He hesitated for only a moment before he scooped her up in his arms in case she changed her mind and carried her into the bedroom.
Chapter Thirty-One
Blane’s colleagues at Dulles Airport were able to secure a seat on the Heathrow flight for Anna so he rushed her back to the FBI Academy where she literally flung her clothes into her case and they raced to the airport. They hardly spoke to each other on the journey, speeding along the highway, blue lights flashing; somehow it just didn’t seem the right time or place for either of them to discuss a future together. Anna felt in many ways that Blane was a reflection of her, both in thought and working practices. She feared they were too much alike, and wondered if he might be thinking the same. Anna knew that whatever happened they would have to make sure they found a world together outside of crime investigation if there was to be anything lasting between them.
When they arrived at the check-in, an FBI agent was waiting for them with a flight ticket. He shook hands with Blane who introduced Anna.
‘Agent Nathan will get you fast-tracked through to departures. He’ll need your passport, Anna,’ Blane said.
She rummaged in her handbag and passed the passport over to Agent Nathan who promptly carried her bag to the check-in desk. Blane stood patiently as she answered all the usual questions about packing her own case and carrying no weapons, and then her flight number and gate flashed on the departure screen, alerting them that the passengers were boarding.
‘My God, we only just made it,’ she said.
Blane took Anna to one side; she nervously wondered what he was going to say about his feelings for her and what she’d say in return.
‘I just wanted to tell you that Gloria Lynne will be deceitful, she’ll show no remorse or ever admit guilt, and will really know how to play the “pity card”. She will be a consummate actress and twist accusations round so she looks like the victim. Gloria will be a very, very clever woman.’
Anna didn’t quite know what to say, as she wasn’t expecting this subject, but she realized he was concerned for her.
‘Agent Nathan will take you to the plane now. You have a safe journey, Anna, and I hope it all pans out for you.’
‘What?’ She had assumed he would be able to accompany her. He gave a small shrug of his shoulders, and was unprepared for the way she flung her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
‘Thank you, thank you for everything,’ she said.
‘Well, after tonight, the bedroom scene rather than anything else, I want us to see each other again and the sooner the better,’ Blane replied, even as he recognized it sounded false, yet not knowing what else to say because she looked as if she was about to burst into tears. Agent Nathan pointed to his watch, indicating that time was pressing.
‘I’ll call to tell you how everything goes,’ she said.
He bent forward and kissed her on the cheek, feeling like he was terminating their relationship. Truthfully, he had wanted so much more from her, but he knew that circumstances had now made that impossible.
‘Have a safe trip, and e-mail me when you have the time. I have to get back to the car as it’s in a no-waiting zone,’ Blane said, not wanting to prolong the moment. He didn’t look back as Anna hurriedly followed FBI Agent Nathan to the front of the security queues.
As she sat in first class awaiting take-off, Anna couldn’t believe that so little time had passed since she was last at the airport – it seemed so much longer with all that had happened. She smiled, recalling Langton’s upgrade at Heathrow, and it dawned on her that she still hadn’t spoken to him since he left to hunt for Fitzpatrick. Even though she figured that he would have made contact with her if anything had happened, she realized she was just trying to find reasons not to phone and tell him that she was flying home. Knowing that he would undoubtedly shout at her when he found out, she picked up her mobile and dialled his number.
Langton answered straight away. ‘What are you doing up so late, you’ve got the Yellow Brick Road tomorrow morning?’ he asked and laughed.
‘Any luck with Fitzpatrick?’ she asked awkwardly.
‘Well let’s put it this way, the FBI SWAT team have saved the British and American taxpayers a lot of money.’
Anna was finding it hard to concentrate and didn’t really take in what Langton was implying. ‘Sorry, what do you mean?’
‘He resisted arrest, pulled a gun and the FBI pumped him full of bullets. So, no lengthy trial at the taxpayers’ expense.’
‘Are you okay?’ she asked, somewhat alarmed.
‘Yeah fine, bit of a tense moment in more ways than one. All a bit sad though – his young son was there and witnessed it all. He’ll have to go into care as there’s no other family and what the trauma will do to him God only knows.’
‘Poor kid,’ Anna said. ‘Still, you got Fitzpatrick.’
‘Yeah, but in some ways it still feels like he’s the one that got away. I’d love to have slapped the handcuffs on him and told him he’s nicked.’
Anna was racking her brains how to tell Langton that she was about to return to London, but he sensed something was wrong.
‘You sound a bit down. Is everything all right?’ he asked.
‘Not really, I need to tell you what’s happened.’
‘Is it that bloody Don Blane? Did he try something?’
‘No, it’s nothing like that,’ Anna said.
Langton could tell she was still hiding something. ‘Fucking FBI are so up themselves. Don’t let him get you down, I’ve got all the red tape Internal Affairs going on here, what with Fitzpatrick being killed, but I should be back at Quantico late tomorrow-’
‘I won’t be there, I’m actually leaving,’ Anna cut accross him, realizing it was now or never.
‘What the fuck has he done to upset you?’ Langton shouted.
‘Nothing, Don helped me unravel the evidence in the Josh Reynolds case and Donna did not murder him. Gloria Lynne has fooled us all, she will stop at nothing to get her way and may have murdered at least five people.’
‘Jesus Christ, Anna, Blane knows nothing about the fucking Josh Reynolds investigation. You’re being taken in by a load of profiling psychobabble.’
‘He knows more than you realize and he’s made me see things clearly,’ she insisted. ‘You’ve always gone on and on at me about being a team player, well I’m not going to sit back and watch my team be duped by a lying sociopath like Gloria Lynne.’
Langton could tell that he had struck a nerve where Don Blane was concerned but he also knew that Anna was being deeply serious and must have found evidence to support her beliefs. ‘Are you one hundred per cent sure about Gloria?’ he asked.
‘Yes, but as yet I don’t have all the evidence to prove it. There’s a lot of costly forensic work that needs doing and I’m certain it will prove my theories. Gloria started her murdering spree in Jamaica over twenty years ago, using a poison called atropine. I think she used the same substance on Lord Lynne when they were on holiday in Egypt, then-’
‘Just hold on, you’re talking about crimes that didn’t even happen in the UK – they don’t come under our jurisdiction,’ Langton said, feeling he had to interrupt.
‘It would take too long to explain right now but it’s all related to why Josh Reynolds may have killed himself.’
‘I don’t bloody believe this. You’re now back to square one that Josh did commit suicide!’ Langton exclaimed.
‘Possibly, but I think Aisa was in the flat when the gun went off. She was having an affair with Josh. It’s possible Samuel saw her leave the flat and used that knowledge, along with other historical facts, to blackmail Gloria.’
‘Holy shit, this is making my head spin – what facts?’
‘Samuel Peters was Gloria’s first husband, Josh was their son and Donna and Aisa are blood sisters through her marriage to Xavier Alleyne,’ Anna informed Langton.