She turned back to him.“Why did I have to be his meaning?”
“Whynotyou?”
“That’s what Marcus said.And it’s not very comforting.”
Gabe nodded slowly.“I can see that.But surely it’s more comforting than thinking he’s really got some power over you.Now you know what he’s doing,youhave the power.”
The waitress arrived with the check.Gabe paid, despite her protest.They stood to leave.
Outside, the sleet had turned to heavy snow, whitening the street in seconds.Gabe buttoned his coat.“You’ll catch him, Kate.I can see that much.”
She looked up at him, the snow settling in her hair.“You believe in prophecy now?”
He smiled.“No.Just character.”
They parted at the corner — Gabe turning north, Kate south toward the precinct.The snow muffled the city into silence.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Kate woke with a jolt.
For a moment she couldn’t tell where she was.The room was dim except for the pale blue flicker from the muted television, still tuned to the 24-hour news loop.Her neck ached; she’d fallen asleep sitting upright in the armchair, her legs tucked under her, jacket still on.
Her heart was hammering.
The dream clung to her like a film of sweat — her father’s body on the floor, eyes open, blood seeping into the rug.And above him, a hooded figure.Watching.Waiting.Then it turned.Hands rose.The hood fell back.
And there — the gleam of long, silver hair.
She sat forward, pressing her palms to her eyes.The clock on the side table read 10:52 p.m.The air smelled of stale coffee and the faint iron tang of rain through the half-open window.The snowfall had been short-lived, which was probably a good thing, considering her plans, but all the same, some childish part of her felt a little cheated.
The phone rang.
She jumped, pulse spiking again.For half a second, she thought it might be Cox — the kind of late-night cruelty he'd enjoy.But the caller ID said Winters. Kate felt a brief stab of alarm, until she remembered that Marcus had spoken up on her behalf.
“Agent Valentine,” she said, still somewhat warily.
“Kate.I didn’t wake you, did I?I’m bad at time-zones.”
“Sort of.Doesn’t matter.”She stifled a yawn.“I dropped off.”
Winters’s voice softened a little, dialling down the boss.“I just wanted to wish you luck for tomorrow.Big day.”
“I appreciate it.”
“I’ll admit I still have reservations about your direct involvement.But I’ve come to accept that cutting out the person who knows the most about Cox would be organisational suicide.So here we are.”
Kate smiled faintly.“Thank you.”
“I’ve read the action plan,” Winters continued.“Every stage, every cross-agency protocol.I’m satisfied your safety’s been baked in properly this time.No freelancing, no improvisations.Understood?”
“Understood.”
Winters’s tone softened a little further.“Good.How’s your mother?”
“She’s fine.Refuses to let it get to her.She’s back teaching her classes.”
“That’s good.”A pause.“We do need to relax the security on her further now.We just haven’t got the budget, and Portland PD are grumbling.Besides, all the signs are…”
