After thanking Joan for the DVD files, Anna admitted that even having watched the interviews she was still not convinced of Donna’s guilt and raised the possibility that there was another decorator besides Samuel or that Marisha was lying. Joan told her that Paul Barolli had said the same thing and he had made an appointment for Marisha Peters to come in to the station so they could ask her more about her brother Samuel.
‘I need you to find out who the official photographer was at the Lynne Charity Ball on the fifth. Then get digital copies of all the photographs he took and upload them onto my Dropbox.’
‘Why?’
Anna looked up and saw Langton returning. ‘I’ve got to dash, I’ll call and explain tomorrow.’
‘Have you read the Gardeners’ World article yet?’
‘Not yet, but I will,’ Anna assured her, and slipped her phone in her pocket as Langton approached, worried he’d throw another wobbly about her fixation with the Reynolds case. The result was that she didn’t hear what Joan said next:
‘It’s called “These Plants May Kill” – a bit creepy but very interesting. You never know what dangers lie in a garden… Hello, Anna? Hello?’
Having passed through US Customs they noticed a man dressed in a dark-blue polo shirt that had the FBI crest on it. He was dark-haired, aged about forty, very handsome and incredibly fit-looking with broad shoulders, large chest and muscular arms. On seeing Anna and Langton, he came over and with a warm smile and firm handshake introduced himself as Special Agent Don Blane. Anna recalled Dewar saying Blane was the course instructor and she hoped that Don would not be Dewar’s clone.
‘Hi. It’s real nice to meet you. You look just like the photos our London office sent over. Transport is just outside so if you’d like to follow me,’ he said as he took hold of Anna’s case for her.
Outside, Don Blane opened the sliding side door of an old weather-beaten, FBI-logo’d, minibus and put Anna’s case inside. Before Langton could add his own case, Blane told him that the car behind would take him to Lake Ridge where he was staying. Anna turned and saw a shiny black Lincoln with a suited chauffeur standing beside it. She glanced at Langton and shook her head in disbelief, to which he retorted that he hadn’t pulled rank this time.
‘So, you’re not staying at Quantico?’ Anna asked with raised eyebrows, knowing that he was hiding something.
‘Um, no, but I will be working from there,’ Langton breezily replied. ‘By the way, what I said on the plane about Fitzpatrick is strictly confidential. Only the Commissioner and Deputy Walters know why I’m here. Walters tried to put the kibosh on it but the director of the FBI spoke personally with the Commissioner who overruled Walters.’
Anna immediately responded that she had no intention of telling anyone, and though she didn’t say it she was miffed at his implication. ‘Another thing, about the Josh Reynolds case-’ Langton started, but Anna interrupted him.
‘Don’t worry, I’m over it.’
‘Rubbish, I came back to see you again on the flight. You were sound asleep and your notebook was open on the seat with all your observations about Donna’s interview.’
‘You looked through my personal belongings? How-’
‘Before you get on your high horse, just listen to me. If you really think something’s wrong, find it, but be sure you have the evidence to back it up. If there’s no evidence, accept it and move on. Tell Mike Lewis what’s worrying you – he respects you and he’ll listen.’
Langton got into the Lincoln but before closing the door, he leaned out: ‘I’ll see you at the FBI Academy tomorrow. We can have dinner together.’ Anna nodded and he closed the door.
Don Blane informed Anna that the journey time to the Academy was about forty-five minutes and that he was the class tutor, so if there was anything she wanted or needed she should feel free to ask. Anna was struck by how pleasant and well-mannered the man was and sensed he was being genuine. Blane remarked that Jessie Dewar had told him Anna would be the one to watch out for. Anna asked what Dewar had said and Don explained that she had been singing Anna’s praises and thought she could well be the top student. Anna was extremely surprised by this and guardedly said that she had enjoyed working with Jessie.
‘How did you find her?’ Blane asked.
Anna said that she hadn’t really had much of a chance to get to know her but she seemed okay. She paused briefly as she thought about Blane’s question. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘Nothing really, just curious – she was telling me about your Reynolds case and what she’d uncovered and how she thought it was the wife that murdered the husband.’
‘She’s not slow in voicing her opinion,’ Anna remarked, and he laughed.
‘That sounds like the Jessie I know. She’s not afraid to speak her mind, but the problem is she gets a fixation about something and she won’t let it go.’
‘We’re all guilty of that sometimes,’ Anna said, knowing that her clash of swords with Dewar came from both of them holding strong views.
‘Jessie’s heart’s in the right place, but as I’m sure you know, there’s no substitute for years of front-line investigative experience.’
‘She seemed pretty confident to me,’ Anna said.
‘Jessie came to the Behavioural Unit with very little experience as a field agent, so she feels the need to prove herself. The problem is, she latches onto facts that support her theory and unintentionally ignores evidence to the contrary.’
Anna thought that Don Blane was very shrewd. He clearly knew that Dewar must have ruffled a few feathers while she was in London, yet he was defending her in a kind and respectful way. With a sense of relief, she began to feel that they might get along after all.
As they drove to the Quantico base, Blane gave Anna a guide to the area, telling her that the Academy had opened in 1972 and was situated on a US Marine Corps base, surrounded by over 400 acres of woodland and lakes. The Forensic Science Research and Training Centre were also based on the same site along with outdoor and indoor firearms ranges and a mock town called ‘Hogan’s Alley’.
They eventually arrived at a checkpoint, where two armed Marine guards examined Blane’s ID and Anna’s papers as well as searching the minibus before allowing them to pass. It was at least another two miles through woodland before Anna could see the honey-coloured buildings of the Academy.
Blane parked by the main building, got out and hurried round to Anna’s door to open it. He carried her case and laptop bag into the reception area, where he introduced her. She handed over her course invitation paperwork and was given a room key, and an FBI badge with her picture on it hanging from a lanyard, which she was told must be worn at all times when on the Academy grounds but was not to be used or shown off the premises. Blane then took her down a long glass corridor and pointed out that similar glass corridors throughout the complex came together and met in a glass-covered quad that linked all the buildings. He explained that you didn’t ever need to go outside between buildings but it was easy to get lost when you didn’t know the place.
Anna followed him into the lift to the top floor of the dormitory building as he explained that the rooms were not exactly the Hilton, but adequate and comfortable. On entering her room, Anna saw that it had a threadbare red carpet and a single bed in one corner, with a small workstation-come-desk next to it and a lamp. The bed consisted of white sheets, a blanket and a grey bedspread. The wardrobe was tiny and there were only about half a dozen coat hangers. Next to the wardrobe there was a small chest of drawers and a wooden armchair that looked rather rickety. Anna told Blane that it was exactly like the rooms at the Hendon Police College in London, only with a better view, as looking out from the window the woodlands and lakes were quite stunning. She noticed an assault course that stretched as far as the eye could see into the woods. It had high brick walls, rope climbing frames and balance beams along the way.