Page 45 of Broken
“Mute your laptop,” Dakota said.
Prescott muted his computer as Cooper answered. “Hey, brother.”
“Dakota and I are on a video chat with Bert Grimes,” Prescott explained. “Someone broke into his house and shot him execution style—”
The killer slammed Bert’s laptop shut, but the video chat between Prescott and Dakota was still active.
“I’m calling you and Coop.” Dakota dropped off.
“The killer is in Bert’s house,” Prescott said to Cooper. “He just shut Bert’s laptop.”
“Jesus,” Cooper exclaimed.
“Dakota’s calling us,” Prescott said, and hung up.
Prescott accepted the invitation, punched in his code, and Dakota’s face popped onto the screen again. Seconds later, Cooper joined them.
“I called the police,” Dakota said. “Told the operator Bert’s with the Bureau.”
In order to keep their ALPHA identity concealed, Ops were assigned IDs from several federal law enforcement agencies, one being the FBI.
“Walk me through what happened,” Cooper said.
After Dakota did, he added, “One minute he’s sitting at his kitchen table, the next he’s got a bullet in his brain.”
“Could have been a B&E that went bad,” Cooper said.
“It wasn’t,” Prescott said. “He knew his killer.”
“I’m getting word out to the team,” Cooper said. “Once police find Bert in the system, they’ll contact me.”
Prescott remembered that an ALPHA Op had recently been killed during a carjacking. “Do you think Gloria Whelan’s murder is connected to this one?”
“Doubtful,” Cooper replied.
“Two Ops killed within days of each other isn’t a coincidence,” Prescott pushed back.
“I’ll check with the detective assigned to Gloria’s case.” Cooper’s phone started ringing. “It’s the police.”
They ended the call, and Prescott shoved out of his chair and started pacing. Bert Grimes’s death had all the markings of a revenge kill. The killer entered his home and made sure Bert saw him before he got a bullet between the eyes.
Who the hell wanted Bert dead?
FRIDAY EVENING,PRESCOTT raised his glass. “Congratulations.”
When Prescott found out that Sally’s interview with his company had gone well, he asked his finance veep to interview her ASAP. She had the skills, along with a great attitude, so she was offered a position on the team. To celebrate her job offer at Armstrong Enterprises, Prescott had put together a last-minute dinner party.
His sister Kerri and her husband Lamar couldn’t make it, but his mom and dad, along with Hawk and Addison were there to support Sally and her son, Ethan.
Seated around his kitchen table, the family raised their glasses and toasted his sister.
Sally’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you so much for welcoming Ethan and me into your family. I’m so grateful.”
“We’re happy you’re here,” Prescott’s mom said.
Sally choked back a sob. “Sorry, it’s just that everyone is so nice.”
“We’re all drunk,” Hawk replied. “We don’t knowwhat’sgoing on.”
