Zack (In the Company of Snipers Book 3) by Irish Winters Read Free Book Online Page B

and she wasn’t playing. Maybe, never again.
    Pulling her fingers free of his gentle and oddly warm grasp, she turned to the other man, Agent Tao. Now there was a real man. He knew how to handle a child. The little girl was snuggled on his lap. By the looks of it, she knew a real man, too.
    “You’ll be happy to know Agent Tao was able to learn our little girl’s name,” Claire announced. “Agent Xing, please meet Chai Yenn.”
    Little Chai had already peeked out from beneath her cover when Mei entered the room, but the minute Mei looked at her, Chai ducked behind Agent Tao’s arm. Hiding. That hurt. Mei had never frightened a child before. All she wanted to do was hold Chai, if only for the joy of feeling a little girl in her arms again. Had she changed so much that a child would hide from her?
    Agent Lennox still watched, rattling Mei’s confidence even more.
    “I am pleased to meet you, Ms. Xing.” The older man reached for her hand with genuine hospitality. Now that she’d stepped closer, she could see he wasn’t older at all. She glanced back at that Zack guy. They were both around the same age. Agent Tao just looked more mature. Or something.
    “I understand you’re working with Claire?” he asked.
    “Yes.” She stalled. The sight of these guys had thrown her off balance. She couldn’t put her finger on the reason. Anxiety climbed up her throat, but she pushed it back down. Kept it at bay. Her stomach churned. She had to get the upper hand.
    Get tough, Mei. You can do it. Be the ICE agent. Be mean if you have to.
    “You the ones who found the girl?” She arched an imperious brow, as least, that’s what she hoped for. It had worked before.
    Agent Lennox took immediate credit as he lounged back against the counter, his feet crossed at the ankles. “Yes. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Snagged her away from the Tigers. She looks a lot better this morning. You should’ve seen her yesterday.”
    “I did,” she bit out, turning to Claire. Talking with another woman was so much easier. “Are you taking her with you today?”
    “I plan to if her doctor releases her.” Claire’s worried eyes drilled through Mei’s crumbling façade. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed. You’re not coming down with—”
    “I’m fine,” she cut Claire off. Great. Can everyone see through me?
    “Claire mentioned you’ve been involved with two other Chinese girls found recently?” Agent Lennox asked. “What can you tell us about them?”
    Mei bit her lip. She took an extra long minute to brush an invisible smudge off the sleeve of her blazer, fighting her nerves. “We pulled one out of the Anacostia River. The other was found in a dumpster. Why do you want to know?”
    He shrugged, his eyes soft and gentle. Inviting. “Where was the dumpster?”
    “Behind an IGA store. A transient found her.”
    “I’m sorry.” There was a smirky light in his eyes again. Agent Lennox had long thick lashes that accentuated his good looks, rattling Mei even more, making her feel like–a woman. “I should’ve asked a better question. I meant, where in Anacostia was she found?”
    “I knew what you meant,” she snapped. She’d lost credibility fast with that stupid answer. Of course he’d meant which city, not which store. “Near the Eleventh Street Bridge.”
    A bemused smile shifted over his face. He was laughing at her. She could tell. “What can you tell me about the others?”
    This arrogant man was grilling her? Mei stiffened. Time to pull out the snarky FBI agent routine before she really fell apart.
    “I don’t see how it’s any of your business, but if you insist.” She poured it on. “The one found in the dumpster is the same age and size, malnourished and dirty with two fractured ribs. She’s been placed in a foster home. The other was in the water too long. She was maybe two, maybe three years old. Hard to tell.”
    The memory of the tiny body at the morgue reached