Providence’s heart stayed steady, but her palms were clammy. Like a Band-Aid getting ripped off, she just wanted to hear her fate.
“Providence,” Patricia began. “Your career with the FBI has been exemplary. You give one hundred percent to every case.”
Her guts churned.
“And you always have,” added Lou.
She offered a tight smile.
“Choosing to become intimate with Mr. Luck might have been a well-thought-out tactic,” Patricia continued, “but it wasn’t one we support.”
“That, however, isn’t the problem,” said the HR manager. “You’re being removed from the case because Mr. Luck is the primary suspect in a murder case and you are his only alibi. It’s a conflict of interest for you to continue working it.”
“I understand.” She wanted to ask if she was going to be working at all. She wanted to find out if they were transferring her to another division or if she was being assigned a desk job while the police gathered evidence. But she stayed quiet.
“What HR questions do you have of me?”
“None at this time.”
Both Lou and the HR employee wished her well and left, shutting the conference room door behind them.
Her attention shifted to Patricia. “How are you holding up?” Patricia asked.
“Hanging in there.”
“I wanted to circle back with you on Mr. Luck’s case. I’ve been informed that it’s been closed due to lack of evidence.”
That makes no sense.“But I’d only been working it for a couple of weeks.”
Patricia shrugged. “I don’t make the rules. I just play by them.”
“What happens next?” Providence held her breath.
“It would appear you have a fairy godmother. You aren’t being sidelined and you aren’t being transferred to a desk job.”
Providence’s stomach fluttered. Patricia opened her notebook, pulled off a sticky note, and pressed it to the conference table in front of Providence.
1535 McCullah Road, Middletown, MD
“What’s this?” Providence asked, picking up the paper.
“You’ve been reassigned. Please go straight there after you leave here.”
Providence fidgeted in her seat. “I don’t understand.”
“The Director sent me an email stating that the Luck case had been closed. You are to turn in your badge and your weapon, then report directly to this location.”
After staring at her for several seconds, Providence said, “For what?”
“I don’t know.”
Providence wanted to laugh. This had to be some kind of joke. But Patricia was not smiling. “You can’t provide me with any specifics and you’re sending me there unarmed?”
“This is coming from the Director, himself. I hardly believe he’d send you somewhere that would put you in danger.” Patricia rose and extended her hand. “Thank you for your service and good luck.”
What the hell?After shaking her hand, Providence placed her weapon and her badge on the table, slung her handbag over her shoulder, and walked out of the building.
Just like that, her career with the FBI was over.
