“And then what? She can’t go the FBI offices here, and she can’t go home to Washington. Where is she supposed to go?”
“I don’t know! All I know is if she doesn’t see Harnisch, he can’t take her badge, and if I don’t talk to her, I can’t tell her to hand it over. You’re the only chance she has of keeping her badge. You have to keep her safe until we can clear her name. “
“Why the hell should I do that? I’m not even officially in this case, and now you’re telling me that I’m wanted by the Philadelphia PD? Because I saved the lives of a few agents?”
“No. Because you’re convenient. And so’s Alex. What’s happening here is wrong, Teren, but I can’t stop it right now. All I can do is warn you, both of you. And I could lose my job for doing it.”
Teren had to admit that was true.
“Alright. I’ll get Alex out of here, if she’ll let me. I’m not sure what we’ll do after that. Both of our phones will be off after this, so don’t bother trying to call.” She sighed. “I don’t know if we’ll stay in the city, or not, but I’ll find a way to contact you about where we’re going and what we’re doing.”
“Good.”
“Cliff?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t think for one minute that this is going to make me get out of this case. This is the second time in two months that someone’s set me up, and I’m not letting go.”
“I didn’t think so. Be careful, okay?”
“Yeah. Find out who the snitch is, got it?”
“Right.”
Teren hung up and turned around to see a black man on crutches watching her intently. She recognized him as the man she’d helped at the scene. Alex had called him Ken.
“So, you’re the Teren Mylos that everyone was talking about, ” he said. “We didn’t exactly get around to introductions earlier. I’m Kendall Thomas.” He held out his hand, carefully keeping his balance. “Everyone calls me Ken.”
“I’m Teren.” She shook his hand. “How’s the leg?”
He grimaced. “Hurts. But there’s not a lot of damage. The bullet passed right through and didn’t hit anything major. It’s just going to be a bitch to deal with for a while.” He looked up at her. “I take it that was Cliff you were talking to?”
Teren eyed him with wariness. “Yes. Why?”
He raised his hands, palms to her. “Don’t get defensive, please. David warned me you had a tendency to get a little gun happy when you were feeling defensive, and I don’t think I could duck right now.”
His words were said in humor, and Teren’s lips twitched into a smile.
“Actually, I spoke to Cliff a few minutes ago, and he told me someone was trying to railroad Alex. It wasn’t her fault, but she’s the only one that wasn’t wounded, so she’s gonna be the scapegoat.”
“I wouldn’t say she wasn’t wounded, but they are trying to blame her.”
Ken frowned. “Are you saying she was shot?”
“Couple of bullets grazed her. She won’t let the doctors look at her, though. Her only concern right now is David.”
The agent nodded. “Sounds like Alex. Her and David are like brother and sister. Every time one of them gets sick, the other gets sympathy pains.”
“Well, she’s gonna hafta have her pains outside the hospital. Want to help me talk her into leaving this place?”
“What about her wounds?”
“She’s still on her feet, so I don’t think they’ll kill her. I’ll swipe a couple suture kits and fix her when we get where we’re going.”
“I won’t ask where that is. Tell you what. I’m supposed to still be in this little room just down the hall. I saw where the kits are. You get Alex, and drop by the room before you leave. I’ll give you the supplies.”
“Oh, right, make me talk her out of barging into the operating room.”
Ken grinned at her, and she gave him one of her own before turning to find the blond woman.
Teren found Alex sitting on the floor against the wall. She was folding up her cell phone. Alex’s cheeks were dry, but her eyes were red.
“Who were you talking to?”
“Miri.” Alex was looking at the floor, and she didn’t raise her eyes. “She’s going to find someone to stay with Arlea, and get a flight up.”
Teren wondered how Alex had found the courage to call her partner’s wife. It had taken Teren herself nearly a month to speak to Perry’s parents.
“How’s David?”
“Still in surgery. The bullet broke a rib and punctured a lung. Plus, it’s close to the heart. At this point, they’re giving him a fifty-fifty chance.”
Teren was silent for a moment. She knew what it was like to lose a partner, and she could only hope that Alex didn’t have to go through the same thing.
But at the moment, they had other things to worry about as well.
“Alex, are you sure you don’t want a doctor to look at your wounds?”
Alex shook her head. “No. They’ll be fine.”
“Then we need to get out of here.”
Alex stood up, wincing as she did so.
“You’re right. I’m going to headquarters. Are you coming with me?”
“Alex,” Teren said as she reached out to stop the agent, “you can’t do that.”
“What are you talking about?”
Teren searched for the words to tell her friend what was happening. “Look, there’s good news and bad. The good news is I saw your friend Ken, and he’s fine. The bullet passed through without any real damage.” She took a deep breath. “The bad news is, I spoke to Cliff. He said that there’s a serious effort underway to railroad you, and place all the blame for the shooting on your shoulders. If you go to headquarters, you’ll lose your badge.”
Alex just stared at her.
“Cliff also said he’s under orders that if you call, he’s to order you to relinquish your ID and your weapon.”
“Great. So, we get ambushed, my partner is shot, and someone’s trying to blame me?” Alex’s voice was very quiet.
“That’s not all. I believe you know a police captain by the name of Davies?”
“Yes.”
“He wants me for questioning in the deaths of those two cops. He’s claiming I killed them.”
“Wonderful.” Alex dragged a hand across her forehead, and Teren noticed that she left a trail of blood.
“Are you sure you don’t want to get looked at? You’re still bleeding.”
“It looks like I don’t have time, and neither do you. Davies and Harnisch will both send someone to find us here.”
“Right. Come on. I told Ken we’d stop by his exam room before we left.”
“What for?”
“He’s stealing some medical supplies for me, so I can fix your arm later.”
“Great. With one night I got Rick Price killed, David shot in the chest, and turned Ken into a thief. What’s next?” There was no humor in Alex’s voice, and Teren tried to inject some levity into the situation.
“Well, you’re about to go on the run with a suspect in a murder investigation.”
“Yippee.”
*******************************************************
They stopped by the hotel where Alex and David had stayed. For a moment they considered remaining there, but decided that it would be too easy to find them. Teren went in and gathered Alex’s things, ensuring no one saw Alex’s bloodstained clothes. She also found a hotel near the airport for them to stay in, registering with a false ID. Alex raised an eyebrow when Teren told her, but didn’t say anything.
They rented adjoining rooms, and as soon as Alex walked into hers, she dropped her bags on the bed and sat in a chair. Teren was knocking on the connecting door, but Alex ignored the sound and just stared into space.
There were two emotions battling inside her. The first was anger, a rage that boiled just under the surface. It fought with the second emotion, the despair that wanted to settle over her. One moment she would be clenching her fists until her fingernails cut into her palms. The next, she was wondering if she shouldn’t just let them have her badge.