“I understand that,” the man, who claimed to be some kind of special agent, said.“That’s why we’ve sent Fresno PD to your location.They should be there any minute.”
“Jesus, this can’t be real,” she muttered, looking at herself in the reflection of the foyer mirror.This didn’t seem to be a dream.She brushed her light brown hair out of her equally brown eyes.Her hand in her hair felt real enough.
But now that she was really taking in the man’s words, her stomach had started to twist into a knot so tight that she could feel a cramp coming on.She also noticed that her breath was coming in short hiccup-y gasps.
“Don’t worry, Ms.Rhodes,” the man said in a far from reassuring tone.“Our goal is to put you in protective police custody until this situation is resolved.”
The agent knew nothing about what had her worried.Yes, hearing that these two women had been murdered was horrifying.But she didn’t know them.She knew Jason.And if the man on the phone was right, her whole world had just been blown up.She felt sick to her clenched stomach.She also felt light-headed.It occurred to her that she was hyperventilating.
“Are you all right, Ms.Rhodes?”the agent asked.
“Can’t breathe,” she mumbled.“Dizzy.”
Her vision was fading in and out and her fingers and toes had started to tingle.Her skin was clammy.The man on the phone said something else but she couldn’t really hear it.She noticed her legs felt suddenly weak.Then they gave out completely and she sensed herself falling to the floor.
She landed hard on her side and her shoulder screamed out in pain.She heard a muffled sound and tried to look up.After a moment, she realized that the sound was repeated banging on her front door.A second later, the door burst open.
Through blurred vision, she thought she saw a man in a police uniform rushing toward her.But before he got to her, everything went black.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Rhodes is going to be okay,” Webb said casually.“She passed out and dislocated her shoulder when she collapsed.But the EMTs say she’s stable.They’ve given her a sedative to help with the pain and anxiety of the situation.Fresno PD is with her at the hospital and will take her to a safe house after that.”
Jessie forced herself not to say what she was thinking: that if the agent had handled his conversation with Ally Rhodes better, she wouldn’t have needed medical attention in the first place.That was the reason that she’d insisted on calling Nicole Thorington to break the news to her.And it was why she was currently on a private jet with Webb.
He’d said that he was going to visit each woman personally, starting with Thorington as she was currently unmedicated and fully alert.When Jessie demanded to come too, he’d initially looked hesitant.
“With all due respect, Special Agent Webb,” she said.“Your bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired.Don’t you think it would be helpful to have someone with you who could smooth over the emotional stuff?These women are hurting.They thought they were in stable, loving marriages.Now everything is turned upside down.Maybe having someone with you who happens to be female, married, and a criminal profiler to boot would come in handy.”
He'd reluctantly agreed, which was why they were on a California Bureau of Justice plane streaking north through the sky toward Santa Cruz.It was currently 11:57 and they were scheduled to land in just under an hour.
“I’m glad that she’s on the mend,” Jessie said in reference to Ally Rhodes.“Hopefully by the time we get to her, she’ll be able to help.In the meantime, we can focus on Nicole Thorington.Based on my conversation with her, she sounded like she might be a tough nut to crack.”
“What do you mean?”Webb asked.
Before she could answer, the flight attendant came over to ask if she wanted anything.Jessie glanced at the laminated menu.Webb might be unimpressive but his resources were not.Taking a private jet with plush swivel chairs and getting snack offers from the attendant who was here just for the two of them was not on her Bingo card when she woke up this morning.
“I’ll take a coffee and a smoked salmon bagel sandwich, thanks.”
She waited for Webb to place his order before answering his question.He had been in the police station restroom when she called Thorington and missed their brief chat.
“Once she processed what I was telling her,” she explained, “she sounded way more pissed off than depressed.The phrase ‘I’m going to gut that bastard like a pig’ was used.She wanted me to put him on the line so she could ream him out.”
“But you didn’t,” Webb said, suddenly concerned.
“No, Special Agent Webb,” she said, trying and failing to keep the irritation at the stupid question out of her voice, “I didn’t put a person of interest in these crimes on the line with a potential victim.I did however tell her to lock her doors and turn on her alarm until the Santa Cruz PD arrived.”
“Good, good,” Webb said, relieved.“And please just call me Webb.I can hear the disdain when you use my full title.”
She was a little surprised that he had picked up on it, considering his clumsiness with social cues so far.
“Okay, Webb.”
They were quiet for a moment.Jessie could sense that the man wanted to say something but hadn’t figured out how to get it out.She let him work it out on his own while the flight attendant brought over the coffee.
“Thanks,” she said, ripping open a couple of sugars and dumping them in the cup.
“Ms.Hunt,” Webb said.“I know we didn’t start off on the best of terms.Dropping your partner was probably tough for you.But I’d like to change that.I value your input.”
