Night Watch

13

BILL DILLINGHAM LOOKED TERRIBLY FRAGILE, and Kendra’s eyes widened with shock when he opened the front door of his small house in a subdivision in south San Diego. He was at least fifteen pounds thinner than he’d been the last time she’d worked with him, his faded blue eyes lacked the spark of former days. What was most troubling was the lack of vitality in his face.

“What are you looking at?” he asked sourly. “I never invited you here, Kendra. I know what I see in the mirror. I don’t have to see it reflected on your face. Why don’t you go away?”

She quickly recovered. “Because I need you to do this sketch for me. It’s very important that it be done right since your witness is questionable.”

“I don’t need to work with witnesses who are going to give me headaches before I even begin. Go away.”

“No. May I come in? I haven’t seen you for a couple years, but you’re just as rude as you’ve always been.” She smiled. “I’ve never seen your home.” She was peering over his shoulder. “I see an interesting painting of a little girl in a sun bonnet on that far wall. Is it yours? I’ve only seen your sketches.”

“Because that’s how I make my money,” he said dryly. “And are you trying to flatter your way into my house?”

“Yes. Though I would like to see that painting. If you don’t let me in, then I’ll stay out here on your doorstep.” She met his eyes. “Because when I knew I had to have this sketch done, I knew it had to be you, Bill.”

He was silent. “I’m not the same artist I was two years ago, Kendra.” He held up his hand, and she saw a slight quiver. “I had a bad case of pneumonia, and I didn’t bounce back. It seems unfair that when you age, every little illness seems to take its toll. Or maybe it’s the depression afterward. Anyway, I don’t do sketches anymore.”

She could see that depression was still a living presence in every line of his face. “But you could, Bill. I’ve seen you work.” She looked at the painting of the child. “That’s quite wonderful and I’m sure you enjoyed doing it. But it didn’t give you the same creative excitement as doing those sketches, did it?”

“I’m retired, Kendra.”

“Bullshit. I need this, Bill. It’s important to me. It might save a good man from being killed.” She took a step closer. “I know you. If you’re retired, then that’s probably what’s wrong with you. You need a reason to get up in the morning. Well, I’ll give it to you. It will only be a start, and you’ll have to take it from there. But you’ll do this sketch, and it will be good because you can’t be anything else.” She took another step. “Now, may I come in?”

He stood looking at her for a long moment. “I guess I’d better let you, or you’ll run me down like a bulldozer.” He stepped aside and gestured for her to enter. “But it’s not going to do you any good. You’ll see when I start to sketch.”

“Yes, I will.” She looked around the living room and saw three really fine paintings besides the one of the child in the foyer. “Wonderful. By all means, keep on doing them when you don’t have anything else to do. But you’re a true genius about translating words and vague thoughts into real faces, Bill. No one else can do it like you can.”

“I’m glad you’re going to permit me to continue my choice of art endeavor,” he said sarcastically. “Who is this questionable witness?”

“Me.” She smiled. “Eight years ago, Bill. But I remember him as if it were yesterday.”

He made a rude sound. “Tell me another one.”

“I can’t. I can only tell you the truth. I can’t even promise that it’s going to help to have his face. But it’s a chance, and I’ve got to take it.”

His gaze was searching her face. “It means something to you.”

“Yes, it means a good deal to me.”

“Personal.”

“Very personal.”

He went to the bookshelf and took down his sketchbook. “You see?” he said roughly. “Look at my hand. It’s shaking. What do you think that you’re doing to me?”

“I hope I’m waking you up. What do you think?”

He didn’t move, looking down at the sketchbook. “We’ll have to see, won’t we?” He jerked his head to a chair on the other side of the desk. “Sit your ass down and start talking to me.” He flipped open the sketchbook. “How old was he?”

“About forty-five then. Eight years ago.”

“Face shape?

“Sort of triangular. Pointed chin.

His pencil was slow, a little shaky.

“Eyebrows?”

“Thick. A little bushy.”

Stronger, faster strokes.

“Shape of the eyes?

“Round. Deep-set.”

The pencil flew over the page.

Demands.

Answers.

The pencil.

Always the pencil.

Drawing. Going back. Changing.

Drawing again.

“Lips?”

“Full bottom lip. Upper lip, thinner.”

“Jaw?”

“Thin. A little flat toward the ear.”

“Like this?”

“Maybe thinner.”

“Like this?”

“Yes.”

“Hairline?”

“Receding at the forehead. But the rest of the hair looked healthy, shiny.”

“Dark? Light?”

“Dark. Latin-looking.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just an impression.”

