Meet FBI Special Agent Vanessa Storm, protagonist of the new novel, Torn Roots. The first Hawaiian Storm mystery, it comes out September 29. Pre-order it now and save.
Chapter 11: Warning
Thursday, 1:00 p.m.
At the Hana Police Station, Kaimi left Vanessa in what looked to her like a closet with a desk and a phone on it. “You can use this office as long as you need it,” he said.
There was no window. Vanessa started to feel claustrophobic as soon as she sat on the creaking chair. You’ve worked in worse places. Calm down.
She powered up her laptop and logged into the Bureau’s secure network. She forced herself not to fret over the slow connection time, reminding herself that Hana was distant from major telecommunications hubs. Finally, she opened a video chat link with Oahu.
Before she could say a word, Christine leaned into the doorway. “Call for you, Agent Storm. Line two,” she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Vanessa picked up the phone. “Special Agent Storm, Aloha.”
“Special Agent, this is Captain Ed Baylee from Homeland Security in LA.” The voice was deep and gravelly, and the tone annoyed and hurried.
“Aloha, Captain. I’ve been expecting your call. That is, a call from someone in your office.”
“What’s this I hear about Agent Dekker operating in Hawaii?”
“Agent Dekker is investigating an environmental organization on Maui, and his actions are interfering with an FBI investigation into multiple felonies.”
“Agent Dekker has been under suspension for the past two months.”
Vanessa managed to keep her shock out of her voice. “Can you tell me why?” I really shouldn’t be surprised. With that attitude, he must aggravate his superior officers as much as me.
“As an open personnel investigation, that’s classified,” Captain Baylee growled.
“If he’s interfering in a federal investigation that I am running, I need to know if he’s already a suspect in other cases, and what he’s suspected of, so that I can arrest him at the first opportunity.”
“I said, that information is classified!” Vanessa could almost see the spit flying out of Baylee’s mouth. “I advise you to coordinate with Military Police at Pearl Harbor for his arrest.”
Vanessa suppressed a sigh. “The FBI is capable of arresting him.” Vanessa kept her voice level, which seemed to exasperate Captain Baylee even more.
“You’ll do no such thing. Agent Dekker is a Homeland Security Agent, and therefore he’s under military jurisdiction. You’ll share any information on Dekker’s activities and whereabouts with Military Police and let us handle him from there. Savvy?”
Savvy? Vanessa thought. “The FBI is always happy to cooperate with Homeland Security and military intelligence, Captain,” she said. “However, if Dekker interferes with our investigation again, we will arrest him and charge him appropriately.”
About Torn Roots
Vanessa Storm thought her first week on the job as an FBI Special Agent in beautiful Hawaii would be about settling in. But she’s immediately sent to Hana on Maui’s rain-soaked shore to find a kidnapped woman.
Throw in arson, strident environmentalists bent on stirring up strife between local rights activists and foreign property developers, a chill local police lieutenant, a taciturn geologist, and top it all off with a rogue, unpredictable Homeland Security agent.
The case becomes a labyrinth twisting through the jungles on Maui’s volcano. Vanessa knows this case will explode into an international incident and lives will be lost if she doesn’t find answers fast.
“TORN ROOTS is wonderfully rich with plot and setting, but it was Mr. Bury’s command of the story’s pacing that impressed me most.”—Eden Baylee, author of Stranger at Sunset
“I made the mistake of picking up this book and could not stop reading.”—Frederick Lee Brooke, author of Doing Max Vinyl
“Made me feel like I was there in person!”—Sue Devers
“I have never been to Hawaii but reading the detailed descriptions of its beauty in this book has made me feel like I’ve actually been there.”—Joy A. Lorton
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I tried to leave a review on Amazon but in their infinite wisdom they cut me off saying I do not purchase enough. This is after nearly 1100 reviews.
I really enjoyed this book. It takes a Hawaiian FBI agent to work on the island. The Hawaiian people are warm and wonderful people but it would take a person who understand pidgin to get any info from them. The suspense and story line is very good.The characters are still wondering around in my head. Our FBI agent should be assigned to the island permanently. She would soon fall in love with it and maybe obtain a new relationship.