Free Agent with a History by Guy Stanton III Page B

guess you’re just the man for that
special protective detail aren’t you?”
    Flint just smiled back in return.
     

Chapter Ten
Lifeline
    I walked into the precinct nursing the cup of
coffee in my hands. Immediately I noticed the extra flurry of
activity and new faces in the office. What was going on? I found my
way to my desk to find Sal there. He refused to meet my eyes and I
knew something was up.
    “Who are all these people Sal?”
    “Better question would be, who’s not here.
Homeland Security and half a dozen or so other agencies, I even
heard a guy mention that the CIA is involved!”
    “In our case?” He looked down and mumbled
something.
    “Speak up Sal!” I said sharply.
    “They took us off the case.”
    “They what?” I exclaimed loudly.
    He just nodded.
    I slammed my coffee cup down and headed for
the captain’s office. I burst through the door and he stood up,
“Where have you been Lisa?”
    “Chasing down a lead. What’s this about being
off the case?”
    “It’s true, you’re off it. You’re too
personally involved and the case has stretched passed our
jurisdiction. It’s apparently become an international affair.”
    “I’m not giving this case up! I’m going to
find Rafferty’s killers and bring them to justice!”
    “It’s no longer a decision for you to make!
Consider yourself temporarily relieved of duty! Turn in your
badge.”
    I slammed it down on his desk and turned to
leave, “And your gun.”
    I turned back, “They weren’t aiming for
Rafferty! They were aiming for me! Do you think it’s smart for me
to be on the streets without a gun you idiot!”
    “You’re in contempt Lisa! The only reason I
don’t lock you up is because of the friendship we’ve had over the
years and the Lisa I know wouldn’t be acting like this! Now put
your gun down and go home and don’t come back until I tell you
to!”
    I pulled my gun out of its holster and set it
down on the desk. In a calmer tone the captain said, “I’m sorry
about all this Lisa, but this is for your own good. You have to
trust me as your friend when I tell you that.”
    “You know what they say captain, with friends
like you, who needs enemies.”
    I closed the door behind me and went back to
my desk. I pulled a bag out of a drawer and threw what stuff of
mine there was worth keeping into it. There was little enough of
it.
    I opened the bottom drawer and saw the sketch
book lying there. I grabbed it and stuffed it into the bag on
impulse. I didn’t need anyone drawing incorrect conclusions on top
of everything else, not to mention the private nature of the
sketches.
    I slung the bag’s strap over my shoulder,
“Stay out of trouble Sal.”
    “What are you going to do?”
    “Start some fires and burn some bridges down
while I’m at it.” I didn’t wait around for him to try to convince
me not to, I just left.
     
    The captains’ phone rang, “Hello?”
    “How did she take it? Do you think she’ll
cooperate and stand down?”
    “No she’s not going to stand down! I told you
that! It’s not in her to give up!”
    “That is unfortunate for her.”
    “Wait, what are you going to do?”
    “That is no longer your concern.”
    The line went dead and the captain put the
phone down shakily. He needed a drink, was his overwhelming
thought. He reached for the lower drawer of his desk and the
alcohol it contained stashed under some folders.
     
    I was about to hail a cab figuring that would
be safer than walking, when a squad car pulled over in place of
one. The narcotics detective from the cell crime scene poked his
head out the passenger window.
    “Heard what happened in there, raw deal! Can
I give you a lift to your apartment? Might be safer that way.”
    I smiled with real appreciation, “Thank you
detective.”
    I opened the back door of the sedan and in
stunned horror I felt a tazer jammed to my throat from somebody
behind me on the street, and then I was tumbling into the back seat
of the car.
     
    I