“So do I,” Olivia said. “With all his enemies, it would have to be.”
Kendra chuckled. “Now may I take my look around and then get back to the condo? I’ve missed lunch, but I think you owe me dinner.”
“You’ll get it,” Olivia said curtly. “I only have one more request. When you get back to your car, call me when you start home.”
“Done. Now let me get to work. Bye, Olivia.” She pressed the disconnect and headed toward the French doors leading to the south garden and the lake pond where the two seals were kept. If they were the livestock Lynch had mentioned, it would be smart to check out that area first. Anyway, she had always loved coming here and watching them play; they were so joyous and rambunctious. They’d even been given names: The male was George andthe female, Matilda. They were now healing and getting much better after their illnesses. Their vigor was almost back to where
it had been. They’d soon be ready to rejoin their herd.
She laughed as she watched them wave their fins in greeting when they saw her. “So you’re the livestock? I don’t think so. I can see I’m going to get very wet before this is over. But I came prepared. I wore my bikini.” She slipped off her clothes and took a moment to appraise the concrete structure that Lynch had built for the seals. It had a lower level that was underwater while the dual upper level had a cave-like access where the seals were protected from heat and foul weather. Whatever Lynch had wanted her to care for would probably be hidden near here. Which level should she try first? Oh, what the hell. It didn’t matter. She’d be soaked regardless. And she’d just have to trust that Lynch had protected whatever he’d hidden out here. But when he showed up, she’d definitely have a word or two with him . . .
She stood on the rim of the concrete surround and jumped into the pond. She had the seals with her in seconds wanting to play. She gave them a few minutes and then pushed away and started to swim underwater, trying to see if the concrete wall was sheltering anything even a little interesting.
No luck. Grime and floating leaves and plants were the only things clinging to the sides of the pond.
Try the upper level, which was more like a fountain.
She avoided the seals and hoisted herself to the concrete upper level, then had to push back one of the seals who wanted more playtime. “Sorry. Matilda. Maybe next time.” She began to crawl around the concrete barrier, searching every indentation and larger cavity that she ran across. There were at leasta dozen, and she was getting frustrated until she found what looked like a shelf balanced on the next concrete cave.
“Yes!” She began to scramble up to the shelf. It took her another ten minutes to get her hands on the shelf and then another five to get a small package wrapped in waterproof material off the shelf.
It had to be Lynch’s “inoculation,” she thought jubilantly. He’d taken very good care to make sure that it would survive air, water, and the seals. Now to get it out of here and back to Lynch. She was already climbing down from the upper concrete level and jumping to the ground outside the pond. She gathered up her clothes from the ground and ran back toward the house. A quick shower and then she’d dress and get out of here . . .
And then what? She didn’t know. She’d see what was in the package and decide then.
No, she wouldn’t. It wasn’t her case, and the only one who could make a decision on it was Lynch. His cases were usually top secret and she wasn’t about to interfere with them. Lynch would surely be in contact with her soon, and she would give it only to him. There had to be some reason why he’d played this weird game to make certain that she was the only one who knew where to find this blasted package. She had to honor his wishes.
Besides, all these shenanigans weren’t her kind of game. She’d never wanted to dedicate her life to saving humanity or fighting the bad guys to bring them down like Lynch. She was happy taking care of her special clients and helping them cope with the world around them.
She just wished he hadn’t deposited this particular responsibility on her, dammit . . .
But it had happened, and she had to adjust. So she’d be a caretaker for Lynch’s property until she could throw it back to him. But first, she had to get back to Olivia before she got so nervous that she decided to come out here and try to rescue her. She was fully capable of it if she didn’t approve of the way things were going at any particular time or place.
She hurriedly finished dressing and tucked the waterproof wrapped package into her handbag. She flew down the staircase to the front door, unlocked it, and threw it open.
“Hello, Kendra. How nice to see you.” Special Agent in Charge Michael Griffin, head of the FBI San Diego regional office, was standing on the doorstep with a polite smile on his face. “I saw your car in the driveway. I rang the bell, but you didn’t answer. That wasn’t courteous when we’re such old friends.”
Friends? True, they’d known each other for several years, and Lynch had even worked for him before quitting to become a freelance agent-for-hire with several governments and private employers on his client list. In that time, Kendra knew Griffin didn’t allow himself the luxury of friends. “I wasn’t in the house. I was here tending to an errand in the garden.” She looked him in the eye. “And I don’t have the privilege of answering the door here. You know this isn’t my house, Griffin.”
“But evidently you’re allowed to treat it as if it is.” He added softly, “You evidently have the keys to the castle.”
“Only when Lynch needs a favor.” She paused. “I’d bet you know about the injured seals that Lynch is paying a good amount to take care of here on the property. He wanted me to check on them for him.”
He nodded. “As a matter of fact, I did know about them. It’srather bizarre, but Lynch has never had ordinary tastes.” He gestured to Kendra. “You’re an excellent example.”
“I’ve never had an ambition to be ordinary.” She added impatiently, “And since you have such fine information, you must know that Lynch isn’t here now—and you probably know far better than I do when he’ll be back. Can I help you with anything else? I was just about to leave.”
“As a matter of fact, I do have a few questions. Suppose I walk you to your car?”
“Whatever you like.” She turned and locked the front door and then activated the alarm system. “Let’s go.”
“I do like an accommodating woman.” He fell into step with her. “But that wasn’t really my impression of you in the past. Actually, I thought that Lynch might resent the dominance. You must be able to hide that side of you.”
“Not at all. We just work through any personality conflicts, as I’m sure you do with your coworkers.” He was beginning to annoy her. “What questions?” she asked bluntly. “And why did you show up here to ask them when you could have come to my condo or had one of your agents bring me to your office?”
“Ah, yes. There’s that flash of dominance again. I’m afraid that I’m not accustomed to it. In fact, I didn’t really want to come and talk to you at all.” His lips tightened. “But there’s a certain hierarchy I have to follow, so let’s be very frank and get it over with.” He held up his hand. “It seems we have a problem that involves that troublesome Adam Lynch, who has a habit of popping up occasionally in my life. Since he saw fit to leave the Bureau and become their premier agent at Justice, he tends to run his own show now, and that’s fine with me.” He grimaced. “Except when I get a call from my superiors at Justice orderingme to deal with a major problem and get answers because I once was his boss and they don’t want to offend him.” His lips twisted. “He’s just an agent, dammit.” He looked back at the palatial house behind them. “Though you’d never guess it.”
“He needs a place as secure as this,” Kendra said impatiently. “He’s very clever, and I’m sure he got it honestly. You’re probably certain, too. Or you would have had your agents investigating him. Now are you going to answer my questions?”