“I don’t sketch impressions.”

But he did, and the hair of the man suddenly had longer sideburns.

The pencil flew. The words flew. The image on the page changed, became something, then changed again.

Kendra didn’t know how much time had passed, but she knew that Bill had turned on the lamp sometime during the session.

“Best I can do.” He finally handed her the sketch. “Considering that you don’t know what the hell you’re doing, either.”

She looked at the sketch. “It’s a very good best,” she said softly. “It’s the man I saw that day at the auditorium. You’ve got him, Bill.”

“Providing he doesn’t have wrinkles or scars that he’s developed since you saw him. Time doesn’t stand still, Kendra.”

“It did for you today, Bill.”

“Yeah, maybe.” He looked at the sketch. “When you find him, will you let me know? Maybe take a photo of him. I want to know how close I came.”

“I’ll get you proof.” She hoped she was telling the truth. “I’ll even get you a name.”

“Do that.” He looked away from the sketch. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to do any more sketches.”

“It doesn’t mean that you’re not.” She got to her feet. “You’re too young to be wandering around this house when you could be doing something interesting. I’m going to call Griffin at the FBI and tell him that if he has something really challenging, you’re here, ready and waiting.”

“The hell you will.”

She nodded. “I’m going to do it. Though I’m still going to insist on being first on your preferred list.” She looked down at the sketch. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “This means a lot to me, Bill.”

“I thought it did. That’s why I let you harass me.” He stood up and walked with her to the door. “And I might let you get away with it again. If I get bored enough.”

She grinned. “Griffin won’t let that happen.” She reached out and shook his hand. “I’ll let you know as soon as I locate our mystery subject. It’s been good seeing you again.”

“Do you expect me to say the same?” he asked wryly. “It’s been interesting. I’ll have to see after the fallout if I’m going to say that your coming here was a good experience or just memorable.”

“I can’t wait for your report.” She turned and waved. “But give it a little while to make a decision. Bye.”

“Kendra.”

She looked back over her shoulder.

“Maybe you’ve got a few more smarts other than the ones that are connected to all that brainy stuff you manage to pull out of your hat.” He smiled. “I guess it wasn’t such a bad afternoon.”

He turned away and closed the door.

No, it hadn’t been a bad afternoon at all, she thought as she went down the driveway to where Jessie was waiting in passenger seat of the car.

Jessie got out of the car and came around to the driver’s seat. “I get to drive now. You owe me, after keeping me waiting out here all afternoon. I’ve been going crazy.” She glanced down at the rolled-up sketch Kendra was carrying. “You got what you needed?”

Kendra nodded. “And it’s really good. It’s him, Jessie.”

Jessie unrolled it and studied the sketch. “Not bad-looking. Don’t like the eyes.” She handed the sketch back to her. “You can take some photos of it while I’m driving us to the hospital.”

“You’re being very demanding.”

“I was bored. I hate to be bored. I sat here twiddling my thumbs and wondering if I should break in and see if you needed help with Dillingham.”

“With Bill?” She stared at her in astonishment. “Whatever for? You must have seen him when he opened the door. Unless you meant convincing him to do the sketch?”

“No, I knew you had that covered. But I’ve seen some old guys that were more spry than you might think and almost put me down.” She grimaced. “But I could tell Dillingham wasn’t one of them. So that left me with no job to do and bored mindless.”

That protective instinct again, Kendra thought. “No, the only problem I had with Bill was convincing him that he had to jar himself back to the land of the living. I think he’s alone too much. Depression can be pure hell.”

“Yeah, I know. I had a few buddies who came back from Afghanistan with wounds that could be healed except the ones in their minds.”

“How about you? You said you’d done two tours in Afghanistan.”

“I had my own nightmares.” She held out her hand. “So can I drive?”

Kendra dropped the car keys into her palm. “No roaring.”

“Okay.” She jumped into the driver’s seat. “This car isn’t suited for roaring anyway. Too sedate. Now if I had Lynch’s Ferrari…”

FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER, Kendra and Jessie approached the police officer standing watch outside Powers’s hospital room. The cop held up his beefy hands to stop them.

“Whoa. Can I help you?”

Kendra took the lead. “I hope you can. We’re here to see Wallace Powers.”

“Sorry, ladies. He’s in police custody.”

“I’m Kendra Michaels. I’m on the list.”

The cop pointed to a clipboard hanging on the wall. “It’s a very short list, and you’re not on it.”

“It’s been updated.”

“Since when?”

“Since a few minutes ago. Call and check.”

