The Green Viper (The James Ryker Series) by Rob Sinclair

Author:Rob Sinclair [Sinclair, Rob]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 2024-07-28T00:00:00+00:00

30

‘What the hell have you done this time, Chan?’ McKinley said, walking into his office and slamming the door shut.

Chan was sat down in front of McKinley’s desk. After more than two hours on the scene of Charlie Ward’s death near West End Avenue, she’d headed straight to the office. She remained in a state of disbelief. Not so much because she’d taken the life of a man – she was able to justify that to herself, given that Ward had attacked Ryker – but because she didn’t know why Ward had run in the first place. Nor why he’d then decided to ignore her warnings and try to stab Ryker despite knowing Chan had a gun pointed at his back.

Ryker. What the hell was she going to do about that now? He’d been way calmer than her in the immediate aftermath. Had quickly concocted a plan – that he would scarper and she’d claim she’d met with Campbell alone, had chased Charlie alone. What did that say about Ryker? That death and violence seemed to move him so little?

She had no clue whether his plan would wash. Surely, though, it was better than admitting to McKinley that rather than steering well clear of Ryker, as she’d been instructed, she’d actually made the decision to use him as an asset.

‘Well?’ McKinley asked.

‘Well, what?’

‘Are you actually trying to screw this whole operation? Or maybe you’ve decided you’ve had enough of being an FBI agent?’

‘No, sir. Neither of those.’

‘Then what?’

‘There was nothing else I could do. Ward gave me no choice. We need to think about the bigger picture. I think we have a way into Green’s empire now.’

‘Which is what? Green’s dead brother?’

‘No. Campbell.’

McKinley paused for a moment and Chan took that as a good sign.

‘I was meeting with Campbell this afternoon. I was making good progress. Then Charlie Ward appeared…’ Chan shook her head, bewildered by how the day had turned to shit so quickly.

‘Why on earth would Charlie Ward run from you?’

‘He must have realized I was FBI, or maybe police. I had to believe he was going to blow the whistle on Campbell.’

‘Somehow I find that hard to believe.’

‘But that’s what happened! Why else would he run off like that?’

‘Except Charlie Ward was already our informant!’ McKinley blasted, and both his words and his bark halted any articulate response from Chan.

‘What? No. But⁠—’

‘He was working for us, goddamn it. That was until you decided to gun him down in broad daylight.’

Chan’s mouth opened but she was speechless. They’d had Charlie Ward and not told her about it?

‘Why the hell wasn’t I informed?’ Chan asked.

‘Because it was too big a catch. We had to keep it under wraps. You don’t need to know everything that goes on here. You’ve got your job. I’ve got mine.’

‘You should have told me. It could have changed things.’

‘No. You’ve changed things. You’ve killed the best informant we had on this case. And what am I supposed to go to the public with? FBI

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