Кей Хупер - Hiding in the Shadows

That hadn't occurred to Faith. She looked at Kane, sitting so still and silent, his face pale, and she swallowed hard. She felt very cold suddenly. The blanket he had found for her before the police came was around her shoulders, and she drew it a bit tighter.

Bishop said, "Either way, I'd like to know where those expensive security guards were."

"Out cold. Neither one remembers a damned thing before all the lights went out. And the regular building night security guard was at his station off the lobby watching an infomercial with his feet up, so there's no luck there."

Kane said, "So this guy was good enough to take out two experienced security guards without raising an alarm, good enough to rappel down from the roof and climb back up again, and good enough to gain access through a bedroom window wire with a security system without setting it off. But rather than use a gun or something high-tech, he just tossed a pipe bomb in through the window?"

Faith was surprised. She hadn't been sure Kane had been aware of what was going on around him, much less what had been said.

"That makes no more sense than the rest," Richardson said. "And the problem as I see it is knowing where to focus our attention. Was Dinah on to something big and all this is the result? Did she and Faith step in something nasty while they were poking into corners? Did Faith bring trouble with her when she came to Atlanta? Which is it?"

"Maybe all three," Kane replied.

"Shit." It wasn't said in disbelief, but weariness and frustration.

Richardson shook his head. "I need more than four hours of sleep to think about this. In the meantime, Kane, are you planning to stay here? I know there was hardly any damage outside that one bedroom, but..."

"This is probably the safest place we could be now," Kane answered calmly. "Especially once I hire a few more guards — this time with dogs — to surround the building very visibly. And a new security company to close up all the god damned holes in the electronic security net. If we have to live In a fortress until we get to the bottom of this and find Dinah's killers, so be it."

Faith looked at him but said nothing.

Richardson was clearly not pleased, but he didn't argue. "I can step up patrols in the area. The mayor frowns on bombs and so does the chief. But I want all of you to be careful. Damned careful. If the bomber was after Kane to stop that reward, he's obviously panicked and moving fast enough to be careless. And if he was after Faith, failure to get her may just make him more desperate."

"We'll be careful," Kane said.

Nobody in the room believed he meant it.

"Shit," Richardson said again, unhappily this time.

Bishop's cell phone rang, and he retreated to his bedroom to answer it.

"I won't seal the room," Richardson said, "but I'm asking you to stay out of there as much as possible until the damage is repaired. The fire department covered the hole in the wall with heavy-duty plastic to keep out the worst of the weather, and we believe the floor is safe enough, but don't waste any time getting a crew in there, Kane."

"No. I won't."

Richardson looked at him restlessly, seemed about to say something else, then swore. "Hell. I'm going. Call me if anything — and I mean anything else happens. Understand?"

Kane nodded.

When the detective had gone, Kane said formally, "We'll have to see what's salvageable in the way of clothing for both of us. The closet is mostly intact, and I think the chest of drawers as well. Some things may have to be cleaned, but since there was virtually no fire, we probably won't have to worry about everything smelling of smoke."

Faith wasn't looking forward to going back into the blackened shell anyways.

"I'll go through everything and see what has to be sent to the cleaners, what's usable."

"Thank you."

She wondered how long she'd be able to bear his politeness.

Bishop came back into the room, drawing their attention easily. He was scowling, an expression made more savage by the scar on his face and so unusual for him it was almost shocking.

"What's up?" Kane asked.

"It looks like I am," his friend replied tersely. "Back up to Quantico."

"Your breaking case?"

"Just broke wide open."

"Then go. And good luck."

"I don't like leaving, Kane ... not with all this going on."

"We'll be fine. I'll ring this place with security, so don't worry about us. We'll be safe and sound here. "

"Listen to Richardson. Don't make yourself a bigger target than you already have."

"Noted. Go pack, Noah."

It seemed for a moment that Bishop had more to say, but finally he shook his head and went to pack.

When they were alone once again, Faith took a long breath and said, "So he's not liable. I had wondered about that."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Sure you do. But if you have to have it spelled out — I mean that this time Bishop's famous bullshit detector failed him. Or does it work only when he touches somebody? Anyway, he believed you."

"And you don't."

"No. I don't. I think you have no intention of sitting here surrounded by security while other people look for answers. You intend to find out who killed Dinah, even if that means standing in the line of fire."

His voice remote, Kane said, "You'll be safe here, I promise you that. No more bombs. No more intruders. You can move your things into the spare bedroom, stay there until we get the other room repaired. No one will hurt you, Faith."

Too late.

But all she said was, "So you expect me to stay In a nice, safe cocoon while you go after them alone? That is not going to happen, Kane."

"No?"

"No."

He shook his head. "Don't try to fight me on this, Faith. I'll win."

She drew a breath. "My memory may be nothing but shadows, my legs may be shaky, and I may scare easily these days — but I have just as much right as you to go looking for the people who destroyed my life."

She rose to her feet, holding the blanket tightly around her, and added, "I'll get changed and see what can be salvaged in the bedroom."

She passed Bishop in the hall, and Kane heard her bid him a simple farewell. The agent came into the living room carrying his luggage.

"I always forget how quickly you pack," Kane commented.

"Years of experience. I've called a cab, so I should be on my way shortly. I'll check in with Richardson to keep abreast of the investigation. But if I am stuck at Quantico or elsewhere longer than I expect, I'll still fly down for the funeral or memorial service."

Kane didn't want to think about that. "I'll let you know. When it's set, I mean."

"Good." Betraying an unusual restiveness, Bishop said, "I wouldn't leave if it were anything else. You know that."

"I know that. You've been looking a long time, God knows. Maybe this time ..."

"Maybe. And maybe it'll be another dead end."

He let out a short laugh.

Conscious of all his own regrets, Kane said abruptly, "Don't give up. Don't stop looking, Noah."

"I'm the ruthless, cold-hearted bastard of a federal agent, remember? I'll use anything and anyone I have to in order to achieve my ends."

Kane was silent for a moment, then said, "That still rankles after all these years? From what you told me, she was so distraught she would have said anything then. You were the closest target, so you got the blame."

"I deserved the blame."

"You were doing your job."

"No." Bishop looked at him with a hard sheen in his eyes. "I went way beyond doing my job."

"You were trying to stop a killer."

"And instead, I allowed him to kill again."

"Allowed him? Noah..."

"Never mind. It's the past, dead and buried. I don't know why the hell I brought it up. Right now, I'm worried about the present."