Blaze Kinnish

By Annagail Lynes

Who killed Brooke? Federal Agent Blaze "Eagle" Kinnish has lost her husband, her hearing and her sobriety trying to answer that question. With the help of Federal Agent Nik "Hawk" Julian, she is determined to find Brooke's killer once and for all. Is she ready for Brooke's secrets to come to light and to learn why Brooke and her family had been targeted?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781300813248

Book preview

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ᔓ one ᔓ

We have another murder, Kinnish, the balding man on my computer announced.  I worked on a cold case at the island in my kitchen when Jacob Jake Grey came onto my screen.  He scratched his long, broad nose with one hand and drummed his fingers with the other. Something he did when news disturbed him.  What about this murder made him nervous? Was it the manner? The location?  The person  killed?

What’s concerning you, I asked him, holding his gaze.

The letter on his person. They are after you.

And? I can take care of myself. People have been after me before. It’s part of the job.  I searched his eyes and uttered, It’s because I am deaf. Isn’t it? You don’t think I can take care of myself because I can’t hear. I walked away from the island. My back to him. If he said anything, I only heard silence. 

I walked into a building to meet a contact six months ago. A few minutes later, the building exploded. Beams fell on me when it collapsed under the stress, pinning me to the ground. I spent the next few months recovering from burns and learning to walk again. I counted myself fortunate the explosion only claimed my hearing and not my life. I taught myself to read lips in order to continue working cases as a Federal Agent for the International Intelligence Organization (I.I.O). I faced him again with my hands on my hips.

Don’t be stubborn. Just let me assign agents to watch you. Even the best agents, like you, need a little help now and again.  Even the best agents,  like you?  That would have been high praise coming from anyone else's mouth, but with him, even without my hearing, I knew it sounded forced.  Sarcastic even.

You are going to do this no matter what I say.  If I agree, though, I can determine how close they get to me.

Jake nodded and put up his hand. But you have to let them do their job.  Because, according to him, I was that narcissistic to think I could do everything on my own.  If I ever did think that, the last six months taught me differently.

I won’t interfere, I assured him, running my fingers through my red locks. Who’d you have in mind?

A guy who transferred back from one of our Italian branches. Nikolas Julian seems to be an excellent agent.  Did he really not know?  Was he playing dumb?  Hoping to get a rise out of me?

He is, but couldn’t we get someone else?

He volunteered for this assignment. Is there some kind of history between you two I don’t know about?  Seriously?  Everyone at the IIO knew.  At least from the sympathetic looks they shot me in the hallways five years ago, it seemed they all knew. 

I nodded. We are divorced.

This guy is your ex-?

I nodded again.

He seems like such a nice guy, Jake countered, leaning back in his chair.

Why do you assume the divorce was his fault?

I don’t know because you are…well, you. Such a caring, compassionate person…a Pollyanna type. Perfect at everything you do.  I rolled my eyes.  Was someone ranked higher than him monitoring his call to me?  Jake never spoke this well about me.

I shook my head. I was obsessed with finding my sister’s killer. It put a real strain on our marriage. Nik refused to compete with a ghost. I don’t blame him. I completely understand.

So your sister’s death was more important than your marriage?  Why did he care?  He never cared about my life.

No, finding my sister’s killer was.

Did you love him?

I did, yes.  I still do, but I wasn’t in a place to give him what he needed, and he couldn’t give me the one thing that would make things better: justice for my sister.

Did you ever find her killer?

No. I haven’t completely given up though. I’ve just given up being obsessed, letting it consume me. My kids didn’t recognize their own mother.

He re-shifted his weight in his seat and decided, So we get someone else to head the team.  Why was he giving up so easy?  I usually spent the first part of every case arguing with him.

No, it’s fine. Nik and I will make do. We will be civil like we always are when we see each other at the kids’ events.  It would be nice to see Nik again.  It would be good for the kids to see their Dad.

I hope so because I really think that he would be the best person for this assignment. He knows you better than anyone else--what you like, don’t like, how close to get, how you will react in situations.

I suppose. Could you send me the information on this murder, I said, glancing at my phone. I have to go pick up Lexi. She’s sick.

Jake nodded. Okay, we’ll talk again in a couple of hours. That will give you time to read the information and formulate a plan…and to meet with your new guards.

I will talk to you then. I rushed over to the back door, lifted the keys off the hook and moved out it.

+ + + + + + +

What are you doing here, Nik, I asked the blond-haired man with the Roman nose and boyish good looks I once had been so in love with as he came out of the Nurse’s office.  My heart still pounded at the sight of him. My pulse still raced. My stomach still did flip-flops, but I couldn't allow that to interfere with this case.

