Adverse Possession (The Anna Albertini Files #3) - Rebecca Zanetti Page 0,75
a real growl. Pierce accomplished the feat handily. I sat back in the chair but kept my hand on Zena’s head. I wasn’t under any sort of confidentially agreement with the ATF, and we were all on the same side, so I told Pierce the entire story.
“The man who’s one of the FBI’s most wanted was in your office yesterday?” By the end of my story, Pierce’s jaw was set so hard he had to be getting a headache. “You need to go take a vacation. Now.”
“I can’t. The FBI told me to stay here,” I reminded him. “Wait a minute. Barensky is one of the FBI’s most wanted?”
“Yes,” Pierce said. “Guess Devlin left that out?”
I pet the dog. “Not on purpose. He told me how dangerous Barensky is and to stay out of the case.”
“Right.” Pierce slapped his pen on the table and made me jump. “If Kurt disappeared, who stayed at your place with you?”
“Aiden did,” I said.
Pierce pinched the bridge of his nose. “I see. So the president of the Lorde’s motorcycle club, the one who would be the prime suspect for this if he wasn’t an ATF agent, is your alibi for the night.”
Well, since Pierce put it like that. “Yes.” I needed coffee. Like now. “But Aiden is an ATF agent, and you know he didn’t do this.”
“Right. If he had, we wouldn’t have a body,” Pierce agreed.
I wasn’t sure I liked that line of thinking.
Clark tapped his fingers on the Seahawks tablecloth. “The longer you can keep this as a state matter and not federal, the better it is for Anna.”
Pierce shot him a look. “I’m more worried about the murdered young woman.”
“Me, too,” I said.
A uniformed officer stuck his head in the doorway. “Pierce? We’re ready to clear the scene.”
Pierce stood. “I’ll be right back.” His phone buzzed, and he lifted it. “Pierce.” He listened and then turned to me. “Somebody named Quint Albertini is with Jolene O’Sullivan insisting to be let inside. Something about the dog.”
I scratched behind Zena’s ears. “Have the officers let Quint in but definitely not Jolene.”
“Agreed,” Pierce said. “This will hit the papers anyway, but I’m not helping that woman out.” He kept talking on his phone as he moved down the hallway, and Bud gave me a look before following him.
Clark sat back. “I hope they take the crime tape off the outside of the office.” So far, he seemed to be taking this all okay. “We’re going to lose clients over this one. It’s one thing to have a bar fight and look tough, and it’s another thing to have dead bodies show up in your office. The corporate clients I just signed will be the first to go.”
“I’m sorry, Clark,” I said.
“Not your fault.” He stood. “I’m going to reschedule all of our appointments for this afternoon and will just use the calendar system Oliver set up. We need the afternoon off.” Then he opened the door wider so Quint could move in before leaving.
“Anna Banana.” Quint was across the room and hauling me up into a hug. He held a red dog toy rope in one hand. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I hugged him back, letting his solidness ground me. “The woman was dumped here and the police are on it.”
He released me and dropped to his haunches. “Who’s a good girl? Who found the body?” His voice rose.
I stepped back.
He grinned and looked up, letting Zena take the toy and play tug of war. “She found a body and has to be rewarded since that’s her job. Playing with me is her reward, and my higher voice is so she knows I’m excited and happy with her. We want her to keep finding bodies when we’re searching mountains.” He tugged back and dragged the excited dog a foot across the floor.
Her tail wagged wildly.
“I didn’t know that,” I said.
Quint let Zena pull him a ways. “You did fine by petting her and letting her put her head in your lap. This is my job.” He stood but kept a hand on the toy as Zena fought to win it. “I’m staying at your place until we figure all of this out.”
I shook my head. “That’s sweet, but I have a police detail since Sasha was found on my porch and this woman in my office. The police think I’m both a suspect and a possible witness, so they can justify the overpay.” I touched his arm. “What about you? Are you doing better?”