She called Director Smythe.
“Good evening, Faith.”He sounded resigned.“I assume you’re calling to ask me if I’ve heard anything from the Corps regarding your husband?”
“Actually, I had a thought I wanted to share.”
“What thought is that?”
She took a breath.“I am not sure that the 93rdTesting Brigade is operating under the approval of Corps leadership.”
“They are.”
She blinked.“You know this for sure?”
“I do.I called General Norman Bastian today.He’s the Deputy Commandant and an acquaintance of mine.He assured me that he knew of the conflict between the 93rdTesting Brigade and your husband.He apologized for Colonel Chastain’s approach but also assured me that his complaint was legitimate.It seems your husband has been harassing them about the condition of a working dog he examined a few weeks ago.This harassment continued after he certified the working dog with a clean bill of health.”
Faith’s hands tightened around the phone.“When you say harassing…”
“Phone calls, emails, unlawful intrusions onto Marine Corps property, and acts of espionage.”
Faith recalled the pictures she’d recovered on David’s laptop of David in his car.He was holding a camera, a very expensive one that he had just bought while Faith was on assignment hunting a killer who was killing parkgoers in the Quantico area.She swallowed.“I see.”
“Norman promised me that no criminal charges would be pursued against David.He seemed more amused than anything else.Hedidtell me that David’s authority with Marine Corps working dogs would be revoked, and he would no longer be considered certified to examine them.That should take place today.”
“And Colonel Chastain was satisfied with that?”
“I assume so.Norman told me that Chastain is odd, but not vindictive.He’s more like a chemist who wants to be left alone to tinker with his burners and beakers.Norman’s words.Faith, I understand you and David have endured trauma before.I urge you topleasetake advantage of the Bureau’s very extensive network of therapists and mental health counselors.”
Faith sighed.“Thank you, sir.I’ll look into it.I’m sorry to bother you with all of this.”
“No need to be sorry.As I said, I understand.But don’t worry.The Marines have better things to do than kill a civilian doctor who got a little petty over a working dog.”
“Yeah.That makes sense.Again, thank you, sir.”
“All right.Good night.”
He hung up, and Faith sighed and looked ruefully at Turk, who was watching tv, this one a cartoon about superhero dogs who rescued their town from villains whose idea of evil appeared to be splashing paint on people or causing flowers to grow uncontrollably.“Guess Mommy and Daddy got a little paranoid, huh, bud?”
What if it was Turk?
No, you know what?It wasn’t Turk.And it wasn’t Sierra either.It was them being jumpy and paranoid and looking for trouble when there was no trouble to be found.Faith needed to stop making mountains out of molehills.David was being an idiot, but he wasn’t being the kind of idiot the Marine Corps needed to kill.Even if somethingwasgoing on, what could David do about it?
What if it was Turk?
“Oh, shut the hell up.”
Turk looked at her, confused.She sighed.“Not you, boy.Mommy’s demons.They’re extra chatty today.”
Turk watched her for a second longer, then decided to trust her.He looked at the television and started wagging his tail when one of the dogs, a puppy with boots that gave him super speed, wrapped the villains up in a leash so they couldn’t terrorize the town with sticky goo that got in everyone’s hair.
Faith’s phone rang.Michael.She sighed, steeling herself for several minutes of merciless teasing.Michael was a loyal friend and one of the best people Faith knew, but he definitely enjoyed any chance he could get to rib Faith.
She answered, smiling ruefully.“Hey, buddy.”
“Is this phone secure?”
The seriousness of Michael’s tone precluded any possibility of this being a joke.Faith’s smile vanished.“Um, it’s my Bureau phone.Is that secure enough?”
“Go into your settings.”
