Allison Brennan - Stalked

“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-”

“It’s all a damn test, Lucy!” Kate was losing her temper, her voice getting louder.

“This isn’t about a test,” Lucy said without raising her voice. “Tom Harden tests me. Laughlin wants me to fail.”

“You’re paranoid.”

That stung, but the well-aimed verbal attack meant she was close to the truth.

“It’s you I’m concerned about, Kate.”

Kate laughed. “You think I’m so weak that I’d let some asshole push me around?”

“No, I don’t. Except-” Lucy waited for Kate to look at her. “ Except if he threatened me. Don’t fight my battles, Kate.”

“No one has threatened me, or you.” Kate stared at Lucy while she spoke, but on the last word her eyes darted to the right before refocusing.

Lucy’s suspicions were right. She stood up. “I know Laughlin was on the same squad as your former boyfriend, Evan Standler. I know you were all in the D.C. office together. What I don’t know is what Laughlin said to make you scared.”

“I don’t scare,” Kate said. Again, her eyes moved to the right. It wasn’t a tell. It was a direction.

Lucy looked where Kate kept glancing. It was a picture of Dillon and Kate, the day they got married, nearly three years ago. But they’d been together much longer.

Lucy picked up the picture. “Dillon loves you. There’s nothing you did in your past that could ever change that.” She put the picture down. “I think I understand.”

“You don’t.” Kate’s anger had lost steam. She wasn’t going to tell Lucy what had happened, but Lucy understood. Whatever problem Laughlin had with Lucy was small compared to what he had with Kate. He couldn’t get to Kate except through those she loved, because Kate wasn’t easily bullied. That meant Lucy and Dillon, the two people Kate loved more than anyone.

Lucy smiled while Kate remained stone-faced. “You may have kept your maiden name,” Lucy said, “but you’re a Kincaid now.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re not alone.”

*

Lucy had thirty minutes before physical training, so went to her room to unwind after her confrontation with Kate.

Someone had been here.

Lucy stood in her doorway, one hand still on the knob, as the skin rose from her arms. What was different?

Nothing appeared out of place. She hadn’t made her bed, because she’d gotten up late; her desk was cluttered but relatively tidy. Her bookshelf was packed with her notebooks, textbooks, paper, her own research books-

It wasn’t that something was out of place. It was the air. A faint scent that wasn’t hers.

Had Margo come in to borrow something? Lucy wouldn’t be upset, though she preferred to be asked. Except-it wasn’t Margo. She cherished her privacy as much as Lucy. Margo would have at least left a note but most likely would have called Lucy first. Reva? Usually one knock, then walk right in. But she always wore flowery perfume, and this wasn’t perfume. It was something … else. Sweat, maybe, but not Lucy’s sweat.

She searched her room again, looking for even the smallest hint of something off; then she opened her desk drawers and went through her things.

In the bottom drawer, where she had kept the file Tony had given her, she noticed that something was clearly out of place.

Her handwritten notes were gone.

Lucy found it hard to focus on her physical training, and she didn’t know who she should go to about her missing notes. She mentally replayed what she’d done with them last night, before finding Tony unconscious in his office. She’d brought down his file, plus her list of people from Weber’s book, but she’d left her personal notes-questions to herself, facts from the book, comments about Tony’s notes-in her desk. She was certain of it. Almost.

Paula Kean entered the gym near the end of training and spoke with Harden. A few seconds later, Harden called Lucy over.

“You’re free to go with Agent Kean,” he told her.

Lucy glanced at the class supervisor, trying to assess why she was being pulled out. Kean’s face was impassive, as usual.

Lucy followed her out and down the hall. Kean stopped just outside her office door. “Assistant Director Hans Vigo needs to speak with you.” She lifted her chin. “I see his visit is not a surprise to you.”

“Kate told me he was here.”

“I’ll clear your absence in Warrants with your instructor, but you’ll have to make up the work. You can get the assignment and notes from New Agent Aragon-he’s a friend of yours, right?”

“Yes.” Jason would not only have good notes, but he also had the most experience with warrants and would be able to answer any questions. “Thank you.”

“We haven’t spoken since you found Agent Presidio. If you need to talk, please let me know. Tony was a good man, and he obviously saw something special in you.”

For the first time since she’d arrived, Lucy felt comfortable with Kean. Though her tone was formal, it had an edge of sincerity that Lucy appreciated.

“Thank you. He was a terrific teacher. We’ll all miss him.”

Kean smiled, a rare warmth in her pale eyes. “He had a reputation for being tough on the new agents, but you seemed to hold up well.” She stepped into her office, then stopped and said, “I know you’re a personal friend of Dr. Vigo’s, but if you’d like me to join you, I’m available.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m okay.” Kean didn’t say anything about the meeting Kate had alluded to at lunch, and Lucy didn’t ask.

She crossed the courtyard and Agent Trevor Seward was talking to two new agents in the lounge. “Hold up,” he told her.

She waited for him in the hall, though she was antsy to see Hans.

“Don’t you have Warrants this afternoon?”

“Yes, but Dr. Vigo called me into Tony’s office.”

“I’ll walk you down.” He touched her arm. “Are you okay?”

“Everyone is asking me if I’m okay. I am.” She glanced at him with a half smile. “But thank you.”