FBI Special Agent Laurel Evertson put Morton Wilmington in
prison a few years ago working undercover as his fiancé.
She moved to white collar crime after that because she
felt
responsible for her partner being killed in that take-
down.
Now she's facing working with Wilmington again. Can she
believe he has become a Christian and really wants to help
the FBI get to the bottom of a senior citizen scam?
Thousands of dollars are being sucked out of seniors' bank
accounts who are also victims of Dementia and Alzheimer's?
Officer Daniel Hilton works for the Houston Police
Department, and his grandparents are one of the senior
citizens being scammed. Daniel and his grandparents go to
the FBI and report an insurance fraud and possible murders
of two other friends of theirs who have also been scammed.
Daniel is determined to find the person, or persons,
responsible, even if he has to do it on his own time.
That isn't necessary, however, because the FBI and Houston
PD join together as a task force to uncover this
operation.
Morton Wilmington is sprung from prison to work alongside
Laurel and Daniel. What a trio they make! Neither one
trust
the other is on the level in any of this. And another
storm
is brewing between Daniel and Laurel, the storm of a
possible romance. Are they all being double crossed?
DOUBLE CROSS begins slowly with DiAnn Mills laying
background for bringing these three unlikely characters
together. But when the action begins, it is full speed
ahead, fast-paced and even violent at times, with bullets
flying everywhere. Laurel and Daniel are very strong
characters with a streak of stubbornness and independence.
Laurel appears strong on the outside, but is actually very
fragile on the inside. Morton Wilmington appears to be a
changed man from the one Laurel put in prison, yet takes
on
sort of a "Godfather" persona. This is an inspirational
story about God changing peoples' lives, about there being
healing in forgiveness. It's a story about us not being in
control when we let God control our lives, about whether
choices we make in our lives are forced on us or if we are
free to make them ourselves. DiAnn Mills always gives us a
good thriller, filled with inspirational thoughts, and
DOUBLE CROSS is another great one!
FBI Agent Laurel Evertson’s investigation into a scam
targeting the elderly takes an unexpected twist when key
evidence leads her to Morton Wilmington, a felon she
arrested five years ago on her first undercover
assignment.
That case has haunted her since, and though she’s vowed to
forget Wilmington—and what she sacrificed to put him away—
he
is now her best lead.
Houston Police Officer Daniel Hilton fears his
grandparents
may be the scammer’s next targets, and he’ll do anything
to
protect his family—even force interagency cooperation. But
he’s quickly drawn to Laurel’s empathy and zeal and agrees
to follow her lead . . . even if it means teaming up with
a
felon.
As the unlikely trio uncovers evidence suggesting the scam
is more extensive and deadly than they imagined, both
Laurel
and Daniel find themselves in the crosshairs of a killer.
Together they must decide if they can trust Wilmington’s
claims of redemption, or if he’s leading them straight
into
a double cross.
Excerpt
DOUBLE CROSS - FBI: Houston Book 2
by DiAnn Mills
Available now
FBI Agent Laurel Evertson’s investigation into a scam
targeting the elderly takes an unexpected twist when key
evidence leads her to Morton Wilmington, a felon she
arrested five years ago on her first undercover assignment.
That case has haunted her since, and though she’s vowed to
forget Wilmington—and what she sacrificed to put him away—he
is now her best lead.
Houston Police Officer Daniel Hilton fears his grandparents
may be the scammer’s next targets, and he’ll do anything to
protect his family—even force interagency cooperation. But
he’s quickly drawn to Laurel’s empathy and zeal and agrees
to follow her lead . . . even if it means teaming up with a
felon.
As the unlikely trio uncovers evidence suggesting the scam
is more extensive and deadly than they imagined, both Laurel
and Daniel find themselves in the crosshairs of a killer.
Together they must decide if they can trust Wilmington’s
claims of redemption, or if he’s leading them straight into
a double cross.
