Last Mercy (Emma Last FBI Mystery Series Book 7) by Mary Stone

Author:Mary Stone [Stone, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mary Stone Publishing
Published: 2023-12-07T16:00:00+00:00

19

Emma leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, waiting for her colleagues to leave her and Jacinda alone in the conference room. She could not explode with indignation. This wasn’t the time. She had to find a way to get herself under control and convince the woman that she was the one who should be following up leads on Fishbourne and this missing child.

I need this. I need to do something, to help someone.

I need a fucking win.

When the door finally shut behind Leo and Denae—which felt like minutes, not seconds—Emma immediately focused on Jacinda and began talking before the SSA had a chance. “I made the discovery, Jacinda. I’m the one who followed Fishbourne and got that lead, so I should follow up on it. Leo and Denae must have other leads to follow.”

Jacinda’s lips were pursed. She smoothed her hair back without speaking, perching on the edge of the table as if daring Emma to continue.

Emma knew she shouldn’t. Jacinda’s silence was just another form of interrogation, offering Emma the space to dig herself a deeper grave.

So she dug. “Look, I know you don’t want me going off by myself. I get it. But this was after work when everyone else was off the clock, and I still had energy.”

Jacinda nodded, still quiet.

“I didn’t confront him. I didn’t follow him into the toy shop or demand to see what he bought. It was just me, and I lost him, and I went to home to investigate on my laptop—”

“How long did you follow him?”

“A few hours, I didn’t, um…I didn’t track.”

“What time did you go to sleep?”

Emma froze. “What?”

Jacinda sighed and stood straight, holding Emma’s gaze. “What time did you fall asleep, Emma?”

Of all the things Jacinda might’ve asked, Emma’s bedtime was the last thing she expected to be called on.

“I…I think about eleven. Maybe midnight.”

Jacinda held her gaze, her eyes level and face expressionless. “Emma, I don’t know how much sleep you got the night before last, or how much you actually slept last night. But right now? Right now, your eyes are red-rimmed, and your energy is manic. Like you’re running on adrenaline and caffeine, not natural rest. So again, I’m asking you, what time did you fall asleep? You went home and continued your investigation of Fishbourne via your computer, you already said, and that was after following him.”

Emma swallowed, thinking back to how she’d tossed and turned after sleeping for only a few hours, staring at her ceiling and fighting the urge to come into the office hours early. She’d finally drifted off again only an hour or so before her alarm had sounded.

“What time did you fall asleep? How are you sleeping in general?”

Emma took a deep breath, steeling herself to avoid sounding defensive. “I’m sleeping fine.”

Jacinda gazed at her for another few seconds, then shrugged. “Okay, then. It’s not like you to lose a tail. What happened? Where and when?”

Mouth drying, Emma fought to keep her voice even. “The evening traffic got heavy.

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