The cop frowned with annoyance as he pulled out his phone and called his station. After a minute or so of conversation, he pocketed his phone. “I’ll be damned. You’re on it.”

Kendra uttered a silent thanks to Griffin for so speedily greasing those wheels for her.

The cop had obviously done hospital prisoner duty before. He easily slipped into his rote visitor speech. He informed them that no purses, bags, or packages would be allowed in the room, even though neither of them were carrying anything other than Bill’s rolled-up sketch. No weapons of any kind were allowed in the room, and a quick frisk was necessary. “If you request it, I can have a female officer come here and conduct the search,” he said.

“How long would that take?” Jessie asked.

“Anywhere from ten minutes to two hours.”

Jessie raised her arms. “Just curious. Knock yourself out.”

The cop did a perfunctory frisk that Kendra thought would have allowed them to smuggle Uzis under their jackets without his detecting them. Then he opened the door. “For the protection of you and the prisoner, I must be present at all times during your visit. But I have to tell you, he hasn’t been seeing anyone without his attorney present.”

Jessie smiled. “You couldn’t have told us that before you frisked us?”

The cop became momentarily tongue-tied.

Jessie waved him off. “Just giving you a little grief. Let’s go inside and see what happens.”

The officer preceded them into the room. At first, Kendra wasn’t sure they were looking at the right person. Powers’s face was now several shades of purple and swollen in ways that didn’t seem physically possible.

His puffy eyes widened at the sight of Kendra and Jessie. “What in the hell are you doing here?” His speech wasn’t altogether clear.

“You’re slurring your words,” Jessie said. “Is it your swollen tongue or is it the painkillers? Or both?”

“I’m not talking to you,” he said. “You got something to say, talk to my lawyer.”

“We already have,” Jessie said. “He’ll be billing you for that five-minute conversation, I’m sure. It’s more than you make in a week.”

“How do you know what I make?”

“We do our homework,” Kendra said. “Enough to know that someone else is paying for that lawyer. The question is, how much do you trust whoever is paying the bill?”

“I’m not saying shit.”

“Then just listen,” Jessie said. “That lawyer told you not to talk. Who do you think that advice helps more, you or the people paying him?”

Powers didn’t respond.

Kendra stepped toward him. “If it’s a question of incriminating yourself, that train has left the station. We have your DNA, which puts you there. It was under my fingernails.”

“And in the pee in the carpet,” Jessie said. “I’ve Tased a lot of guys in my time, but I’ve never seen anyone piss his pants like that. That was a new one.”

Powers lunged angrily toward her, but the handcuff held him to the bed rail.

Jessie smiled. “Aw, come on. Was I being indelicate? No reason to be embarrassed. You’re among friends here. And you need all the friends you can get right now.”

“You’re not my friends.”

“You’re right,” Kendra said. “Especially considering how we met. But we can help each other.”

“Still not talking…”

“Which is exactly what that lawyer and his employer want. But if we already have all the evidence we need to put you away for assault, battery, and attempted kidnapping, what good is your silence really doing for you?”

Powers’s jaw clenched, and he looked away.

Jessie moved closer. “Maybe you’re thinking your lawyer is some kind of miracle worker, that he can magically make all this disappear. He’s good, but he can’t make DNA evidence vanish. But maybe that isn’t his concern. Maybe he just wants to protect whoever is paying him. Maybe to protect whoever paid you to grab my friend here. Don’t you think that’s more likely? Do you really feel so valued that you think that lawyer is on the case for you?”

Powers turned back. He looked as if he was about to say something, but then caught himself.

Kendra shook her head. “You know what else isn’t going to disappear? The fact that you knocked your ex-wife around. You did some jail time for that, didn’t you? How is it going to play at your sentencing hearing after you’ve been convicted of attacking another woman? Come on, Powers,” she said softly. “The smartest thing you can do for yourself is tell us who hired you. If you had a lawyer who was really representing you, he would tell you the same thing.”

Powers’s resolve was obviously weakening. “Shit,” he muttered.

Jessie nodded. “Do yourself a favor. Get a new lawyer, any lawyer. Make sure he or she is working for you and no one else.”

Kendra pulled the rubber band from the rolled-up sketch and unfurled it in front of Powers’s face.

Instant recognition.

The look that flashed across his face made it obvious that he knew the man in the sketch. Kendra couldn’t miss the reaction, and she tried to read his expression.

Fear?

Maybe. Or perhaps he was just nervous that they’d made a link between him and this man.

Jessie had obviously read his reaction, too. “You know him.”

“The hell I do.”

“You have the worst poker face in the history of the world,” Kendra said. “Give us a name to go with this picture.”

