Officer Jackson came up from behind Stroud through the rear entrance and caught the eyes of the agents in front and knew what he had to do. Before Stroud could react, he’d grabbed hold of his arm and yanked it back, pulling it away from the boy.
“Matthew, move!” Kate lowered her weapon, ready to pull the boy away. She reached for him and managed to step back from the chaos that had erupted.
Jackson struggled to take Stroud’s weapon. Nick rushed in to help and while Stroud’s head was turned in defense of the officer’s advance, he smashed his weapon against the man’s skull. Stroud collapsed to the ground and fell unconscious.
Jackson regained his balance. “Thanks, man.” He pressed again on his earpiece. “Stand down. We got him.”
Matthew clung on to Kate’s shoulders, trembling and drenched in tears.
“You’re okay, hon.” She squeezed him back. “It’s over now. You’re safe. We need to get you to a hospital, okay?” She gently pushed him back to look into his eyes and try to calm him and briefly examined the wound on his stomach. “Where are your parents, Matthew? We need to find them.”
“They’re at some work thing my dad had. I didn’t have time to call them, just 911.”
“You did the right thing. Come on now, we’ll get you taken care of. You did good.” She kissed his forehead.
Jackson kicked Stroud in the gut. “Get up, asshole.”
He moaned as he came to again and looked up at the men who hovered over him. A bloody smile spread on his lips.
Nick turned away from him. “Let’s throw him in the car and get him the hell out of here.”
TWENTY-FOUR
T
he captain waited
for them to haul Stroud in when they returned to the station and he took the man into custody. He would be transported back to Fairfax County first thing in the morning.
Kate was exhausted and none of them had slept in almost forty-eight hours. It had been decided that a few hours of rest were needed before the sun came up.
They’d travelled together to the nearest hotel, and this time, Dwight was staying in the same room as Nick. It was a decision he initially rejected, but reluctantly agreed to, figuring they had a right to insist.
As they reached their floor and the elevator doors parted, Nick stopped in the hall. “I’d like to have a quick word with Kate, if that’s all right. I’ll meet you in the room in a few.”
Dwight subtly regarded Kate and she nodded her approval. “Okay.” He headed down the corridor alone.
“You mind if we talk?”
“Not at all.” Kate led the way in the opposite direction and just a few doors down from the elevator was her room. She retrieved her keycard and opened the door. “Come in.” Her stomach jumped into her throat and she tried hard to swallow it down as he walked past her and dropped to the edge of the bed. This was going to be a conversation two days in the making and the time had come to have it out.
“You haven’t said anything about—earlier—and I just wanted to thank you for that.” He looked up at her with eyebrows slightly raised in a request for leniency for his behavior. “What I said…”
Kate sat down next to him. “You were drunk. You blamed yourself for Colton’s death. Nick, I know you weren’t yourself.” She wanted to let him off the hook. Whether or not he meant what he said didn’t matter because she wouldn’t—couldn’t let that happen. He was her closest friend and the two had been through hell together, but she couldn’t let herself fall into another relationship with a man who had been a mentor. She was hardened now, not discounting what her relationship with Marshall had stemmed from, and she wasn’t that person any longer. Walls had been built from the rubble of the tragedies she’d already suffered and it was doubtful she could ever love anyone the way she loved Marshall. Even her current relationship was quelled by comparison.
“We have Stroud and we saved Matthews Grimes. You can let this one go now.”
“Kate, it’s more than that.” He considered her with earnest. “I’ve let myself feel things that someone in my position shouldn’t feel. I’ve been too involved in this investigation and I overlooked the total picture, focusing on the one thing that mattered to me.”
“You’re not…”
“No, wait. I don’t just mean that. I won’t put you in that position again. I won’t jeopardize all we’ve both worked so hard to achieve. It doesn’t matter what I feel or how much this damn job gets to me.” He paused to study her again. “You have a brilliant career ahead of you and I’m not the only one who sees that. Campbell sees that, he just doesn’t like to admit it.”
They both smiled.
His words, although indirect, pointed to the elephant in the room and both were reluctant to articulate the truth of his feelings. Whether real or emotionally tied to his state of mind, neither seemed quite sure. Kate opted to believe the latter. She knew he did too.
