21. Stone

STONE

I sent Grey and the rest of the team the location of the rental, and they arrived promptly at 7:00 the next morning.

The second Grey walked inside, I showed him the box, and he had another agent, Corson, tag it for evidence. The sheriff’s office showed up shortly after to mark the rental a crime scene.

For Len’s sake, I lied and said I found the box early in the morning, right before they all arrived.

Another agent, Alexir, asked Len a few questions while I stood close by and listened.

She stuck to everything I told her to say, which bought me time to explain everything to Grey.

“Stone,” Grey called out, motioning for me to follow him into the dining room.

I knew what was coming—time had finally run out, and I needed to come clean. I’d run over the possibilities in my head a million times. The only one that made logical sense was telling him everything. We needed his resources, and I couldn’t make an arrest without the FBI. Even if it meant sharing Len’s secret, I knew it was the best choice. I still made sure she was alright with it the second we woke in the morning. If it wasn’t what she wanted, I’d never force her into it. It was not my secret to share.

She agreed, even though I saw the fear that came with it, but she knew in the end, it was the only way to keep the town safe.

“What is this?” he asked and motioned to the wall I’d been building the case on.

I swallowed hard before sharing everything with him.

It’d been fifteen minutes of Grey laying into me. I’d fully expected it, but hearing him as livid as I knew he’d be was a horrible feeling. I swallowed hard as he sucked in a breath, ready to continue with every reason I’d messed up.

“You involved a civilian on an investigation I specifically told you to leave alone?” Grey shouted.

The house was not very large, and there weren’t many rooms Len could be in where she wouldn’t hear the scolding. A twang of guilt rushed through me, wishing I’d sent her somewhere else for this.

“We can do good here,” I said. “I was useless at Quantico. Here, I’m actually helping, finding a killer we couldn’t find the first time.”

Grey crossed his arms, and his lips remained thin. “You weren’t cleared to be in the field. I gave you orders. I risked my own badge to vouch for you. Your talent shouldn’t be wasted, but I can’t have you in the field if you are going to continue to be this reckless.”