Time of Death

39

One week earlier

By a stand of trees on a quiet Genesee road, Douglas Hammond was parked in his green BMW. Ren jogged up to the passenger door. Hammond unlocked the door and she sat in.

‘Thanks for coming,’ said Hammond.

Jesus, ‘Thanks for coming?’

He looked at her expression. ‘Well, you might not have.’

‘Do you really think so?’

Their breaths were white in the cold air. Hammond’s hairline was dotted with tiny beads of sweat.

‘So,’ she said. ‘Why am I here?’

‘I am highly recommending that you give up your psych files,’ said Hammond.

Ren stared at him. ‘How do you know-’

‘Just do it,’ said Hammond. ‘Just back down.’

‘Why would I do that?’

‘Because I am meeting you on a dark road in the middle of the night to tell you to.’

‘You don’t even know me,’ said Ren.

‘I asked around.’

‘And?’

‘You don’t back down,’ said Hammond.

‘When I have no reason to, no,’ said Ren.

‘Trust me, you have every reason to.’

‘What are you talking about? What could possibly interest you in those files?’

Hammond looked at her. ‘You’re shivering,’ he said. ‘Are you cold?’

Ren frowned. ‘Yes.’

He glanced at the heating dial, but didn’t move. Ren turned on the heating, blasting hot air from a loud fan.

For a moment, they sat in silence.

‘I didn’t just hear that you wouldn’t back down…There was a lot more to hear about Agent Ren Bryce.’

Ren’s anger was spiking, but she held her hands still and she kept her breathing under control. And it didn’t quite work. ‘I am sorry,’ said Ren, her voice quickly rising, ‘but I have no clue what the point of all this is. It is passive/aggressive bullshit. You have power, Your Honor, you don’t need to get cryptic with me. You shouldn’t need something to get an extra little kick. I’ve driven all the way out here in the pitch dark.’

Hammond was staring straight ahead.

You smug prick. She turned and grabbed the door handle.

‘Agent Bryce, please.’

She looked back at him. Holy shit. The fear in his eyes was stunning. Before Ren had time to react, he gripped her forearm and pulled her close. She could feel his hot breath in her ear. ‘You,’ he said, his voice barely audible, ‘you don’t know what you’re getting involved in.’

‘What the hell?’ said Ren, pulling her arm from his grip.

Hammond let out a breath. ‘I’m getting the sense that within twenty-four hours, your file will be turned over to the taint team.’

‘Don’t trust your senses.’

‘Do it, Agent Bryce. Or maybe I’ll get your boss to back off. He might be interested in taking a look at your file.’ He was half-turned away from her, as if trying to physically end the conversation. She realized Hammond was shaking, and it had nothing to do with being cold.

‘Why didn’t you just call me instead of bringing me all the way out here?’ said Ren.

Headlights struck up on the road behind them. Hammond jumped. His left arm seemed to spasm. Ren glanced down at it. He was holding his cell phone. He jerked it quickly toward her. There was a text message on the screen:

this is not just about the psych 345

He hit delete. Ren opened her mouth to speak, but when she looked into Hammond’s eyes — black with fear — she stopped dead.

This is not just about the psych 345? WTF?