Lake Side

By Amber Rodgers

Moving to a new town has been something that Kimberly Ball has done several times throughout her five-year career as an FBI agent. What she didn't expect moving to a small Wyoming town was to hit the ground running. Instantly she is thrown into an investigation that will turn into a race again the clock t

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amber Rodgers
• Release date: Apr 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869316745

Amber Rodgers

Amber Rodgers is a mother, wife and author from a little town in Northern Iowa. She is married to her high school sweetheart and has 4 children and 1 grand-daughter. ​ Amber loves many things but spending time with her family and writing are the two she spends most of her time doing. She works from home so this has allowed her more time to focus on her writing.

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Copyright © 2024 Amber Rodgers

Lake Side All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2024 by Amber Rodgers. ​All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced from information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and are either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. For

Information:

https://www.amberrodgers.com

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Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Copyright

Lake Side

Ch­­­­­­­­­­­­­­apter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

About The Author

Books By This Author

Lake Side

Detective Kimberly Ball Series

Book 1

By:

Amber Rodgers

Ch­­­­­­­­­­­­­­apter 1

Moving to a new town had been something Kimberly Ball had experienced many times throughout her five-year career as an FBI agent. Almost every year since the beginning of her career, she had been reassigned to a new field office, and this year was no different. Last week, Tanner, the Special Agent-in-Charge, had come to her and broke the news that she would transfer to Spa Creek, Wyoming, the following Monday. At first, she was excited, but later that night, the excitement wore off, and she became very bitter and angry. She had been asking for years to stay put, but her requests had landed on deaf ears. 

As much as Kimberly loved her job and enjoyed all the beautiful places she had the privilege to work in, she still would love to put her roots down somewhere. Meet her person, get married, and eventually have children. She had gone on a handful of dates over the last few years, but when a person's employment came up, and they knew that staying in one location was not in the cards for her, the guys called it off. Kim didn’t blame them; who would want to move year after year? Not many wanted to start over, and she understood. And why ask someone to try to make a long-distance relationship work? When she didn’t know if and when she would visit or if they would visit her due to her schedule, it was unfair to anyone, including herself. She had spoken to Tanner a few months ago about trying to find her a permanent location where she could put her roots down and make it her home, but she doesn’t know if this will finally be her year.

Today was Kimberly’s first day at her new field office, and just like every other time, the nerves were bubbling over. She hoped after five years, she could shake the feeling, but it still crept up. There are not as many female FBI agents as males, so the feeling of having to prove she was a good agent and belonged only added more stress.

Kimberly slowly pulled open the door and poked her head inside. At first glance, the building was old and dated. The walls were covered in brown paneling with dull white trim, and the windows had no coverings. She spotted a desk against the far wall between two doors that she assumed led back into the offices. She turned around, walked back outside, and looked around until she spotted the address on the door. Triple-checking it against the papers given to her, she reached up and scratched her head. This is the building? she questioned aloud.

Kim was in disbelief that it was the field office building she would be working in. The last field office had been a three-story building with two elevators, a grand staircase, and a huge reception area. This building was the size of a doctor’s waiting room, with a small desk in the middle and a door on either side. 

Kimberly slowly walked back inside and up to the small desk, glancing around the room, taking in the office as she approached a man who looked to be in his early twenties and was sitting reading a People magazine. Good morning, Agent Kimberly Ball. I'm here to see Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Michael.

Have a seat over there, he grumbled, pointing toward the chairs lining the uncovered windows. I will let him know you’re here.

Kimberly walked over to the row of chairs, picked the middle one, and plopped down. She looked up at the man and saw his mouth moving, but she could not hear anything he said. Excuse me? she all but yelled to him. 

He lifted his head, pulling his eyes away from his magazine, and his eyebrows creased. I wasn’t talking to you; I was muttering to myself if you must know. But Thomas will see you now.   

He slapped the magazine closed, dropped it on the desk, and turned to the door, not giving Kim time to stand up before scanning his badge and violently pulling it open. She ran after him in almost a dead sprint, diving for the door handle just as it nearly closed.

Try to keep up! he looks over his shoulder and barks.

Kim had never met anyone so rude in her life. She would rather work with a man who didn’t take her seriously at the beginning of her career. Those men were hard on her, but rightfully so. They wanted to ensure she would pull her weight just as they did. If you could please slow down, I could keep up, she snapped. Who pissed in his Wheaties? she thought to herself but decided not to say it aloud. Generally, those who treat others this way end up jobless, but here he is, assisting me and whoever else walked through those doors.

