Chapter 10 - The Mole at the Border
Federal agents arrested Cole Rainer in Spokane.
He began talking after prosecutors showed him the conspiracy charges.
He admitted North Star received information about our operation.
Not from Grant directly.
From Vanessa.
Vanessa told Cole that I worked federal investigations and had been sent north.
She forwarded a photograph of my government vehicle from an old family trip.
Then Grant provided the approximate timing of my deployment.
“He said he didn’t know where she was.”
Cole explained.
“But he knew the region.”
Priya asked.
“What did Vanessa want?”
Cole laughed.
“She wanted us to scare her.”
My blood went cold when Marcus told me.
Not kill.
Scare.
At first.
Vanessa asked North Star contacts to identify my location if possible.
Cole eventually found the motel.
He sent Vanessa a photo.
Her reply.
MAKE SURE SHE UNDERSTANDS SHE SHOULD GO HOME TO NOTHING.
Then another message.
GRANT SAYS DO NOT CONTACT HER DIRECTLY.
Cole claimed he never intended to attack me.
His job was surveillance.
But another North Star member, Mason Pike, interpreted the request differently.
He appeared armed near our vehicle.
Our team moved first.
Mason escaped that night.
Two weeks later, he was arrested during another raid.
I remembered the night.
The motel window.
Snow.
A man across the parking lot.
The feeling that something was wrong.
I had blamed the operation.
The threat had traveled from my own bedroom.
Grant’s attorney issued a statement.
He denied knowing Vanessa contacted criminals.
He admitted discussing my assignment but claimed it was private conversation between romantic partners.
Romantic partners.
While still married to me.
His lawyer wanted the affair to sound like the worst part.
It was not.
Then Cole provided one final message.
Grant to Vanessa.
I CAN’T BE INVOLVED.
YOU SAID THEY WOULD ONLY WATCH HER.
Vanessa replied.
RELAX.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, EVERYONE WILL BLAME THE JOB.
Grant wrote.
AND LILY?
Vanessa answered.
SHE’LL HAVE US.
I read that sentence three times.
She’ll have us.
May you like
As if I were already dead.
As if my child could simply be reassigned.
