The Body Hunters (30 page)

"I'm going with you. I'll go tell Lucius now.
"

"Absolutely not!"
Was Lucius, answer to Aiden's request to follow Danny back to Phoenix. Agent Stone was standing before him in his temporary office pleading his case to protect Danielle
.

"No?"
 He returned
.

"That is correct, Agent." He spat out, his cold gray eyes skimming over him. "We have no proof that Dr. Wolfe is even involved in the human trafficking ring cartel. Everything you have is just circumstantial. I don't believe that Ms. Labouleaux is in any danger.
"

"Agent Johnson--"

Lucius waved his hand indicating he didn't want to hear it. "Over the past few weeks you've gotten too close to her. The only danger Dr. Wolfe is capable of is endangering your chances to woo her.
"

The words stung in Aiden’s ears, and he was tempted to show him the video he had extracted from the clinic. However, he resisted the urge as he knew the only thing the video might do at this point was get him fired. Lucius was already on his case about not following protocol
.

"Look, Agent Johnson, my gut is telling me that there's more to this guy than there seems to be.
"

Lucius actually chuckled, the gesture dripping with contempt.
"Your gut, Agent Stone?I'm pretty sure you're not thinking with your gut. I think you are thinking with another part of your anatomy where Ms. Labouleaux is concerned. Like I've said, you've gotten too close and it's clouding your judgment. Danielle is very capable of taking care of herself. My word is final on this issue. Are we clear?
"

Aiden
 leaned forward against the desk, his grip so hard it was a wonder he didn't leave dents. "I really hope you're right Agent Johnson because if anything happens to Danny you'll have me to deal with.
"

His hulking frame departed the office. He made a point of slamming the door so hard the glass rattled in its frame
.

The next morning they headed for the airport. Despite her protests
 Aiden insisted on once again dropping her off. Tendrils of foreboding crept up on him, the anxiety getting to him for the first time in a long time. He was standing outside her security checkpoint not quite ready to see her go
.

"I want you to call me as soon as you get to his house." He instructed. His brow knitted in all seriousness
.

Danny saluted and smiled.
"Sir, yes, sir!
"

He
 wasn't amused "I mean it Danny! Take this seriously! Breaking up with someone can get nasty. I want to make sure you're safe.
"

"You worry too much." Standing on her tiptoes she softly nipped his lower lip before kissing him. "I appreciate you worrying, really.
"

His hand lingered on her hip. "Get on that plane before I decide to quit my job and come with you.
"

Turning on her heels she shifted the messenger bag on her shoulder and headed through the checkpoint.

Chapter 1
7

It had been a while since the fight at the restaurant, still feeling bitter Cassie found herself obsessed with revenge against that uppity, gold digging bitch Danielle. The aftermath of the fight was not in Cassie’s favor. She found herself a social pariah. The sordid story spread faster than an S.T.D amongst her peers. No one wanted to be seen with the woman who was presumed to be racist. Most of the women in her circle avoided her now. There were no party invites, no social functions to attend.

There had been rumors that Dominick was going to leave her. How could he stay married to a woman who thought less of him because of his skin color? She did love Dom, but the mean girl that possessed her during the fight with Danny caused her to use less than better judgment in her choice of words. Truth was that she wanted to get a rise out of Danny, make her fight. Cassie just wasn't figuring little skinny Danielle could win
.

Cassie's insecurity within herself was the main motivator for her hatred of Danny. Danny was everything Cassie really wanted to be but wasn't. Cassie had chosen Dominick for love partially, security mostly. Marrying a plastic surgeon afforded her the luxuries she had grown accustomed to, and besides he was easy to control and even easier to please. That had all changed now. He was taking the reins and challenging the status quo with her. He had taken the credit cards away for punishment and taken a much sterner tone than he had ever done in their ten years of marriage. He knew Cassie really wasn't a racist. In their years of marriage she never uttered a single slur towards him even in their most heated arguments. This, however, took him by surprise, and he realized Cassie's mean girl attitude had grown out of control.

He fired the property management company and demanded that she work for a living as the property manager for their several rentals. Dominick figured it was time she occupied herself with something useful and learn to appreciate earning a living. He gave her a salary and put her to work. If she didn't like it, then he would be filing for divorce. Cassie had accepted the new terms grudgingly. She figured if this was what it took to save her marriage then she would submit temporarily.

Cassie drove up to the sleek mini mansion Gerard and Danny called home. Seeing Danny's Camaro in the circular drive she assumed she was there. Now she had her in the crosshairs. Danny's day was coming, and she was determined to see her pay. The goods to confront her were all in her cell phone. The day before she had filmed a damning video of Danielle's lies, the comings and goings of Danielle and her secret lover in an equally secret love nest above the bookstore in the building Dominick owned.

Cassie had been there to collect past due rent from the bookstore. She had recognized the classic Camaro. It wasn't hard to miss since it was the only one in town. Parking across the street from the bookstore and apartments, she saw the familiar slender silhouette in the open window along with the man. Taking out her iPhone she zoomed in on the window and pressed record. The footage showed Danny sitting on what looked like a second-hand couch looking at something with the unidentified male. Later she filmed her coming out of the apartment alone with the man coming out a few minutes behind her and both leaving in their respective vehicles.

"Gotcha now you bitch" Cassie said aloud to herself as she reviewed what she had shot. She had been waiting and biding her time since the dinner fiasco that ended up with her hair full of shit. Now she was going to confront her nemesis and blackmail her out of Gerard's and everyone's life for good. Cassie checked the management records of the lease. It showed the lease was under a name of Lucius Johnson.
              