PROLOGUE
Special Agent Laurel Evertson had done everything required
of her and more to gain Morton Wilmington’s affections. The
gaudy diamond on her left hand proved it. She was prepared
to end her undercover work tonight and walk away from this
despicable role. All she had to do was find the flash drive
that would send her fiancé to prison for life.
Morton reached into his closet and pulled out designer
pants, a shirt, and a sports jacket. “Babe, I’m taking a
shower. Thought we’d grab dinner downtown before the play.”
“Perfect. I’m ready. So looking forward to tonight.” She
despised the lies and the counterfeit love.
“What are you going to do? Read here?”
“I am. A new romance novel.” She pointed to a window seat
that offered a scenic view of his condo’s pool bathed in
late-summer afternoon sun.
He chuckled, his deep-blue eyes smoldering. “As long as I’m
your main man.”
“None other.” She kissed him lightly. “I’m turning on a
little Andrea Bocelli to put me in the mood.”
“For what?”
“The book, the play, dinner, and us.”
“Another reason why I love you. Even if you did beat me last
night in Monopoly.” He disappeared into the shower.
The moment the sound of water met her ears, she confirmed
his location. Four times she’d found herself alone in his
condo and attempted to access his safe, but each time she’d
failed to hack into his computer, where he stored the safe
combination that changed daily. Today she knew his password,
and she quickly located the code on his laptop.
She placed the novel on the bed and removed a framed picture
of a tank at Fort Knox from the wall to reveal the safe. Odd
for a bedroom, but Morton had served four years in the Army.
Probably the only thing he could be proud of. She rested the
picture against the nightstand while the digital combination
bannered across her mind. Squeezing her fingers into her
palm to steady herself, she pressed in the code, hoping
Andrea Bocelli’s tenor voice drowned out the low click. If
she was wrong, the alarm would blare throughout the condo,
bringing Morton out of the shower along with his
bodyguard from the kitchen.
Big business had made him one of the most powerful men in
the country, and certainly in Texas. Murder, money
laundering, and organized crime were his best friends—
legitimacy his enemy. But he’d made one mistake, exposing it
all on a flash drive. He’d bragged about where it was hidden
one night after drinking too much. It had taken her months
to locate the safe and figure out how to gain access.
Was she any better than he, using another person for her own
agenda? She shook off the thought and concentrated on her
commitment to stop Wilmington from breaking the law.
She secured the flash drive and replaced the picture.
Stealing her way to the bathroom door, she confirmed Morton
was still showering. His laptop sat on his desk as though
beckoning her to prove the FBI’s suspicions. She inserted
the drive. Her heart
pounded, ached.
“Babe, had an idea for our honeymoon,” he called from the
bathroom.
“Great.” She breathed deeply to calm her scattered nerves.
“Are you going to tell me?”
“Maybe.”
“You know I love surprises.” The details on the computer
rose like rich cream: names, places, bank accounts. She
ejected the device and slipped it into her shoe.
“I sent a check to MD Anderson this morning,” he said.
“For the kids or in general?”
“The kids. The fund-raiser we attended hit me hard.”
But you’d killed men who got in your
way. “They stole my heart too.” She texted the FBI and
Jesse, her partner, providing the code to the condo’s alarm
system and telling them where the armed bodyguard was
located. “Do you need anything?”
“That’s a loaded offer, but I’m good.”
He wouldn’t be so good once the FBI arrived for the
takedown.“What time are we leaving?” She moved back to the
window seat and opened her novel.
He stepped from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his
waist. “Is six okay?”
She smiled. “Sure.” Finally this charade would be over.
While discussing what Wilmington wanted to do for the
children at MD Anderson, he dressed and she touched up her
makeup. Her hands trembled.
“Are you okay?” he said. “You’re shaking.”
“Just hungry.” She hated this game, made her feel as dirty
as Morton.
“Want a glass of orange juice?”
“You’re so sweet. Thanks, I’d love it.”
He left the room and went down the hall to the kitchen. She
checked her phone.
