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“Zhou will be transferred to a maximum-security federal detention building in about an hour,” Fletcher said. He pointed to Grant. “He’ll give you a lift back to the airport.”
“What about Jin Ma?” Laura Lee asked.
“Ms. Saxton,” Fletcher began.
“That’s Agent Saxton,” she corrected him.
“I’m sorry, Agent Saxton. I am sure you saw someone in that bedroom, but I’m sure it wasn’t Jin Ma. He’s in China. That’s been confirmed. It was probably another of Zhou’s guards who had a resemblance to Ma. It could even have been his damned brother, for all we know,” Fletcher said. “But you have to admit, you only had a brief look at the guy in dim lighting.”
Laura Lee did have to admit that, but she also knew what she saw. She merely nodded. She’d bring it up with Shepherd and see if they could have an asset in China reconfirm that Ma was actually there. “Goodbye, agent Fletcher. Thank you for giving me the shot at Xi Laing.”
“Safe travels home,” Fletcher said, shaking her hand and then Garcia’s.
Laura Lee settled into her seat. They’d gotten bumped up to first class for the return trip to Chicago. It was twenty-three hundred hours. They’d land around midnight Chicago time. Jackson would pick them up at the airport. She slipped her phone into her backpack. She’d just messaged Brad to let him know when she’d be back. He insisted she drive Michaela’s car over to his place and spend the night, though she was sure Jackson would drop her wherever she wanted to go.
She was disappointed that she’d missed the dinner with the Delta Team wives because of the impromptu trip to Richmond, even though it had been important, and they accomplished so much more than she could have dreamt. She hoped another opportunity to have dinner with them would come over the next month while she would be at HQ. It was time she made some friends, female friends.
She accepted the complimentary cocktail from the cabin attendant, this time opting for a vodka and cranberry juice. She opened her laptop and began to work on her portion of the mission report. Garcia was doing the same. Flight time was just over two hours. She could get a good chunk of it completed.
“The debrief is set for zero eight hundred tomorrow,” Garcia said.
“So, we’re officially done with this case now? The Digital Team won’t even be following up on anything?”
“That’s my understanding. Unless the FBI calls on Shepherd for something.”
“I was enjoying my work with the Digital Team. I’m almost sorry it’s coming to an end.”
Garcia smiled at that statement. “You surprise me, Lieutenant Laura Lee Saxton. First Operator training, now this. The next thing I know, you’ll be asking to work Ops,” he whispered. “Or would you prefer to be called by your birth name now? Laurel Lee?”
She shook her head. “No, I’d never retake that name out of respect for Charles and Dorthea Saxton. They welcomed me into their home. They loved me and raised me as if I was their own child. And they made sure I knew who my birth parents were.”
“You were very lucky,” Garcia said. “That’s not the outcome for most kids thrown into the system.”
“I know. I thank God every day it was Charles Saxton I ran into that night after my father had been shot. He and Dorthea had been trying to get pregnant for years and couldn’t. I was as much a blessing to them as they were to me. And then a year later, Dorthea got pregnant with my sister, Donna. After she was born and during our entire lives, I never felt that I was treated or loved any differently than she was.”
“As I said, you were very lucky.”
The Next Morning
Laura Lee stretched upon waking. The bed beside her was empty. She checked her watch. It was just before zero six hundred. She had gotten to Brad’s place around zero-forty, twelve forty a.m. They snuggled in bed and talked for a few minutes before saying good night. She’d had less than five hours of sleep. Ugh! It would be a long day. And she knew he was scheduled for a twelve-hour shift in Ops.
Even though her alarm would not go off until zero seven hundred, she got up and slid her blue jeans back on. She’d slipped her bra off and slept in just her long-sleeved t-shirt and panties. Opening the door to the main area, the incredible aroma of coffee hit her. Brad sat on his couch, a cup in his hand. Some HGTV cooking show was on his television.
“Is that what you’re making for dinner tonight?” she asked as she stepped into the room.
“Good morning,” he said. “Sure, I could make this tonight.”
She walked over to him and took his mug from him. She took a drink before putting it on the coffee table. Then she straddled him, sitting on his lap, and placed a kiss on his lips. “Good morning.”
“How’d you sleep?” he asked.
“Good. I think I passed out as soon as we said good night.”
“You did. Sorry if I woke you.”
“You didn’t,” she said. “I enjoyed going to sleep snuggled with you last night.” She wouldn’t mention that she was disappointed to wake alone.
“I liked that too,” he said. “And I love that I’ll get to do that some of the next month.”