 

 
"So that's lover boy's name huh bitch!" Cassie's inner dialogue was full of venom and hatred surprising even her
.

The big oak door opened a few seconds after the doorbell chimed. Ready with a full on verbal onslaught Cassie was surprised when Gerard opened the door.

"Ah, hey Gerard, Danielle home? I see her car. I thought we'd go to lunch and have a little girl time." Gerard looked confused. Danny hated Cassie, and he highly doubted she would have lunch with what she considered a venomous snake.

"Um, no Cass, she's not." Gerard looked at her without so much as even a smile.

"Oh, no biggie.I'll check with her later. When is she coming home?
"

"She's in New York visiting a friend. I'll tell her you came by. She's not back for a couple days yet. I'd invite you in but I have got some things to do, OK Cass?
”

Truth was he considered her a shrew and Dominick a milquetoast for marrying her. He no more wanted her company than he wanted a root canal. He started to close the door. Cassie stepped in before he could close it fully. Looking around, she was making sure Danny really wasn't in the house. She turned and looked Gerard straight in the eyes.

"I guess I have no choice but to be the bearer of bad news then Ger." She made her way to the black leather sofa and patted the cushion next to her, indicating he should sit close.

"Really Cassie I've got a lot to do! Please maybe later." he pleaded. He didn't want her in his business and was certainly not going to tell her that he and Danny were separating for a while
.

"Oh
hon, you’re going to want to make time for this. I've got something to show you! Are you sure Danielle is in New York, let alone by herself?” She was grinning at the thought of lowering the boom.

"Oh Jesus Christ Cass!
Fine what is it? What's so damn sure fire hot that you have to make this kind of insinuation? I know you're upset over what happened, but you kind of deserved it don't you think? Calling her the "N" word? What did you think she'd do?" Gerard was gesturing and turning red
.

"OK, I'm just going to say it Ger. Danielle is having an affair, and I've got proof right here." She held up her iPhone.

"Fuck you Cassie! Get out!" He grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her out of the living room to the door.

"Wait Ger, wait!" She pulled away and started the video on the phone and shoved it into his face.

With the big oak door half open and holding onto the doorknob, he grabbed the phone from her hands and started watching the images. Cassie could see his facial expression change into something evil. She started to get the sick feeling that maybe this was not her best idea. Her stomach churning, she decided to leave.

"Keep the phone Ger. I'm going to go now, OK? Sorry to bring you this news" She muttered, trying to sound sweet while squeezing past him and out the door.

Gerard growled at her. His eyes were on fire. "Where the fuck is this place!" he barked loudly, his face contorting as if a demon had suddenly possessed him. Cassie, scared out of her mind, answered back
.

"It's one of the apartments above the bookstore on James Street. You know, the one Dominick owns. I'm probably wrong. I'm sure it's innocent. You know, I'm sorry, you're right I'm just starting some shit to get back at her. Ger
it'sokay really." she rambled
.

"Shut the fuck up! You bitches are all alike!" He grabbed his keys from his pocket and pushed her out of the doorway, making her fall backwards on her ass. Slamming the oak door behind him, he ran to his Bentley in the circular drive slamming his fist on Danny's Camaro as he walked past it shouting obscenities. He left Cassie still sitting on the ground as he peeled off leaving tire tracks on the cement
.

Agent Ramirez sat on the small brown sofa in the little apartment above the bookstore. His laptop was balanced on his knees. He had orders from Agent Johnson to keep following the money trail of the trafficking cartel he and
 Aiden were investigating. The apartment afforded the agent more privacy and quiet than the motel, and he had access to Danny's computers and passwords that allowed him to search several classified sites. He was surprised that she had all this access just to write a magazine. It was dawning on him there was definitely more to Danielle Labouleaux than met the eye. The fact that Agent Johnson seemed to be a bit overprotective of her and afforded her all this access when she was only a consultant slightly bothered him, but he figured he was safer not knowing all the details.                                         
 

 
Sometimes ignorance is bliss, and he wasn't going to question his superior's motives. The white board Danny was using for her cold case work was now along the sidewall and had five pictures of half decayed or skeletal bodies. It was gruesome to look at, and it reminded him of his visit to a body farm for one of his forensic classes he took in college. People of all sorts who had donated their remains to science ended up there and were laid out on the ground in different conditions to discover the time line of decay and how the elements affected the progress of it. Time lapse photos were taken to document these necessary, albeit stomach turning, events.

Trying to remove those particular images from his head, Agent Ramirez turned his thoughts to his parents, Mr. Alex and Mrs. Juanita Ramirez. They were immigrants who had worked two and three jobs at a time to put their only son through college, denying themselves the luxuries others had taken for granted to secure a future for their son. Alejandro was the light of their lives. It showed by the shrine they had over the fireplace mantel in their home of his Army and college graduation pictures and his medals and various awards they liked to show off to anyone who happened to come by the house. He was deathly afraid of letting them down. He really needn't have worried. He could have committed the most cold-blooded murder, and they would have stood by him. He would often send money home only to find his
parents were putting the money into a bank account with his name on it and not spending a dime. He tried to outsmart them and started paying for things behind their backs like the monthly mortgage payments, and one spring morning Alex Ramirez opened the door and found a new Malibu in the driveway complete with a bow. Often his mother would open the door to the home to find a food delivery service dropping off groceries and yellow roses for her, her favorite.