As she was driven to the hospital, Kate was in the car beside her, and up to that point, she’d said nothing. Tiffany was behind the wheel, and both Uriel and Raphael were with them.
“I’m ready,” she said, as she glanced over at Kate.
The woman put her hand on Elizabeth’s arm, and she saw the emotion in her eyes.
“Before we start this, I want to say something to you.”
Elizabeth turned her head, and there was that icy-cold chill in her eyes and her demeanor.
“Go ahead,” she said, bracing for it.
Kate did.
“I don’t know what kind of relationship you had with Axelle while working, but ours won’t be the same.”
Oh, great.
More pressure.
The timing couldn’t be worse.
Kate continued.
“I want you to know that I support you one million percent, and you no longer answer to me. I want you to leapfrog me and go right to Gabe. As your partner in this, I trust you. Putting you on a short leash only inhibits your effectiveness, and I don’t want to do that.”
That surprised her.
Hell.
It surprised everyone in the car. Even Raphael had that look on his face.
This was new.
Axelle had been her sister-in-law, but she’d said in no uncertain terms that Elizabeth was to obey the rules and listen to her. That the new Director of the FBI was giving her space made a world of difference and took some of the pressure off of Elizabeth.
Kate continued.
“I know that this job was supposed to be yours, and you didn’t take it so you could stay in your division and help people. That is beyond admirable. That tells me one thing about you. You are doing the job to help the citizens of this country. My father was just like that. He retired out of the FBI, and he loved helping people. It’s why I followed in his footsteps.”
Elizabeth went there.
“I remember your father. He was an agent for the first ten years of my career. He was a good man, Kate. He talked aboutyou all of the time. You were his Katie-bird. Flighty but smart. That’s what he said. Don’t kill the messenger on that one.”
She laughed.
“Oh, well, sometimes, you gotta fake being flighty so men don’t know you’re a cunning fox,” she stated. “They try to cage the bird, but when they think it’s tame, they let their guard down.”
That was the truth.
Elizabeth knew that feeling.
Kate wasn’t done.
“I know aboutThe Hunters, and I want to make this as easy for you, and me. We will work well together, because you’ve been my idol.”
Tiffany chimed in, trying to make Elizabeth laugh. Her heart ached for her.
“She just called you an old bitch,” she stated. “In case you needed translation.”
