“He said before the ending is finished.”
Jessica looked over at the western horizon.“Will that be before our killer is finished?”she asked.
That was the most important question, and the one to which Faith didn’t have an answer.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Shit,” Rogers cursed.
David looked up from his book and saw the big agent leap to his feet, pulling his phone from his pocket.“What’s going on?”
“Hold on,” Rogers replied.
Hammerton got to his feet and watched his partner intently.David recognized the look of excitement and anxiety on both men’s faces and predicted what the subject of the phone call would be.
“No way!”Rogers exclaimed.“Okay, we’ll be right… Shit.”
He glanced at David, and David saw a chance to free himself of his chains for the evening.“I’ll be fine,” he told them.“Whatever you have to do, go do it.”
“Is it the check-cashing case?”Hammerton asked.
“They found financial records,” Rogers replied.“Shredded, but they put some of them together, and they match the suspicious transactions from last summer.”
Hammerton pumped his fist and Rogers fixed a firm look on David.“You’re not going to do anything stupid while we’re gone?”
“Nope.I’ll stay right here.”
Rogers nodded.“This is a big case of ours that went cold last year.We might have the break that could give us our perpetrators.”
“Go,” David insisted.“I’ll be fine.”
“Take his car keys,” Hammerton suggested.
“Wait!”David said.“I might need those to escape if something happens.”
He regretted that protest a moment later.Rogers looked at Hammerton and suggested, “You go.The check-cashing business was your case before it was mine.I’ll watch him.”
“No,” David said.“I’ll…” A stroke of brilliance flashed across his mind.“I’ll go to the office.Do what you have to do.They have security at the Academy.I’ll be fine.”
Hammerton and Rogers hesitated a moment longer, but David could see the excitement in their eyes, the same excitement Faith had when she was on the cusp of cracking a particularly difficult case.He suppressed a smile and waited for the inevitable.
“Okay,” Rogers agreed.“But you’re leaving now, and you’re driving ahead of us to the Academy.”
“Fine with me,” David replied, trying to keep his voice casual.
He got to his feet, grabbed his keys, and headed for the door.
“Hey, you can grab a sweater or something if you want,” Hammerton called.
“I’m from Philly,” David called back.“This isn’t cold.”
The two Washington natives chuckled and followed him out the door.The air actuallywasa little chilly, but David was too excited for this opportunity to let it pass.He hopped into his Subaru Outback, started the engine and resisted the urge to peel right out of the driveway and burn rubber all the way to the Academy.
The FBI agents pulled out right behind him and followed him at a respectful four car lengths as David navigated the two-lane road that led from his house to the FBI Academy.He gripped the steering wheel tightly, not because he was nervous but because he needed an outlet for his excitement.This was the best chance he was going to get to investigate the 93rdTesting Brigade without his babysitters watching him and without having to think about possible intruders into his office.He needed to make the most of this opportunity.
When he pulled into the staff lot of the Academy, the agents sped up.He chuckled softly as their SUV roared toward the highway.“Good luck, boys.To all of us.”
The gate guard wasn’t there, so he held his card up to the automatic reader and entered the lot.The lot was well lit as always, and the exterior Academy buildings were equally bright.Anyone trying to sneak in would have no chance of entering without being seen.He would be seen, but that was all right.He was only going to his own office, and no one would suspect he had a reason other than to get caught up on some paperwork.
