’s Stella Murphy,” Stella said when Greg’s receptionist came on the line and then took another sip of her scotch. It burned as it slipped smoothly down her throat.

Greg’s voice was jovial when he came on the line. “Stella, your testimony went well.”

“Yes, it was fine,” she answered curtly. “Listen, when George and I got home, my car was sitting in front of the house and Jamie left a note and a box of clementines threatening me. I called Agent Harris, but I just wanted to check and make sure I don’t need to worry about anything.”

“Your car? I thought your car was stolen and I’m sorry, did you say a box of clementines. How’s that threatening?” Greg’s voice was skeptical.

“It’s a long story,” she deadpanned.

“Well, there are plenty of things that you need to be worried about.” He paused for a few seconds. “Stay with the most recent events—the kidnapping and the threat. We’ll have to figure out what we’ll do about the shooting later, because you could be charged for obstruction or perjury. I think the smarter course of action is to talk to him tomorrow without me, but if you’d rather, I could be there tomorrow during your interview.”

“No, you’re probably right. I’ll call you after I talk to him. I don’t want him to think I’m hiding something or that I feel like I need a lawyer right now.” She blew her bangs even though they weren’t in her eyes. Anxiety and fear bubbled in her gut and threatened to make her throw up. She looked around the house for her purse; she couldn’t find it. It must still be in George’s car. Stella walked upstairs to find her other set of stomach medicine, all the while Greg was talking to her about her interview with Agent Harris. She popped a pill in her mouth and went back downstairs to look out the window next to the front door.

“Stella?” Greg asked impatiently.

Stella was distracted, wanting to get out front with George and the ATF guy. “Yes?”

“Be very careful with your words. Make sure you’re honest,” he coached.

“Yes, sir. I’ll call you when I find out anything else.” She hung up.

Standing in the now open door, she saw the ATF agent holding a long pole with a mirror right under the driver’s side seat. He looked at George and nodded solemnly.

“What is it?” George asked, glancing at Stella, who was standing stoically on the stairs, her face devoid of emotion.

“Some sort of explosive device. I’ll have to call in a team to get it removed and then we’ll have more information,” the ATF agent answered, pulling out his phone.

Stella hung her head. He confirmed what she’d thought initially. That crazy fucker had just pushed her over the edge. She hadn’t realized she even had an edge anymore, since she’d been free falling for the last four years.

George held his hand out for her to stop before she came down the stairs.

Anger, red and hot, shot through her brain. Oh, I’m so done playing nice. Jamie had threatened the people that she loved. Done. Now she just had to figure out how to deal with this situation without it turning into something bigger.

Two dark sedans pulled up, blocking the entire road on either side of her car. It was like a scene out of a movie; four agents swarmed the car and spoke with Patrick’s friend. Oh fuck, here it goes . She glanced into the park and saw people taking notice and digging out their phones to take pictures. She could only imagine what people would think about this.

One of the new agents glanced at Stella, then stalked over to her. George followed him up the stairs and then stood shoulder to shoulder with her.

“Ma’am. I’m Special Agent Mark Gunter. Agent Harris called and we’re here to assess the threat and the necessity of a protective detail. However, it seems that the ATF just confirmed that your vehicle does, in fact, have an explosive device on it. We’ll need to clear you and your other neighbors out for about an hour so that our team can come in and detonate the device.”

Stella’s shoulders slumped and she nodded. “Okay.” She was sorry the neighbors would be inconvenienced, but assumed most of them would be at work. Thank goodness for small mercies.

“Stella. I’ll be in charge of protection. I’ll need your phone.” Agent Gunter held his hand out for her phone.

She pulled it out of her pocket and handed it over, taking him in. He was older than Agent Harris and slightly friendlier looking with short grey hair, a freshly shaved face, and an ill-fitting navy suit. He entered in his number and then sent a text to himself, adding her information to his contact list.

“I’ve put my number in here, but I’m also adding a walkie-talkie app that you can use to contact us as well,” he said while he was working with her phone. “There will be four agents that could be assigned to your detail.” He looked over his shoulder to the three other agents. “These are Agents Josh Regents, Oliver Morris and Max Eddy. As soon as our team gets out here and we talk to headquarters, I’ll make contact with you on specifics.” He handed her phone back to her.