Beginning: A PAVAD Prequel Novella (PAVAD: FBI Romantic Suspense) by Calle J. Brookes Page B
Authors: Calle J. Brookes
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wouldn’t cover Jasmine’s chest. Georgia had a bit more bust to fill out the garment. “I stopped by her house on my way to yours this evening.”
Ed shook his head. “I don’t want to even imagine my daughter in that dress. In my mind, she still wears those little girl sundresses and pigtails!”
His love for his daughter was one of her favorite things about him. Georgia was so lucky to have a father like Edward Dennis. Jasmine hadn’t been so lucky–she doubted her mother even knew her father’s name. Only that he was of Caucasian descent. And she’d met him in a bar somewhere. East of Chicago, Jasmine thought her mother had told her once.
“How was Georgia this evening? I didn’t have a chance to call her.”
“She was tired, but the case went well.” Ed’s daughter was a criminal profiler with one of the teams under Ed. Jasmine had always admired both Dennises for their dedication to their jobs and the skills with which they approached their fields. “They were a bit shorthanded, but she got called out before I left.”
“Yes. Agent Royal is still out on injury until next week, I believe.”
She knew he prided himself on knowing exactly where all of the teams in his unit were at any time. “Boston. A missing trio of teenagers. They’re not runaways, either. Georgia was going to bring Mattie over to Rosa on her way to the field office.”
Mattie was Ed’s three-year-old grandson, Matthew. Georgia was a single mother, and Ed and his housekeeper often watched the kid. Jasmine had babysat a time or two herself. She loved the kid just as much as she loved the grandfather.
Ed smiled again. “That will make this night a little easier to get through. We’ll make chocolate pancakes in the morning.”
“You’ll wind him up before preschool.”
“He likes them, though.”
“You, Deputy Director, are an old softie.”
“With those I love I am.” He tugged at the bowtie again, hopelessly messing it up. Jasmine straightened it, completely disregarding the room full of people surrounding them. Ed Dennis was her favorite person in the world, and her closest friend. “Agent Len, would you care to dance with an old man? Help make him feel less like a damned monkey or a fool?”
“I won’t dance with an old man, but I will dance with you.” She accompanied him to the dance floor and stepped easily into his arms. After a few moments, she asked the question she knew was burning in both their minds. “So how long are we stuck here?”
“Until the end, dammit. I still have sixteen more idiots to hobnob with.”
“Torture. I know.”
“Once this is over, how about we share a pizza? Then I’ll give you a lift home. You don’t need to be driving home this late.”
“I can take care of myself, Ed. Fully trained FBI agent here.”
“Just humor this old fool. Just once.”
Chapter One
SUPERVISORY Special Agent Dakon Royal’s arm ached like a bitch. And it had been well over a week since the steel he’d fought with and lost had sliced into the skin of his forearm. Still, he had passed on the painkillers for the evening. And now he was grateful for that as he pulled his government issue SUV up the winding drive of the Assistant Deputy Director’s house.
Three a.m. was a strange time to receive a call from the boss, but when called Dakon answered. The gate that protected the deputy director’s home listed to one side when Dakon passed it. Something had knocked the reinforced steel down. Someone intent on something. Was that why Dakon had received the hushed call from Dennis’s assistant less than twenty minutes earlier?
Was he about to find the deputy director hurt or killed? He sure as hell hoped not.
The deputy director’s daughter was a close personal friend of Dakon’s, and a teammate he respected. He’d hate to find her father hurt or dead. Especially since Georgia was out of town on assignment with the team. That was news he did not want to break to the woman who had
Ed shook his head. “I don’t want to even imagine my daughter in that dress. In my mind, she still wears those little girl sundresses and pigtails!”
His love for his daughter was one of her favorite things about him. Georgia was so lucky to have a father like Edward Dennis. Jasmine hadn’t been so lucky–she doubted her mother even knew her father’s name. Only that he was of Caucasian descent. And she’d met him in a bar somewhere. East of Chicago, Jasmine thought her mother had told her once.
“How was Georgia this evening? I didn’t have a chance to call her.”
“She was tired, but the case went well.” Ed’s daughter was a criminal profiler with one of the teams under Ed. Jasmine had always admired both Dennises for their dedication to their jobs and the skills with which they approached their fields. “They were a bit shorthanded, but she got called out before I left.”
“Yes. Agent Royal is still out on injury until next week, I believe.”
She knew he prided himself on knowing exactly where all of the teams in his unit were at any time. “Boston. A missing trio of teenagers. They’re not runaways, either. Georgia was going to bring Mattie over to Rosa on her way to the field office.”
Mattie was Ed’s three-year-old grandson, Matthew. Georgia was a single mother, and Ed and his housekeeper often watched the kid. Jasmine had babysat a time or two herself. She loved the kid just as much as she loved the grandfather.
Ed smiled again. “That will make this night a little easier to get through. We’ll make chocolate pancakes in the morning.”
“You’ll wind him up before preschool.”
“He likes them, though.”
“You, Deputy Director, are an old softie.”
“With those I love I am.” He tugged at the bowtie again, hopelessly messing it up. Jasmine straightened it, completely disregarding the room full of people surrounding them. Ed Dennis was her favorite person in the world, and her closest friend. “Agent Len, would you care to dance with an old man? Help make him feel less like a damned monkey or a fool?”
“I won’t dance with an old man, but I will dance with you.” She accompanied him to the dance floor and stepped easily into his arms. After a few moments, she asked the question she knew was burning in both their minds. “So how long are we stuck here?”
“Until the end, dammit. I still have sixteen more idiots to hobnob with.”
“Torture. I know.”
“Once this is over, how about we share a pizza? Then I’ll give you a lift home. You don’t need to be driving home this late.”
“I can take care of myself, Ed. Fully trained FBI agent here.”
“Just humor this old fool. Just once.”
Chapter One
SUPERVISORY Special Agent Dakon Royal’s arm ached like a bitch. And it had been well over a week since the steel he’d fought with and lost had sliced into the skin of his forearm. Still, he had passed on the painkillers for the evening. And now he was grateful for that as he pulled his government issue SUV up the winding drive of the Assistant Deputy Director’s house.
Three a.m. was a strange time to receive a call from the boss, but when called Dakon answered. The gate that protected the deputy director’s home listed to one side when Dakon passed it. Something had knocked the reinforced steel down. Someone intent on something. Was that why Dakon had received the hushed call from Dennis’s assistant less than twenty minutes earlier?
Was he about to find the deputy director hurt or killed? He sure as hell hoped not.
The deputy director’s daughter was a close personal friend of Dakon’s, and a teammate he respected. He’d hate to find her father hurt or dead. Especially since Georgia was out of town on assignment with the team. That was news he did not want to break to the woman who had
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