“Charles put us in the corner, so let’s see what Annabel is up to these days.” Cain shook hands with the manager and followed him to the secluded spot with two heaters, where Shelby and Annabel Hicks already sat waiting for them. “Two hot chocolates, Charles, and whatever the ladies care for.”

“Thanks for agreeing to this, Cain, and hot chocolate sounds good,” Annabel said.

“It’s not often you thank me,” Cain said and laughed. “Well, I’m sure I do take up more of your day than you care for, but a call so early makes me curious.”

“We believe you,” Shelby said, as if to cut to the center of things. “We believe you, and we’re sorry that anyone approached Hannah. That is in no way protocol.”

“Maybe, but it didn’t surprise me. The protocol of some of your agents makes me believe they attended different training than most FBI agents. That’s a topic for some other coffee date, though.” She sat back and held Emma’s hand.

“Why now? I told you, and you acted like you had no clue,” Emma said to Shelby.

“The death of Elton Newsome convinced me and raised some flags,” Annabel answered. “Someone killed him on the night he was coming in to talk to me. He wanted his job back and had information that would give him what he wanted.”

“That almost sounds nonaccusatory.” Cain smiled and winked when Annabel smiled back.

“This should prove to you that not all bad things that happen in town lead me to your door,” Annabel said. “Someone killed Newsome to keep him quiet about something that might have been the FBI’s fault.”

“And that would be?” The way Shelby was staring at Annabel meant this wasn’t their usual FBI procedure. Annabel shouldn’t be divulging this, and she knew it.

“I don’t know. Someone killed him. Someone also killed and delivered Anthony Curtis and his father to me, minus their bodies. No matter how long I’m in this job, it’s very disconcerting to receive heads in boxes.” Annabel shivered, and Cain hoped every agent in the office had the same reaction. That’s what happened when you messed with people who wanted to be left alone.

“I’m surprised you’re out here telling me all this, so what is it you want?”

“We think someone is trying to bring you down, Cain,” Shelby said.

“I know—I’m buying a couple of them hot chocolate right now.” She stopped when Emma squeezed her fingers. “Let me see if I understand where you’re coming from. Elton Newsome came up with some wild idea involving my mother-in-law, to provoke me by taking our daughter. That backfired and sent Newsome running when Carol acted like Carol does, but it turns out Newsome wasn’t the mastermind behind that great idea. And you think that mastermind is the person gunning for me. Am I warm?”