Deadly Testimony (Safeguard #2)(14)
“Okay. Feel free if you change your mind.” A coworker entered the shop then, and caught the girl up in chatter about what to wear for a concert that night as she went about fixing the drinks.
Perfect.
“Good to meet you, Miss Scott.” The man murmured to her quietly, taking a sip of his espresso.
She nodded. “You wanted to chat?”
“Won’t take you away from your client for too long. He has a tendency to get bored and wander off.” Nguyen’s delivery was dry, maybe irritated but he did a good job of keeping it out of his tone.
“So I saw.” It was safe to figure anything Decker knew, Nguyen knew as the senior US marshal overseeing the handling of Yeun as a witness.
“This is the OEO’s first coordination with the Safeguard Division, and with Centurion Corporation as a whole.” Nguyen didn’t put his espresso cup down, instead nursing it.
She didn’t blame him. The coffee and espresso were good here. Though the hot chocolate she’d come for was even better.
“It is, however, not my first time working with the Centurion Corporation,” Nguyen continued. “With that in mind, I will say I am looking forward to setting this as a precedent for positive cooperation in the future.”
“I’m sure my lead will be glad to hear that.” Isabelle rolled her shoulders inside her jacket. This wasn’t anything he couldn’t say directly to Diaz. “There’s a point here, isn’t there?”
Nguyen’s eyebrows drew together. “Just giving you context so you’ll take the next thing I have to say seriously.”
Isabelle kept her face blank. “Noted.”
“It’s our hope this will be an extremely simple job for you.” Nguyen sipped more espresso, purposefully slurping the liquid. “It might not be.”
Isabelle grunted. “I glanced over the public records for this case.”
Nguyen nodded. “Could be straightforward. Insurance fraud. Illegal dumping of hazardous materials in navigable waters. Or...it could be more complicated. Either way, our mutual friend is the pivotal testimony to prove it happened at all.”
Interesting.
“Why not put more marshals on the case then?” Because, generally, mixing up resources from this many different sources was a clusterf*ck. Federal oversight, local law enforcement and private sector didn’t tend to play well in the same sandbox.
“I was going to until Yeun requested to contract with Safeguard.” Nguyen shrugged. “It’s his personal funds and I know the quality of the resources coming out of your parent corporation.”
Isabelle took an intuitive hop of logic. “And why increase your resources when the client is willing to do it himself? You do have the minimal force doctrine to keep in mind.”
“Exactly.” Nguyen placed his empty espresso cup on the tiny saucer. “I do have an interest in making this joint effort successful where others may not. This could remain extremely simple or it could quickly become a bad situation. I wanted to advise you to keep a clear line of sight in every direction.”
Isabelle’s attention sharpened at the statement. While he could be saying it to just about any person in her line of work, it meant something more to an operative with her specific skill set. The question was whether he was privy to it.
Nguyen placed a card on the bar and stepped off the stool. He turned to face her as he straightened his shirt. “I’d like you to feel free to call me directly if you have concerns or need immediate assistance.”
Then he walked out of the store.
Isabelle stood there, peripherally aware of the two employees behind the bar chatting about logistics of a boyfriend picking one of them up directly from work. There’d been several messages in the exchange and she’d need to think on them a bit more.
Nguyen was senior enough not to come out and say anything direct. He’d left her with hints and the seeds for her to consider the possibilities and come to her own conclusions. She needed a bit more information though so, for now, the important things to keep in mind were the warning of the possibility for complications and the invitation to contact him. Directly.
Generally, such a situation didn’t speak highly of trust in the man in the field. It didn’t surprise her not to be encouraged to go to the local law enforcement resources involved but excluding Decker as well was notable.
“I’m so sorry to keep you waiting,” the girl gushed, rushing over with a set of to go cups in a tray. “Your orders are fresh and hot though, I made sure.”
Isabelle thanked her and tipped her, then started toward the front of the shop. Eyeing a couple of the displays, she snagged some specialized provisions for the days to come. Hopefully she wouldn’t need them but if she didn’t get them, she had a sneaking suspicion she’d regret not being prepared.
Chapter Six
Kyle was entertained enough by Miss Isabelle Scott’s reactions to actually wait patiently in the apartment for her to return. Besides, twenty minutes was hardly long and he’d appreciated her giving him a time frame at all. Something neither the officers nor the deputy marshal had bothered to provide him.
It remained to be seen whether she would keep to the given time frame.
In the meantime, he made himself a sandwich. He was pleasantly surprised to find a fresh-baked loaf of bread, presliced and waiting. On first glance, he’d expected it to be from a well-known French bakery in Pike Place Market but the label was handwritten instead. Home-baked? There were also good quality deli meats, again fresh sliced. And a variety of cheeses both sliced and spreadable. The refrigerator had not been stocked with standard supplies from a chain grocery store. There was also Irish butter and Italian sea salt infused with white truffle. Even a jar or two of what looked to be homemade preserves with a handwritten label across the seal. Someone with a palette had supplied them with items to put together a decent repast.