“Apparently.” Shaw crouched down, watching the two dogs with open curiosity. “Shadow doesn’t do that. Not with dogs he’s just met.” She looked up at Sam. “What’s your girl’s name?”
“Lucy.”
“Lucy,” Shaw repeated, watching as Shadow pressed his shoulder against Lucy’s side in what could only be described as affection. “Shadow’s been my partner for four years. I’ve never seen him greet another dog like that. Not once.”
Lucy’s tail hadn’t stopped wagging. She looked up at Sam with an expression that seemed to sayI know him.
Shaw stood, brushing off her knees. “Shadow has somewhat of a mysterious past. Where did Lucy come from?”
“Same. Just wandered out of the woods one day.”
“Huh, maybe they do know each other.”
Keller stepped forward, his confusion now edged with something else—professional wariness. “Agent Shaw. I wasn’t informed the Bureau was sending additional personnel.”
“It’s a new development.” Shaw’s voice was pleasant, but there was steel underneath it. “I requested the assignment when I heard about Cooper.”
“You knew him?”
“We crossed paths a few years back. Different case, same kind of people.” She moved into the room, Shadow falling into step beside her. Lucy followed, staying close to Shadow like she’d found an old friend. “When I heard what happened, I wanted to help.”
Sam watched her carefully. There was something she wasn’t saying—he could feel it. But her credentials were real, her presence wasn’t hostile, and Lucy trusted the dog she’d brought. That counted for something.
“What can you tell us that we don’t already know?” he asked.
Shaw glanced at the whiteboard, her eyes moving across the photos and notes with practiced efficiency. “The syndicate Cooper was investigating has been on the Bureau’s radar for years, but we’ve never been able to get enough evidence for prosecution. They’re careful. Patient. They don’t make mistakes.”
“Until now,” Jo said.
Shaw’s expression flickered. “Killing a federal agent isn’t a mistake. It’s a statement.” She looked at Keller. “You were his partner. What was the last thing he reported?”
Keller hesitated for just a moment—so brief that only someone looking for it would have noticed. “He said he’d found something. Something big. But he wanted to verify before he shared it.” His voice roughened. “I told him to be careful. That was the last time we spoke.”
Shaw nodded slowly, her gaze lingering on Keller a moment longer than necessary. Then she turned back to Sam. “I’d like to review whatever evidence you’ve collected. Fresh eyes might catch something.”
“That can be arranged.” Sam looked at Keller. “You two can coordinate. Share what you have.”
“Of course,” Keller said smoothly. But there was something in his expression—a flicker of unease that was gone almost as soon as it appeared.
Shaw caught it. Sam caught her catching it.
The room had gotten more complicated.
“In the meantime,” Shaw said, reaching into her bag and producing a folder, “I brought everything I could pull on the Binding Chain’s known operations in New England. Properties, businesses, suspected members. It’s not complete, but it’s a start.”
She handed the folder to Sam. He flipped it open, scanning the contents. It was more than Keller had shared—more detailed, more recent. He looked up at her.
“This is good work.”
“I’ve been tracking these people for a while.” Shaw’s voice was quiet. “Cooper’s not the first agent they’ve killed. He’s just the first one we can prove.”
The words hung in the air.
Keller’s face remained carefully neutral, but something shifted behind his eyes.
“We should compare notes,” he said to Shaw. “See where our information overlaps.”
“Agreed.” Shaw nodded, professional and cooperative.