“Thanks, Teren. It’s nice to know that.”
“I wish I could have gotten there sooner.”
“Wouldn’t have mattered if you had. You came up from the behind those guys. The guy who shot David came from behind us. I’m betting he killed Wister as well.”
“Wister?”
“Lieutenant Wister. He was in the police car.”
“Oh.” She thought about it. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Why not? Oh, that’s right, you think it was someone Wister may have known.”
“Right. Besides, the gun was wrong. You’re talking about the guy you shot, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, he was holding a .32 caliber, with no silencer. I don’t think that’s the gun that killed the two cops, and unless the gun was thrown away in the vicinity, there’s no place for him to have hidden it.”
Alex frowned, and moved her pizza aside. She pulled her computer back, and opened one of the emails from Ken.
“Yeah, okay, you’re right. Ken says it was a .22 that killed the two cops. It didn’t match any of the guns found at the scene.”
“Makes sense.”
“Why?”
“Cause if Wister knew the person, there’s always the possibility someone else on the scene would know them as well. If anything went wrong, and he was recognized, it could be trouble.” Teren shrugged. “Makes sense to me that someone Wister knew killed him and his fellow officer, and then left the scene.”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Is that the way you would have done it, Teren?”
Teren froze, her pizza halfway to her mouth. After a second it reversed direction, and ended up back on the table.
“Yes. That’s what I would have done, Alex.”
Neither spoke for a moment. Then Alex pushed her computer away. “After we finish dinner, would you help me change the bandage on my arm?”
Teren nodded. “Sure.”
*******************************************************
Alex and Teren left the hotel at six-thirty. They turned in the rental car, and then checked their luggage.The only thing left to do was wait.
Taking Teren up on her offer of her cell phone, Alex found a semi-private corner from which to call Sarah. She got the machine, and waited, hoping someone was actually home.
“Sarah, Maggie, it’s Alex. If you’re there, please —”
The sound of the phone being picked up interrupted her.
“Alex?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Christ, Alex, where are you? Miri said that you could be in trouble.”
“Well, yeah, that’s a good possibilitiy. When did you talk to Miri?”
“A few hours ago. She called Maggie and I very early this morning and asked us to watch Arlea. She said David had been shot.”
Alex sighed. “He was. But from what I understand, he’s going to be all right.”
“Have you been to see him yet?”
“No, and it doesn’t look like I will. Things are pretty messed up right now.”
“I guess so. This morning, Miri was cursing your name, and this afternoon, she said if I spoke to you I should tell you she loves you, and to be safe. Alex, what is going on?”
“Well, I can’t tell you everything, but I’ll try and explain the basics. First, though, it doesn’t look like I’m gonna make it home anytime soon. Can you keep an eye on Appleby for me?”
“Of course. Miri said it might be a few days, and Maggie and I decided to bring Appleby over here. Is that okay?”
“Fine. Might even be better because your book cases aren’t as tall.”
“Ha ha. Now, tell me what’s happening.”
Alex took a deep breath. “Okay, short version. David and I, along with several other agents, were ambushed while meeting with a suspect. Two of our agents were killed, as was the suspect. David was shot in the chest, and two other agents had fairly minor wounds.”
“Ken Thomas was one of them, right?”
“Yes. You remember him?”
“Sure, he and David played basketball at that picnic last summer.”
“Right. Well, after the ambush, the police captain, along with someone in the Bureau, decided I was at fault. They’re trying to take my badge, and unless I can clear my name, they’ll be able to do it.”
“Jeez. What are you going to do?”
“Well, Teren and I are —”
“Wait, Teren?”
“Yeah. Teren Mylos.”
“What’s Teren got to do with this?”
Alex sighed again, and closed her eyes. She hadn’t wanted to have this conversation over the phone. “Sarah, Teren’s from the CIA. She was injured during an assignment six months ago. It turns out that assignment is somehow connected to our case, so Teren has been helping. She got here just in time to save our asses. If she hadn’t shown up, none of us would have made it out alive.”
There was silence from the other end of the phone, then the sound of someone swallowing.
“Did you two know each other before that dinner at our house?”
“Kind of. We’d met, but only once. Teren accepted the invitation because she needed to talk to me, outside the office.”
Alex could sense Sarah’s confusion. She wished there was an easier way to have done this.
“So what you told Maggie, about maybe asking her out, that was a lie, right?”
“No. I would never lie to you two. If we didn’t have this case, and all these problems, I would ask her out. But right now, it’s just impossible.”
She could hear Sarah taking a deep breath. “Okay. I understand. So, you’re what, going underground?”
Alex smiled, thinking of Leo. “I guess you could say that.”
“Alone? How are you going to clear your name without help?”
“I’m not alone. Teren’s going with me.”
Another silence. This time it stretched out.
“Sarah? You still there?”
“Yeah. Teren’s going with you?”
“Yes. And I’m sorry, but I need to go.”
“Okay. So what should I tell the agent who’s been asking if I’ve seen or heard from you?”
Alex froze. “What agent has been asking about me?”
“I didn’t catch his full name. He was pretty rude. Maggie said he called her at work, and he’s called the house twice. His first name is Tim, or Tom, or something like that.”
“Okay. If he calls again, tell him you heard from me, but only to ask you to watch my cat for a while longer. You don’t know where I am, or where I’m going.”
“That’ll be easy to say, since it’s true.”
“Exactly. Now, I have to go.”
“Be careful, Alex. We love you.”
“I know. I love you, too. Give Maggie my love, and if you talk to Miri —” she stopped. “If you talk to Miri, tell her I’m sorry.”
“Goodbye, Alex.”
“Take care, Sarah.”
Alex turned the phone off, and wiped her eyes before walking back to the seat where Teren waited.
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah, fine, great. Someone from the Bureau’s already been harrassing Sarah in order to find me.”
“Do you think she’s in any danger?”
“I don’t believe so. I didn’t tell her where we were, or where we’re going, so she can’t tell them anything.”
“Good. Anything else going on up there?”
“Not really. But,” she bit her lip, “I had to tell her you were with me. And I told her you were CIA.”
“Shit.” Teren rubbed a hand across her forehead. “Was she angry?”
“I don’t think so. If she is, it’s at me for not telling her sooner. Her and Maggie were really hoping their matchmaking had paid off this time, but I don’t think this is how they imagined our relationship.”
“We have a relationship?”
“We’ve got something, don’t we?”
“Yeah, something. I don’t really think there’s a name for it, though.”
Alex smiled.
Teren pulled a folder out of her briefcase, and handed it to Alex.
“Here. Reading material for you.”
“What’s this?”
“I got these in Washington. There’s this guy who keeps an eye on the right wing, and all he does is research. It was suggested that I talk with him, and he gave me a lot to think about. None of it is proof of anything, but it’s definitely interesting.”