Operation Xoxo. Elle James

the men actually working the case. “We can discuss it in further detail when we meet.”

      “How’s nine o’clock in the morning? The Denny’s in Breuer. I’m partial to their chicken-fried steak. Just don’t tell my wife I eat it for breakfast. She’s trying to get me on some danged low-fat diet.”

      “Your secret’s safe with me.” Paul’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food. He hadn’t eaten since he’d grabbed a biscuit at the McDonald’s on his way to work that morning. “I’ll be there at nine. Thanks.” He clicked the end button and hit the speed-dial button for Agent Melissa Bradley.

      “Hey, Fletcher,” Melissa answered on the first ring. “How did Alice take the news?”

      “Elise. She insists we call her Elise. I just left her house.” His grip tightened on the phone. “She’s pretty shaken. Wants to buy a gun.”

      “I would be, too.” Mel snorted. “Does she even know how to use one?”

      “Not a clue.”

      “Almost as scary a thought as a serial killer returned from the dead.”

      “I’m not buying that it’s Stan. That house was in flames. If the fire didn’t get him, the smoke would have.”

      “Yeah, but we didn’t find the body.” Mel’s voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “We can’t rule it out.”

      “If he’s alive, he had to have been in a hospital for burns or smoke inhalation.”

      “I’ll check with all the hospitals in the Riverton area around that time frame.”

      “Good. And also check the hospitals farther down along the Red River. If Klaus did live, he could have ended up miles down river.”

      “Hey, boss, here’s a chance for you to get to know Cain’s abilities. Want me to get him to help make the calls?”

      Paul hesitated. On the one hand, Cain had been itching for a case with more meat. Then again, he still didn’t know how much he could trust Cain to keep his mouth shut. Paul had only been on the job for two months, not long enough to get a good feel for the other man’s capabilities or loyalties. Not to mention, Cain hadn’t been overly pleased with an outsider moving into his territory. “I don’t know what to think about Cain yet.”

      “What? He hasn’t warmed up to the ol’ Fletcher charm yet?”

      “No, the district coordinator warned me that some of the men had been up for the job I got. I wonder if he was one of them.”

      “Sour grapes?”

      “Could be. I don’t want him involved until I get a better feel for his work. Especially with Ali—Ms. Johnson’s need for confidentiality.”

      “Gotcha. Mum’s the word around Cain.” Mel paused. “You want me to take lead on this one, boss?”

      “No, I’ll take lead.”

      “Not trying to overstep your authority to decide, but I just want to remind you that you’re the boss now. You’re supposed to delegate duties.”

      “Point taken.” He grinned. “I’m still taking the lead.”

      Melissa chuckled. “You got it. Do we need to assign protection to her?”

      A twinge of guilt pinched his nerves, but he quickly shrugged it aside. “I’ve got that covered.”

      “Going to use the local police force?”

      Here goes. Explanation time. “No, I’m going to stay with her.” He braced himself for the onslaught of questions.

      A long pause stretched from the other end of the line.

      Paul heaved a sigh. “Go ahead, I know you’re holding back.”

      “You sure you can handle that?” Mel asked. “Last time you were around her, you were pretty taken with her, serial killer husband and all.”

      Damn, nothing escaped Mel’s notice. That’s what made her such a good agent. “I’m taken with all the ladies, you know that.”

      “No, boss, this was different. You were really taken with her, not your usual love-’em-and-leave-’em style.”

      Paul’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Mel hit too close to home with her observation. He had felt something back then. He’d chalked it up to pity for the beautiful bride of the Dakota Strangler. Still, he wanted to be the one to see to Elise’s safety. “I was only doing what anyone would have done to help her through the trauma.”

      Mel chuckled. “Yeah, right. Whatever you say, boss. And she’s agreed to this plan?”

      Paul’s lips firmed into a straight line. “Not yet. But she will. I’m on my way to the Bexar County coroner’s office.”

      “I’ll meet you there as soon as I get those calls started.”

      “Good deal.” He slid the phone shut, tossed it into the cup holder and pressed his foot to the accelerator, shooting his truck out onto the narrow streets of Breuer. The coroner’s office in San Antonio only stayed open until five. He’d just make it if he hurried.

      As he merged into the interstate traffic, his cell phone vibrated, rattling against the hard plastic cup holder. He risked a glance down at the caller ID.

      Cain.

      Great. What did he want?

      Paul slid the phone open. “Fletcher.”

      “Did you hear about the body they found in Breuer?” Cain asked.

      “Yes.” Paul held his hand steady, not in any mood to talk with Cain, but unwilling to show his hand. “Are you finished with that stack of background checks?”

      “I’ve made some headway. I just wondered if you wanted me to look into the Breuer case.”

      “Not yet. It’s a local issue at this point. Until the local officials invite us in, it’s in their ballpark. We have no jurisdiction.”

      “Right. But we could offer our services. Up to them to refuse.”

      Paul squashed his irritation. The man really was hungry for something interesting. “Not yet. Tell you what, why don’t you get with Alvarez on the government fraud case. I’ll call and let him know you’ll be assisting.”

      “I’d rather help out with the Breuer case.”

      “Not on your radar, Cain.” So his voice was a little too sharp. Cain was starting to get on his nerves.

      “Yes, sir,” Cain answered, his own response prickly.

      “We’ll talk in the morning when I get to the office.” Paul could swear he heard muttered curses, but he couldn’t be sure as a tractor-trailer rig chose that moment to roar past him on the interstate.

      “Roger.” Cain clicked off.

      He’d been giving Cain the benefit of the doubt since he’d arrived in the San Antonio office. But if his attitude toward his new boss didn’t improve soon, Cain would have to be dealt with. Either they’d get their differences out in the open and start over, or Paul would recommend a transfer for Agent Cain.

      In the meantime, he had a case to work, even though he wasn’t supposed to be working it.

      HE PULLED INTO the coroner’s office five minutes to five. The front door was still open and he slipped inside, quickly making his way to the examination room where he met Gordon Smithson, the county medical examiner.

      “Dr. Smithson, I’m Agent Fletcher.” He nodded toward the woman lying on the table. He jammed his hands into his back pockets to keep from touching anything and tried to ignore the scent of decaying bodies and formaldehyde permeating the room. “Is this Alice Lauren Pendley?”