Shifters: A Samantha Reece Mystery Book 1 by Jaime Johnesee (libby ebook reader txt) 📕

confess everything, including that she had cheated on some history test in the fourth grade.

“Look, Alex, I’m going to offer to help on this case because I’m a shifter and it just feels right. I’ve been hungry to take down AWFA for some time now.”

“Suit yourself. I’ll wait for you and take you home.” His eyes belied his amusement.

He was one of the too few friends I had left from my pre-shifter days. I’d always seen him as a brother of sorts. He treated me like a sister; well more like a fourth cousin he had a bit of a crush on. Not having any real family it was nice to have been adopted.

The O’Reilly’s took pity on me and had welcomed me into their fold in much the same way. Although Quinn and his family never knew me as a human. I hate saying it like that, but it’s true. It’s different being a shifter; you feel like you never fit in anywhere. Even within the shifter community there is a separation of subspecies. Like hangs with like, for the most part. The first time I felt like I belonged anywhere was just recently when I was hanging out with Ben.

Finding myself at this crossroads in life I felt the need to stand up and say what I wanted. What I needed. And that was my work. I needed and wanted to keep working. I knew what Sal had done by coming at me the way he did. I’d done it myself to many a suspect or witness.

Knowing that didn’t take the sting out of it, though. I also knew that this would be a difficult and long case to tackle, but it’s one that would be well worth it. If I could cut off groups like AWFA before they took root in places like the FBI then maybe we supers stood a chance of not being hunted down when we do finally come out from under the bed.

Granted, there is a big difference between the whole of the FBI and one field office, but I figure we clean up our house and maybe others will fall in line to clean up theirs. I was going to help Sal figure out who the inside man was, but I was going to start tomorrow. Today had wrought enough stress on me.

“If this is what you want, Sam, I’ll stand beside you as your friend.”

“Thanks, Al.” I hugged him.

“Hey, that’s what friends are for.”

“Hey, Sal,” I called out to the hallway.

Sal and the blue suited fellow came back in.

“I’ll help you figure out who Grisly’s puppet-master was starting tomorrow. I want Ben Fitzpatrick released from protective custody. He didn’t see anything except Grisly and there is no reason to believe that the person behind it all has any knowledge of him.”

“Done.”

“I also want to bring Quinn in on this. I won’t work without my partner.”

“Fair enough,” Blue suit said as he nodded his acquiescence.

“You can choose one other person to bring in.” Sal looked at me awaiting my answer.

I looked around and my eyes rested on Alex. He’d be perfect at this. Having been in the private sector he was used to espionage, and that sort of thing wasn’t my cup of tea.

“I want Alex Baltazar reinstated and on this case.”

“No,” Sal and Dark suit said at the same time.

“Hell no, Sam. I don’t want to be a part of this dog and pony show. Shit like this is why I left in the first place.”

“Come on, Alex, with your help you know we can crack this baby in a week.”

“Three days tops, but that’s not the point.”

“Isn’t it? I thought the point of what we do—no matter what uniform we wear—was to stop the bad guys. Wouldn’t you say that a man urging a serial killer to murder shifters is a really bad guy?”

“Of course, but, come on, I have other cases on my desk at my actual job, Sam. Not the least of which is making sure you are safe.”

“If you want to make sure I’m safe, old friend, then help me find out who was pulling Grisly’s strings.”

He sighed and threw his hands in the air.

“Fine. I will give you one week, but that is all I can spare, I do have other clients, you know. Paying ones.” He narrowed his eyes at me so I understood his point.

I just smiled because I knew I was going to be bringing down the bastard behind so many women suffering no matter how long it took. I knew Alex well. Once he was on a case there would be no dissuading him until he got his man, or woman.

“Perfect!”

“I don’t like this Agent Reece. It’s true that Baltazar was a good agent, and I can’t say we haven’t used him as a consultant before, but I don’t want any cowboy hero bullshit on this case. You will be reporting to the Internal Affairs Division on this one. Do you understand me?” Sal said it quietly, but there was an intensity to it that made even my smartass mouth stay tightly shut.

In fact, I simply nodded so as not to make a joke to try and break the tension. It was the sort of tension that was almost necessary. It was a bit like watching that scene in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly when the camera shifts between each man’s eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was make a bad joke and piss off my boss’s boss. That’s never a smart career choice.

“You can work with Kevin here on whatever warrant or anything else you may need.”

“Kevin MacDonald, IAD,” the man in blue offered up his name as an offhand remark, but I’d wondered why he hadn’t given his name before the interrogation.

“Sounds like a plan.”

“I’m going to have to spend tomorrow clearing my calendar for this. Can we get started the following day?” Alex sounded put upon, but there was a gleam in his eye.

“Fine by