Page 100 of Last Mile

My eyebrows rose in surprise. “Just a tip? You didn’t have any physical evidence tying the guns to the Raiders besides the tip?”

Peterson crossed his arms over his chest. “Would you like to tell me what you were doing there? Considering the spectacle between you and Bishop Malloy, I’m pretty sure you weren’t there in an official capacity.”

After jerking a hand through my hair, I sighed. “A week after Gavin’s murder I went to see Bishop. We’ve been talking every day since then.”

“Just talking?”

“This past weekend it became more.”

“Just exactly how much more?”

I threw up my hands. “I’m in love with him, okay? Somehow along the way as I was getting to know him, I fell in love.” Although I hated myself for it, my bottom lip quivered as I added, “And now he despises me.”

Peterson exhaled loudly. “How is it possible you fell for a man that you hated so much? Have you forgotten his involvement in Gavin’s death?”

I shook my head. “That’s just it. He’s not who I originally thought he was. None of the Raiders are.” At Peterson’s skeptical look, I continued. “ Because I spent so much time with them, I know they’re innocent.”

“If they are innocent, how do you explain the guns in their warehouse?”

“They were framed.”

Peterson scoffed as he leaned back against his desk. “I usually appreciate conspiracy theories, but I’m not in the mood today.”

“Bishop told me that there were members of their organization who weren’t happy with them. He said they were the ones who orchestrated the shooting in Virginia. I think whoever has this bad blood wanted to get back at Bishop and the others, so they planted the guns there and then called the tip in to you guys.”

Scratching his chin, Peterson appeared thoughtful. “And where does this animosity for the Raiders come from?”

“I think it somehow all goes back to that deal with the Rodriguez cartel. I think that the Raiders wanted out of the gun business as part of going legitimate, so they gave their gun trade to the cartel.

Then someone didn’t like getting cut out of the guns.”

“That’s an interesting theory, but do you think you can prove it?”

My heartbeat thundered loudly in my chest. “If you give me a chance, I can.”

“You do realize what a chance you’re taking on this case? If it falls apart, your career is over.”

While my stomach twisted at the prospect of never rising through the ranks at the ATF, I knew that I had to do everything within my power to see that Bishop and the others weren’t falsely imprisoned. “I am aware of what could happen.”

Peterson stared me down for a few seconds before he turned and walked back around the side of the desk. As he sat back down in his chair, I couldn’t help holding my breath in anticipation. “Look, I know you’ve had a hell of a time since Gavin’s death, but never would I have expected you to go so far as to hook up with Malloy.”

When I started to defend myself, Peterson raised a hand to keep me quiet.

He paced around in front of the desk as if he was searching for the right words. “I’ve always trusted your instinct, Vargas. Always.

You’ve never given me any reason not to. If you’re willing to go out on a limb, then you have my support.”

I wheezed out the breath I had been holding. “Really?”

Peterson nodded. “I hope you realize how fucking hard it’s going to be on me to get you the resources you need.”

“I know it’s going to be tough.”

“It sure as hell is. I’m going to be jumping through hoops like a damn dog.”

I smiled at Peterson. “Thank you. I promise I won’t let you down.”

“You better not, because it’ll be both our asses on the line. You’ve got forty- eight hours to get your shit together before they are arraigned. That’s the best chance we have of getting the charges dropped.”