“I can’t help you.”

“Sure you can,” Jessie said. “Just a name. We’ll try to leave you out of it.”

“Is this the man you’re protecting?” Kendra asked. “It’s time that you started protecting yourself.”

“That’s what I’m doing.” Powers was sweating, and the bedside heart monitor showed that his pulse had quickened.

“You’re a lucky man,” Kendra said. “Your liver was failing a few years ago. You were handed a death sentence.”

He moistened his lips. “I beat it.”

“You had help,” Jessie said.

“Clean living. Diet and exercise.”

“Bullshit,” Jessie said.

Kendra shook the sketch. “Just a name. It’s information that can’t be traced back to you.”

He scowled. “Why should I help you?”

Kendra shrugged. “As the victim of your attack, my testimony can help you or hurt you. You can be seen as a woman-hating monster or someone who was acting under duress. It could mean the difference between years of your life in prison.”

There was sudden panic in his face. “You don’t understand. I’d never survive prison.”

“Really? Because that’s where you’ll end up. And are you sure you’d survive even if you didn’t go to prison? A man who knows what you know will never be safe. You have big problems.”

He moistened his lips. “And you’re saying you’d promise to help me with them?”

It was a break in the wall. “Give me a chance,” Kendra said. “I’ll help you any way I can, if you’ll just give me a name. You’re not the one we’re after.”

“Look, I told you. I never meant to really hurt you. I was just supposed to deliver you. He needed you for something.”

Kendra leaned forward. “He?”

Powers was frowning, his gaze clinging desperately to her face. “If I help you… How do I know you’ll really-”

The door flew open, and attorney Peter Hutchinson strode quickly into the room. “This conversation is over. Ladies, I must ask you to leave.”

“Just a friendly chat,” Kendra said.

Hutchinson stepped between them and his client. “I’m afraid it was nothing of the sort.”

“Too bad you can’t muzzle us the way you do your client,” Jessie said.

“I don’t believe I’ve been altogether successful in impressing upon my client the need for absolute silence.” He glanced back at Powers. “That was your voice I heard as I walked in here, wasn’t it?”

Powers’s hand was shaking as he reached for a tomato-juice box on the table next to him. “I was telling them to get the hell out.”

Hutchinson gave him a skeptical look. “From now on, I’ll do all the talking for you. Understand?”

Powers played with his straw, stirring the thick juice, avoiding looking at them. “Sure.”

“No problem,” Kendra said. “We’d rather talk to your real client anyway. You know, the one pulling your strings?”

Hutchinson flashed his toothy smile. “My loyalties lie exclusively with Mr. Powers. And I must ask you to respect his wishes by staying away.”

“His wishes… Or yours?”

“Mr. Powers,” Hutchinson prompted his client. “Tell her.”

Powers glanced up from toying with his straw to meet Kendra’s eyes. “My wishes.”

“You see?” Hutchinson said. “Good day, Ms. Michaels.”

Powers lifted his hand and gave Kendra a weak wave. “You heard the man. Don’t bother coming back.”

Kendra studied him for a moment. “Fine. See you at your trial.”

Kendra and Jessie left the room and started down the corridor toward the elevator.

“Well, that was a bust,” Jessie muttered. “I thought we were damn close.”

Kendra smiled. “I don’t think it was a bust.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think we got through to him.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Dyle.”

“What?”

Kendra stepped on the elevator and punched the DOWN button. “Powers used his juice straw to write the name on his hand. Four letters. Barely discernable. He showed me his palm, and it was there, written in red tomato juice. He didn’t want his lawyer to know.”

“But who is Dyle?”

Kendra was already typing furiously on her phone. “I’m searching for the name right now. If we’re lucky, it may actually be the man who-” She froze. “It’s him. The man in the sketch. The guy I saw all those years ago.”

She turned the phone around to show Jessie a photo. “Meet Ted Dyle.”

“You Googled him?” Jessie’s eyes widened as she studied the man in a gray pin-striped suit smiling out of the photo. “Oh, that’s the guy in the sketch all right.” She took the phone and was reading the biography as she and Kendra left the hospital and walked across the parking lot. “Venture capitalist, owns a pharmaceutical company and two corporations that fund hospitals. Has interests in several hedge funds. Multi-investments in research projects at three universities. Something of a power broker and was said to be behind the scenes in electing the last two senators from California.” She handed Kendra’s phone back to her. “That’s all they have on him. Pretty scanty.” She frowned. “But he’s based in L.A. That’s my town. Why haven’t I heard of him?”

