Last Vendetta (Emma Last FBI Mystery Series Book 2) by Mary Stone

Author:Mary Stone [Stone, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mary Stone Publishing
Published: 2023-07-10T23:00:00+00:00

20

“I feel like I’m going to be thanking you for this one for a long time, Agent Jessup. You’re a true gentleman.” Mia meant every word she said.

Despite his clear preference for not having to perform the additional search at all, Vance had gallantly insisted on being the one to examine the waste hole for any hidden goods. Mia was quick to accept his offer. He’d worn three sets of plastic gloves and wrapped black garbage bags tight around his arms on top of a fresh Tyvek suit. Even with the respirator, he gagged the whole damn time, but he managed.

He shined his flashlight into the pit.

The seat—thankfully a typical toilet seat—lifted on dirt-encrusted hinges. Mia held her breath as Vance leaned low, his head sinking into the hole. Beams of light shot out occasionally as he moved around.

“It’s pretty deep. Ugh. Shreds of toilet paper. Lots of, um, mud.”

I sincerely hope it’s mud but know better.

Mia stood in mute solidarity beside her fellow agent, not wanting to shake Vance’s determination. Until she could no longer take it.

“Anything else?”

Another stream of flashlight movement answered her. “Nope.”

Part of her wondered whether he was more disgusted at not finding anything. At least the alternative would give him something to show for his efforts.

Vance surfaced, managing to remove his head and stand upright without having to lean on the toilet seat or bench. “We’ve done our due diligence. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

They moved to the Expedition at a fast clip, Mia giving Vance a wider berth than normal.

“I’m just thankful I thought to have a change of clothes in the SUV.” He hauled off his respirator and Tyvek suit, which he stuffed into a trash bag. Next to come off was his baby-blue polo shirt, which he tossed onto the ground before rubbing hand sanitizer across his torso, neck, and arms. Though Vance didn’t seem concerned about the icy January air, goosebumps sprung up along his bare skin.

Mia turned to respectfully give him a moment, but allowed herself a quick, admiring glance of his abs. From the corner of her eye, she watched him throw on a long-sleeved button-down and his FBI jacket.

Vance kicked the discarded polo farther away. “I don’t think I can wear it again.”

“You’re gonna leave it?”

“The pigs can have it.”

The drive back to the community center was uneventful, but Vance still needed to park as far from the crowd of citizens as he could without being outside the parking lot. The number of protesters—or maybe they were just curious onlookers—hadn’t decreased.

Oddly enough, the town hadn’t seen any major media presence yet. A few journalists roamed among the gathered townspeople, but nobody seemed inclined to answer any questions. Mia recalled what the sheriff had said about the people of Little Clementine preferring to keep everything quiet.

Exiting the SUV, Mia schooled any remaining humor from her face and pointed toward a woman at the edge of the crowd. Wearing a long black coat and sporting prim kitten heels, even in the winter weather, she was just the woman Mia had been hoping to find here.

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