W r n place. Now
With a confident breath, she pulled her Glock from her purse
and trailed after Wilmington. Only moments remained.
A crash sounded from the kitchen and seized her attention.
Morton swore. “Laurel, stay back. Call the bodyguards.”
She rushed from the bedroom, her hand fused to her Glock.
Gunfire exploded. One. Two. Three shots.
A bodyguard sprawled facedown on the floor, blood seeping
from beneath him.
Jesse hid in the back of the kitchen by the utility room,
trapped but able to fire.
“Morton, drop the gun.” She inched closer.
“You’re part of this?” His eyes and gun stayed fixed on Jesse.
“You set me up?”
“It was my job.”
He called her vile names that would echo forever.
“FBI. Lower your weapon.” She moved closer. “Morton
Wilmington, you’re under arrest. Agents are waiting.”
“You know how I operate. No one gets the best of me.”
“You can give orders to the prison guards.”
“You have a choice,” Morton said. “Put down your gun, or
I’ll blow a hole right through this guy.”
“That works both ways.”
Morton swung a seething look at Laurel, allowing just enough
time for Jesse to move into position.
Morton whirled and fired, sending Jesse backward to the
floor, a bullet in his neck. Blood seeped across his upper
body. His eyes wide-open. . . The cost of her undercover work.
Agents poured through the door. Morton dropped the gun and
glared at her. “I have people everywhere. You can’t hide,
Laurel. No matter how long it takes. You’ll pay in blood.”
CHAPTER 1FIVE YEARS LATER9:30 A.M. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23HOUSTON FBI
Special Agent Su-Min Phang stood in the doorway of Laurel’s
cubicle.“How’s the progress on the elderly fraud?”
Laurel spun her chair to face her. “I don’t see much in
common with the crimes, but I’m not saying someone hasn’t
covered his tracks. If it’s the same bad guys, they’re smart
to lay low, then strike again in a different way.”
“What do you have? We need this handled.”
Laurel hadn’t worked in the field since the day her partner
died. She’d paid the price of bringing a criminal to
justice. The guilt refused to release its tentacles, and
maybe it shouldn’t.
Now she was investigating white-collar crime and its surplus
of lying, stealing, and cheating. Made a few bad guys
exchange their suits and offices for jumpsuits and
six-by-eight cells. The responsibility filled part of the
hole in her heart.
This morning she concentrated on a series of Houston scams
targeting the elderly, specifically wealthy senior citizens
who bore the weight of dementia. The latest operation used
fraudulent life insurance to steal thousands of dollars from
their victims. The case revved up anger and fueled her
determination to stop the crimes. Abusing
those who could no longer make good choices? That was low.
A dear woman who’d raised Laurel had suffered from
Alzheimer’s, and she’d been treated like an animal. For her,
and for all the reported cases, Laurel would help stop those
who preyed upon the elderly.
She mentally reviewed the initial reports. Eight years ago,
an outbreak of counterfeit prescription drugs swept across
Florida, north to Georgia, and along the Gulf states to
Texas. An estimated two million dollars was reported lost by
the elderly. Investigators suspected a money-laundering
source in Miami. No doubt more money had been made, but
victims were often embarrassed when they realized the truth
and chose not to report the crime. No leads, and the bad
guys went dark.
Six years ago, another deception hit the innocent. Funeral
plans and caskets were sold to unsuspecting elderly. Again
the crimes began in Miami and spread through the Gulf
states, but this time Arkansas and Oklahoma were involved.
More money than before vanished. An agent in Miami received
a tip that a dozen elderly were gathered at a hotel to learn
how to make economical funeral arrangements. When the agents
arrived, the scammer had disappeared. The results were a
paper trail that led to a computer housed in an empty
office. The hard drive had been removed. A dead end with the
criminals again going dark.