“Because he probably pays to stay out of the limelight,” Kendra said. “Thank God for Google. At least we were able to get this much information.” She could feel the excitement zinging through her. “He has to be connected to Night Watch.”

“And probably that attack on you, or Powers wouldn’t have recognized him.” She smiled. “A giant step closer, Kendra.”

“I know.” She couldn’t stop smiling. “And a step closer to Waldridge. I’ve felt like we’ve been going down blind alleys, but this is so damn promising.”

“Yes, it is.” She was gazing with amusement at Kendra’s face. “You look as if you’re on top of the world. We’ve still got a long way to go.”

“Don’t rain on my parade,” Kendra said. “Tomorrow, I’ll worry about all the bad things that could happen. Tonight, I want to think good thoughts and be happy. Do you think it’s too late to drive up to L.A. and try to see Dyle?”

“Yes.” She chuckled. “It would be midnight, and he’d have his staff toss us out. He might do it anyway. But we’d have a better shot in the morning.” They’d reached Kendra’s Toyota. “So let me worry about all the bad things that could happen tomorrow, and you try to keep your grand parade intact for the rest of the evening. Deal?”

“Deal.” Kendra didn’t know if she could do it, but right now, it seemed a wonderful idea.

“Well, now that we’ve settled that important detail. I’d like to announce that I’m hungry. You haven’t eaten either. Want to stop for a late supper?”

“Maybe.” Kendra watched with rueful amusement as Jessie jumped into the driver’s seat… again. “I’m a little hungry. It’s been a long day.”

“So where do you want to stop?” She started the car. “We could go to a pancake house. Or fast food…” She didn’t look at her as she backed out of the parking space. “Or I saw a Thai restaurant in your neighborhood. Is it any good? We could get takeout and go back to your place and eat it. I have to get my bike anyway.”

“It’s very good.”

“I thought it might be. It had people lined up at the door even this morning.” She smiled. “So where do you want to go? Your choice. I’m just your humble chauffeur.”

“Definitely the chauffeur. You won’t have it any other way. Humble? Not so much.” She laughed. “The Thai place sounds the most practical. We can take it up on the roof to eat it. It’s nice up there.”

“Whatever you say. Just as long as I get food and a chance to stretch out and move. I’m not accustomed to being this inactive.”

Kendra could see that it bothered her. She’d been aware of the other woman’s restlessness all day. She was surprised Jessie hadn’t opted out of sitting patiently in that car and waiting at Bill Dillingham’s. Ever since she’d met Jessie, she had been a dynamo of energy and activity. Yet their time together today had still been productive and amusing, and she found she was genuinely fascinated and curious about Jessie Mercado.

“Okay. Then we’ll stop at the Thai place. On the way there, I’ll text Griffin the photos I made of the sketch and ask him to check and report on Dyle.” She went around the car and got into the passenger seat. “And I’ll tell him he should use Dillingham more for his sketches and use muscle with the local police to have them do it, too.”

“Will he pay attention?”

“Sometimes. If it suits him. I’ll stress what an asset Dillingham is. He likes assets.” She was looking at the sketch again. “It’s not a lie. I think I’ll text a photo to Lynch, too. Along with the Google biography.”

“That sounds like a plan. Lynch doesn’t impress me as a man who likes to be kept out of the loop. Control, all the way…”

THE LIGHTS OF SAN DIEGO were sparkling, glowing in the darkness. There was a strong wind whipping occasionally over the rooftop, which was vacant except for Kendra and Jessie.

“We could go down to the condo if the wind’s bothering you.” Kendra grinned as she righted one of the cartons of Thai food on the table between their chairs. “But you did say you wanted movement.”

“No, I like this,” Jessie said. “For Pete’s sake, I own a motorcycle.” She lifted her face to the wind that was blowing her hair wildly back. “Wind is clean and strong. Both good things.”

“Except if it comes packaged in a tornado,” Kendra said dryly as she lifted her wine to her lips. “I think I’d choose to go inside if it escalated to that point.” She smiled. “But I like it, too.”

“Do you come up here often?”

“Not often.” The last time she had come up here was that night with Lynch, when everything had blown up both sexually and emotionally. Those memories were suddenly bombarding her, and she could feel her body readying, tightening at the thought of him.

Back off. Everything about her relationship with Lynch was full of pitfalls and uncertainties, including what she wanted from him.

Except sex. That was very clear at this moment.

“Did you ever come up here with Lynch?” Jessie’s gaze was narrowed on Kendra’s face.

Jessie was very perceptive, and she had probably been able to read Kendra’s response. “Yes,” Kendra said as she took another bite of Thai pepper steak. “This is really very good, isn’t it? How is yours?”

