Free Agent Hill: Reboot by James Hunt Page A

could understand what he was going through, and the only other person that felt the same way was his sister. You know how many times Sarah tried reaching out to Ben? Never. Not once did she try and help with any of the arrangements. Not once did she come over to talk to him about it. She didn’t even show up to the funeral.”
    Grimes looked down at his pad, flipping through his notes. “She was injured at her job, correct? The Chicago Packing Company?” When Becca didn’t answer, he finally looked up. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes and running shamelessly down her face. Her cheeks burned hot with a fire she hadn’t thought existed anymore.
    “Who the hell are you?” Becca asked. “Who the fuck do you think you are? You people treat this like it’s some routine, like it’s a regular traffic stop.” Becca slammed her fist into the kitchen table, rattling the salt and pepper shakers in the center. “Get out of my house.”
    Agent Grimes closed his notepad and stuffed it back into the inside pocket of his jacket. He folded his hands together, his brow furrowed in a look of grief and sorrow. “Mrs. Hill, this isn’t a routine traffic stop. What you and your family have gone through… There aren’t enough words or actions that we could do to make up for what you’ve lost.” He leaned in a little closer, his voice softening. “But if there is something you can tell us, something strange about your husband’s death that you failed to tell the police, I promise you I can bring you justice.” He reached out to touch her hand, and Becca recoiled.
    “You have no idea what I want,” Becca said. Her words were short, cold, and the chill of ice filled her.
    The two agents rose and headed for the door. Becca followed them out, and before they could say another word, she slammed the door in their faces and rechained the lock. She wiped her eyes, clearing the tears from her face until nothing remained except the puffy aftermath. She called Matt and Ella inside, the patches of cloth on their knees and shins stained with grass. The two returned to playing on the living room floor, and Becca watched them from the couch. After a while Ella, climbed onto the couch and gave her a hug. Becca almost broke down right there, but she squeezed her daughter back and kissed the top of her head. Becca ran her fingers through Ella’s hair while the little girl continued to play with her doll.
    “Mommy?”
    “What is it, baby?”
    “I miss Aunt Sarah. Do you know when she’s coming over again?”
    “No, baby. I don’t.”
    “Did I do something bad to make her not want to come?”
    Becca picked Ella up and sat her in her lap, pulling her close to her chest. “No, baby, no, you didn’t do anything wrong. Aunt Sarah’s just busy. That’s all.” She rocked Ella back and forth, and it wasn’t long before Matt was on the couch with them, cuddling up to Becca’s side. The three of them stayed there until Ella and Matt drifted off to sleep. She picked the two of them up and carried them to bed. She gently closed the door and walked to her bedroom.
    The door was shut. Becca placed her hand on the handle and took a deep breath. Everything was exactly the way it had been when they were taken—the bed unmade, laundry on the floor, and the dresser covered in change from Ben’s pocket that he’d dumped the morning of their abduction. She stepped lightly around the clothes and shoes on the ground. She’d lived in this house for the past seven years, but this bedroom felt foreign, strange. She hadn’t slept in here since they’d been back. The only time she had come in was to grab a few articles of clothing when they first came home.
    Becca found the business card she was looking for, and the moment it was in her hands, she hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her. She clutched the card in her hand so hard that she crumpled it. She picked up her cell phone and dialed the number listed on the front. After a few