Four and a half years ago, wheelchairs and remodeling
projects geared toward the elderly hit the scene,
infiltrating Florida and the Gulf states. Five months into
the scam, the team shut down. Investigators saw the pattern,
but the bad guys were smart enough not to leave a paper
trail and to stop when things got too hot.
Two years later, a real estate fraud sold condos for luxury
retirement high-rises
in Florida, Alabama, and both Carolinas. Four months and
they closed up shop. An estimated $50 million was made on
that scheme.
This latest scam against the elderly might be the biggest
moneymaker yet. Although the operation worked the same range
of states, different cities were targeted. How soon before
greed caused them to make a mistake or the FBI exposed their
methods?
Su-Min stepped into Laurel’s cubicle. “I have info. A
gentleman in River Oaks stumbled onto an e-mail that his
elderly father received regarding the purchase of a life
insurance policy. It contained part of another e-mail in it
and we found encryptions. Looks like the bad guys might have
gotten a little sloppy. Since you worked cryptology, I
wanted you to take a look.”
“Did you locate the sender?”
“Bogus. I just forwarded it to you.”
Laurel clicked on the e-mail attachment, read the message,
and studied the text. A sickening fear twisted her stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Su-Min said. “You’re ghastly white.”
If only she could mask her turmoil. “I recognize part of
this code.” Laurel faced her partner and friend. “Morton
Wilmington used a similar encryption to text his men.”
“The exact?”
“No, but similar enough for me to see a connection and
decipher most of what’s written.”
“No wonder you’re a mess. What does it say?”
Laurel moistened her lips. “‘Same instructions. Contact me
after. New leads.’ That’s all I can make out without
spending time on it. But whoever wrote it didn’t give
specifics.”
“Do you think Wilmington’s operating from prison?”
“Why not? He doesn’t fit the mold for rehabilitation.”
Memories rapid-
fired through her mind, burning thoughts that stoked the
flames of regret.
Su-Min crossed her arms over her small Korean frame as
though holding back a tiger.
“What are you not telling me?” Laurel said.
“Two things.” Her voice softened. “We need boots on the
ground to question him.”
“I agree. Needs to happen immediately.”
“There’s more,” Su-Min said. “Word is Wilmington’s found
religion. Christianity. Lawyers are working on an appeal.”
“No matter how long it takes. You’ll
pay in blood.”
Laurel gazed into Su-Min’s coffee-colored eyes. Admitting
her deep, bloodcurdling fear of this man would make her look
weak.“An appeal will take years, so I’m not the least bit
concerned. Let’s sort this out. I see a link between a fraud
targeting the elderly and Wilmington’s method of encoding
messages.”
“He’s in the thick of Bible studies and donating money—”
Laurel waved away her concern. “He’s always given to
charities. Helps ease his miserable conscience.”
“While advocating faith?”
“Su-Min, my findings cement the unlikelihood of him ever
reaching parole. I’ll get the truth out of him. After all, I
put him there, and he’s not getting out. He can spout Bible
verses all day long, but crimes are to be paid for. No one
has more of a stake in
him staying put than I do.”
“He’s already gaining notoriety for his religious stand.”
“Remember, Robin Hood loves the limelight. Our focus is the
elderly fraud.”
Su-Min shrugged. “Another agent can question him.”
Laurel drew in courage. The only way she’d end the
nightmares would be to face him. “I have to do this. And
I’ll nail him for the scam. Arrange the interview.”
“Hope you’re right. You know he hasn’t forgotten the past.
I’m surprised one of his men hasn’t taken care of you.” She
tapped her foot. “Are you careful when riding Phantom?”
“Always.” She refused to fall prey to her friend’s
caution.“Wilmington’s too busy running his business to care
about me. I’m not worth it.”
“Or maybe one of the reasons he has a new platform is to
walk out of prison free and kill you himself.”
DOUBLE CROSS - FBI: Houston Book 2 - ISBN
13: 978-1414389943
Tyndale House Publishers @2015 by DIANN
MILLS
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form without permission in writing from the
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