Jessie immediately took the hint. “Delicious. Some of the best Thai I’ve had since Delilah had a box of it flown in special from Bangkok.” She leaned back and lifted her wine to her lips. “But in that case, anticipation was a heady sauce, and that might have made it seem better.”

“Delilah?”

“Delilah Winter. I worked for her for a while.” She shot a glance at Kendra. “She’s a pop star. Have you ever heard of her? She probably doesn’t produce the kind of music that you teach your kids, but she’s pretty famous.”

“I’d have to live in a cave not to have heard of her,” Kendra said. “She won a Grammy last year, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she deserved it. That new song she wrote rocks.”

“She rocks,” Kendra said. “And I do use her in my therapy sessions. The kids don’t live in a cave either, and her rhythms are wonderful.”

“She’d be glad to hear you say that. Delilah is like a lot of teenage kids who made it big too early. She’s still not sure whether she has the talent or that she’s just fooling everyone.”

“Sad.” She asked curiously, “How did you come to work for her?”

“It’s a long story.”

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

She shrugged. “It’s not something I’m particularly proud of, nor am I ashamed. It was just a job. I took it because the opportunity was there, and I needed the money. I’d just gotten my degree in criminal justice, but that was during the downturn in the economy, and there were no decent jobs to be had. I got work as a bartender and part-time as a stuntwoman. Then I heard about that TV show American Ninja, and I trained and competed for it. I won first place and got a decent amount of money and a little fame thrown in. The notoriety attracted Delilah, and she hired me to head her security.” She smiled. “She was just a kid who thought that if there was a star beside the name, the person had to be a star, too.” Her smile faded. “She made a lot of mistakes like that. You have no idea how many jams I had to get her out of before she finally grew up.”

“But it must have been exciting.”

“And exhausting, like living in Disneyland without the rules that Disney enforces about smiles and the customer is always right.” She took another sip of wine. “But the money was terrific, and I made sure that I earned every dollar before I turned in my resignation. I left her safe and with good people before I bowed out.”

“You sound as if you feel guilty.”

She made a face. “It was like kicking a puppy when I told her that I was leaving. As I said, she’s insecure, and she felt safe with me. She still calls me sometimes when she needs to talk, or she gets into trouble.”

“But you felt you couldn’t stay with her?”

“Everyone has to grow up sometime. I’d made enough money to open my own P.I. office. It was time I moved on with my life.”

“And you have,” Kendra said. “No regrets?”

“Of course there were regrets. Delilah offered me a million dollars a year to stay on. I like money.”

“And you wanted to make certain she was safe,” Kendra said softly. “I’ve noticed that you have that instinct.”

“It’s over.” She looked out at the lights. “Time passes. People come and go. But I guess I was brought up to believe that when I did go, it wasn’t a bad idea to make sure no one was worse off than when I came.”

“That’s a good philosophy.”

She chuckled. “Actually, it’s a little too deep for me right now. It must be the wine talking.” She yawned. “How many have I had?”

“Two. No, maybe three.”

“Oops. I never have more than two. Cops love to stop bikers and test. They tend to think we have a reckless mind-set and endanger the general public.” She glanced at Kendra. “Would you mind if I bunk at your place tonight? Maybe on the couch? We have to get out early anyway.”

Kendra blinked. She hadn’t been expecting this from Jessie. “Sure. No problem. You can have the guest room if you like. But Lynch might have left it in a mess. He left for the airport early.”

“He did, didn’t he?” Jessie was picking up cartons and putting them in the trash container. “I promise you that I won’t leave my toothbrush like he did…”

“Do you have one with you?”

“I always travel with an overnight duffel in my bike kit. I’ll just go down to the garage and get it.” She smiled at Kendra. “Thanks, I promise I won’t be any trouble. You won’t know I’m here.” The next moment she was across the roof and opening the door leading downstairs.

Kendra believed her. Jessie was self-sufficient and totally responsible, or she wouldn’t be so concerned about the possibility of being picked up on a violation.

But if she was so aware and responsible, why had she taken that extra glass of wine?

A slip?

But did Jessie make slips? She was beginning to know the woman now, and what she knew was that Jessie was one of the smartest people she’d ever met. She knew exactly what she was doing and how it would affect the people around her.

For heaven’s sake, why was she even questioning Jessie over this one mistake in what Kendra thought her character dictated? Forget it.

Only it was more than one anomaly in her behavior today.