Almost abruptly, he stopped, turned, and looked at her straight-faced. Stay here! he snapped again and pointed to her spot.

I’m not a dog; you don’t get to speak to me like I am! Kim took a step to the side to get under his skin.

Kim turned and leaned against the wall, taking in the building. The door she stood outside was at the end of a short four-door hallway. If she turned around and stood staring in the direction they came from, she could see the hallway extended a distance past the entrance and then rounded a corner. 

You can go in; he’s ready, the man from the front pulled her out of her thoughts.

She looked at him, eyes squared. The man was truly an ass, and in the few minutes that she had been in the building, she already could feel it in her bones that they would clash. He uncrossed his arms, pushed himself away from the doorway, and took one step out of her way. Kim walked past him and through the threshold. She wouldn’t lie; the thought of accidentally shoulder-checking him ran wild through her head, but she was better than that. Maybe he has something against women in the FBI or women in general, or perhaps he’s having a bad day. She put on a massive smile stretching from ear to ear and nodded at him. 

"Thank you. You have been a real treat. Once inside the room, she glanced behind her, and the grumpy guy was no longer there. She turned her attention back to Thomas, the Special Agent-in-Charge, and smiled lightly. Good morning, sir. My name is Detective Kimberly Ball; most people call me Kim. I was assigned to this field office and was advised to be here this morning at seven."

The large man pushed himself away from the desk and stood. Good morning, Kim. I have heard a lot of great things about you, and we are excited to have you with us. How are you liking Spa Creek?

I just arrived on Saturday, so I haven’t had time to check out the city, but from what I have seen, it’s beautiful. And the people I have met have been hospitable. 

I have been the Special Agent-in-Charge of this field office for about five years, and before here, I was in Arizona. Have you been to Arizona, Kim? he questioned her as he pointed to have a seat in the chair directly across from him.

To be honest, I haven’t been there. I have heard that the heat is horrible, and due to the elevation, they have difficulty breathing. So, sir, to be honest, I crossed that place off my bucket list.

Oh, Kim, you must visit sometime; I promise you will love it. The summers are hot, but the winters are just perfect. There are a lot of snowbirds who have houses there just so they can get away from the cold and the snow, he told her.

I will keep that in mind for the winter months. I’m from Texas and am not used to the cold and snow. During my career with the FBI, I was lucky they sent me to all warm places.

Ah, a complete newbie to the winter months, he chuckled. It will take some time, but you will eventually get used to the cold. Make sure you have warm clothes and buy a jacket. This is the time of year when we are starting to warm up, but you will still want to have warm clothes.

I did a little research before coming, so I tried to pack for the season, she grinned.

Let’s get to business; I have a meeting in ten. I expect you to be in the office by eight a.m daily. You need to dress professionally, nothing low-cut. We have all men working in this office, and I do not want to deal with a sexual harassment suit. Also, we all rotate weekends that we are on call. Your weekend is this weekend. Sorry about the short notice, he told her as he came around the desk and signaled for her to follow. We lost an agent recently, and your weekends will be what he had. At this time, I am not sure who I will assign as your partner, he told her as they entered the hallway. 

That’s okay. I don’t have anything going on this weekend anyway. I haven’t met anyone yet to make friends and have no love life to speak of, so I am good.

Thomas abruptly stopped and turned to her. He was looking down at her with a straight face. I will have your number added to the call log, which won't be done until Friday, so when we get the phone number set, it will automatically route the calls to you. Also, we’ve been very quiet for cases lately, so I will have you join Josh in cyber-crimes. I will take you to his office after showing you yours.

What is Josh doing in cyber-crimes?

Without saying a word, he turned around and headed back down the hallway. Right now, we have a lot of leads coming in on pedophiles and sex trafficking, so having an extra hand with follow-ups would be nice.

Thomas moved to the side and gestured for her to enter an empty room on the left. This my office? she looked over at him.

He nodded his head in agreeance and looked around. I know there isn’t much here; the last agent took everything with him. 

Kim was shocked. The room was itty bitty. If she had to guess, it was either an eight by eight or a ten by ten. An oversized desk and chair were on the left side of the room, and on the right side, there were a couple of green-colored chairs. Will you be getting anything else for the office?  she questions.