“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry if I caused you any confusion or made you question your purpose here in any way. That wasn’t my intent and I was most definitely not myself. I appreciate that you recognize that.”
“We’re a team; the three of us. And I’m concerned about you because it seemed like it used to be so easy for you.”
“Easy?”
She nodded. “Easy for you not to let your personal feelings play a role in your job. But things seemed to change after I got here; after Quantico.”
“I suppose they did.”
Why did you and Georgia break up?” she asked.
“You know why.”
“Yeah, but that was a symptom, though, wasn’t it?”
“Maybe.” He turned away from her. Perhaps so she wouldn’t see the truth in his eyes. “I guess we didn’t love each other as much as we thought we did.”
“I just want us to be okay, Nick. I finally feel like my life is whole again. I have a great job, amazing friends. I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that. Like you said, we’ve worked so hard to get here.”
“Yes, we have. I just need to find my bearings again and I will.” He reached for her hand. “Forgive me, Kate.”
“There’s nothing to forgive.”
“I’d better get back. Dwight’s going to wonder what we’re doing in here.” He pushed off the bed. “Good night.”
She followed him to the door and locked it behind him. Kate closed her eyes, and a stray tear trailed along her cheek. The idea that she might have hurt him was painful in its own right, but it would be too hard to leave him. She loved him, even if it wasn’t in a way that he might want right now. And, given time, his feelings would change. His heart was broken from what Georgia did and now from this. In time, he would heal and all of this would be forgotten.
» » »
Nick opened the door to his room to find Dwight sitting up in bed, waiting for him as though he were his father.
“Everything all right?”
“Fine. Didn’t mean for you stay up, Dad.” Nick dropped his trousers and slung them over the chair next to his double bed. Once his shirt was off, he slid under the covers. “You should get some sleep.”
But when Dwight didn’t turn off the light, Nick rolled over to face him. “What?”
“Maybe you should take a break from this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Kate and I can handle the rest. We’ve done it before.”
“Without me, you mean. You’ve done it before—without me.”
“I’m just saying that I think this investigation has thrown you for a loop. And nobody blames you, man. I mean, this was your friend’s son, for Christ’s sake.”
“Why don’t you say what you really mean, Dwight? This is about finding me drunk off my ass the other night.”
“I’m worried about you. It just seems like when shit starts to go south, you run for a drink.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I’ve always had a few drinks and it never bothered you before.”
“You’re right. But you’ve been different for a while—worse, I guess. Ever since…”
“Ever since Georgia left?” Nick tossed his legs over the bed and sat up. “You sure you’re not just angling for a promotion? I mean you’re due, right? You want my job, Dwight?”
“Goddammit, Nick, no, okay? I don’t want your fucking job. Something’s changed in you, man, and it scares me, all right?”
“Why don’t you just spit it out, then? Tell me what this is really about.”
Dwight’s face appeared as though ready to lambaste his boss, the Senior Special Agent. But instead, his shoulders dropped and he resigned himself. “I just want you to get over whatever the hell this is so we don’t fuck up any more and let people like Lyle Stroud slip out from beneath us.” He switched off the light and turned away.
Nick sat on the edge of the bed in the dark, wanting to fight back, but he had no argument. There was no excuse for how this investigation lagged behind. He was the man in charge; had insisted upon it, and Dwight called him out. He could do nothing but accept the frank criticism. Nick quietly crawled back under the covers and didn’t utter a word.
» » »
Stroud stood in the middle of his cell, showered, clean shaven, and appearing to be anything but the monster he was.
“Time to go home. Move closer and turn around with your hands behind your back.” Officer Jackson approached the cell with handcuffs ready.
With a smile that revealed near perfect teeth thanks to a great prison dental plan, Stroud complied with the orders and turned his back, placing his hands through the iron bars.
The officer secured the cuffs on his wrists and tightened them enough to make Stroud wince. “You must be looking forward to seeing some of your old buddies again.” He tugged on the cuffs for good measure.
Once they were locked in place, Stroud turned to face Jackson. “Doesn’t matter much to me. I did what I came to do.”
“Murder some children?” The officer’s lips curled with anger. “You won’t last long in there.”
Stroud smiled as Jackson led him out through the rear entrance where a helicopter waited to transport him.
