The smart thing-the right thing-to do would be to go home as ordered, let the big boys handle it, the Mr. Federals of the world. And she might have, but for two things. One, she was somewhat responsible for her friend’s death, since she was the one who’d recommended Tasha for the job. Two, she’d killed someone tonight, someone who no doubt meant to kill her.
Hard not to take that personally, especially knowing that there had been
She’d given her card to that security guard. That meant they knew who she was. One up on her, since she still didn’t know who they were, and if she went home to San Francisco, they could very well follow her there. She’d be doing exactly what she’d swore she’d never do, never allow to happen again. Dragging danger to her family’s doorstep.
Grabbing her blanket and pillow, she settled on the couch. She’d never been very good at the whole let- sleeping-dogs-lie thing. No, she liked her dogs up and barking, the better to find out which were the vicious ones.
There were going to be some upset males come morning. Scotty for one, but also the alleged Special Agent Zachary Griffin, and this last thought made her smile. Served him right.
“Might want to work on those point-counterpoint surveillance techniques tomorrow,” she said, just in case they were listening. “Oh, and FYI, my favorite red is cabernet. California cab.”
The same as Tasha liked…
A shaft of light spilled into the hallway when Scotty opened the bedroom door. “You say something?” he called out.
“Just talking to myself.”
At eight the next morning, Scotty unlocked his Bureau car and held the door open for Syd. She slid in, and he stood there a moment, smiling. “I think this is the right decision you’re making, Syd. Go home, let the locals deal with it.”
“I’m stubborn. Not stupid.” When he got in, started up the car, she added, “Since we’ve got a few hours to kill, mind if we make a quick stop before we head to my place and then the airport?”
“Where to?”
“UVA.”
Scotty threw her a strange glance. “The university?”
“Old professor friend I haven’t seen in a while. Just want to drop in, say hi. See if he remembers me.”
He glanced at his watch, then shrugged. “Guess we have time.”
“Thanks.”
Syd leaned back in the car, checked the side view mirror. A Dodge pickup pulled out after them, but turned off a block later. She hoped the fact it was broad daylight would keep suspect number two from coming after her for the moment, and her right elbow automatically pressed against her side. She felt the hard edges of her temporary replacement sidearm the FBI had issued her. The minions who had interrogated her last night had taken her weapon, allegedly to book it into evidence for the requisite testing after the shooting.
Scotty was also armed, always a plus, since two guns were better than one, she thought, stifling a yawn. Scotty caught it, said, “We should stop for coffee first,” and she didn’t argue. She hadn’t slept well, tossing and turning over the whole affair, thinking about what she might have missed, then coming up with today’s battle plan, not saying anything inside Scotty’s apartment for fear that not only would he try to talk her out of it, but Griffin would swoop in and physically escort her to that damned plane himself.
When they got to the university, she asked Scotty to wait in the car while she checked with the administration staff to locate the professor.
“I’ll go in with you,” he said.
She didn’t want Scotty to see her pulling out her credentials and making this an official visit, since that sort of ruined the whole “old friend” scenario she’d woven for him, especially when she didn’t know what department or what class. “It’ll only take me a second to see if he’s in. If he’s not, I’ll be right out and we’re off to breakfast.”
Scotty leaned back in his seat, gave her his best “hurry up” look, and she was off. There was only one Professor Woods who taught at the university, Denise Woods, and apparently
Five minutes later, she was knocking at the professor’s office door, with Scotty at her side. The professor opened the door, and Syd eyed the very beautiful, petite blond-haired woman, and smiled. “Professor Denise Woods? I’m Sydney Fitzpatrick. I’ll bet you don’t recognize me.”
She gave Sydney a thorough appraisal. “You’re right. Should I?”
“Yes, you should.” Syd turned to Scotty. “Can you give me a couple minutes here, Scotty? It won’t take long, I promise.”
He didn’t trust her, she could see it in his expression, but he did give her the privacy she requested, perhaps because she had promised to be on that plane, and he stepped away from the door. “Make it quick.”
“Scout’s honor.”
Syd stepped inside, closed the door of the small office behind her, then pulled out her credentials. “I’m Special Agent Sydney Fitzpatrick, FBI, looking into the disappearance of one of your students.”
“Xavier Caldwell?”
“Yes. You’ve been contacted about his disappearance?”
“No, but I did wonder at his sudden absence.”
“When was that?”
Professor Woods walked over to her laptop computer on her desk, cluttered with stacks of papers, books, manila folders. She ran her finger across the mouse pad, tapped something into the computer, then said, “Almost two weeks ago.”
Syd took out the sketch she’d made of her Jane Doe. “Does this woman look familiar to you?”
“She bears a striking resemblance to my assistant, Alessandra Harden.”
“Is she here?”
“With her father. May I ask what this is about?”
“As I said, a missing person’s case. On Xavier Caldwell. Other than that, I’m not at liberty to say.” Primarily because she had no damned clue as to what it was about. Even so, she now had a name to go with the face. “Did either of them approach you about anything odd? Conspiracy theories?”
The professor hesitated, her gaze narrowing slightly. “As a matter of fact Xavier did, and I can honestly say that at the time I figured it was an excuse for not turning in his final draft report, which happened to be on the very same subject. Telling me he was in the midst of the biggest conspiracy theory in modern history is no excuse for not turning in his report on conspiracy theory in past history.”
“Any idea what this big theory of his was?”
“Something about criminals using secret societies to control politicians, thereby controlling the government, thereby controlling the world banking system. Alessandra might be a better person to ask.”
“Why is that?”
“They were pretty friendly. Tight. Of course, you’ll have to go to Italy to talk to her. I was informed that her absence was due to her sudden return home to take care of family matters. I think that translates to she was sent home in disgrace after she was caught in dishabille with the congressman.”
When Syd finally found her tongue, all she could say was, “The congressman?”
“Congressman Burnett. You do read the papers, don’t you? It made all the headlines about two months ago.”
“I don’t pay too much attention to the D.C. scandals,” she said.
Professor Woods walked to a tall box marked “Recycle” parked in the corner of her office, dug down a bit, and came up with a newspaper and handed it to Syd. “Here you go. Big conspiracy theory. She’s playing hooky with a politician instead of grading papers for my class. Too bad, too. She had a remarkable career in archeology ahead of
