Free Tracking Shadows (Shadows of Justice 4) by Regan Black Page A

like his father. "Look, just obey the rules and we're all better off." He ran out of words, as he considered how best to discipline her.
    "I'm really sorry," she whispered as the silence stretched out. "What's going to happen to me?"
    "What do you think should happen?" Good Lord. If he didn't stop channeling his father soon he'd be breaking open a case of Cuban cigars.
    "I know you can kick me out, but I really hope you won't. I am super sorry and I won't buck the system again. Ever."
    It was an impossible promise, though he didn't doubt her sincerity. "Tell me what happened."
    "My client's a chef."
    "April, I know your clients. Tell me why you brought a stranger to dinner." And why you let her leave.
    "Oh. I was coming home and we were on the same train and some dude just, like, attacked her like he was a caveman or something and we weren't on the verge of the twenty-second century. It was awful."
    "Which train?"
    April blinked.
    Micky drummed his fingers on the edge of his desk.
    "Oh." April glanced up to the ceiling and he knew she was reviewing the convoluted route Sis had taught her. "The first one. I boarded a couple blocks from the hotel. I can't remember if she was already on board, or not, but she was sitting just a couple seats away from me. I heard the whole thing. He was such –"
    "A caveman. Got that. So you thought it was a personal thing and she was in trouble."
    "Yeah."
    "And you brought her home for dinner."
    Her shoulders slumped. "Yeah."
    "But you didn't offer to let her stay?"
    "Well, I invited her, but I didn't tell her anything that could hurt us." She studied her shoes. "I'm not very good at recruiting."
    "No." But that was okay. He didn't want new recruits at the moment. "The guards weren't happy with you."
    "She was in trouble." April's chin came up. "Sis always said we are a safe haven."
    Micky barely stifled the groan. Idealism would kill him if the assassin didn't. "True. Did you get her name or any information?"
    "Katrina. She might work at the hotel."
    The name, so similar to his old friend, brought back a rush of youthful memories he didn't have time for right now. He cleared his throat and added a scowl for effect. "Since you brought her to dinner, make yourself useful to the kitchen crew for the next week."
    "Yes, sir."
    "That's in addition to the rest of your shifts and responsibilities."
    She nodded and hurried out when he signaled her toward the door.
    He buzzed Jim's line again, passing on the information about the train where April had interrupted the attack on the other girl. "Let me know when you have video. Where's the feed I requested from the dining hall and entrance they used?"
    "Corrupted, boss."
    "Come again?" He'd negotiated for security systems that offered better protection than Fort Knox and the World Bank combined and competent people to run them. "Did it start when April came in?"
    "No. Earlier," Jim said after a moment.
    Micky was deciding if that was cause for relief or more concern when Jim started spewing technical jargon Micky didn't want to hear. "Just get me whatever you've got starting with an hour before the problem and running an hour after."
    While he waited, the memories stirred up by the mere mention of that name, Katrina, refused to drift back to where they belonged. Silly really, as April's new friend couldn't possibly be the same woman who'd gone by Trina when they'd been in high school.
    First there was the likely age difference. April was young enough to mention it if her new acquaintance had been 'older'. Plus, the girl he remembered was a bold beauty with serious potential if she managed to break free of her whacked family life. Her looks combined with her odd ability to make people hallucinate...well, it just couldn't be the same person. He'd looked for her, even had Sis help him after he claimed the Slick Micky title, but she'd vanished. No matter how he might wish otherwise, his Trina would never have ended up in the warehouse home he'd concealed in a