back to the present…
Agent Brad Hammer stared at the dead body in his bathtub. Eyes open, staring dead at him.
This was one memory he couldn’t remember.
What the hell? Did I do that?
His stomach churned and he felt like he might puke. The feeling passed as he forced himself to confirm what he knew. He lifted her wrist and felt like puking again. The girl had no pulse.
No way I did this. No fucking way.
What the hell is happening?
Who’s setting me up?
His mind flashed on the woman from last night — Willow.
Had she killed this woman? Had she also killed Dr. Madsen and the other women?
What the hell is going on?
His cell phone buzzed from somewhere in the room. Brad nearly jumped from his skin. He raced to his bed, and saw the phone’s light shining through his pants pocket, laying on the floor.
He fished the phone from his pocket, nearly dropping it, before turning it over to see from the screen who was calling.
It was a message from his partner, Grayson.
“Where are you Hammer? We’ve got a plane to catch and you’re not answering your phone. I’m going down to get some coffee. Get your shit together and get the briefcase. I’ll be up in 15 minutes. You better not be drunk again.”
The briefcase!
He knew what he’d see before he even checked the closet. The briefcase, along with the notes, the cash, and the cigarettes were gone.
Also gone… his department-issued computer.
Oh fuck.
He ran back into the bathroom, and looked again at the note, wondering what the hell it meant.
“I’m sorry. Now you’re infected, too.”