Snake Eater - THE BRAVO BOYS [book three]

Chapter SIXTY

Shelby Quinn

...two weeks later...

The frostbitten breeze of the A/C blasts down on me from the vents overhead, and a heinously bright fluorescent light burns my retinas in the FBI interrogation room.. Neither of which are remotely as offensive as the smell of Jake Harrisons cologne.. The man smells of mint and musk, which at any other time, I probably wouldn't have minded so much.. It's not like Harris is an unattractive man.. The rough and rugged Australian is something of a legend among some circles, and I've certainly heard all the rumours about his sizable endowment down under.. But right now, with the crazy baby hormones pumping through my veins, I could just about puke on his expensive leather loafers..

"Level with me here, Shelby.." Harris leans back in the creaky plastic chair to stretch, showing signs of a sore back and mounting impatience.. That is how I know I am reaching the end of his fuse..

After weeks of constant questioning and isolation cells, I am beginning to think there might not be an end to this tunnel of darkness.. And I know Harrison is sensing my waning grit.. "We both know Hendrix and Iris are mixed up in all this Blackstar fuckery.. So why don't you just lay it out for me.. Save ya own skin.. You don't think that's what they're all doing right now?"

"Seriously? You're playing good cop?" I stare back at him before cocking my head in mocking disbelief.. "Has that actually ever worked on anybody?"

Harris nods with the shrug of one giant shoulder.. "It's a classic for a reason, Sweetheart.."

"And you thought it was going to work on me?"

"Nah.. Not really.." He leans forward.. "But you sure as shit can't say I didn't give you a chance to tell us what you know.."

"Here's what I know, Harris-" Folding my arms on the table, I lean forward to match his cold stare.. "I know you like to swing your prolific cock around and make a big old scene like you're the star of the whole fucking show... I know you'd do anything to look good on a report card, and that ambition probably causes you to bulldoze everybody around you and destroy everything you touch; Deep down , you hate it, even though you lie and tell yourself that your miserable weaknesses are actually your greatest strengths.. No, you know you're just a lonely, empty shell of a man, with nothing to show for the life you've lived except a string of one night stands and a couple of meaningless shiny medals.. And I know the only reason you're going after Iris is your pathological desire to fuck any woman who you feel threatened by, just a insecure little boy, desperate to climb back between mommy's legs.."

"Strewth.." Harris smirks like a lunatic, clearly entertained.. "Let's see now, Iris, do I wanna fuck her?" He pauses to scratch the stubble on his chin in thought.. "Yeah, ya got me.." Holding up his hands in surrender he laughs a little too hard.. "And you're right, I s'poze can get a little overzealous sometimes.. Hey, I'm only human.."

He flicks open the file in front of him.. "But I'll tell you one thing, Sweetheart, at least I'm not mad as a fucking meataxe.. Can you say the same?"

"I don't know what you're talking about.." I shrug..

"I'm talking about this record.. Infraction after infraction; Disrespecting a commanding officer, altercations on duty, altercations offduty, disrespecting a commanding officer again, assault and battery-" His finger slides down the page as he lists my military misconduct history.. "Oh, and then there's this one.. Captured in combat.." He sniggers.. "Tell me, what good is a sergeant who leads her entire unit to their death? And how is it that you, Miss Quinn, are the only one who miraculously survived?"

Angling to get at me though survivors guilt, he goads me to slip up and say something, anything that will implicate my father or my boss in having any involvement with Wyatt Bennings illegal weapons trade..