Don't Fear the Reaper by A. S. French

Author:A. S. French [French, A. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Neonoir Books

17 Theoretical Girls

Laurel and Frank's eyes glazed over in stereo, lips turned upwards in confusion.

‘What?’ Laurel said.

Frank frowned at Astrid. ‘And how did you work that out?’

She picked up Laurel’s notes and stretched her legs until her feet rested on the table. Once Laurel had scratched through the male names and added the ones she’d given her, there were seven left on the page. Astrid got the remote and switched the TV set off.

‘You might want to sit down for this, Frank.’ Astrid gave him a twisted smile, like the grin of someone about to divulge their most treasured secret. He pushed the cushions off the chair next to the TV and stared at her. ‘The murders and the Agency’s deliberate incompetence in investigating them are two different things.’

‘You don’t think there’s a connection?’ Laurel replied.

‘I believe somebody wants me to think there is, so I’ll focus on the Agency and who wants to frame me. But it doesn’t make any sense. As useless as I believe them to be, in general, there are still some skilled people there.’

She peered into Delaney’s bloodshot eyes before turning to stare at Lee.

Frank laughed at her. ‘You’re too kind, Snow.’

‘If somebody high up in the Agency wanted to frame me, there’d be evidence pointing towards me at all the crime scenes, not only in Prague. Even if it’s a rogue agent acting alone, they would’ve had plenty of opportunities to leave evidence incriminating me.’

‘Maybe they’re cleverer than you, Snow.’

Frank’s shirt peered out of his trousers, and there was a sauce stain underneath his chin. He must have sprayed himself with something citrusy as a smell of lemon hung around the room.

‘I think the Agency’s smartest agents are all in this room, Frank.’ Astrid grinned at Laurel and ignored the scowl on his face. ‘No, a single individual is behind this, and influential people at the Agency are using it to smear my name and incarcerate me. They got lucky with the timing.’

‘Why?’ Frank asked. ‘What makes you so special?’

Astrid sighed and told him what she’d already revealed to Laurel. ‘I wasn’t coming back to the Agency; Director Cross signed off on it.’

‘Maybe that’s why Cross disappeared. If they were on to his deception with you, he’d have ended up in a cell as well.’ He peered at the two women as if he’d discovered something significant in their investigation. ‘They probably think Cross is your partner, and he helped you escape from the van.’

Astrid could see why the Agency had stuck Frank behind a desk. ‘Let’s hope they believe that. The more they follow the wrong leads, the better it is for us.’

‘The Agency would find you if you left,’ Laurel said. ‘I’ve read the files about the ones who tried to quit. It never ended well for them.’

‘Not me.’ There was no arrogance in Astrid’s voice, just absolute confidence and self-belief.

‘Snow’s right,’ Frank piped up.

‘I’m right about which part?’ She was curious as to why he’d switched from disagreeing with her.

‘You’re too good for the Agency.

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