Allison Brennan - Stalked

Sean hadn’t known, and he realized that even though he knew all the important things about his girlfriend, he didn’t know everything. He wanted her to tell him about the accident, because even though Patrick’s explanation made sense, it didn’t sound like Lucy. She’d always faced her fears head-on-why not this one?

“Working on anything interesting?” Patrick asked. “It’s already blistering hot out there.”

“Reading Rosemary Weber’s books. The woman was a bitch. She pulled no punches. I have a list of three dozen people who might want her dead, just because of what she wrote. Lucy put it together last night, before Tony’s heart attack.”

Patrick said with fake shock, “I didn’t know you were working for the FBI.”

Sean gave him a dead-pan expression. “Ha, ha.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

“Because Tony Presidio asked Lucy to make this list and she’s grieving right now. I’m just doing what she would have done.”

Sean went back to the book. He highlighted a name he’d seen multiple times.

Detective Bob Stokes.

Patrick said, “Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for an assignment?”

“I have a week before Duke sends me to God knows where.”

“Madison.”

“Right. Wisconsin.” Sean smiled. “At least the weather will be tolerable.”

“Believe me, I’d take it if I could.”

“You could.”

Patrick snorted. “As much as I hate stroking your inflated ego, no way could I crack their on-site security.”

“The goal is for me not to crack it. Then Duke did his job right. Did I tell you Duke’s working on getting us a Homeland Security contract? Last time I flew commercial I sent him a memo-as a joke-about a half-dozen ways I could waltz into secured areas.”

“You don’t sound interested.”

“I’m not. I avoid government contracts.” Sean left those to Duke and his other partners. Unfortunately, if they had an airport security contract, it would be up to Sean and Lucy’s brother Jack, since they were both pilots and had in-depth knowledge of both private and commercial facilities. He regretted sending the memo to Duke and hoped Homeland Security ignored it.

Sean glanced at his watch. “Want to do me a favor?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“You must want it bad.”

“It’s either take notes on Weber’s books or find out about this cop she acknowledged in her first book. He’s the only cop she didn’t slam.”

“He must have talked to her.”

“That’s what I thought. He might know a lot more.”

Patrick didn’t move. Sean looked up. “What?”

“The FBI is investigating her murder.”

“So?”

“Turn it over to them.”

“I will.”

“When?”

“When I have something.”

Patrick still didn’t move.

Sean sighed. “What now?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“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.”

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.