He blinked.“Like modeling clay?”
“Are you familiar with HydroFill?”
He shook his head.“No.”
Faith frowned.He seemed honest.Liars usually showed small tells that gave away their deception: a tic, a repetitive movement, a slight tightening of the muscles around the eyes.Even the best pathological liars rarely were able to perfectly project honesty.Faith was very good at picking up on those tells.It was part of what made her such an effective investigator.
Of course, there were exceptions.Franklin West had posed as her own damned therapist for months, and she was none the wiser.
“May I ask about your illness?”Faith replied.“How does it affect you in your daily life?”
Thomas threw his head back and laughed.The loud noise attracted looks from other tables.Faith folded her arms over her chest and waited.
“Oh, man,” Thomas said.“Just ask me the real question.Could you kill someone with your bare hands?”He met Faith’s eyes.“No.I couldn’t.I have MS.Multiple Sclerosis.Primary Progressive variant.With treatment and management, I can support myself for probably another… Ten, fifteen years?I doubt like hell I’ll be able to walk in twenty.There’s another big reason, though, why I couldn’t kill anyone.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not a killer.I save lives.”He leaned forward, eyes flashing.“When I was in the Army, I became a medic because I refused to take a life.I didn’t even carry a gun.You can look on my service record.CO.Conscientious Objector.Part of the rare breed of human that thinks killing other humans is bad.Do I think those chaplains deserved to die?Hell yes.Do I think I have the right to do it?Hell no.Look me up, agent.Look at my service records, my medical records, hell, my driving record.I’m not your man.”
Faith exchanged a look with Jessica.Since he had no alibi, they would have to follow up on his medical history to confirm his inability to commit the crime, but Faith was having a hard time holding onto her suspicion of him.Everything she could observe suggested he really wasn’t their guy.
“I remember those faces,” Thomas said.“That’s why I don’t believe.Chief invites me to his church sometimes.He’s a good guy, and I sometimes think that hey, maybe I want to check it out; see what it’s all about.But I look at the records of people who died in combat, and I remember.I remember the death.I remember everyone who bled out in my arms.”Tears leaked from his eyes.“I remember those faces, and I remember that there is no god.Not one who gives a shit about us, anyway.”
He fell silent.The four of them remained there for a long moment before Faith got to her feet.“Thank you for your time, Mr.Garrett.If we need anything else, we’ll reach out.For the time being, you should remain in the Washington area.”
Thomas laughed.“Where am I gonna go?It’s not like I can run.”
The FBI agents shared a look, then left him there.Memories flitted across Faith’s mind, screaming, gore, the earthy-sweet odor of blood spilling into the dirt.
She could understand his anger.Killer or no, it was misplaced, and Thomas needed to find a way to let it go if he was ever truly going to heal.
But she understood.When those images were seared into your head, you had little patience for the promise of a mansion in Heaven or the love of a benevolent God.
And you looked with disdain and anger at those who preached His name.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“So, what’s it like living with Faith Bold?”
David smiled tolerantly at the young agent asking the question.The young man staring eagerly at him while he examined his K9, a young German Shepherd male named Rocket, couldn’t have been more than twenty-two.He grinned at David with all the wide-eyed enthusiasm of a rookie who hadn’t had time to learn the harsher aspects of the career to which he was choosing to dedicate his life, or at least his youth.
Like you would know.
“Could be worse,” he replied, winking at Jackie, his veterinary nurse.
The young agent frowned.Then his eyes widened.“Oh… No, I didn’t mean… Like that.I just…”
“Like what?”David asked innocently.
The kid flamed bright red, and David decided to show him some mercy.“You ever meet someone exceptional and then for some reason they not only tolerate your presence but actually like being around you?”
The kid nodded, although his confused face told David he wasn’t quite sure what David meant.
“Well, it’s like that.Faith’s a genius.She’s the kind of genius who isn’t even aware of how much of a genius she is.And I get to share a home with her.In short, it’s freaking awesome.”
The kid’s grin returned.“I can’t wait to learn from her.I heard she’s so good with Turk that she can just look at him, and he’ll know exactly what she needs him to do.It’s like he can read her mind.”
David’s smile stiffened.He hoped to God the young agent didn’t notice.“You’ll learn a lot.”