Why had she opted to go to Bill Dillingham’s place today when Kendra had told her that she probably wouldn’t even be able to meet with him? Why hadn’t she just gotten on her bike and taken off on her own business? Why had she stayed all those hours waiting? Then she had gone with her to the hospital and stayed until she had left there, too.

Yes, she had been helpful, but Kendra had still had that feeling of being… What?

And she had made that weird remark about not having to worry about Dillingham’s being a threat.

Jessie was completely independent, and yet she had stayed with Kendra all day, hovering like a friendly gargoyle. Not a flattering comparison, but Kendra was not feeling like being flattering at the moment.

She was feeling pissed off.

Son of a bitch!

She was on her feet and running down the steps to her condo.

She slammed the door and headed for her bedroom.

She slammed that door, too.

She pulled out her phone and dialed quickly.

Answer, damn you.

Lynch answered immediately. “I received Dyle’s photo. Good work.”

“Yes, it was.”

He caught the barely contained tension in her voice. “But something’s wrong?”

“Yes. Plenty is wrong.” The words were spitting out. “What gave you the right to call Jessie Mercado and ask her to babysit me while you were gone? Do you know how humiliating it is to have someone treating me as if I’m helpless?”

Silence. “I think she’s too smart to treat you like that. I’m sure she made it very pleasant and unobtrusive.”

“Oh, she did. She only made a couple mistakes, and that was because all of the subterfuge was going against her basic instincts.” She said furiously, “She was so clever that she’s now in my guest room, complete with toothbrush.”

“Good. But she has to get out when I come back. Unless you let me share your bed.”

“I can’t imagine that’s happening right now.”

“I can. But I can also see that you’re having problems because I had to keep you safe. We’ll discuss that later.”

“Oh, yes, I’m definitely having problems. When did you call Jessie? She was here in practically no time after you left. And did you actually hire her to protect me?”

“I called when I got to the street after I left you. And I didn’t hire her. I offered, but she said that she’d consider it a debt owed, which had more value to her.”

Kendra could see that. Having Adam Lynch owe you a debt was beyond price. “Why, Lynch?”

“You know why. Why was I occupying that guest room myself? You were a target, and I was going across the Atlantic, where I couldn’t protect you. I had to have someone there who was watching your back.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“So could Rye, better than you. He’s dead. You’re not going to be dead, Kendra. You fire Jessie, and I’ll hire someone else who will probably scare the hell out of you because you won’t know who it is. Just put up with her until I can get back there to you.” He paused. “I need to be here for Rye, but if you give me trouble, I’ll fly back there. As I said, he’s dead. I won’t allow that to happen to you.”

“You can’t fly back here,” she said through set teeth. “You have a job to do.”

“And I’ll do it. I’ll find out who murdered Rye. I’ll try to find out what happened to Waldridge. Just give me a break. Let me keep you safe.”

“I’m not going to give you a break. Do you know why I didn’t pick up on those slips that Jessie made? It’s because I couldn’t believe you’d ever do something like this to me. It’s beyond belief.” She pronounced every word with precision. “I’m very angry with you, Lynch.”

“I know you are. I’ll give a damn some other time. Let me keep you safe.”

“I’m going to hang up now.”

“No, you aren’t. Not until you tell me that you’re going to let Jessie do her job.”

“Her job is Waldridge.”

“And you. Tell me.”

“I’ll discuss it with her. It might not be a pleasant discussion.”

“Then she’ll call me, and I’ll take the first flight back.”

“Damn you.” She hung up.

She stood there breathing hard, trying to regain control.

He would do exactly what he’d said he’d do. Stop what he was investigating and fly back here.

Was her anger and hurt pride worth losing what Lynch might learn in London?

She had felt like a child when she had guessed what he’d done. She was not a child. She was an intelligent woman who was capable of taking care of herself.

Lynch had just had that Rye scare and couldn’t think beyond it.

But that scare might affect finding Waldridge if she couldn’t find a way to get beyond it.

Okay, she would go get a glass of water and spend a little time thinking and regaining her control. Then she would go and have that discussion with Jessie she’d told Lynch she would have.

She was not looking forward to it.

Or maybe she was, she amended. She wanted to strike out, and not from thousands of miles away as she’d had to do with Lynch.

“THE DOOR’S OPEN,” Jessie called out when she heard Kendra coming across the living room toward the guest room. “Come in. I went upstairs on the roof and liberated that bottle of wine after Lynch called me. I figured we might need it.”

“The wine you used to try to con me?” Kendra pushed open the door to see Jessie sitting cross-legged on the bed. She was barefoot and dressed in a sleep shirt and had two wineglasses in her hand. “I’m not in the mood, Jessie.”

