Page 10 of Above ’N’ Beyond

Jax licked his hand, dampening the photo of Bella Bianco, then settling again on the floor at Jamie’s feet.

For the next hour, they reviewed files on the rest of the Mancuso family, including, among others, Tony, the three guys Jamie had met in prison, and Tony’s lieutenant, Marco Ianetti. Somehow, Ianetti had eluded getting scooped up in the same raid that had landed Tony and the rest of his crew in Sing Sing.

“When are you heading upstate to Nyack?” Jenkins asked.

“Tomorrow.” Jamie lied. He didn’t fully trust Jenkins. Maybe never would. When he stood, Jax leaped to his feet, tail wagging as he pressed his body to Jamie’s leg.

Jenkins stuffed the files into his backpack. “Where are you staying?”

“Not sure.” Another lie. Tonight, he and Jax would be staying at “the shack,” his family’s summer house on the Jersey Shore in Manasquan. Starting tomorrow, they’d be bunking in Bella Bianco’s apartment. But Jenkins didn’t need to know that. Yet.

Jenkins zipped up his backpack, then stood. “I want a check-in by phone every day, and an in-person meetup with you once a week.”

“Not happening.” He and Jax headed for the door.

Washington followed him.

“What do you mean, not happening?” Jenkins asked, his tone incredulous.

Jamie paused with his hand on the doorknob. Jenkins’s brows had risen to his hairline. “A phone call every day is too much. When I’ve got something, I’ll call. And unless it’s an emergency, we will never meet in person.”

Jenkins began shaking his head. “My SAC said you need to—”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what your boss said.” Beside him, Jax lowered his head, eyeing Jenkins warily. “It’s my neck sticking out here. Did you ever stop to think that too many check-ins are what got your snitch killed?”

Jenkins didn’t answer. Instead, he looked at Washington, as if expecting Jamie’s captain to side with the FBI. Jenkins had no idea who he was dealing with.

“Not only do I agree with him”—she nodded to Jamie—“but you should know I’ll back him up every time. So, I suggest you let his UC experience and instincts guide you on this.”

Jenkins took a deep breath, then let it out. “Fine. But as for the dog—”

“As for the dog,” Jamie cut him off. “Jax stays with me. He’s my partner.”

“What if he starts acting like a cop? He could blow your cover.”

Washington rolled her eyes. She knew what Jax was capable of. She also knew Jamie wasn’t about to leave Jax behind again.

“When we’re off duty, he’s a dog, with the same needs as any dog. He wants to eat, sleep, and play. Most importantly, he’ll do what I tell him to do.”

Jenkins narrowed his eyes. “How can you be sure?”

“Jax, do you want me to leave you behind?” Subtly, Jamie moved his fist right then left.

Jax shook his head.

“What do you think about Special Agent Jenkins’s suggestion I work this case without you?” Jamie pinched the bridge of his nose.

Jax lifted one paw and rested it on his nose directly in front of his eyes, as if clapping a hand to his face in disbelief. When Jax lowered his paw, Jamie used his hand to pretend pointing a gun. “Bang.”

Jax dropped like a stone to the floor and lay on his side, not moving.

Jamie leveled a meaningful look at Jenkins. “You’ve got something I want.” The authority to get his dad released from prison. “And I’m the only one who can get you what you need. But you’ve gotta give me the space to do it. So back the fuck off.” Without waiting for a response, he reached for the doorknob.

Jax twisted his body to an upright position and bolted to his feet.

“Wait!” Jenkins pulled a slim plastic case from his pocket. “Take this. We’ve got consensual monitoring approval from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

Jamie eyed the body wire kit like it contained cyanide, which it basically did. It would get him killed just as quickly. “Forget it. The Donnie Brasco days of strapping on a tape recorder are over. They’ll pat me down, and they’ll do it more than once. And they’re not as stupid as you seem to think they are. They have high-tech equipment to scan for bugs.”