Stalked

“I’m bored.”

Patrick glanced at his watch and leaned back in the chair.

“You learned that trick from me.”

“Is it working?”

Sean put the e-reader down again. “Lucy’s name was in Weber’s files. I want to know what she has on Lucy and my cousin Kirsten. The only way I’m going to legally see those files is if Suzanne shows them to me. The only way she’ll show them is if I give her something useful. She and NYPD are running down leads as to who killed Weber, and there’s no doubt she’ll find the guy, but I don’t want all her files being part of the evidence.”

“It already is.”

“For now.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Rogan.”

“I always do.”

“What’s the cop’s name?”

“Bob Stokes, Newark. He was the responding officer, and according to Weber, he’d pegged the parents as liars from the beginning, but his superiors didn’t believe him, until the FBI came in and cracked open the case.”

“And what do you think he’s going to do for you?”

“He talked to her. He probably knows what was taken from the files at the library archives. If I can deliver him to Suzanne, I’m one step closer to answers.”

“Maybe you should just ask her.”

“I will. When I get this.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

FBI Academy

During lunch, Lucy found Kate eating in her office. Kate was the senior cybercrimes instructor at Quantico and was part of a joint task force on tracing online child pornography. It was a particularly difficult job for anyone, even a seasoned agent like Kate.

“What do you want?” Kate asked Lucy without looking at her. Her eyes were focused on her computer.

“We need to talk.”

Kate stared at her computer for a long minute, then leaned back in her chair. She nodded and Lucy sat down.

“You worked with Rich Laughlin before-before everything.” Lucy still had a hard time talking about Adam Scott. “Before you left D.C. twelve years ago.”

“I’m not talking about Laughlin.” Kate’s face was set tight; she was trying hard not to react to anything Lucy said. Why was she being so controlled?

“But-”

“I thought you wanted to talk about Tony Presidio.”

“I’m okay. Thank you for signing Sean in; it helped, talking to him.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“You and Tony were the subject of a staff meeting this morning. You’ve involved yourself in the middle of an investigation. I don’t have to tell you that being the subject of a staff meeting isn’t good.”

Lucy shifted in her seat. “I don’t understand.”

Kate tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. “You didn’t know.”

“Know what? What’s wrong?” Had she missed something? Done something wrong? With all the pressure from Laughlin and her firearms test and Tony’s death and Weber’s book, had she missed something important?

“Hans is here to put Tony’s office in order, and work on the profile Tony began on the murder of that writer. No one knew you were working with Tony until Hans told us.”

Lucy said carefully, “There was nothing wrong with me doing extra work. I did it on my own time.”

“Not when it impacts your overall performance.”

Laughlin. It all came back to him.

“I’ve done well in all my classes.”

“Lucy, I’m not trying to ride you; I’m trying to help.” But her tone said just the opposite.

“Then tell me what’s going on between you and Agent Laughlin.”

Kate reddened and leaned forward. “How dare you,” she said through clenched teeth. “There’s nothing going on between me and anyone, and you damn well know that.”

Lucy didn’t break eye contact, though her heart was pounding. She said as calmly as she could, “I didn’t mean you were having an affair.”

Kate stared at her, but Lucy held her ground. She’d lived with Kate for the last seven years. She knew her better than she knew her family. If Kate saw any chip in Lucy’s armor, she’d find a way to defuse the situation and not tell Lucy what she needed to know. Lucy didn’t understand why Kate didn’t come clean now, why she didn’t just explain what had happened between her and Laughlin. Did she think Lucy wouldn’t approve? Or that she’d be upset?

“What are we doing here?” Kate asked quietly. “We’re family.”

“Yes, we are. That’s why you need to tell me the truth. You promised me you would always be honest.”

Kate shook her head. “Are you really pushing that button?”

“You know I’m not.”

“From my side of the desk, seems you are.”

Lucy had learned how to play hardball from the best. “Then I’ll find out what I need to know on my own.”

“Don’t think I don’t know you have Sean getting into my business.” There was disgust in her voice.

“Sean is trying to figure out why Rich Laughlin is determined to undermine me.” Lucy hoped that her honesty would prompt Kate to open up.

“What part of ‘keep your head down’ did you not understand? There’s a half-dozen people who would love to kick you out of here, and you keep pushing.”

“I’m not pushing anything!” Was Kate exaggerating? “Laughlin surprised me at the gun range. He knows my fears and is exploiting them.”

“Do you think maybe that’s part of your test?” Kate said sarcastically.

“That’s what I thought at first, but this is more than just testing me.” Lucy hesitated, then said, “When he looks at me, I know he hates me. And after I walked in on your argument the other day, I think it’s more about you than me.”

Kate slowly stood up. Again, she was angry, but Lucy saw fear in her eyes, and fear wasn’t something she equated with Kate.

“Haven’t you been listening to me? To stand out is a bad thing. Getting perfect scores doesn’t make you stand out. Involving yourself in anything outside of your daily work does. Stay out of it. The thing with Laughlin has nothing to do with you-not everything is about you. You involved yourself in an ongoing federal investigation, and that isn’t smart.”

Lucy realized that Kate was turning everything around to make it her fault. As if helping Tony, her instructor, had been a mistake.

Lucy said, “Is Agent Laughlin harassing you?”

“No one is harassing me. You think I would put up with that shit?”

But her eyes told Lucy she was on to something. Kate was in-your-face angry, but her eyes were scared.

Rich Laughlin was tormenting her, and Kate couldn’t stop it. What was it that scared her so much?

“Kate-”