Do you feel you’re missing something? he asked annoyedly.

Well, the last offices I was at provided a computer, phone, and office supplies. Are any of those supplied? Kim raised an eyebrow.

Oh yeah, I am sorry. Your computer should be finished today. It is still with Mark, our IT guy. Once it is ready, he will come in and get it all set up for you. As for your office phone and supplies, the last agent took everything with him, as I said before. I did order new supplies, but it will be a few more days before they arrive. If you need anything, you can visit the local office supply store and pick up what you need. Bring me back the receipt, and I will have you reimbursed.

Thank you. I will run down there after you give me the grand tour.

Thomas shook his head and walked out of the office. She hurried out behind him and around the corner. He stopped outside each office and introduced Kim, telling them she was the first female agent he had had the pleasure of working with, and she came highly recommended. 

Each welcomed her with enthusiasm. Knowing that she is the first female agent to work in this office is flattering but scary at the same time. Males are usually a little more dominant and hold the females to the same standards as them, but she is a little scared that she will not live up to what they expect. She turned to find Thomas burning a hole in her head. Is there something else? she asked.

He closed his eyes and shook his head up and down. Actually, there is. As you know, you are the first female agent in this field office; the guys may not take you seriously. I agreed to have you transferred here because I have heard nothing but great things about you. I believe in you and know you will not let me or the FBI down. If you have any issues with the guys, please let me know. They all knew you were coming. I pulled them together for an office meeting. They all know you’re a great agent, and they will be on their best behavior, he smiled and started to walk away.

Thomas, what about the man at the reception? Was he a part of your meeting? He was extremely rude and acted like he hates his job, she stepped forward and said in almost a whisper.

Oh, that’s Tyler. Just ignore him. He is just bitter that he was assigned to desk duty for not following orders, Thomas chuckled. Looking over his shoulder as he walked away, he hollered back. I am late for my meeting. It was a pleasure to meet you, and if you need anything, please let me know.

Kim stood there looking around like a fish out of water, trying to decide what to do next. He wanted her to work with Josh, but she decided it would be best to run to the store and get the things she needed. And who knows, maybe her computer would be in her office and ready to use by the time she returned.

She turned around and headed towards Thomas’s office. As she walked down the hallway, she could hear shouting in the distance. She stopped in her tracks and decided if she really wanted to keep going. She decided to make her way down the hall, and the closer she got, the shouting stopped. Once outside his office, she poked her head inside to find him on the phone. The call looked intense, so she decided not to interrupt him. She turned around and walked away.

Kimberly, please come in here! she heard him holler.

The tone of his voice confirmed her thoughts. Her stomach did a few summersaults, and she slowly turned around, poked her head in the door, and put on a forced smile. Yes, boss?

Did you need something? he barked.

I’m sorry. I was going to let you know I am leaving for the office supply store.

I appreciate that, and I am sorry to be so rude. Personal matters! he stated flatly, putting his face in his hands. You’re dismissed. Thank you for letting me know.

She stood there staring at him for a minute, trying to decide if she should ask if he was okay or just let it be. She’s new, and he doesn’t know her, so opening up may not be easy for him. Not to mention, most people don’t like people to meddle in their lives. She looked at him again and decided to leave it alone. Her door would always be open if he needed someone to talk to.

She turned away without another word and headed back to the front door. She pushed the front door open, and the first thing she saw was grumpy ole’ Tyler sitting at the desk reading his People magazine. She contemplated stopping to say hi and properly introduce herself, but when she walked into the lobby, he looked up, rolled his eyes, and returned to reading his magazine. 

She knew it was not worth it, and for whatever reason, he was taking out the poor decisions he had made on her, but before she pushed the door open to head outside, she turned around and smiled. I know sitting behind a desk is not ideal in our line of work, but if you just embrace it, maybe, just maybe, Thomas would go easy on you and let you off, she shrugged. Just a thought.

Lady, you know nothing, and just leave it that way, Tyler snapped and looked back to his magazine. 

Just trying to help. If you want to be bitter the entire time you have desk duty, so be it. Having an attitude like this in our line of work will only keep you where you are now or eventually let you go. I have seen it happen. But hey, what do I know! Enjoy your day! she smiled and walked out the door.

