He looked her way, snow falling off his ear. “You’re a possible witness right now. You can either come with me voluntarily or I can take you into custody as a material witness.” His voice softened. “I just need to interview you briefly. It shouldn’t take long.”
Her mind froze. Completely. She couldn’t be interviewed because she couldn’t lie to a federal agent. Martha Stewart had done that and ended up in prison. She looked out the window, feeling helpless for the first time in months—since that private detective had found her in Orlando. Interesting. Until that second she hadn’t realized how secure she’d been feeling with Jethro in her world.
The same Jethro who’d just been handcuffed.
She leaned an elbow on the windowsill and set her chin on her hand, staring out at the dangerous weather. Her breath fogged the window. “Why did youarrest Jethro?”
“I can’t discuss that,” Agent Rutherford said, his driving capable despite the storm. “What’s your name?”
Instinctively, she almost gave him a false one. “Gemma Falls,” she said. The guy no doubt already knew her name because she worked with Jethro. “I’m a visiting professor atDC University.”
“Whatdo you teach?”
“Statistics and game theory,” she said, watching a Toyota slide on the icy road and then correct, staying at the same speed. “Why do you want tospeak with me?”
He turned toward downtown DC. “I believe you might have information material to an investigation. In addition, you very well couldbe in danger.”
“I’m not,” she said. Well, she was, but not from Jethro. “There was a bodyat that scene?”
“Yes,” Rutherford said.
She sucked in air. “Jethro wouldn’tkill anybody.”
Rutherford scoffed loudly. “We believe but can’t get substantiated the fact that Dr. Hanson was a key operative for the most dangerous unit ever created by MI6. There are only rumors of its existence, but we have decent intel on this. He’s killed more people than you can imagine.”
She didn’t believe that. Even if he had, it had been part of his job and duty, and she knew without a doubt he’d never discuss it with her. With anyone. He probably couldn’t by law and vow. “You must be afraid of him to trick him like that. Why not just call him and ask him to come speak with you instead ofall the drama?”
“Because he could flee the country in a heartbeat and we’d never find him.” Rutherford pulled into a parking garage beneath a tall, sleek office building. “He’s a very dangerous man, Ms. Falls.”
She already knew that.
Once they’d parked she jumped out of the truck and casually double-checked that her wig had remained in place. The colored contacts were bugging her eyes, but maybe that’d make them bloodshot and more difficult to read. Places like this probably had cameras and facial scanners everywhere. Taking a deep breath, she followed Rutherford to the elevator and then to theseventh floor.
They stepped out onto an opulent landing where Scott Terentson leaned against thewall, waiting.
Her heart leaped. “Scott?”
He straightened and smiled, still wearing his casual T-shirt and dark jeans. “Hi. They have Jethro in an interrogation room, and he won’t say a word until he knows you’re okay.You all good?”
Tears tried to attack the back of her eyes, but she kept themat bay. “Yes.”
“Excellent.” His gaze ran toward Rutherford and then back to her. “Then I can prevent him from tearing this place apart, which is a very likely possibility.” Scott winked and grasped her arm, pulling her to the side. “Give us a minute, Rutherford.” Then he drew her partially down a hallway so they were out of hearing. “I just spoke with Wolfe and he’s remaining in place for now, so all is safe.”
Gemma let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Trudy would be more than sheltered with Wolfe, Dana, and Roscoe. “Thank you,”she whispered.
“No problem.” He patted her arm. “Someone is going to escort you to a room and hopefully give you coffee. You’re not to say a word until I get there after handling Jethro’s interrogation. Understand?”
Numbly, she nodded. That was a plan she could follow. “Tell him…” What should she say? What was there to say?
“I will,” Scott said. “Promise.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jethro’s nonexistent temper was trying to explode, so he sat back in the chair and counted the tiles in the ceiling. Then he rearranged them in his mind. The interrogation room was chilly and the metal chair cold beneath his ass. The idea that Gemma was frightened somewhere in the building had him about to take out a couple of HDD agents and go find her, caring little for therepercussions.
The door opened and Scott walked inside, his expression carefully blank. He pulled out the chair next to Jethro and sat, his hands folded neatly on the surprisingly attractive maple table. “Gemma is fine. She’s getting coffee now and I’ll represent her at her interview, which will take place after this one. Your team is on this, full out, and Wolfe has remained in place.”
Jethro nodded. He figured Wolfe would stay to cover Trudy, knowing she was the priority. There was no one better to protect the girl if Jethro couldn’t be there right now.