Nick stood outside next to the chopper, the early morning rays reflecting off his sunglasses, obscuring the lethal stare of his eyes that was aimed directly at Stroud. He stood firm with his arms folded and legs shoulder-width apart. His partners were already inside, but both had their sights glued on their colleague.
“Good morning, Agent Scarborough. I’m doing fine, thanks for asking. Still have a little headache though.” He lowered his head to be sure Nick could see the wound he’d left. “I’m sure they’ll patch me up when I get back. Just hope you don’t get into any trouble for this.”
“Just get in.” Nick grabbed his arm and turned to Jackson. “Thank you. I got it from here. Everything signed?”
“Yes, sir. He’s all yours.” Jackson slapped Stroud firmly on the back.
Nick got Stroud inside and secured him to his seat. He sat opposite the other agents, leaving one seat next to his and that was where Nick would be.
With the door shut, the chopper fired up and readied for departure. The pilots looked toward the rear and Nick nodded that they were ready.
Kate stared at Stroud with steely eyes as though she herself might launch toward him and save everyone the trouble.
“You trying to scare me, little lady?” Stroud asked. “Or is it that you’re just attracted to me and can’t keep your eyes averted? Why don’t you come on over and give me a little treat?” He pushed his hips toward her.
Nick hurled his elbow and landed it square against Stroud’s chest, knocking the wind out of him. “Shut the fuck up, or I’ll throw you out of this God damn helicopter.”
When Stroud regained his breath, he turned to Nick. “Did I hit a sore spot, agent?” He coughed again. “Didn’t realize she was your girl. My bad.”
“I read your file,” Kate began with an inexorable stare. “Those boys must’ve fucked you up pretty good.” She watched as Stroud’s face turned dark. He wasn’t going to get away with trying to intimidate her. “Is that why you did it?”
“Did what, agent?”
Kate smiled. “What a weak, pathetic man you are. They’re going to have all kinds of fun with you after you’re locked up again. You won’t be asking for a treat then. Oh no. You’ll be the one giving them.” She refused to let go of his gaze. “Might’ve been better for you to take a bullet rather than face what comes next.”
Nick regarded her with what appeared to be admiration. “Did she hit a sore spot?” He nudged Stroud and grinned at Kate.
» » »
Word had already reached the media before they returned to the Fairfax precinct with the man in question. Lyle Stroud’s prison mugshot was showing up on news feeds across America with the headline “Ex-con and child predator-turned killer, captured!” A few reporters waited for their arrival to catch a glimpse of the man who’d murdered two children along with members of his own family, and held two others captive.
The chopper landed in the back parking lot to avoid the growing chaos.
Once the pilot shut it down, Nick opened the door. “Let’s get him inside.”
Kate stepped out first while Dwight helped to unshackle Stroud from the seat and the two carefully lowered him to the ground.
“Nice one, Agent Reid,” Dwight said as they both stepped away from the helicopter.
“How do I look, agent?” Stroud turned his cheek toward Dwight. “Got the press waiting to see me and I want to be sure I look good. Mind you, the injury might raise a few questions about your technique.
“You look like a God damn peach; don’t you worry about it.” Dwight yanked on his arm as they made their way toward the station entrance.
Stroud looked over his shoulder at Kate, leering again, attempting to rattle her. But she refused to allow him to elicit a reaction. Instead, she attended to Nick, whose expression revealed no relief at their accomplishment.
“I know you wanted this to end differently, but that’s not who you are, Nick.”
He stopped cold and square in front of her. “I know exactly who I am and what I’m capable of. My judgment was clouded and now this man won’t get what he deserves.”
She dropped the conversation and they entered the building only steps behind Dwight and Lyle Stroud, who was about to be tossed into an interrogation room to wait for a court-appointed lawyer. And so it would begin, the grueling task of juries and trials and convictions, and he would go back to prison to live out his life while the children whose lives he took would never get real justice.
As they entered the corridor, Kate spotted Jake Talbot. “I thought he went home.”
“He must’ve heard the news. I’d better nip this in the bud.” Nick picked up his stride to get out in front of Dwight and the man who killed Jake’s son. “Jake.” He wrapped his arm around his friend’s shoulder and ushered him away. “What are you doing here? You should go home, man. You don’t want to be here right now.”