Chemical Attraction, page 26
“We’ll search the company in a few hours for the meth. You and Eva can look around for your nano-stuff.”
She stopped to look out the kitchen window. “I’m grateful for your help with this. I’ve liked working with you.”
“That sounded like a good-bye.”
“You’ll be leaving soon for your next assignment. Rita even gloated that she’ll be your new partner,” she said, not turning around.
Joe wrapped his arms around her waist and put his chin on her shoulder. Looking out the window, they saw their reflection. “Let me tell you a little something about Rita. She’s here because she can fly a plane and knows computers. I will never be her partner. I don’t trust her. I’d quit first, and my boss knows that.”
“Oh,” she whispered.
“And I don’t have another assignment after this one. I put in for my vacation when I called my superior with our road trip list.”
“You did?” She turned to face him while he held her.
“I did. So unless you’re dumping me, we’re going someplace secluded.”
“I love you,” she whispered with her forehead against his neck.
“I love you, too,” he whispered back. “And that’s not a line. I mean it.” He kissed her as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He pulled back. “Damn Matt for being in my room.”
“Joe, can we finish this together?”
“I think I’ve already suggested making you my partner,” he said, playing with her hair. Matt coughed in the doorway. Joe stopped her from stepping away. “Is this payback from earlier?” Joe asked.
“No, just a heads up that I’ve heard alarm clocks going off. I don’t want to break up fights between you and any guy who looks at Madeline, especially dressed like that,” he replied, amused by Joe’s glare and her blush.
At five o’clock sharp, Chief Connor, Joe, and Dr. Pierce entered the Bennett Technology and Research Building. Taken aback, June LaValley set her mug of hot coffee on the counter and stood to greet them. “What’s everyone doing up so early?” she asked, looking them over.
With her purse slung across her body, Dr. Pierce wore jeans and a green tank top with a navy blue one layered over it. Her hair fell over her shoulders, also unusual for work. Chief Connor in uniform carried a folded paper. But Joe, dressed in jeans and a dark blue shirt with FBI across the front, surprised her the most. He wore his badge on a chain around his neck as well as a sidearm. He no longer looked the big doofus from yesterday.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“This is official,” Chief Connor said. “This is a warrant to search the premises. Please have a seat.” He handed her the warrant that the FBI had brought with them.
“To search for what?”
“June, please,” Dr. Pierce replied, putting her hair behind her ear. “Lay your gun on the counter and I’ll explain.”
Nodding, she slowly sat in the chair.
“Thank you. How many people are in the building right now?” Joe asked.
“Why are you here?” June asked as Kim walked around the corner.
Joe had his hand on his gun. “Madeline, take her weapon. June, for your employees’ safety, I need to know how many are in this building.”
“Sixteen, including Kim and me,” she replied, shaken by his seriousness.
Dr. Pierce escorted Kim behind the desk to sit. “Are any other researchers checked in?” she asked.
“No, the only ones here are the guys in Materials Management, Support Services, and Roger at the shipping gate.” She watched Joe press a button on his small earpiece com unit. Dr. Pierce and Chief Connor also wore headsets that looked like hearing aids with a small one-inch wire sticking out along the jaw line.
“June,” Chief Connor said, “please double-check your computer screen and print off a copy of every employee who’s punched in. I know you can do it from here.”
Through her headset, Madeline heard Joe commanding the teams. Team 2 with three agents and Brayland would take over the shipping area. Brayland would stay at the shipping gate to prevent any trucks from leaving. The three other agents would accompany Roger through the shipping doors and round up employees.
With Team 3, Bobby would secure the front door with Ethan guarding the side entrance. They entered the building with Teams 4 and 5. Those six agents with guns proceeded into the rest of the building. Phase one of their plan was to gather all the employees into the cafeteria and to secure the building. On Team 6, she and Eva would search the research labs for the nano-drug while Team 1 with Matt, Joe, and Rita searched the offices for information on the meth.
“Dr. Pierce, what is this all about? He isn’t your boyfriend, is he?” June asked.
“It’s hard to explain. You’ve noticed an increase in meth around the area from the news reports. Well, BennTech or at least some of its employees have something to do with it.”
“No way. Why would they do that?” June asked.
“I don’t know, but I’m afraid it’s true. We have proof. We just don’t know how high up this goes,” she replied to June and Kim as the others moved away from the counter.
“You’re ratting out your own company,” Kim said.
“Yeah, I guess I am,” she replied. “If I can help stop the manufacturing and distribution, I will.”
“What can I do to help? I don’t want Trevor anywhere near that stuff,” June replied.
“Can we use these monitors to help the agents look for employees?”
“Yeah,” June replied as Kim folded her arms.
Within thirty minutes, the agents had rounded up thirteen employees and Kim. June stayed at the front desk to help Bobby. Joe stepped away from the desk and talked to Matt and the agents who were in the cafeteria with the employees.
“Who’s still missing?” Joe asked through his com.
“Kenny VanKampen,” Matt replied.
“Team 5, stay there and start interrogating the group. Kenny VanKampen is the only one unaccounted for. Phase 2 starts with caution.”
