Fear No Evil

THIRTY-SEVEN

THE FOLLOWING MONDAY MORNING, Kate walked into the scheduled hearing in the Office of Professional Responsibility. She was nervous, she couldn’t help it. Even with Quinn Peterson’s assurances and Dillon waiting for her outside, she knew she had to answer some serious accusations.

Nervous, but ready. More than ready to put the past behind her and live for the future.

She was surprised when she walked in and both Quinn Peterson and Jeff Merritt were sitting at the conference table. Quinn hadn’t told her he’d be here; the last she heard he had returned to Seattle. Merritt had lost weight, his skin was pasty, and he had no gun in his holster.

A gun-and badge-sat in front of the director of the review committee, Madeline James.

“Sit down, Agent Donovan.”

She sat. It was the first time someone had called her “agent” in…years.

“Regardless of what Mr. Merritt is about to say, this committee has determined that you will have to answer for leaving the country when you had been ordered to report for a debriefing after Special Agent Paige Henshaw was murdered. Though you have been forthcoming about your illegal activities since, hacking government computers is still a crime and one we cannot take lightly.

“But it has also been decided that you may return to active duty provided you complete a probationary period as punishment for your crimes. We’ve decided that should you stay with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, you must return to the training academy, all sixteen weeks, and successfully pass every test as if you were a new recruit. Afterward, you will not be allowed in the field for a minimum of one year. Instead, you will be required to teach a class in e-crimes at the Academy.”

“And if I don’t want to return?”

“Then you’ll be a civilian.”

She glanced at Quinn, but his face was unreadable. She looked at Jeff Merritt, frowned.

“You mean,” she asked for clarification, “I will be free?”

“If you mean you will not be serving prison time, yes. You’ll be free. But if you choose not to return to the Academy, you’ll lose your rank, your pension, and your gun permit, and will not be allowed to work in law enforcement or touch a computer for a period of two years.”

Madeline James continued. “Your crimes were serious, but the committee has determined that there were extraordinary circumstances that would likely not be duplicated should you return to the FBI.”

She nodded to Merritt. “You may speak.”

“Paige is dead because of me,” he said. “I have resigned from the Bureau.”

Kate didn’t say anything. But the final pieces of the puzzle began to click into place as Merritt spoke.

“When Paige told me she was pregnant, I told her to quit. She had always been a little reckless, and I felt that the two of you together were dangerous. You pushed the boundaries, but Paige was the one who really crossed the line. Over and over. That undercover operation seven years ago? Before you were partners? Paige went in against orders. I covered for her then, lied, so she wouldn’t be reprimanded or fired.

“But then she became pregnant. With my child. And I knew she wouldn’t stop her recklessness. I asked her to leave the field. I could have gotten her a position anywhere-at Quantico, at the laboratory-something safer. She refused.

“I was the one who canceled the backup the night you and Paige confronted Adam Scott. I honestly didn’t believe you were in danger. I thought you were just meeting the girl, Denise Arno. You had called Evan before you left and told him I’d cleared backup. But he heard from someone else that they’d been put on a different assignment, so he followed you to the warehouse. He saw what was happening, called it in, but by the time anyone arrived it was too late. He rushed into the warehouse to help cover you and Paige-”

“He sacrificed his life to save mine,” Kate whispered.

“When Paige was kidnapped I covered up my decision. With Evan also dead, it was easy. Easy to put the blame on you. And when Paige died”-he closed his eyes, shook his head-“I would never have intentionally put her in harm’s way. She told me you were meeting Denise Arno alone and she had evidence. I didn’t know it was a trap.”

Madeline James spoke. “As Mr. Merritt knows, he is under investigation for his actions. Do you have anything else to add to your previous statements?”

Kate shook her head.

“And your decision about accepting our offer of probation?”

“May I have a couple of days?”

The director consulted a calendar in front of her. “I’ll expect an answer Monday morning, which is the start of the next training session at the Academy. You’ll report at oh eight hundred at Quantico, or you will meet me in my office at oh nine hundred to sign your resignation.”

