Wanting (PAVAD) by Calle J. Brookes

Author:Calle J. Brookes [Brookes, Calle J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lost River Lit
Published: 2012-10-13T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 47

*****

No one said much as they sat around the back tables in Smokey’s bar a few hours later. Sebastian and Carrie had finished up the interview with Elliot Courtney and the few other people he’d named locally, then headed to Carrie’s apartment. He’d offered to let her stay with him for another night or so, but she’d declined. He’d just been thankful the crime scene clean-up team had managed to restore her place to some order. Her furniture would have to be replaced, but the trash and spoiled food was gone.

He’d easily sensed her reluctance to be alone in the place and he’d decided spur of the moment that a visit to Smokey’s was in order. She hadn’t protested, just grabbed her bag and keys.

He kept a hand on her back as they wove through the crowd toward the table where Fin and several members of Carrie’s own team sat sharing a few pitchers of beer and trays of nachos. Carrie slipped into the large booth next to her teammate Compton. Sebastian followed her down, knowing she wouldn’t want to sit next to the aisle. She never did and had told him when they’d eaten breakfast yesterday in the Louisville diner that she couldn’t stand the thought of strange waiters brushing against her accidentally.

How much did the sensory issues bother her? How many times were her quirks overlooked, by him or by others? Had she just managed to develop so many coping mechanisms that no one really ever noticed?

He scanned the bar’s occupants, just like he always did, taking note of how many of the PAVAD agents, including half his own team, were hanging around. They sat in clusters talking and a handful was on the small dance floor barely bigger than his own living room. He felt himself start to relax. It was like so many other nights after work.

“So are you all taking the case and running with it?” Fin asked from across the table. “Or are you passing it along to ICE?”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement often handled human trafficking cases. Sebastian was waiting on information from them first. “We’re waiting for word from Ed Dennis. We’re on standby. I’d like to finish it out, but ICE might have better resources. Or might already be aware of the ring. Waiting and seeing.” One thing PAVAD was famous for already was its complete lack of jurisdictional bickering with other agents. Ed Dennis claimed that the need for good teams was universal, and if another good team could handle a case that freed up his people to work on others.

“And your friend’s daughter?”

“Currently in a safe house with both of her parents. They’re also in a wait and see. They’ll be entering witness protection together.” Waiting and seeing and trying not to kill each other. It wasn’t an ideal situation for Sherry, Ashleigh, or Cavanaugh. But both parents had insisted on being with their daughter, no matter what. Sebastian could understand and appreciate that. He would do the same in their position.

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