Full Circle by Rj Scott (top 50 books to read TXT) 📕

Vincenzio wouldn't be coming out to play again. "Then you can't do any more."

"Yes, I can," Manny snapped angrily.

"How?"

"If they call another meeting I could go in armed if need be," Manny said simply. "Make sure Nik is there as my backup. Maybe get Dale in, or Adam."

"That is nothing if whoever you are meeting knows you are playing them. You won't get anything except dead.

It's a pointless exercise." Josh couldn't stop the anxiety in his voice. "What if you get hurt, or shit, killed; we only just met."

"Don't get sex confused for anything more," Manny snapped. He immediately winced as he realized what he'd said and held up a hand in apology. "Shit that didn't come out right."

Josh took a step back. "It's okay," he said.

"Look I'm sorry, okay, I don't mean to sound harsh," Manny added with emphasis.

"I didn't mean that… or anything by that," Josh said. He felt as if there was a knife in his chest. Manny had immediately apologized but he reminded himself that Manny hadn't professed words of undying love. Why would he? One fuck and a blowjob, however hot, does not a relationship make. In fact Manny had just been a very hot fuck and that was the way to look at it. "I just meant. There are other ways—you don't need to put yourself in danger anymore now—"

"Leave it." Manny's voice was dead and Josh simply sat down on the edge of the sofa and watched as Manny stalked out of the living room and into the office area. He didn't move a muscle until Morgan sat on the sofa opposite and pushed a coffee toward him.

"Drink. I put whisky in it," Morgan said firmly.

Josh tried but the burn of alcohol was exactly what he didn't want at the moment. He replaced the mug on the surface and grimaced.

"Sean escaping custody is a big thing, Josh."

"I get that." Josh couldn't keep the worry out of his voice.

"Sanctuary is like this whole big complicated family." Morgan waved his hand expansively.

Josh sighed. Clearly this was the whole 'Manny likes you but it's nothing more than proximity speech'.

What Morgan actually said turned out to be further from the real truth than Josh was expecting.

"I don't know as much as I could, but I've picked up information as I went along. I know when Jake's dad started Sanctuary, Jake was probably about ten or so. He grew up with Sanctuary. It's his entire life and the men and woman he has working for him are all handpicked by him. He trusts every single person who is part of Sanctuary."

"What has this got to do with Manny?"

"There're two stories at play. How Jake feels about Manny and where Manny fits into Sanctuary. Eight years ago, Manny faked records at MIT, so he could join Sanctuary, he's been with Jake since then. They are best friends, brothers near as damn it. Then there is Sean. Jake had no choice in Sean. The FBI wanted someone of theirs inside and they chose Sean. He was this liaison who was supposed to increase communication between the Bureau and Sanctuary. Nothing more than political crap, really."

Morgan shook his head. Frustration laced his words. "Jake went with it. Welcomed the guy. Manny locked him out of most systems and for the most part Sean was only shown what Jake and Manny wanted to show him but still, Jake and Sean were friends. Manny liked the guy."

"Then he betrayed Sanctuary."

Morgan shrugged. "Seems that way. Manny is conflicted because Jake is conflicted. But I'll leave Manny to explain his opinions on that one."

"I'm not sure Manny will be explaining anything to me anytime soon," Josh said, his tone dead.

"I think you will be surprised."

"Well this is all cool but I really need to work," Josh said. He didn't want to listen to any more of Morgan's 'Sanctuary is amazing' stories. Morgan may be bowled over by them but Josh was less so. For him Sanctuary meant Manny. Great.

He made his way to the office determined to ignore Manny if he was in there working, but the office was actually clear. Manny must be in his room. That was a good thing. Josh could concentrate on a few ideas he had.

Something in his research today on the senator's wife had pulled up a few lines of investigation and he knew that burying himself in research was the best way to get his head out of this self-destroying funk.

He had a new email, from the professor at the university. The guy had nothing conclusive on the necklace. Apparently it was mass market costume jewelry circa late eighties. Interesting. That narrowed down a year maybe? Or hell, a decade at least. Also, the Professor added, no society woman would wear fake costume stuff when the real thing was in reach. He guessed that left them looking at staff, possibly interns with the senator. Worst of all though, they may be looking at nothing more than a prostitute on her knees who was entirely unrelated to a possible body on the grounds of the Bullen mansion in the mountains.

Speaking of which, he pulled up surveillance of the place. Satellite images, Google Earth, and crime scene photos. Virtually every inch of the Bullen land had been tracked with ground-penetrating radar by the forensics team and they had found nothing except…

"Dogs!"

Emily Selby was a dog lover. She always owned dogs, mutts and pure breeds, and when she came to Senator Bullen she moved into the Bullen mansion. He scrolled through coverage and there, just under a thriving rose bed, was a set of small crosses made of stone. He called up scene photos. Each cross had a name. Muffy. Grampion.

Benny. And many others. In all Josh counted fifteen of the little crosses. A big area. One maybe scanned in a casual fashion? Something to be returned to later? After all, the focus had been out on the mountain after what Beckett Jamieson had commented in the briefing