Kate stood, nodded to the committee members. She couldn’t look at Jeff Merritt before she walked out the door.

Dillon watched Kate approach. He’d been waiting on a stone bench outside the J. Edgar Hoover Building. It was sweltering on this last day of June. He forgot the ache in his thigh and hand as soon as he saw Kate, though he couldn’t tell by her expression what had happened. She’d told him she might be in there for hours, but only thirty minutes had passed.

He stood, took her hands.

She kissed him lightly. “Sit. You shouldn’t be standing.”

“I’m fine, Kate.” But they sat down next to each other, hands entwined. “Well?” he asked, surprisingly impatient.

“I have two choices. I can quit, no repercussions except I can’t work in law enforcement or on a computer for two years. I’d be a civilian again. Or, I can be on probation and earn back my rank.”

“Probation?”

“I have to go through the Academy. Sixteen weeks.” She groaned. “It was hard the first time around.”

“You’re smarter now.”

“The tests didn’t throw me. Do you know how many miles I have to run each day?”

“You’re in great shape.”

“I was in better shape when I was twenty-three.”

“So that’s it? Go through the Academy again and you’re reinstated?”

“Well, I can’t go in the field for a year. They want me to teach e-crimes at Quantico.”

A huge weight lifted from Dillon’s heart. She was free. He’d been so terrified she’d go to prison, no matter what Quinn Peterson had told him.

“Jeff Merritt admitted he’d pulled backup off our meeting and then covered it up. He resigned.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Sixteen weeks is a long time. I’d only be able to see you on Sundays, if that.”

He kissed her. “I’ll be here every Sunday.”

“You would?”

He nodded. “I love you, Kate.”

She relaxed, rested her head on his shoulder.

“What do you want to do?” he asked her again.

She paused, thinking. “I’d like to go back. I think I have something to offer.”

“I know you have something to offer. When do you have to start?”

“Monday.”

“That gives us a week.”

“Enough time for a little vacation in San Diego. I think your family misses you.” She frowned. “How’s Patrick?”

Dillon looked over at a statue of a man he didn’t know. Possibly J. Edgar Hoover himself, or maybe a military war hero.

“He’s still in a coma.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Kate.”

She sighed uneasily. “Maybe not, but you love him and I hate that you’re hurting inside.”

“Patrick is strong. The doctor’s believe he’ll have a full recovery. Sometime.” But with each passing day, the chances he’d come out of the coma grew slimmer. “Lucy’s with him every day.”

“Do you think that’s okay? For her?”

“I don’t know. She seems to be holding it together. And maybe-maybe he’s the only one she can talk to.”

Kate leaned into him, swallowing heavily. Her tension filled Dillon’s own body and he shifted in his seat, forcing her to look him in the eye.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to take you from your family. They love you so much.”

“Do you love me, Kate?”

She stared at him, startled. “How can you ask me that? I told you I do.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Yes I did! I told you last night after we made love-”

“Actually,” he interrupted, “it was while we were making love and I don’t count that. Look me in the eye.”

She did. He saw worry there. But he also saw her love.

“I love you, but-”

“No buts. Tell me again.”

She started to smile. “I love you.”

“Good. Then we’ll make it work.”

“But-”

“Shh.”

“Dillon, are you sure?”

“I’ve been a forensic psychiatrist for eleven years. I’ve had my hand in some high-profile cases. I think I might be able to find a job on the East Coast. Besides, Lucy is starting Georgetown in two months. I think I’d like to be here while she is.”

Kate looked relieved. “Maybe it will all work out.”

“I know it will all work out.”

Dillon took her face in his hands, kissed her. “Let’s start our vacation right now.”

“You want to get a flight back to San Diego?”

“No, that can wait a few days. I want to get back to the hotel.” He kissed her again, holding her lips hostage for a long minute.

“Um,” she murmured. “That’s nice.”

“That’s an understatement.”