A long, red-haired young woman trailed him with her gumdrop nose and piercing dark blue eyes she inherited from her father. She held her stomach, and her ivory, freckled face looked green.

I am here to pick up our daughter, Nik said in a low tone. I told the school to inform me of everything that goes on with our kids now that I am back permanently.

I opened my arms, and the young girl rushed into them. I wrapped my arms around her.  The nurse contacted me as well. Was I  just supposed to arrive here and find out that you had taken our daughter?

No, we were going to wait for you, Red, Nik answered, since I need to discuss the security plans with you.

I nodded. I didn’t know how I felt about him calling me Red--his nickname for me. My name--Blaze Kinnish, but he liked to call me Red because of my dark red tresses.  As comforting as it felt, I also couldn’t help longing for the better times we once knew together. Then I remembered all the fighting, the arguments about the kids, my sister and our marriage.

I whispered into Lexi’s hair, Let’s get you home and into bed. I will make you some of that tomato soup you love so much.  I looked up at Nik and concluded, You can follow me back to the house." I turned on my heel and ushered Lexi to my gray Corvette.

How are you doing, Nik questioned as we sat at the dining room table later that afternoon.  The names of the security team on a page with their background checks, records and accommodations set between us, along with Nik’s detailed plan to keep me and our children safe.

I’m fine. I studied the documents.

Nik lifted up my chin with his finger and repeated, How are you doing?

I told you I am fine.

Nik shook his head.  Only a person who was married to you for almost twenty years would see right through that facade of yours.  He studied me for a moment and expressed, The children are worried about you, and now I see why.

Did they ask you to come home?

He gave me an involuntary smile.  No, I have been working to get back since I heard about the explosion.  I had to see that you were really okay.

He reached into his right-breast pocket of his blue, long-sleeved shirt and retrieved a flash drive.  He pushed it toward me. I also wanted to give you what I have on Brooke's killer. I have a hot lead, and I thought you and I could follow up on it together...unofficially, of course.

I tilted my head to the side and asked, Why would you continue to look into it?  We divorced over it.

The information fell into my lap, but I did hope it would be a peace offering between us.

I didn't speak for a few minutes before I nodded.  For the time you are on this case, can you just be my best friend again?  Before all this with Brooke happened?

I would love nothing more.  He grabbed my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine.  Now tell me what's really going on, Red. That familiar spark of electricity ripped through me.  It always occurred when we touched.

There is a leak.  The information I have been getting from my contacts has been falling into the wrong hands.  I know my contact is clean.

You are left wondering who you can trust at the I.I.O.  Am I right, he posed, stroking my hand with his thumb. Was I ever going to get over this man?  I nodded. Your contact? Is it one I know?  I nodded again.  I find it hard to believe that one of them would betray you. They are extremely loyal to you.

They wouldn’t. They are concerned about who is doing this as well. You know how they get when they feel betrayed.

Nik raised his eyebrows. They don’t think you did this, do they?

I shook my head. They know me better than that. At least I think so. It’s just…

It’s just?

Since I went deaf, everyone has been tiptoeing around me, doing things they don’t usually do. I haven’t changed. I am the same person, but everyone is treating me like I am disabled, deformed, broken.  Nik sighed.  I gestured to him and posed, What is that sigh about? I may not be able to hear it, but I can still see it.

You and I both know that Jake is not your biggest fan. Even before this development. However, he tried to get me to take over this case or at least partner with you on it. He said it was out of concern.  He didn’t think you were up to chasing the bad people after all you’ve been through.

I stared at him for a few moments. This is the person who killed Brooke. I know it.  She was hit in the back of the head, and her shoes were missing at the scene just like all the other victims. I wouldn’t mind you helping me out.  If Jake finds out I think Brooke is one of this person’s victims, he will boot me off this case so fast. I am afraid that I might become obsessed. I saw what it did to our kids. I don’t ever want to be that person again.

Nik remained silent for a moment. For you to ask me for help that makes me feel special, like you still trust me, because you have trouble asking for help, even from people you love…or, in my case, loved.

Does that mean you will do it?

Yes. Only because I never could deny you anything when you are being vulnerable. It happens so rarely.

I laughed and moved a flash drive toward him. That is the information I have thus far.  This is nice. Just being friendly again. Not fighting.

He smiled, then agreed, I think so too. I’ve missed this.

