what, I think you’re right, even if they don’t.”
The sight of Connie at the door had been welcome. The fact that he was
still loyal meant a lot to her. And she wanted to do right by him too.
Especially him. “Look, this isn’t going to help your career, being
seen with me, Connie. I’m sure Fisher has a tail on me.”
“Actually, I’m your tail.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, the hell I am not. I talked the ADIC into it. Called in a few
markers. For old times’ sake, Massey said. In case you didn’t know,
Fred Massey was the guy who asked me to take the dive on the
Brownsville case all those years ago. If he thinks this evens us up,
he’s brain-dead. But don’t get all excited. They know I have every
incentive to cover my ass on this. And that means if you fall, they
don’t have to go putting blame anywhere else. Including on yours
truly.” Connie paused and made a mock show of surprise. “ADIC? Come
to think of it, that acronym really fits. Massey’s a little shit
too.”
“You don’t have much respect for your chain of command.” Reynolds
smiled. “What do you think of me, Agent Constantinople?”
“I think you screwed up big-time, and you just gave the Bureau a
face-saving scapegoat,” he said bluntly.
Reynolds’s face grew serious. “You don’t sugarcoat.”
“Do you want me to waste time doing that?” Connie stood. “Or do you
want to clear your name?”
“I have to clear my name. If I don’t, I could lose it all, Connie. My
kids, my career. All of it.” Reynolds could feel herself trembling
again and she took several deep breaths to counteract the panic she was
feeling. She felt like a high schooler who had just learned she was
pregnant. “But I’m suspended. No creds, no gun. No authority.”
In answer Connie pulled on his overcoat. “Well, you’ve got me. I’ve
got creds, a gun and, while I’m only a humble field agent after two and
a half decades of doing this crap, I can do authority with the best of
them. So get your coat and let’s try to track down Lockhart.”
“Lockhart?”
“I figure we deliver her, the pieces start to fall into place. The
more they do, the more the blame gets shifted off you. I’ve talked to
the VCU boys. They’re spinning their wheels waiting on lab results and
crap like that. And now Massey has them going hot and heavy on your
angle and to hell with Lockhart for now. You know nobody’s even gone
to her house looking for clues?”
Reynolds looked miserable. “We were so reactive on the whole thing.
Ken killed. Lockhart gone. The fiasco at the airport. Then people
calling themselves the FBI at Adams’s apartment. We never really had a
chance to take the proper investigative steps.”
“So I figure we follow up some leads while they’re still hot. Like
checking out Adams’s family in the area. I’ve got the list of names
and addresses. If he went on the run, he might have gotten one of them
to help.”
“You could get into deep trouble for this, Connie.”
He shrugged. “Not the first time. Besides, we don’t have a squad
supervisor anymore. I don’t know if you heard, but she was suspended
for being stupid.”
They exchanged smiles.
Connie continued. “So, as second-in-command, I’m entitled to
investigate an active case I happened to be assigned to. My
instructions are to find Faith Lockhart, so that’s what I’m going to
do. They just don’t know I’m doing it with you. And I talked to the
VCU guys. They know what I’m up to, so we won’t run into another team
going through Adams’s relatives.”
“I need to tell Rosemary I might be gone overnight.”
“Then go.” He looked at his watch. “I guess Sydney’s still in school.
Where’s your boy?”
“Sleeping.”
“Whisper in his ear that Mommy’s gonna kick some butt.”
When Reynolds returned, she went straight to the closet and got her
coat. She hustled toward her study and then stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Connie asked.
She looked at him, slightly embarrassed. “I was going to get my gun.