Hunt and Prey (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 8) by Kaylie Hunter (novels to read for beginners txt) 📕

I looked at the picture, then back at Baker as I slowly stood. Every hair on my body also stood upright. “You’re sure? This—” I pointed to the guy in the picture “—was the guy talking with Owen Flint?”

He handed me another photo showing the two of them in The Parlor sharing a table.

“Kelsey? Is that—” Ryan started to ask, looking over my shoulder.

“Yes,” I said, cutting him off. I flipped the photo over to read the notes Baker had written on the back. The photo was six months old. “Was there a woman with them?”

Baker raised an eyebrow before sliding another photo, much slower, across the desk to me. “I assumed she was an escort.”

“She’s a professional, but not an escort,” Ryan said, picking up the picture. “How is this even possible?” he asked me.

“I have no idea.”

“What am I missing?” Baker asked.

I set the photo down, placing my fingertip on the image of the man sitting next to Owen Flint. “This is Santiago Remirez.”

“And this,” Ryan said, tossing the picture he was holding onto the desk, “is his diabolical girlfriend, DEA agent Sebrina Tanner.”

I cringed at hearing Sebrina’s last name. It still made me angry to know Grady had kept his ex-wife a secret.

Baker looked down at the photo. “Is she working undercover?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “She’s dirty. We recently busted her and turned evidence over to the agency. But we never heard what happened to her after we did.”

“If you busted her, she’d be in prison, right?”

“Not necessarily,” Ryan said, scratching the back of his head. “If they felt the case was too weak to force a plea deal, they’d fire her and allow her to disappear. It doesn’t look good to have a media storm following a controversial case involving a dirty agent. The DOJ would keep tabs on her, hoping that after some time passed, they could arrest her as a civilian.”

Baker looked back and forth between us. “What are the chances that they released her?”

“Likely,” I said as I ran a hand through my hair. “I had enough to get her fired. To prove she had a relationship with the cartel. I didn’t have enough to prove she worked for the cartel, though.”

“What about her trying to kill you?” Ryan asked me.

“She can counter she acted in self-defense. That she feared for her life.” I looked at Ryan. “I did kick her ass and threaten to slit her throat.”

“That was to keep her away from the kids.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s still something she can use. So far, Donovan hasn’t been able to find out what happened to Sebrina or her cohort Shipwreck. As for Santiago,” I looked back at his photo, “he should be in a prison somewhere, but I can follow-up.”

Ryan sat in one of the guest chairs. “If Sebrina and Santiago were financing the dentist office, and if they’re now out of the business, then who’s paying for the reconstruction work?”

“Good question. We’ll need to talk to Tech.”

The door to the suite opened and Trigger walked out looking like a gangster. His wet hair was combed back straight, and he was wearing one of Baker’s designer suits.

I glanced at Baker. His lips were once again pursed.

“Send me a bill for the suit. Trigger handles a lot of undercover work for me. It could prove handy for us if he has an expensive suit in his disguise box.”

“It’s not the price of the suit that has me pissed,” Baker said between clenched teeth. “Evie hates that suit. That’s why she picked it. There’s plenty of other clothes in my closet.”

“You look better in grays and tans,” Evie said, walking through the door.

The anger fell from his face as he looked at Evie. I looked over my shoulder and scanned her outfit. She was wearing a deep aqua dress that left little to the imagination. The matching pumps screamed sexual thoughts. Ryan grinned. Trigger drooled. Baker gawked.

“You look great,” I told her. “But I won’t know what the plan is until I do a little research. If we don’t come back tonight, then do not engage this guy.”

“Can I still keep the dress?” she asked, winking at Baker.

“Absolutely. That color is all wrong for Charlie anyway.”

“Then I’m good,” she said before departing into Baker’s private suite.

Baker’s head swiveled, following her backside as she disappeared. “She cannot dress like that! It gives the wrong impression.”

I laughed at Baker. “If you don’t get your head out of your ass, that beautiful, intelligent woman is going to find someone else.”

“She’s an employee. I don’t have relationships with employees.”

“They make legal disclosures that cover inner-office relationships. Look into it. Then take that woman on a proper date.”

“If you’re done playing matchmaker, we’ve got work to do,” Ryan said, moving toward the private stairway.

Trigger walked over and with perfect poise, held his elbow out for me. “My lady?”

I hooked my arm through his, grabbing the files and pictures with my other hand before letting him escort me into the stairwell.

Chapter Thirty-Three

CHARLIE

Tuesday, High Noon

Walking into the morgue, I spotted Cassie Rickers, Lydia’s daughter, weeping in one of the hallway chairs. Beast whined as he followed me over to where she was sitting. As I sat next to her, she looked up.

“Did he do this? Did Danny kill my mother?” she asked.

“No,” I told her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Your husband is an asshole, but he didn’t do this.”

“Why then? Why would someone want to kill a drunk homeless woman?”

“Cassie, your mother agreed to help me with some information I needed. I’m a homicide detective.” I waited until the look of confusion was replaced with understanding.

She wiped the tears from her