M Sellars - Miranda

“No, I never said that’s what I wanted.” I shook my head to punctuate the response but didn’t display any other reaction to the threat. “But I would like to know what’s really going on.”

“As I said, because of your history with the Saint Louis office of the bureau, we’re doing you a favor,” she replied. “However, if you’d rather not accept it, I can go ahead and have Special Agent Mandalay take you into custody.”

“Now you’re bluffing.”

“Am I?”

“Yes,” I told her, not wavering. “If arresting me was really an option, today’s meeting never would have continued after my ‘outburst’ as you called it. Not to mention this whole favor thing would have never been put on the table.”

“I have my reasons for allowing the interview to continue.”

“Oh, I’m sure you do, and that’s what has me wondering. But it also doesn’t change the fact that you’re bluffing right now.”

“Why would I bluff you, Mister Gant?”

“Well, this is just a guess, but I’d say because there’s something you want from me.”

She cocked her head. “And how did you arrive at this conclusion?”

“No offense, Doctor Jante, but I’ve been played by people who are better at it than you.” I shrugged. “Let’s be honest. Other than arresting me, at the bare minimum, kicking my ass out of here is what would make the most sense in this situation. But instead, you’re sweeping things under the rug and even wanting me to have another meeting with the Ice Queen. Your mistake here was assuming I still wanted that meeting too.”

“You don’t?”

“Right now, I’m not so sure,” I said, giving my head a shake. “Miranda tore me apart in there, you know that. And that was just what you could see on the surface. There are things going on here that I don’t expect you to understand.”

Doctor Clayton spoke up again, a recognizable aura of academic curiosity in his voice. “I assume you are referring to your contention that the personality calling itself Miranda is actually a Voodoo spirit inhabiting Annalise Devereaux’s body?”

“They’re called Lwa,” I replied. “And yeah, that’s definitely part of it.”

“And you truly believe this?” he pressed.

“Yes, I do,” I huffed. “But go right ahead and feel free to think I’m a nutcase, Doc. Everyone else does, so join the club.”

He gestured with his hands as he shook his head. “Well, even you must admit that such a belief defies conventional logic.”

“Yeah, I do,” I grunted while giving him a nod. “Every friggin’ day of the week. So there you go. Welcome to my unconventional life.”

“Let’s get back to the issue at hand,” Doctor Jante interrupted. “Are you or are you not willing to meet with Annalise Devereaux tomorrow?”

“You tell me.”

“Mister Gant, I have no idea what game you are playing.”

“Same one as you,” I told her. “I just don’t have the benefit of knowing all of your rules, so I’m making them up as I go.”

“Excuse me?”

“Look, Doctor Jante, I’ll make you a deal. You come clean with me about what it is you want from me, and I’ll give it another go with Annalise.”

“I’m sure I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Then let me help you understand. It’s obvious that you believe my involvement here outweighs my transgression, which is why you’re willing to put me back in a room with Annalise Devereaux, even though you can’t really be certain I won’t flip out again. This can only mean that there has to be something in it for you. Maybe not you personally, but for the FBI at least. The problem here is that I don’t know what that is. Can you understand my confusion now? Obviously something else is going on here, and even though it involves yours truly, I’m not in the loop and that makes me very nervous.”

“You’re imagining things.”

“If that’s the case then I must be delusional,” I replied. “All the more reason why you shouldn’t trust me in there with her.”

With a cloud of exasperation billowing around her words, Jante said, “Exactly what is it you think I can tell you, Mister Gant?”

“I’m guessing plenty, but it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if you’d start with explaining why you’re so willing to overlook what happened. And while you’re at it, maybe you could tell me exactly who the Behavioral Analysis Unit is studying here-Annalise Devereaux or Rowan Gant?”

Jante’s outward demeanor hardened. She regarded me coolly, as if sizing up an adversary before throwing a punch. Taking the approach of putting us at odds with one another probably wasn’t my smartest move ever; but I’d already blown the bell curve for the day in that particular department, so in the grand scheme of things it really didn’t matter all that much. At any rate, my reply to her query had definitely struck a nerve, so I was either going to get my answers or find out I was wrong about her bluffing. Either way, I figured I would be ahead of the game in one sense or another.

“S.A. Mandalay,” she finally said, verbally addressing Constance but never taking her eyes off of me. “Would you mind escorting Doctor Clayton out of the room for a few minutes.”

Like earlier, even though she had phrased the words as a question, she wasn’t asking. She was giving an order. I realized she was officially the one in charge, but her demanding verbal mannerism was starting to wear on me.

Unable to hold my tongue, I asked, “Why break up the party, Doc?” This time I made no attempt to hide my sarcasm.

“This is strictly FBI business.”

“Fine. Send Doctor Clayton out for a coffee break.” I gestured toward the now uncomfortable looking chief psychologist then glanced in his direction and added, “No offense intended, Doc.” Leveling my gaze back on Jante I said, “But Constance is FBI and I’d really prefer she stick around.”

“That isn’t possible.”

“And why is that?”

She shook her head. “In this case I’m afraid that what you are wanting to discuss is above her pay grade.”

“Above her pay grade?” I chuckled. “And Ben tells me I watch too many movies. Hell, I’m starting to feel like I’m in one… Here’s the thing, we both know if it’s above her pay grade then it’s way the hell above mine. I want her to stay.”

“I’m trying to work with you, Mister Gant, but you’re being unreasonable.”

“It’s one of my more endearing qualities. Just ask my wife.”

“You really aren’t in a position to negotiate.”

“I don’t know about that… You’re the one who called me, remember?”

“Only because Devereaux was so insistent upon speaking with you.”

“I don’t buy that,” I said. “She could have had her lawyer contact me if that’s all it was. There’s more to it than that.”

“Perhaps I was merely doing you another favor. I’m well aware that you had already exhausted every contact you have trying to arrange a meeting with Devereaux prior to my calling you. In fact, just over a month ago you told me yourself that you needed this meeting with her.”

“Yeah, I did. But with today’s blind eye added to the mix, that would make two awfully big favors for someone you don’t really know all that well.” I shrugged. “So what’s in it for you?”

“Research, Mister Gant. Data.”

“Then I guess we both stand to lose something if we can’t make nice on the playground.”

“I can still have you arrested and brought up on charges,” she threatened.

“I have no doubt that you can,” I agreed. “Hell, I’m the one who suggested it. But I’m pretty sure I already called your bluff on that one, didn’t I?”