“I know.” She put the wineglasses on the nightstand. “You’re pissed off, and you feel humiliated, and you want to kick someone.”

“That about covers it.”

“I can’t help that you’re pissed. I would be, too. I’d want to kill Lynch. He might have meant well, but that doesn’t mean he had a right to do it. You shouldn’t feel humiliated because he hired the best when he hired me.” She smiled. “It’s not as if he didn’t have respect for you. As far as kicking someone, be my guest. I can take it. I was captured by the Taliban on my last tour, and nothing you could do would be any worse.”

“Was that supposed to deflate my anger with both of you? It doesn’t. He shouldn’t have hired you. You shouldn’t have taken the job.”

“He has an excuse. He cares about you. I don’t have an excuse. I like you, but I don’t know you well enough to use it as a reason why I’d violate your independence.” She met her eyes. “Independence is important to me. So the only excuse I’ll give you is that I believe you have a chance of getting killed if I don’t stick around and keep it from happening. Hell, it might have happened the day that I kept them from tossing you into that barrel. But I don’t think so. I believed Powers when he said he was hired to deliver you. But if this Dyle hired him because he found you necessary for some reason, that need remains. But after it’s fulfilled, you might very well be expendable.”

“You can’t know I’m still a target. The fact that Powers has been arrested might have scared them off.”

“Lynch doesn’t think so, or I wouldn’t be here.” She lifted her shoulder in a half shrug. “And while you were with Dillingham today, a black paneled van cruised by once, slowed, then, when he saw me in the Toyota, sped up and took off. So I’m beginning to think that they’re not finished with you, either.”

Kendra gazed at her in shock. “Why didn’t you go after them?”

“And leave you alone? That wasn’t my job. They could have been trying to draw me away from you.” She made a face. “Though I was tempted.”

“Did you see the van later?”

She shook her head. “I was on the lookout, but I didn’t notice anyone following. But if they were good, I might not. I can manage to follow almost anyone and not be detected.”

“And maybe that van was just looking for an address.”

Jessie just raised her brows skeptically.

Kendra’s hands clenched. “It’s never made any sense to me why they would try to snatch me.”

“Maybe they don’t have Waldridge and think you do? Or maybe you’re looking too hard for your old friend, and they want to discourage you? Maybe they believe you have something they want? A few less benign reasons are occurring to me, but I won’t go into them. At any rate, neither Lynch nor I want to find out until we have the upper hand.”

That last sentence struck her wrong. They were clearly leaving her out of any decision making. “Lynch and you. What about me?”

“You’re smart, and you’re able to take care of yourself under most circumstances.” Jessie tapped her own chest. “I’m equipped to take care of people under any circumstances. That’s why Lynch made that call to me. I know he’s been checking me out, and that’s fine. But you should let me do my job. It will help you and Lynch, and it might even save Waldridge.” She shrugged. “But that’s your decision. If you want me to get out, just say the word.”

Kendra stared at her in exasperation. “And if I say that word, it might be the wrong thing to do. You’re damn right it’s my decision, but I’m in a corner, and I’m not going to be forced to make mistakes. So I’ll tell you what we’re going to do.” She looked her in the eye. “I can’t trust Lynch not to fly back here, so you stay on the job. I’d be stupid to not pay attention to your expertise, so I will take advantage of it. But you’ll never lie to me or pretend to be something you’re not. I want honesty and integrity, and I intend to use you to find Waldridge. Tomorrow we’re going to go to L.A., and we’ll squeeze answers out of Dyle. You’ll work your ass off, and Waldridge is going to come out of this alive. We’re going to do that together, Jessie.”

“No problem.” Jessie smiled. “Can we have that wine now?”

“No. It’s going to take awhile before I’ll be able to be on drinking terms with you again.”

“It will come. Actually, we do like each other.”

“Don’t be too sure. It wasn’t long ago that I was thinking of you as a friendly gargoyle.”

Jessie laughed. “Really? That visual is priceless.” She humped over in a gargoyle-like pose, waving her arms like a monkey. Then she reached over and turned out the lamp. “Good night, Kendra. I’m glad the air is cleared now. I’m lousy at deception…”

“You should have told that to Lynch.” She closed the door behind her.

She was still upset, but some of it had ebbed away. It was difficult being angry with Jessie. It was really all Lynch’s fault, and Jessie was only a tool. She found herself smiling grimly at that description. Jessie would never let herself be a tool for anyone. It was almost like calling her a friendly gargoyle.

The memory of Jessie bent over in that ridiculous gargoyle pose was suddenly before Kendra.

Do not smile.