The Murder of Janessa Hennley Read Online Free PDF Page B

well,” she mumbled under her breath . She left in search of a temporary office for whoever was coming out here.

9
     
     
     
     
     
    Mickey cued up a yoga video on Netflix. He followed the movements, trying to calm his breathing and not suck in too much air. He relaxed into cobra and really pushed down with his arms, getting a good stretch in his lower back, which had bothered him ever since an injury crushed two of his discs. Several surgeries later, he was nearly at ninety percent, with the exception of the occasional pain that still followed him.
    He finished his yoga , then showered and dressed. He didn’t feel like wearing a tie today. Instead, he wore jeans and a sports coat with loafers.
    He grabbed a coffee at Starbucks then sat in one of the cushioned chairs and watched people coming and going. It was generally a college crowd. Most of their conversations were about parties, either not being invited to the right ones or going to them and being bored. He remembered discussions from people this age in the sixties, and they were much, much different. Wars and philosophy and altering what was wrong with the world. Something had definitely changed.
    Mickey thought it had something to do with promises. In his generation, a promise was sacred. A man was judged by how many promises he could keep. But there wasn’t anything like that with this generation. Promises were just words, and character was something you faked.
     
     
    He walked to the elevator in the Bureau, then swiped his card and punched the button for the basement, opting not to sign in today. He walked along the linoleum and took out his keys. As he put the key into the lock, he froze. His chest felt tight, and there was acid in his stomach. Finally, he unlocked the door and stood there.
    N othing but dead paper. Stacks of it. Reams of it. The soft buzz of his computer was the only sound. The sole window in the office looked out on nothing but gray dirt.
    He exhaled loudly, shut the door , and locked it. He stared at the office a long while, so long that he wasn’t sure if it was ten minutes or an hour. No one else was down here to disturb him, and he lost himself.
    Mickey walked back to the elevator . He debated leaving, but then went up to Kyle’s office. His secretary put her phone on mute when she saw him.
    “How are ya, hon?”
    “Good. How’s Tommy and the kids?”
    “Great. Havin g a barbeque in two weeks from tomorrow. You need to come by.”
    “Sure.” He glanced around. “Where’s Kyle?”
    “In a meeting. Have a seat and I’ll buzz him.”
    He sat down in the waiting area and pulled out his cell phone. He ignored the quiet beep from his watch, letting him know it was time to take his meds, as he texted his daughter.
    “ you sure i should go?”
    “ yes, daddy. get your butt down there and go hiking. go horseback riding or something. just get out of that basement!!!”
    A woman in a suit departed Kyle’s office without looking at anybody. Kyle stuck his head out and nodded to Mickey.
    Mickey sat across from him and looked at the decorations on the walls. Mostly photos of Kyle with various politicians, Bureau administrators, and celebrities.
    Kyle groaned as he leaned back. “Heavy is the crown, huh?”
    “I suppose.”
    “That woman is threatening a sexual harassment suit because she says one of our agents groped her, and I didn’t do anything about it. Do you know how much time and money go into training an agent? I’m supposed to fire the guy for grabbing somebody’s ass?”
    “I came here to ask you a favor,” Mickey said.
    “Shoot.”
    “There’s a request for help that came in from Alaska. A small town in the south. I’ve cleared them, and I’d like to be the one to go out.”
    Kyle tapped the pen he held against his knuckles. “Mickey, I don’t know if that’s going to be possible.”
    “I’m just going to see if there’s anything they missed. That’s it.”
    “I’m not worried about your skills, even