The Enraged (A Jonathan Quinn Novel)

Free The Enraged (A Jonathan Quinn Novel) by Brett Battles

Book: The Enraged (A Jonathan Quinn Novel) by Brett Battles Read Free Book Online
Authors: Brett Battles
Tags: thriller, Suspense, Mystery, spy, conspiracy
started pulling the files out and setting them on the table until she finally found the envelope. Removing the card, she placed it between her and Quinn.
    He read the first line again.
     
    Y7(29g)85KL/24
     
    “It doesn’t look like any code I’m familiar with,” Misty said after studying the note for a moment.
    Most codes were not easy to identify, but there were ones that employed unique character usages or patterns that could tip off someone in the know. Unfortunately, nothing was clicking for Quinn, either. Who he really needed to give this to was Orlando. She’d know how to figure it out. But she was not an option, so he pushed the idea out of his mind before thoughts of her could consume him again.
    As he looked away from the note, his gaze fell on the stack of folders. He picked one up and asked, “Any chance there might be something useful in these that he might have wanted us to find?”
    Misty took the folder from him. “These numbers on the side.” She turned it so both Quinn and Daeng could see what she was talking about. There was a nine-digit, alpha-numeric sequence running vertically up the edge. “It’s a project number. It’s how we tracked everything.” She ran a finger quickly down the other files. “They all have them, which means these are all old mission files.”
    She opened the file she was holding and scanned the top document. Looking like she’d read something unexpected, she put the file down, and grabbed the next one off the stack. Another quick scan, and another new file. She kept up the routine and worked her way through the entire group.
    “I know these files,” she said as she laid the last one down.
    “You put them together, didn’t you?” Quinn said.
    “Three of them, yes. The others are before my time, but that’s not what I mean.”
    “Okay. Then what?”
    “Peter always kept these files close. They’re all jobs where something went wrong. Someone died or was severely injured, compromising the mission. He said they were to remind him of his failures so that he wouldn’t repeat them.”
    “How far back do they go?”
    “Seventeen years.”
    “Seventeen? That’s a long time. I know the Office had a pretty good track record, but there must’ve been more than just seven failures.”
    “A lot more. But these were the ones he said stuck with him the most.” She looked at the files. “There used to be eight, though.”
    “One’s missing?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Do you know what it is?”
    Misty hesitated, obviously not wanting to answer.
    “Misty. If it’s important, we need to know.”
    “It’s not important. It was…personal. Not a job like these.” She fell silent for a second. “It was letters from his wife, and a few pictures. That’s all.” Each word seemed to cause her pain, like she was divulging a secret she had no right to share. “I’m sure after he brought everything home from the Office, he just kept it someplace else. There would have been no reason to store it with the job files at that point. I was used to seeing them all together, that’s all.”
    Quinn felt embarrassed for forcing her to share a glimpse into Peter’s personal life, but he had to ask, “Why would that be among his failure files?”
    She seemed lost in a memory for a moment. “He always thought Miranda deserved more than he gave her, and after she died, he never had the chance to do better.” She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, looking more tired than ever.
     Quinn put a hand on her back and gently rubbed her shoulder. “It’s been a full day. Maybe it’s time to get some rest.”
    She nodded and opened her eyes. “Yeah. That’s probably a good idea.” Rising out of the chair, she started to put the files back in the bag. “I’m sorry I haven’t been more help.”
    Quinn barely heard the last part. There was something about the files that caught in his mind, pulling at a memory, a thought.
    Once Misty stuffed the last one in, she turned for the

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