Fatal Crime:Teagan Stone Book 3: Teagan Stone Series, #3

By Ava S. King

A fast-paced action adventure, a political thriller, with unforgettable characters and heart-pounding suspense.

Teagan is in a fight for her life. She uncovers a murder plot before it happens, but if she reports it, she could be labeled a suspect.

With no allies beyond her tight inner circle, she's in a bind.

 

She has no time to waste and every reason to believe thing won't go in her favor. But when the victim comes forward, that changes everything… except not for the better. The victim's appearance exposes a conflict of interest that could cost Teagan everything, including her freedom.

 

Reading Order of Series

Agent Red:Fatal Memory-Teagan Stone Book 1

Agent Red:Fatal Target-Teagan Stone Book 2 

Agent Red:Fatal Crime-Teagan Stone Book 3 

Agent Red:Fatal Justice Teagan Stone Book 4

• Language: English
• Publisher: 304 Publishing Company
• Release date: May 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393403630

Book preview

1

While finishing research, the clicking noise from his keyboard traveled throughout the office, and Abe Price worked on the next story to uncover details of The Firm, a secret agency. It was a typical late night working after everyone went home. Once everything came out about Ramirez’s death in Cuba, Abe had been on a national media blitz, talking to all major stations about how he came to learn about everything. He wouldn’t give up his source, never expecting Director Stone to go forward with any comments as to whether the agency would be around for much longer. Right now, Congress and the president were okay with keeping The Firm running to stop any situations that put the United States in a compromising position.

You’re still here. Danny Meyer appeared, his coworker tapping on the door and standing in the archway with his hand on the knob.

I’m about to leave in five minutes, Abe replied.

Any more interviews coming up? Danny said.

Abe shook his head no and sent the last email of the night and logged out of his computer.

I’m getting questions about writing a book, Abe said, grabbing his coat off the back of his chair.

Have you thought about writing one?

Danny was a little younger than Abe at twenty-six and still fresh in the journalism world. He silently admired what Abe was doing, hunting down government cover-up and espionage. Abe locked the door and slid the key in his pocket as they headed for the elevator.

Abe shrugged his shoulders.

Not really, it takes up too much time. I like the chase of the story.

I get that. Being tied down to write something would throw off your mojo, Danny chuckled and stepped on the elevator when it dinged, and the doors opened.

Exactly. Besides, I get bored with a story if it doesn’t intrigue me long enough.

The elevator opened, and they stepped off. Heading down the corridor outside, the security guard stopped them.

Mr. Price, this came for you. Hendrix held out a yellow envelope for him. Abe grabbed it out of his hand and turned it around to see any outgoing address.

Who dropped this off? Abe asked.

I don’t know. It was here when I came on my shift. Hendrix sat in his chair and fixed the angles on the security monitors. Abe stuffed the envelope under his arm and started toward the front door of the building to leave.

What do you think it is? Danny asked.

Probably somebody sent me a threatening letter to stop reporting on some story, Abe responded, tightening his coat as the windy, late-night breeze startled him. He lifted his wrist to check the time. It was going on eleven at night, too late to get his favorite meal from the local bar in Times Square. He rotated his neck, trying to get the kinks out as Danny went to his car parked two doors down from Abe’s.

Well, I’ll see you tomorrow. Danny clicked the alarm on his car and tossed his bag inside.

See you tomorrow. Abe unlocked his door on the 2001 Honda Civic that was constantly breaking down on him. Even with all the press he had done, getting a raise at the newspaper was an uncommon situation since they were going through pay cuts. Abe slid the key inside, shut the door, and pulled the seatbelt over his chest. Turning the lights on in his car, he grabbed the envelope off the seat and opened the back. When he turned it around, the contents of the photos and papers confused him until he saw a picture of himself with a red x marked across his face. The second picture was an article of him on the front cover of the National News with the word ‘DEAD’ written across it.

What the fuck?! Abe muttered and suddenly, a hand covered his mouth from the backseat. Abe’s eyes grew wide in surprise, glancing in the rearview mirror and catching cold, empty eyes staring back at him as a knife came across his throat. He died instantly. The killer pushed the door open, wiped the knife off, and tossed it on the ground, watching as Danny honked and drove out of the parking area with no clue that Abe was dead.

---

Four months prior.

Teagan stepped out of her house, locked the front door, and almost tripped over a large, yellow envelope on the ground.

Ugh… Teagan bent down and grabbed the envelope, turning it around to check the other side for the return address or name. She shook her head and headed to her car, throwing the package inside. Today, she was having a meeting with the team to go over the details of any outstanding issues with prior missions. Spider informed her that the president wanted to have a meeting as well about how the agency was coming along over the past year with her in charge. Teagan turned the radio on to a local Talk Radio 105.2 show called Political Updates in the Country. She liked to be on top of what people were talking about daily.

"The president did an interview with GNS News about the hacking of the Department of Defense," Randy, the radio host, said.

Teagan shook her head and sped through the stop sign, driving out of the gated community of Anberlin Cove. The ringing of Teagan’s cell phone startled her as she stopped at the red light. She tapped on the Bluetooth of her car, leaned over to grab the yellow envelope, and looked through it.

Are you on your way to the office? Spider asked.

Yeah, did you hear about the president doing GNS?

Teagan pulled the papers out of the envelope and glanced at the photos of a dead body on the cover of National Newspaper. Her eyes furrowed in confusion.

What is this? she muttered to herself, flipping through the pictures.

Teagan! Teagan, are you there? Spider called out.

Oh my God.

She stared at a picture of Abe Price dead on the front cover with Teagan Stone as the main suspect.

A honk of a car horn from behind startled her out of the daze she was in, causing her to drop the papers on the seat and rush through the traffic light.

Teagan, talk to me, Spider calmly spoke through the phone.

Someone was playing games. How did they know where she lived? Was this Sasha? Was this Diablo’s doing or another person trying to destroy her family? Teagan pulled over to the side of the street and picked up the papers again.

Teagan! Are you there?

Spider… I think I’m being followed.

Where are you?

Teagan looked over at the side mirror to see if anyone stopped or looked out of place. She scanned the fake newspaper to read the story.

"Director Stone had a mental break," the reporter wrote.

I… I… I’m three blocks from the office. I’ll explain when I get there, Teagan replied, ending the call and pulling out into traffic. Not wanting to cause a distraction in traffic, Teagan called Christian to check on the kids as she drove to the office.

Hello, Christian said.

Have you left for work?

I just dropped the kids off and heading there now.

Did anyone say anything to you? Or leave anything in your car?

No. What’s wrong, Teagan?

Teagan blew out a breath.

Nothing. I’ll be home late.

All right. If something is happening, tell me.

Teagan honked her horn at the slow driver who cut her off. Finally giving up, she hopped in the left lane and sped off to the office.

I love you, Teagan replied.

I love you too, Christian responded.

Teagan ended the call as she pulled up to the back of the building and showed her ID. Once approved, the gates opened for the garage, and Teagan parked her car in the reserved Director spot. Grabbing her things and the envelope, she got out of the car and slammed the door. Security lined up as she passed through the halls toward the elevator and pushed the button for her floor. The doors opened, and she stepped on, glancing down at the photos again. Feeling like something had already happened, Teagan took her cell phone out of her pocket and hovered over the number