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"Because," he said leaning back in his chair, "your dad was heading to see her when he left the bar that night. The official account is he never made it. But I know the breakup between your parents was bad. I'm not wanting to say that your mom is guilty ... but, well, it's worth chewing over." He stood up and gestured to the guard that he was ready to leave.
"I haven't finished my questions!" Valerie said loudly.
"You're an FBI agent all right," he said. "But you're not here on official business. If you ever have the means to get me out of here quickly, be sure to come back and ask some more questions about your daddy."
Robert Freeman turned to exit the room, but he stopped for a moment, grabbed the phone one last time, and said, "for what it's worth, Jake meant well. I liked him. He didn't deserve what happened." Robert hung up and then exited the room.
Valerie sat there for a moment, stunned. She was left alone, her mind spinning. Could her mother really have killed her father? It was too awful to contemplate.
A deep need for support bubbled up inside of her. She needed to call Tom and just hear his voice. But when she dialed his number on her cell phone, the number rang out and went to his answering message.
She just hoped he wasn't ignoring her. Not after everything they'd been through together.
Suddenly, the phone in her hand sprung into life. She didn't look at the ID and answered it enthusiastically, but it wasn't Tom's voice on the other end of the line. It was an unexpected call.
"Agent Law?" a reserved, serious voice asked.
"Yes?" Valerie answered.
"My name is Director Arthur Heinlein"
Valerie's heart sank. She knew who he was immediately. He was the director at the Bureau who had spear headed the investigation into her apartment. He was the reason her boss, Jackson Weller, had been put on administrative leave.
"Hello, Director Heinlein," Valerie said, trying not to sound resentful. "How can I help you?"
"Against my recommendations, the Criminal Psychopathy Unit has been given further resources to continue its work."
"So, youdowant to shut us down?"
"I see no reason for your unit," Heinlein said grimly. "I only see it as a vanity project of Jackson Weller's."
Valerie wasn't going to take that sitting down. "Our and Jackson's work speaks for itself. We've taken several of the most dangerous killers in America off the streets and saved who knows how many lives."
"You're arrogant, Agent Law," Heinlein said. "But there's no doubt you are talented. For now, I am going to oversee the unit until the investigation into Jackson Weller's running of it has concluded."
"And then what?" Valerie asked.
"That depends on the investigation," Heinlein answered. "If it's proven that Jackson Weller has mishandled things, then the unit will either be dismantled or someone else will be given oversight. But that can wait for now."
"You won't find a better department head than Jackson Weller," Valerie stated confidently.
"We'll see," said Heinlein. "But for now, I have a case for you, Agent Law. A series of murders has been happening in Kansas."
"Kansas?" Valerie said. Like many, her first thought wasThe Wizard of Oz; a thought of scenic farmsteads and country charm. Her mind was not thrust immediately into visions of murder and death. But that was where it would be heading. She knew this. Her life always traipsed into those dangerous territories.
"Yes, Kansas," Heinlein said, unimpressed. "We've had three murders so far, and it doesn't look like the killer is going to stop any time soon. But I have one question for you, Agent Law."
"And that would be?"
"Are you up to it?" Heinlein asked. "Because if you're not comfortable working under me, I can have you reassigned to some other unit."
"I'm not going to put office politics before the lives of innocent people, Director Heinlein. I'm in."
"Good," he answered. "I'll give you two days to show your worth."
"Two days!?" Valerie repeated, shocked. "And what if we don't make a breakthrough in that time?"
"I'll call you and your team back, and it'll be another example of Jackson Weller's failures. Are we clear?"
