BOOK SYNOPSIS
When materials engineer Zoey Butler lands her dream job at Future State Energy, she believes her research in renewable energy will make headlines. Unfortunately for her, she’s right. Zoey is working on her latest experiment when FBI Special Agent Alexis Thompson and her K-9 partner, Waffle, raid Future State and arrest the head of the development for fraud. Zoey helps the FBI find answers in the aftermath, but she soon finds herself jobless and unemployable. Desperate and out of options , she reaches out to Alexis, the one person who knows Zoey was duped like everyone else.
Liam Graham is an FBI special agent and instructor at Riverbend K-9 Academy. When Alexis brings in a new recruit with an unusual background, Liam pairs her up with Tasha, a dog in need of a handler to stay in their competitive program. Zoey is thrilled to put her past behind her and give the mischievous rescue dog her own second chance. However, shortly after she arrives, the FBI realizes the Future State case is far from closed. And Zoey may be the key to solving it.
Zoey offers to go back to Future State to help the FBI end things once and for all. Only this time, she’ll have Liam and Tasha for backup. But, the problems at Future State are more explosive than any of them suspect.
Any time a potential witness to a crime contacted her, Alexis’s heart rate spiked. It hadn’t been that long since she’d worked in the field, and her cases were usually some of the most volatile the FBI Chicago office took on. It took a moment to remember what investigation Zoey Butler had been involved with. Ah , the infamous case of Future State Energy defrauding investors. The Chicago team had been pulled in for staffing reasons, even though it was in Colorado. She wrinkled her nose. She’d never forget the look of shock on Zoey’s face when they stormed the building. Unfortunately, the situation had required they take the building by surprise, so nobody could destroy evidence. It was a good thing, too, because Ophelia Wagner had already started loading documents into the shredder by the time her team reached Ophelia’s office. It had taken Alexis some time to determine Zoey wasn’t involved, but the evidence proved that Zoey was an innocent bystander. Or, more accurately, she’d been collateral damage.
When Zoey found out what was happening at the company, she had answered every question they asked, helping Alexis root out the remaining details they needed to button up the case. She was smart and more than a little angry that the company had used her expertise for cover. But Zoey was still early in her career with plenty of opportunities in front of her. She’d land on her feet. Hoping the message would be a happy update on Zoey’s success, Alexis clicked to open it. She sighed. Zoey was still job searching. Then , she got to the end of the email and chuckled. Well, she had a healthy helping of moxie. Waffle looked up from his almost-nap. Alexis began to compose a response, then thought better of it. She spotted Zoey’s number on the email and dialed it.
Zoey answered on the second ring.“Hello, Zoey Butler speaking.”
“Zoey, it’s Special Agent Alexis Thompson. I got your email.” Alexis leaned back in her chair, phone pressed against her ear.
The phone was silent for almost two full seconds. “Hi, Agent Thompson.” Zoey cleared her throat. “What did you think?”
In the background, Alexis heard a woman’s voice yelling, “Zoey, I swear, if the FBI breaks down our door, you’re repainting it.”
Alexis bit her lip. “So, since it’s our fault you’re unemployed, you think we should hire you? Just like that?”
Zoey cleared her throat. “Yes, ma’am. I think I can bring something unique to your team and frankly, Agent Thompson, I’m not really hirable anywhere else. Normally, I’d dance around the topic, network, and slowly build to it, but I don’t have that luxury. I need a job.”
“That’s surprising. Your résumé is very impressive.”
“I’m glad you think so. But every time someone sees that I worked for Future State, I’m done as fast as they can type, ‘We regret to inform you.’”
Alexis rubbed a spot between her eyebrows. Zoey was sharp and independent. She was a little more high-strung than Alexis and her coworkers at the Academy, but Alexis would be a little on the high-strung side too, if their situations were reversed. If Zoey was reaching out, she really had exhausted every other option. “I was impressed with you when we first met, and I don’t have any problem communicating that to potential employers if you need me as a reference.”
“I’d appreciate that.” Zoey let out a long breath. “Better yet, if the FBI or someone you work with can get me past the initial screen long enough to explain myself, that would be huge. I need something on my résumé beyond a company that is currently the subject of a white-collar crime podcast.” Alexis looked down at Waffle. “With regards to your specific request, I’d love to bring you in to work with my team. Goodness knows I need the help, but I don’t have the budget at the moment.” Alexis looked longingly at her growing to-do list. It’d be another few months before the funding to replace Tasha’s handler would be approved.
“How about an unpaid internship?”
Alexis paused, the silence hanging in the air. “I wouldn’t feel right about not paying you.”
“Then room and board. Can the FBI swing room and board?”
“You’re serious?” Alexis scoffed. “That’s quite a discount.”
“Completely. I can make the finances work. I’ll hop on a plane tomorrow, as long as I can list the job on my résumé. What do you need, an analyst? I can do just about anything in a spreadsheet.”
Alexis grinned . Yes, this was exactly how she remembered Zoey. Waffle stirred and Alexis gave him a pat. “How do you feel about dogs?”
AUTHOR BIO
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PUBLICATION DATE: 7th December 2021
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