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Kendra nodded. “It was promising that he even let me bulldoze him into doing it. He wasn’t being too cooperative. He wouldn’t say a word about character flaws that might be suspicious. The most he’d do was give me two names of agents who had been on duty at crime scenes of murders we now attribute to Milo. At first, he said he was going to give me three names, but he backed out on revealing the third agent. He said he wasn’t going to dirty the other agent’s reputation when he knew he could have nothing to do with that filth.” She shrugged. “But I was considering Metcalf as a backup anyway in case Lynch couldn’t get Griffin to let us examine the other personnel records. I should have known that Lynch would come through. I’ll be at the Bureau first thing tomorrow scanning them.” She released Tricia’s hand and got to her feet. “So that’s my job while Lynch is with you at the center. I’ll probably work all morning on them and then break for a while. I don’t want to get so numb that I miss something. I have some other research I want to do while I’m at the FBI office that could be just as important.” She changed the subject as she headed for the kitchen. “Do you know, Iamhungry. That grilled cheese sandwich sounded good. Do you want one?”
“I’ll fix it.” Tricia jumped to her feet and followed her. “But you can’t leave me hanging like that. What’s just as important?”
“Something that Griffin evidently struck out on and then just dropped. We’ve been so busy with being on the defensive that I didn’t pick up on it and see what I could do. There are times I can see more than what’s on the surface. I believe I’ll take a stab at it.” She smiled at Tricia as she opened the refrigerator. “I’m tired of just calling that bastard Milo. I want a last name.” She pulled out the cheese. “Dammit, I want a history!”
***
She called Lynch after Tricia had gone to bed. “I just wanted to let you know that Tricia is okay. Yes, she was upset, but she bounced back, and she was nearly normal by the time I came up to the condo expecting to comfort her. Whatever is normal for her. It’s hard to judge sometimes. All I know is she’s one tough cookie.”
“No wonder you get along so well. I’ll let Olivia know. She’ll be relieved.”
“Are you still there?”
“Yep, she made dinner and we sat and drank and waited to know if Tricia was all right. She seems to dominate our lives these days, doesn’t she?”
“Just as Milo dominates hers. It’s got to end. She knows it, Lynch.”
“And so do we. Go to bed. Maybe you’ll get lucky checking those records.”
“That’s what I have in mind. If I find out anything interesting, I’ll call and let you know right away.” She paused. “Did you know Tricia has a swim meet this Saturday at Long Beach? Is that going to prove a security nightmare for you?”
“Maybe. Hopefully only a challenge. I’ve already started checking out the area. Whatever we find, we’ll have to deal with it. We’d never be able to persuade her to skip it. It’s getting too close to the time the athletes are going to be chosen for the Olympics.” He added ruefully, “It would help if we could get a better handle on what to expect from Milo. It’s like working in the dark.”
“Now,that’ssomething I have some experience with. Twenty years’ worth. Good night, Lynch.”
Chapter
13
1:35P.M.
Next Day
FBI Office
The plaque on the wall of the cubicle readSPECIAL AGENTGARY WENDELL.
Kendra poked her head in the cubicle and saw a short, sandy-haired young man wearing horn-rimmed glasses sitting before a computer. “Hi, I’m Kendra Michaels. I don’t believe we’ve met. I don’t want to bother you, but I wonder if you can help me.”
“It’s no bother.” Wendell straightened in his chair. “Everyone knows who you are, and no one is going to complain whatever you do. We have orders to cooperate fully with you.” He took several clipboards off the visitor’s chair. “Sit down. But you should know, I’m not in regular personnel. They usually tap me for specialty jobs.”
“That’s what I’ve been told.” She sat down and took out her laptop computer. “And that you were the one who did the background check on Jackie Gabert. Do you still have your file on her?”
“I have my own copy,” he said warily. “I turned in the original just as I was told to do.” He added quickly, “And it was a good, solid investigation. I did it quickly, because those were my orders, but I was thorough. There wasn’t anything in the report that was shoddy.”
“I didn’t think there was,” she said quietly. “I’m sure you were very efficient, and all the facts are correct. I’m not trying to hang you out to dry, Wendell.” She made a face. “All your fellow agents I encountered today have been staring at me as if I was a spy for internal investigations. Which is perfectly natural considering what they know I’m doing. No one wants their personnel records gone through even if they’re super agents. I can only assure you that I don’t think you did anything wrong. I’m looking at anything you might have missed. Could I see the Gabert files?”
“Sure.” He was rifling through his file drawer and pulled out a folder and handed it to her. “It’s as clean as a whistle. Ask me any questions you like.”
“I intend to do that.” She looked at the photos of Jackie on the first page. The first was a publicity photo of Jackie in business attire looking attractive and vibrantly alive; the second was a photo of Jackie as the bloody corpse Kendra had seen at her apartment. She flinched as she gazed at it, remembering that night.
“You were there, weren’t you?” Wendell asked. His eyes were fixed intently on her face. “I heard that from some of the guys. I was wondering if I should get a final interview from you, but Griffin said that his interview with you was enough.”
She found herself grateful that Griffin hadn’t exposed her to this young agent. “I’m certain it was more than enough. That night was chaos.”
“But you got to work with Lynch.” Wendell’s voice was suddenly eager. “I’ve heard he’s fantastic. I’d give anything to work one case with him. Is he as good as they tell me?”
“He’s good.” She dropped the subject. She really didn’t need to listen to this guy’s hero worship of Lynch. She looked down at the report. “It appears to be complete in every detail. So many details…You might say I had a personal relationship with Jackie, but otherwise I knew nothing about her background. I’m certain they filled you in on the principal things we’re looking for in that background.”