Agent Tim Orr left the building to retrieve Eva and Rita from the car. Matt returned to the front desk for the second part of the search. The rest of the teams would hunt down the last employee and then question the others once the building was secure. Eva stormed into the building. Grinning, Rita walked to Joe’s side. He told her to stay by Bobby while he met with them at the counter.
“Joe, she’s the most unprofessional person I have ever met. If I ever catch you being civil to her in a way that gives her any hope at all, I will disown you as a brother,” Eva said, shaking a finger at him.
“Not a problem,” he replied. “Now listen. Be on guard, and if you have any concerns, use your com.”
“June will watch the monitors for Kenny,” Madeline said.
“You’re helping us?” Joe asked June.
“I love my son. I don’t want meth in my backyard.”
Joe nodded. “Tim, go with them and keep an eye out.”
“Yes sir,” Tim replied as he led Eva and Madeline down the hall.
Madeline looked over her shoulder. Joe motioned for Rita to join them. Before turning the corner, she saw Joe hand Rita’s headset to June. Down the hall, Madeline opened the first lab with the main passkey that she had taken from the security desk. In the laboratory, she focused on the refrigeration and its samples. Tim secured the area while Eva still fumed at Rita’s attitude.
“Tim, does she always act that way?” Eva asked.
“It’s worse around Joe.” His broad shoulders surveyed the area, ready to shoot anything that moved.
“Has he ever led her on?” Eva asked. Madeline continued to search, paying close attention. She wanted to know, too.
“Not at all, in fact, Joe goes out of his way to avoid her,” he said, wandering around.
“But he called her earlier in the week,” Eva said.
“He knew she’d come straightaway.”
Madeline gathered five different vials from this department’s supply. Placing them in a plastic bag, she labeled it with the department’s name. “What’d she say that’s gotten you so worked up?”
“If I didn’t help her get closer to Joe, she would report him for misconduct with you, putting a major black mark on his work record.”
“Oh my God, I can’t believe she’d do that.”
“I believe it,” Tim replied.
“What did you say to her?” Madeline asked as they left that research area.
“I told her to go to hell.”
Tim smiled. “Most of the guys are intimidated because she pulls shit like that. It’d be nice not to tiptoe around her.”
“How long has she gotten away with her blackmail schemes?” Eva asked.
“For as long as she’s worked there because of her uncle,” Tim replied.
“I knew it. Well, she’s messed with the wrong women,” Eva said as Madeline nodded.
“I can’t wait,” Tim said as they entered the next lab. He pushed his earpiece. “Team 6 checking in.”
They heard Joe’s voice reply. “Any problems?”
Eva tapped her com. “No, you have her with you.”
“We have two more labs to check, then we’ll proceed to the second floor. Team 6 out.” Tim looked at the women. “Don’t make it worse. Everyone can hear that, including Rita.”
“I don’t care. She will pay. Nobody messes with my brother but me.”
“Actually, Rita doesn’t have a com. Joe made her give it to June,” Madeline replied as she gathered more vials. She didn’t want Joe to get into trouble for her pursuit of him. Much of what had happened was her fault.
“This could be fun,” Eva said, grinning.
Joe sat Rita behind Alan Shaw’s desk while Matt looked through his personal files. Joe handed her a list of the raw materials that make meth. “Rita, scan his computer for these materials and any financial indiscretions in the different departments. We’ll still take it with us for a thorough look later.”
“Sure, Joey. I had a nice chat with your sister.”
Before she could continue, he and Matt heard Tim. “Team 6 checking in.”
Glad for the interruption, Joe asked, “Any problems?”
Joe and Matt heard Eva’s voice. “No, you have her with you.” Tim jumped in while Joe shook his head. “Team 1, this is Team 6,” Eva continued.
“Yes, Team 6,” he replied.
“I understand the D-cup is deaf.”
He looked at Matt. “Why is she doing this to me? Can’t you control your wife?”
“Yeah, as well as you can control your sister.” Matt touched his headset. “Affirmative.”
“Good, because the D-cup plans to turn in the King for singing with the Piano Player.”
“What the hell is she doing?” Joe asked Matt. “Team 6, cut the chatter and keep the channel open.”
“What’s going on, Joey?” Rita asked sweetly.
“My wife thinks talking in code is funny,” Matt replied.
“All I’m saying, Team 1, is that Team 6 won’t let that happen,” Eva said.
Joe sighed. “Team 6, tell the Mouth that the King doesn’t need help.” His agents were not going to let him forget this at all. He could picture the harassment now.
“Team 1, I tried,” Tim said, exasperated. “The Mouth and the Piano Player want to, uh, wash, twist, and hang the D-cup out to dry.”
“Team 6, Team 5 will provide the detergent.”
“Team 5, Team 2 has the coins for a double rinse.”
“Team 1, Team 4 can buy the rope for the hanging, we mean drying.”
He stared at brother-in-law, who chuckled. “You are not helping, Matt.”
“Is there a problem, Joey?”
Ignoring her, he touched his earpiece again. “Enough chatter. The King will dry clean his own laundry. Team 6, where are you?”
