a reason to live(91)
They’d had a brief relationship, centered around sex, before she joined his team. Parker had ended it six months prior to her applying because he knew it wouldn’t go anywhere, but he caught her looking at him often, desire written across her face. She was on a trial basis because of this. He wouldn’t commit to her being permanent until she proved to him their past relationship wouldn’t affect her job. So far, she was failing miserably, but he needed an IT expert, and no others were chomping at the bit to be on his team. Flying out at a moment’s notice, missing holidays and birthdays with family, didn’t appeal to most in IT. They preferred working in the comfort of Quantico.
“Erectile dysfunction,” Cortez grinned.
“Is that all you think about,” Trask grunted.
“The question isn’t, is that all I think about,” Cortez mocked, “it’s why isn’t it all you think about, old man.”
“Head back in the printouts,” Parker admonished, not looking up from his sheet.
“How’d you meet Gunnison?” Cortez asked, ignoring Parker’s order. “You said he was a friend, but you didn’t say how you met.”
“He had a serial killer on the loose a few years back. His contact was Agent Rowe, but he was on assignment when it all came to a head. I flew in a month later to follow up and stayed with him and his now wife.”
“And he still calls you friend?”
Parker grinned.
“I wasn’t stupid enough to flirt with his wife. The man has a possessive streak a mile wide.”
“So does Vaughn, but that didn’t stop you from flirting with the romance author.”
“Dallas is less likely to shoot me,” Parker mumbled, flipping the page, still scanning names. “Jack, on the other hand, doesn’t hold me in high esteem for saving his woman, and he has an itchy trigger finger when it comes—”
Parker paused on a name.
Eric Sloan. Age fifty-three.
“Do we have a list of Sage Sloan’s family members?”
“You got something?” Trask asked.
“Maybe.”
Johnson reached over his shoulder, her breast brushing against his arm as she went, and grabbed the Sloan file.
Parker clenched his jaw.
He’d have to have a word with her in private. Three more months was all he was giving her to control herself, or she was gone.
“Mother, one Judith Heller. Her sister is Emma Jane Sloan, but she’s deceased. There’s a Sharon Doak in Anchorage, her Aunt. Husbands name is Henry.”
“What about her father?”
Johnson flipped through the file.
“No mention.”
“Do we have a number for the mother?”
Johnson scanned the file and found the contact information for Sage’s mother. Parker pulled out his cell and dialed, it went to voice mail so he left a message.
His gut told him he didn’t have time to wait. A sixth sense had kept him safe the past ten years with the Bureau and he wouldn’t ignore it now.
Turning to Johnson, he ordered, “Do your thing. Fire up your computer and get me Sloan’s father’s name.” Then he turned to Cortez. “Call the airlines and find out where this passenger headed after arriving in the US.”
He highlighted Eric Sloan’s name and tossed the sheet to Cortez.
Standing, Parker grabbed his mug and moved to the coffee pot. After pouring another bitter cup, he decided sugar and creamer might help the bite. As he stirred, Johnson barked out, “Got it. One Eric Sloan died nineteen ninety-six. Car accident. He was ejected from the car. Is it a match?” she asked, looking up from her computer.
Parker nodded. The son of a bitch had assumed his wife’s dead husband’s identity.
“You’re sure?” Cortez bit out, his attention shooting to Parker. “Roger that,” he called off. “Eric Sloan arrived in Seattle at eight this morning. He then took a flight from Seattle to Denver International. He arrived at eleven.”
Parker pulled out his phone, every cell in his body on high alert. “He was on the ground in Colorado as we left the state. This bastard’s had all day to get into position.”
“FPD has to have a leak. How else would he know where they went?” Trask stated as Parker listened to Jack’s voice mail greeting.
“Jack’s not picking up; he must be busy.”
“Or Heller’s got him occupied,” Johnson replied grimly.
Grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair, Parker ordered, “Wheels up in twenty. Trask, find out who’s in Denver and send them to Gunnison. Tell them we’re en route. Cortez, call the station in Gunnison and see if they can find Jack. Tell them to send a squad to his house.”