He paused for a moment and then answered with, “I see.”
“No, you probably don’t,” I replied. “But I’m not really up to explaining it right now. It’s a long story with some pretty unpleasant chapters. But, you said you already know that, so who am I to say?”
“All right,” he conceded with a quick nod. “Then maybe we should return to the question at hand. Am I to take your obvious misgivings about the bureau as a no?”
“I don’t know just yet,” I shrugged as I replied, my tone far from certain. “Besides, to be honest I thought I already was working for you. I mean after all, I have a file and everything.”
Obviously, the attack of sarcasm simply wasn’t willing to go quietly.
He made a point of ignoring my underlying flash of attitude this time and simply replied, “In essence, you are. Or, at least, you have been. Simply not in an official capacity.”
I raised my eyebrows. “And that seems to have been working out just fine, don’t you think?”
“So far.” He agreed, giving me a hesitant nod that framed his guarded words with nondescript ambivalence. “But I’m sure Doctor Jante explained our reasoning.”
“Yes, she did.” I nodded my head and huffed out a breath. “But, I still don’t see why you want to fix something that isn’t broken?”
He cocked an eyebrow himself. “I really wouldn’t expect you to understand.”
“Touché,” I answered. “I suppose I’d have a good laugh at the irony there if I wasn’t feeling just a bit cornered at the moment.”
“That certainly isn’t the intention, Mister Gant, and I apologize if I’ve led you to feel that way. Granted, the bureau would like an answer as soon as possible, and we are certainly hoping for a yes, or we wouldn’t have made the offer, obviously. However, please understand there is no pressure either way.”
“Well, you’ve got an odd way of showing it.”
“Again, I apologize if that is how it appears,” he told me. “However, if you are interested in entertaining our offer, we don’t need to know immediately; in fact, you really should take some time to think about it. Consider all of the ramifications… And, of course, discuss it with your wife.”
“My wife… Uh-huh…” I mumbled, my voice trailing off momentarily before erupting into a half-stifled snort. “Yeah, right. So, I don’t suppose you’d be willing to loan me some body armor before I do that would you?”
The section chief grinned for the first time since we’d started this discussion then let out a soft chuckle.
I was absolutely positive the FBI had a file on Felicity too. I knew it for a fact because I’d seen it. But, based on his jovial reaction, it was plain to me that while he might have studied mine in depth, he hadn’t even opened hers just yet.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
An active member of the HWA (Horror Writers Association), M. R. Sellars is a relatively unassuming homebody who considers himself just a “guy with a lot of nightmares and a word processing program.” His first full-length novel, Harm None, hit bookstore shelves in 2000 and he hasn’t stopped writing since. He says that the biggest adjustment he has had to make with his writing career is coping with the time spent away from his family while traveling on promotional tours. Still, he approaches it with the same humorously deadpan and occasionally acerbic wit that he applies to life in general.
All of the current novels in Sellars’ continuing Rowan Gant Investigations saga have spent several consecutive weeks on numerous bookstore bestseller lists as well as a consistent showing on the Amazon.com Horror/Occult top 100.
Sellars currently resides in the Midwest with his wife, daughter, and a host of what he describes as “rescued, geriatric, special-needs felines.” At home, when not writing or taking care of the household, he indulges his passions for cooking and hanging out with friends.
M. R. Sellars can be found on the web at:
www.mrsellars.com
Brainpan Leakage the M. R. Sellars Satire Blog
www.brainpanleakage.com
OTHER BOOKS BY M. R. SELLARS
The Rowan Gant Investigations
HARM NONE
NEVER BURN A WITCH
PERFECT TRUST
THE LAW OF THREE
CRONE’S MOON
LOVE IS THE BOND
ALL ACTS OF PLEASURE
THE END OF DESIRE
BLOOD MOON
MIRANDA
(Available in both print and e-book editions)
Other
YOU’RE GONNA THINK I’M NUTS…
(Novelette included in Courting Morpheus Horror Anthology)
MERRIE AXEMAS: A KILLER HOLIDAY TALE
(Novella)
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR