The Kay Sister: A Mystery Suspense Thriller (Turquoise Valley Book 1) Levi Fuller (read e book .TXT) 📖

Gaby shifted the folder towards him, and from the look on her face, Carlos, who had entered the academy with them, was likely in mortal danger

He let his eyes skim over the file, using years of training to pick out the most important facts quickly.

"Is he still in Mexico?" he said, glancing over the last information Carlos had sent in about the drug cartel he had infiltrated.

Their boss loosed a heavy sigh. "It doesn't look like it. He was meant to cross the border sometime this past week, from Naco, Mexico into, Naco, Arizona. He was meant to confirm his return to US soil but failed to make contact."

"Naco? That place is so small. Shouldn't be hard to find him," Gaby mused, glancing out of the window.

"I believe he has been found, although we only know this through our track on a potential drug dealer who lives here but travels through the crossing at Naco often."

Her tone left little room for doubt, and Reis slowly shut the folder, met Gaby's dark blue eyes, then glanced back at their boss. "You sure he's dead?"

She gave a reluctant nod. "I phoned in this morning, as a concerned relative. Got put through to the Sheriff, who confirmed that a body possibly matching his appearance had been found on Saturday. Asked me to come in for an ID. I said someone would be around today."

Reis glanced at the ceiling, his brow furrowing. "There's more. A potentially dead agent wouldn't spur you to move this quickly."

Their boss smiled. "Right again. Here. It looks like if the body is a match, then our man was killed in the same way as someone named Henry Kay, twelve years ago."

Reis felt his frown deepen. This still didn't make much sense. Even if there was potential for a serial killer, it would explain the FBI getting involved.

"I don't understand," said Gaby, sparing him his pride. "What does a murder from twelve years ago have to do with us?"

"Because the man who went to prison for Henry Kay's murder was one of ours. Agent George Grey."

"What?" Reis said, his eyes hardening from soft caramel to immovable topaz. "Since when does the FBI let its people take the fall for murder?"

She shrugged. "Not even I have the clearance for those details, Reis. The important thing is that he was innocent. He didn't kill Henry Kay, but he was certain that Kay was in the middle of something big, big enough for him to ask to extend his time there."

Reis felt a weight settle in his middle. "'Was certain'? Are you telling me he is dead too?"

"Yes, though that matter has not been made public knowledge yet."

Reis swore, and Gaby's eyes had narrowed into slits. "So you want us to pick up where Grey left off?"

"In a way. You are officially going to identify Carlos and solve his murder." She took a deep breath and glanced out of the window. "Carlos was smart. He'd been undercover for most of his career here. He had never once missed a check-in or overlooked danger before it was too late. Something is going on in that town, and we would be foolish to ignore Grey's work and impressions. He suspected the Kay family, then got framed for the murder of their patriarch. It doesn't take a genius."

"Officially? You mean we're not going undercover?" Gaby asked, sounding a little surprised.

Reis utter a short bark of laughter. "Of course not Boone. Don't you see? Our higher-ups think that if the murderer realizes they've tangled with the FBI, they might make a desperate attempt to save themselves, revealing their identity in the process. Clever."

"That is a hope I share, Reis. You're to get in, claim Carlos if he is dead, find him if he is not, and find out what secret got Henry Kay, Grey, and Carlos murdered. I give you permission to reveal Grey's true identity or death as you see fit to aid you."

Reis nodded, piling the folder on Henry Kay, along with other notes by Grey, on top of the one with the intel about and from Carlos.

"Understood. When are we going in?"

"Today." She stated.

"On a Sunday? Really?"

You …whining, Reis? Like some kind of first-year rookie?"

Reis sighed in defeat. "No, ma'am."

"Good. I have already made an appointment. The Sheriff said he'd be waiting for you at their morgue. Be in Naco by ten. Gives you just under three hours to prep before driving out. Read those files well and take what you need on a secure drive. Laptops and gear are all in room five. Here are the keys to your car, and these are for the house we've rented out for your stay." She tossed two sets of keys onto the table. "There is something buried in that town we need to find, don't let us down. Dismissed."

Both agents nodded and left, making their way down the corridor to room five.

Reis thought over the bits of information and the body language that their boss had displayed as they walked. While he would give a lot to have back his mountain cabin and peace and quiet, this case looked set to be an interesting one.

****

Rosa stepped back into her empty house and let out a long sigh. She walked back from the church alone. She used Lucia and Cam as an excuse to ditch Mark and Ella, then told her sisters that she had a headache, leaving them to await Pastor Ian. Cam was getting her tour of the mission center before she started there tomorrow.

In truth, she had simply not been able to