“Team 1, we’re in an area with static. We’ll check in later,” Eva’s voice said clearly.
Madeline held six Ziploc bags with five vials in each from the first floor labs. “I don’t think that helped much,” she said as they entered the stairwell to the second floor.
Eva laughed. “It was fun talking behind her back.”
“I should get started on these,” she said. “I’ll take them to my lab while you and Tim gather the rest.”
“I shouldn’t leave you alone,” Tim said. “We need to stay together.”
“I’ll be locked in my lab, plus I have my gun if I need it.” Not giving him a choice, she turned on the lights in her lab. Setting the bags and her purse on the counter next to the door, she turned on the nanoscope on the other side of the room.
“I’ll stay and help,” Eva said.
“I’ll be okay. Besides, you’re only a button press away.”
“I should check in then,” Tim said.
“After Eva’s coded conversation, he’ll only give us a lecture,” she said as Eva nodded. “I really need to get this started or we’ll be here all day.”
Reluctantly, Tim and Eva left. She locked the door through the keypad and checked Ernest’s water. Jessica must have disposed of Burton. Shivering, she turned back to the nanoscope. She didn’t want to be responsible for Joe’s bad mark. She’d downplay their relationship. Deep in thought, she continued to look at each vial.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Dr. Pierce hard at work,” Kenny said from her office doorway.
She jumped at his voice. Pushing her panic down, she casually touched her earpiece and covered it with her hair. “Kenny, what are you doing in my lab?”
“I’m hiding out, and you just became my hostage,” Kenny said, blocking the door from any escape.
“Madeline, we’re on our way,” Joe said in her ear.
“The doors are locked. How’d you get in here?” she said to Joe and Kenny.
“I have a passkey to bring supplies to the labs. I can even mess with the lock, so nobody can get in,” he said, backing up to the door and punching numbers into the keypad.
“I know what you’ve been up to. Who are you working for?” she asked, keeping the center table between them.
“I’m my own man.” Next to the door, he shook out the contents of her purse. “Well, look what I found.” He aimed her gun at her, freezing her next to the nanoscope.
“You’re just a boy with my gun.”
“Madeline, do not provoke him. We’re trying to get in,” Joe said.
“Yeah, well, this boy enjoyed stroking you the other day.” He laughed and walked closer to her.
“I went home and washed off your grime. You have no idea how to handle a woman, do you?”
He stood next to her. “I have power around here, and the ladies like that.”
“Please, what power? Bill has you on a choke chain,” she replied, crossing her arms.
“Bill and I are partners. He even said so.”
“Madeline, we’re almost in,” Joe said again in her ear.
“No, wait,” she replied to Joe.
“What?” Kenny asked, with his back to the door.
“I said no. He clearly has you under his thumb. He and Alan are the real partners.”
“Damn it! You have thirty seconds,” Joe growled.
“Alan works for him, but Bill trusts me with inventory,” Kenny said.
“Bill doesn’t trust you. You’re the boy who loads boxes. You couldn’t even do that right. I figured it out. You don’t even know why you’re doing it,” she said as Joe slowly opened the door.
“I know that this money is used for something bigger.” He grabbed her and spun her around to face Joe. His arm around her waist held her like a vice while the gun pressed against her temple.
With both hands, Joe aimed his gun, not moving a muscle. “Let her go, Kenny.”
“No way, she’s my ticket out of here. What do you think of that, boyfriend? I may have to prove I can melt this iceberg.” He pulled her along the back wall, working his way toward the door.
With his team just outside the open door, Joe moved around the lab tables to stand by the nanoscope where they had been, his gun unwavering. “My agents aren’t going to let you leave.”
“Put your gun down now or I’ll show her what a real man can do,” he said, cupping his hand to her breast. He squeezed it hard.
“Ow, that’s really working Kenny,” she replied, squirming under his grip. “All you’re doing is making me want to vomit.”
“How about this?” Kenny slid his hand down her abdomen to her jeans. Popping the button, he groped as he went.
“Okay, Kenny, you win,” Joe said with murder in his eyes. “I’m putting it right here on the counter. Stop it.”
“Joe, is Ernest coming to help me?” she asked with tears in her eyes.
He slowly moved closer to the ultrasound machine. “Kenny, this is your last chance to put the gun down.” He angled his body, so he could quickly hit the switch and dial. “Besides, it took me months to melt the ice.”
She pulled Kenny’s hand out of her pants while he pushed the gun harder against her head. Agents crowded around the door, ready to storm the room. Kenny laughed and shoved her into the center lab table a foot away. He slammed his groin against her backside. She grunted.
“I think I could melt the iceberg in a lot less time.” He slammed her again, causing her to bend over the table.
Joe flipped the switch and cranked the dial. Ernest jumped against the cage. Kenny turned, moving the gun slightly. Deflecting it, she jabbed him in the abdomen with her elbow. Joe was at her side before she knew it. He grabbed her gun with one hand and hit Kenny in the jaw with his fist, knocking him into the cage. Kenny scrambled away, but she punched him square in the nose. He fell as Joe’s agents flew into the room.
