And there were holes.Jessica wasn’t wrong.It’s just that they really didn’t have a better idea, and Faith didn’t accept that closing parks and twiddling their thumbs was the preferable option.
“I’m moving forward with this,” she told Jessica.“I’m going to contact the Potomac News Network and convince them to set this up.Meyers, I’d like you to coordinate with Prince William County Sheriff’s Office to arrange protection for attendees.”
Meyers glanced at Jessica, who continued to glare at Faith.“Sure.I can do that.”
Jessica chuckled.Then she took another deep breath.Her expression became pitying, and Faith had to bite back an angry jab.
“I’ll play along,” Jessica said.“I don’t think this is gonna work, but I can’t argue with the fact that people are already in danger.We do this one event, and if it doesn’t work, we close all public parks in the area until further notice.Deal?”
“Deal.Thank you, Jessica.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Jessica replied.“God knows I’m not thanking you.”
Meyers shifted in his chair again.Faith stayed quiet for several seconds, then got to her feet.“I’m going to take a nap.We can’t do anything with this until the PNN office opens tomorrow morning.I suggest the two of you get some rest as well.”
They separated without another word.Faith grabbed a cot and set it next to Turk.He lifted his head again, and Faith smiled and ruffled his fur.“I’m good, boy.Get some sleep.”
Turk lowered his head, but he kept his eyes open until Faith closed hers.Then he licked her hand once and went back to sleep.
Jessica took her cot to an empty office.That was fine with Faith.The two of them hadn’t disagreed this strongly before, and it was better for them and the case if they took some time apart to cool down.Meyers headed back to his office, and when the door to the breakroom closed, Faith heaved another sigh and stared out the window at the night sky.
This really was the most desperate game she’d ever played to catch a killer.But it had to work.It was her last hand.If she played it and lost, then they would be left with no option but to wait until he killed again.
She had spent too much of her life at the mercy of killers.She would be damned if she remained at the mercy of this one.
She closed her eyes, and when Jethro Trammell’s taunting smile tried to invade her dreams, she pushed it firmly away and replaced it with Turk’s grim determination.
We will find you.Wewillstop you.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Sergeant Whitaker looked around the room with distaste.“What exactly are we doing here, sir?”
“We’re running a test,” Colonel Chastain replied.“The first real test of Asset Sierra-9’s career.”
“And we need to stay in a fleabag motel to run it?”
Chastain chuckled.“Well,youneed to stay in a fleabag motel.I’ll be returning home.”
Whitaker glared at her commanding officer.She admired the man more than anyone she’d ever met, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a real prick sometimes.“Do we have a target, sir?”
“I’m sure you’ll find one,” Chastain replied.“Someone who doesn’t matter.They should have a name and an address on file.A few people should recognize them, preferably from a distance.Not a nonentity, just a meaningless one.”
Whitaker frowned around the room.Something skittered across the floor and hid under the bed.SoIwon’t be sleeping tonight.
She looked at Asset Sierra-9.The dog stood patiently next to her, waiting for her next command.Her eyes had that stupid vacant look they always had after a session.They really needed to find a way to snap the dogs out of it once the commands were transmitted.That was what had tipped off the FBI vet to the situation to begin with.
Why the hell had they even gone to him?They could have found a civilian vet.It would have meant filing a couple pieces of paperwork, but it wasn’t like the Corps even checked those damned things.Some bored sergeant would stamp it without looking and hand it to a bored private first class who would look at the color of the stamp and place it in the appropriate cabinet in a giant warehouse floor of cabinets.Both would privately wonder why the hell the Corps still used actual paper when computers were a thing.Then they’d forget all about it.
“Whitaker?You’re wallowing again.”
Whitaker took a breath so she didn’t snap at her colonel.“I apologize, sir.I’ll carry out my task.”
“I know you will.If I had any doubts about your performance, you wouldn’t be part of this unit.I just wish you wouldn’t fixate so much on minutiae.You’re only going to be here for one night, maybe two.It’s not the end of the world.”
“It’s not the room sir,” she half-lied.“It’s that doctor.We’re being too soft with him.He’s not going to give up.He made that clear when he took pictures of us.”
Irritation flickered across Chastain’s face.“We can’t just kill him, Whitaker.That comes with consequences.”