Kimberly leaned up against the building and exhaled hard. She stood there yelling at herself for putting her nose where it didn’t belong. She has always let people deal with their issues without getting involved, and she should have kept her mouth closed and minded her own business, but she likes to see someone succeed and not fail. If she can give someone some advice to help them, then she will.

She knew there was no reason to stew over something already done, so she headed toward her car. As soon as she plopped down behind the steering wheel, she pulled her phone from her pocket and punched into a Google search for the nearest office supply store. In a matter of seconds, it showed five locations. She looked to the first, which showed the closest location, and hit the driving directions. She attached her phone to the stand on the dashboard and started the car. 

Kim put the car in reverse, and moments after, she started to roll slowly back when she heard a pounding on her car. Slamming on the brakes and wildly looking around, she spotted Tyler with his face shoved into the passenger side window.

She threw the car into park and rolled the window down. What are you doing? she screeched.

He crossed his arms, looked at the road, and then back to her. Thomas told me I am to ride with you and to get some supplies. He gave me a list, he holds up the paper and grumbles. 

Did he say that my supplies were to be covered, or do I still need to bring back a receipt?

He looks at her and raises his eyebrows. Good question; he didn’t tell me. Just handed me a list and sent me on my way.

Good to know. Guess I am buying, and he is reimbursing me, she shakes her head.

Well, get in. I am happy to take you with me, but no attitudes allowed, or I will make you walk, she smiles.

He doesn’t say anything to her. He climbs in, puts his seatbelt on, and shuts the door. She sits there staring at him, waiting for him to say something, but it never comes. She has worked with guys like this in other offices, and they eventually come around. 

Are you ready? she asked, and he nodded. Sorry, I don’t understand the rocks shaking in your head.

Yep! he mumbles.

Great! she smiles and puts the car in reverse. 

He turns his head and watches out the passenger side window as she backs out of her parking spot. She’s not sure why Thomas would send Tyler with her to get supplies other than to get his grumpy butt out of the office, but that’s okay; she will make the most out of it. She has been in uncomfortable situations and made the most out of it. Tyler has a chip on his shoulder, and eventually, he will see she is not the enemy.

What supplies does Thomas want you to pick up? she asks, trying to break the awkward silence.

He whips his head in her direction and glares at her. Why? And you don’t have to make small talk. We can do this in silence.

She reaches over and hits the button on the seatbelt latch—the seatbelt springs across his chest and back into the original position. Get out! she demands.

No! he told her, crossing his arms over his chest.

Tyler, I was serious when I said you could walk. I am trying to make small talk; it is the only way to get past this awkward silence. Please remember I am not the enemy; we are on the same side.

Really? he snarls.

Yes, really. I don’t know what I did to upset you, but I apologize. I am here in this office for the long haul, so we need to be able to talk civilly. If there is anything I can do, please tell me.

Tyler turns, looks out the window for a few seconds, and then back at her. I will keep that in mind, and then directs his attention back out the window.

What do you say when we get there you grab the things on Thomas’ list, and I will get the things I need. Then we can meet up near the front counter and pay. How does that sound? she asks him without taking her eyes off the road.

She could feel the heat from his eyes burning into the side of her head, and she didn’t know if she should turn and look at him or ignore it. Sounds fine, he finally says.

The rest of the short drive is done in complete silence. As soon as the car rolls to a stop, Tyler makes a mad dash for the front door. Kim sits there in shock that he didn’t even make it to the car being put in park or being shut off. Geez, she says aloud to herself.

She slides the car into the park, shuts it off, and climbs out. She’s in no rush, so she takes her time walking into the store. She grabs a cart and puts Tyler out of her mind so she can focus on the things she needs. She forgot to ask Thomas what he had ordered her so she would get the things she had in her last office. She can keep them as a backup if he ordered them or have him send them back.

Kim stood there looking around the store until she noticed the stationary aisle. She makes her way through the aisle, picking up multiple items. She continues down each aisle after that to ensure there isn’t anything she is missing. After getting everything she needed, she headed toward the checkout and saw Tyler heading in her direction. She drew a deep breath, waiting for the attitude to come, but to her surprise, it never did. 

Hey, you locked the car doors. Can I have the keys?

You are done already? she wrinkles her eyebrows.

Yeah, I went to the car, and the doors are locked.

"I lock my vehicle; call it a habit. When you have worked