Love and the White Wolf - Book 3

1. Try Try Again (Brief sexual content)

We slept in on New Year's Day; a beautiful glorious sleep until after 9 am.  I had no hangover either even though I thought I had been quite drunk during our encounter the night before.  James lay on his back looking up at me as I sat on top of him.  We weren't having sex but we were being playful as we talked about the incident with the soldier. 

"I wonder how he's going to explain being taken down by a talking raccoon and a well placed leg to the groin," said James.  "He'll never hear the end of it."

"Serves him right," I said. "Imagine him thinking he could get away with that garbage here."

"I'm impressed with Rocket," said James. "He can be pretty self serving but he stuck up for you."

"When you were the Winter Soldier he was pretty supportive," I replied.  "Even brought me water."

"They already think of you as being part of the team," he said. "You're mentioned in several mission reports already."

He pulled me down close and kissed me.  Just as it looked we might be more than playful he received a text on his phone.  He looked at it and swore.  I rolled off of him and he got out of bed dialling back to the person who texted him.

"Talk to me, Brad!" he said as he stepped out of the bedroom. 

He returned a few minutes later.  "The soldier that attacked you last night was found dead in his cell.  Everybody that came into contact with him is considered a person of interest.  FBI and CIA will each be sending an investigator and will work with the MPs from the military base.  No one leaves their quarters until they've been cleared.  We can't even get Steve, he has to stay with Kyle and Laurel."

James tried bringing up Friday but his authorization was suspended pending the investigation.  Brad was taking a chance sending him a text and talking to him on the phone but as head of security felt James had a right to know.  Brad only knew because he was there when the body was discovered.  We got dressed so we were ready whenever anyone came to see us which was less than ten minutes later.  An MP from the base, Sgt. Tom Patterson, came in and saluted James before offering his hand.

"Sorry, Sarge," he said. "Normally, you'd be doing this part of the investigation but I'm just doing my job here.  I understand you had an altercation with the deceased last night."

James described what happened and what was said.  Then Patterson turned to me and asked if I had anything to add.  I told him about feeling stalked right from the moment I saw him, and how when he grabbed me he refused to let go both times.  James pointed out I had an eidetic memory and could perfectly recall anything that was said and Patterson said that wouldn't be necessary as Friday had recorded everything.  I asked about getting Steve back.  After confirming that he was no longer nursing he said no, that Steve would have to stay with the babysitter for now.  Patterson told us to sit tight, and that someone would bring us food and refreshments.  We were just as clueless as we had been before.  I texted Laurel about Steve and she said he was fine.  Because they weren't at the dance they were allowed to do their regular duties.  Kyle was already in their office with Zoe going over the security footage. 

About 30 minutes later a worker from food services brought us coffee, juice, fruit and breakfast sandwiches.  She was escorted by another MP from the military base and couldn't say anything.  We took the food and ate it, then sat waiting for anything.

About an hour later the CIA and FBI investigators came to see us.  To our surprise the CIA investigator was the same one who had led the search of our home for the missing files.  He gave no indication that he had ever met us before so we followed his lead.  They asked us the same questions as Patterson had, but also asked if we had ever met the man before to which we both confirmed that he was previously unknown to us.  They thanked us and both gave us their card.  The backs of both were blank but on looking closer James could make out differences in texture on the back of the CIA card.  Borrowing my blow dryer he heated the back of the CIA investigator's card and a message appeared.