Me too. I peered at him for a moment, crossing my arms. So why don’t you read the information on the drive I gave you, and me--the one you gave me? Then shake down our contacts. We can compare notes after dinner…if you are joining us for dinner. I assumed you’d want to see the kids.

Nik nodded and agreed, Sounds good.

I spent the rest of the afternoon, reading the information on his flash drive and talking to my list of contacts.

+ + + + + + +

What happened to you, Frank, I whispered to the body lying in the grass, pressing my gloved hand to his cheek. I could still feel the slight warmness.  I stood up, wiping the dirt off the back of my black slacks. I backed up and surveyed the body. Rain drizzled onto the grass. I noticed the blood caked on the back of Frank’s dark hair. I wondered if someone had hit him or shot him in the back of the head.  Did he know his attacker? Is that why the person didn’t kill him from the front? In case he survived and could identify the killer?

Frank wore pressed slacks and a button-down, dress shirt. Something uncharacteristic for Frank. Did he come back from a date?  A meeting with a lobbyist? Maybe a cocktail party for work?  I looked for his shoes. I wrinkled my brow. No shoes. I glanced around the body. No shoes.  Where could his shoes be? Did the killer take them? Perhaps he took them off to throw them at the killer in hopes of scaring his attacker off?  He loved water. Maybe he was at a nearby lake and took off his shoes when the killer jumped him. As I saw him lying there on the ground, our last conversation played in my head.

Look, I know I cheated on you when we were together, Blaze, Frank started, putting his coffee mug to his mouth.

We met at Soars, a local diner, because he said he urgently needed to talk to me.

I surveyed him from the top of his dark hair, down his sun-kissed features--his dark eyes that seemed to burrow into me, his broad nose and thick lips. His body didn’t hold one ounce of fat. How could it with all the running and boxing he did?

Cheated on me? That’s an understatement. More like our relationship interrupted your rich sex life with a different dime-a-dozen woman in your bed almost every night.

I’ve changed. I really have. I want you to give us another chance. You know we are good together. And since the explosion, you are going to need me to take care of you and the children.

I could feel my blood boiling to the surface. I wanted to smack him right across his face. I took a deep breath. I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone. I can handle caring for myself and my kids. If anyone is going to take care of my kids instead of me, it’s going to be their Dad.

That’s the problem, isn't it? You are still hooked on your ex, Frank retorted, reaching for my hand. You have to face it. You weren’t enough for a man like Nik. He is not going to want you back after he has been with those Italian beauties. They do things American girls would never do. Plus you are broken.

I stood up, reached into my pocket and slapped a twenty on the table. That’s it. I am done with this conversation and with you. I don’t need you…and I don’t need Nik. I’ve  got my kids, job and life covered.

I walked to the exit.  He jumped to his feet, ran after me and grabbed my arm. Where do you think you are going? I am not done talking. 

I am done listening, I retorted, then I broke away from him and headed out the door.

Now he lay dead. He infuriated people with his just-call-it-as-I-see-it philosophy. Did he tick off the wrong person? Is that why he was dead?  The missing shoes would indicate this was just another murder in a line of others committed by this person.  The one I suspected killed my sister. The brass at the I.I.O dubbed this person, The Shoe Murderer.

Someone turned me around and asked, Who is he? You obviously knew him.  Even in the dimness of the moon, I recognized Nik immediately. 

Frank Cochran.  He and I used to date.  I haven't spoken to him in a few weeks, I returned, moving around the body.  It's the same M.O. -- hit in the back of the head with his shoes missing.

He turned me around toward him and deduced,  That's the Congressman guy Liam said you were dating.  He said that you came home a few times from dates with marks on your face and arms.

I briefly closed my eyes, then opened them.  Our son needs to stay out of my personal life.  It was nothing. Frank was a little too enthusiastic.  That's all. When I saw Nik raise his eyebrows, I insisted, And you need to stay out of it too.  What happens in my personal life is none of your concern.

It is when it affects our children.

How does a dead man, a man who I haven't spoken to in several weeks, affect our children?  I bent down next to the body, then rifled through the pockets of his jacket.  A letter from his publisher, his cell phone and a money clip. I opened his cell phone, trying several passwords before it granted me access.  I went to his call list. Mother. Five minutes. Ex-wife. Two hours and twenty-three minutes. Daughter.  Fifteen minutes. Publisher.  One hour,  fourteen minutes. Various women to set up dates, but  the calls to my house phone trouble me the most.  Two or three times a day. Fifteen minutes each. Why call the house phone? He knew I couldn't hear it. Was he actually speaking to someone in the house?  Was he just speaking to the voicemail?

I moved onto his