Spilling Guts

Part 50 - Hitting the Fan

Cetz expected to have Louis in his office at some point that day. He expected to have Megan and Teegan in his office at some point that day. And he was halfway though placing an order for carry out (spicy ramen) because he expected to have lunch with Rachel in his office that day to rehash what needed to get done that afternoon. He hadn't expected Louis, Rachel, Teegan, and Megan, swinging a crutch, to be in his office all at the same time.

That should have been his first clue that shit was going to hit the fan.

Louis, eyes burning with fury behind his shades, held up a photo of a dead woman. "Why are Agents Carry and Shiloh investigating my dead former barista?"

The use of Megan and Teegan's last names made them wince.

Damn it, Balcuwitz was right. Keeping this from Louis is going to bite me in the ass. Cetz minimized the take-out window on his computer. Lunch would have to wait.

"Your barista?" Cetz glanced at Megan and Teegan, hoping they had some way to diffuse the Louis shaped bomb in the room. They both gave him a "we told you so" look. No help there. Megan claimed the couch and put her bare foot up on the coffee table. They would be there for a while. Rachel side stepped around the desk until she was standing to the side as an observer.

"The photographer we've been investigating, Parker Lenore, worked at a coffee shop Louis frequented," said Teegan. "Of all the questions we had, we never asked what her job had been."

"That doesn't answer why you were investigating my barista?" snapped Louis. "Do I get Any privacy? Is my gym being bugged now?"

Cetz took off his headset and gestured to Megan and Teegan. "Go ahead you two, tell him."

Teegan flipped open her notebook, and together she and Megan went back and forth, explaining how Retten's wall of photographs (still creepy to hear about, even months later) led them to one dead photographer. Then they went into detail of Parker's murder and suspicious activity before her death.

"According to Rover, Parker Lenore had been paid to accept of package of vials. She would take one into work and then come back with it gone or empty." Teegan held up her notebook, frustrated. "And that is where we stopped."

The unspoken "because you told us to stop" hung between Cetz and the two female agents.

Definitely biting me in the ass.

At the mention of vials, Rachel's back straightened. She had mentioned the other day that Retten had dosed the victims of his machine for months before using them as test subjects. Was Parker how he had gotten the serum to Louis? She looked at Cetz and then ever so slightly inclined her head to Megan and Teegan. How much about Louis' ability did they want to share with them?

Louis stood aghast, his voice weighed down and slow with betrayal. "Parker, pixie hair, photo gallery dreaming, punk- music-loving Parker, was working for Retten?"

Cetz was surprised Louis knew those kind of details about a barista. Had he considered her a friend?

"Allegedly," said Teegan. "There is no mention of his name anywhere. He was anonymous."

Louis stared back at Cetz as if he was a stranger. "And you had them keep this from me."

Cetz had wondered how much of Louis' ire he could direct towards himself. Rachel took the lead instead.

"But Parker had access to you and your coffee for almost a year," reasoned Rachel. "If those vials were from Retten, I'm betting she was dosing your coffee with it while doing surveillance on the side."

"Why would she drug my coffee?" asked Louis. "If she did, it didn't do anything. I didn't feel any different after drinking it. And it didn't taste any different."

Megan held up the hand not gripping the crutch. "Why would she drug his coffee? I thought we were searching down leads for Retten's surveillance?"

Cetz and Rachel did not respond. If they went any further in the conversation, certain secrets wouldn't remain secret anymore.

Cetz looked at Louis and inclined his head towards Megan and Teegan. Should he tell them?

Louis gave a short shake of his head.

Cetz took off his headset. "Megan, Teegan, please leave."

The looks they gave Cetz radiated disproval like a hailstorm. First separating Louis from their case, then separating them from Louis. Slowly, Teegan helped Megan to her foot, and they walked out of the office, closing the door behind them.

Cetz rubbed at his forehead. The number of people disappointed in me makes me feel like I'm married again. Let's get this over with.