David looked suspiciously at Teren. “Why are you already packed, Teren? Did you know about this earlier?”
“Hardly.” Teren shrugged. “I got used to leaving town on a moments notice, so I learned to have a bag packed and in the trunk of my car. There were several times I was awakened from a sound sleep at midnight, on a plane by one, and in Europe by eight in the morning our time.” She shook her head. “When you live like that, you learn to be prepared.”
David nodded, and the suspicion faded away. “Sounds like a reasonable explanation to me.”
Alex looked at her partner and then at Teren. “Am I going to have to spend this trip keeping you from shooting each other?”
“No. David asked me to punch him, remember?” Teren smiled.
“Right. Okay, am I going to have to keep you from punching each other’s lights out?”
David wanted to joke with Alex about it, but he could see she was serious. He decided it would be better to try and deal with things here and now, rather than in Denver, or at 30,000 feet.
“Look, Teren, when I’m nervous I say stupid things. I guess your reputation preceeds you, and I have to admit, you make me nervous. He shrugged. “But, you haven’t really given me a reason to think bad of you, so I’m willing to give this a chance.” He stuck out his hand. “How about you?”
Teren looked at him. “Haven’t given you a reason? I put a gun in your face.”
“Yeah, but I really did say things I shouldn’t have. It took a friend reminding me of things in my own past that made me realize what a jerk I’d been.” He glanced at Alex, who had her hands in her pockets and was looking at the floor.
Teren caught the glance, and felt a flush of gratitude for the blond woman. She looked at David’s hand, and took it. They gave each other a smile, and stepped out of the elevator as the doors opened.
“So, Alex, how about that ride? I could take you home, and then to the airport. I’ll leave my car in long term parking, and Dave’s wife can take theirs home.” She looked at David. ” Does that sound alright with you?”
“Great. Usually I leave my car there, but it always worries Miri.”
“Okay, then. Alex, my car’s parked in a lot down the street. Give me a few minutes, then meet me out in front of the building, just like last night.”
Alex nodded. “I’ll be there in a few.”
They watched as Teren walked away, then Alex leaned over. “That was pretty brave of you, David.”
Her partner shrugged. “I thought if she was gonna kill me, I’d rather die here than on an airplane.”
“You gotta admit, she’s got class.”
“Yeah.” And you, my friend, have a crush. But there was no way he was going to say that out loud.
Chapter Fourteen
Teren liked silence, Alex noted. At least this time it was a comfortable quiet as they drove to Alex’s place.
But Alex had too many questions in her mind to let it remain silent.
“So, your talk with Cliff went well?”
“Yes. I like him.”
“I have to say I’m a little surprised that you’re joining us.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because he told us you’d have to play by the rules, and I don’t see you as a rulebook type person.”
Teren smiled. “I can be when I have to be. But, we agreed that since my involvement is strictly unofficial and off the record,” she shrugged, “not quite all the rules will apply to me.”
“Really. Which ones are those?”
“I’ll let you know when we run across them.”
She glanced at Alex with a grin. Alex smiled back. “It’s nice to have you on the team, Teren.”
“Thanks.”
Alex let the silence envelope them again, keeping a close eye on the woman at the wheel. She noted the way Teren scrutinized the traffic, constantly aware of the cars around her. While her speed moved them past many of the other vehicles, her ability allowed her to maneuver safely through crowded streets. Alex, who had always hated it when David sped through the same area, felt no fear with Teren at the controls.
Teren, for her part, found herself completely aware of the woman besider her. She could feel Alex’s eyes on her, but for the first time it didn’t bother her. What she found annoying, however, was the silence. Teren frowned. Since when was she uncomfortable with silence?”
“Cliff told me you wouldn’t tell him the whole story of Perry’s death. Thank you for that.”
“No problem. I had to tell him and David, at least where I got the name, but the rest of the team won’t even hear that much.”
“He also said he threatened to write you up for letting me take the watch.”
“Well, he kind of did. I’m to consider myself on report.”
“Which means?”
Alex leaned back, relaxing into the leather seat. “It means I’m on a kind of probation. As long as he feels I’m not screwing up, he won’t do anything. But if I violate anymore rules, he’ll write me up for everything.”
Teren frowned. “I guess I got you in trouble, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, but that’s okay. It’s not like I’ve never gotten in trouble before.” Besides, it was worth it, she thought.
“For what good it will do, I’m sorry. I didn’t think there’d be a reason to tell anyone about the watch.”
Alex turned back to Teren. “That reminds me. I have a question.”
“I hate questions.”
“Sorry.”
“I especially hate it when people ask me if they can ask me a question.”
“Okay, I’ll remember that. Now, mind if I ask you something?”
Teren rolled her eyes. She pulled up at a red light and looked at Alex. “I walked into that, didn’t I.” Alex nodded, with a wide grin. Teren shook her head. “Okay, ask away.”
“If I hadn’t asked to see the watch, and you found the key later, would you have brought it to our attention?”
Teren watched the light turn green, and she stepped on the accelerator. “Yes. Probably not right away,though.”
“Why not?”
“I would have tried to find the box first. Then after I checked to see what was in it, I would have either turned it over to you, or at least let you know about it.”
Alex turned to the window, and sighed. “You can’t think like that, anymore, Teren. You’ve got to let us know if you find something.”
Teren shook her head. “No, I don’t. I have to let you know.”
Alex turned back, confused. “What do you mean?”
“I explained it to Cliff, and he agreed with me. There are certain things that I might become aware of through less than legal means, or through people it’s better you never meet. If that occurs, I’m not telling the team anything. I will let you, personally, know the information, and you can decide what, and how, to tell the others. That way, everyone’s protected.”
Alex gazed at her companion. “What you’re saying is, number one, I’m your pipeline to the group. Not me and David, just me.”
“Correct.”
“And number two, it could become dangerous for you.”
It was Teren’s turn to sigh. “No, Alex. It could become dangerous for me, and you.” She glanced at her passenger. “I guess I should have tried to explain this to you before, but I wanted the information on that account.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Let’s just say this: the accounts in Switzerland, the ones you traced from that Cayman Islands bank, are owned by some very deadly people. I knew that. If they had found you snooping in their direction, and they had any idea that you might cause trouble for them, they wouldn’t have thought twice about having you killed.”
Alex stared at her and swallowed. “And you didn’t want to tell me this because?”
“Because I needed your help.” Teren looked over to see a pair of wide green eyes. She hated the feeling of regret that filled her, but she couldn’t do anything about it.
“And that was it. You needed help, so it didn’t matter if I, or anyone else, was in danger. Anything to get the information, huh?” For the first time, Alex wasn’t sure about Teren.
“I’m sorry, Alex.”