Gone Unnoticed: A Kate Reid Novel (The Kate Reid Series Book 3) (14 page)

James Corbett – Jim, to his friends and clients – continued to clarify his meaning. “Martin, I know it’s been a challenge lately and we’ve had some unfortunate incidents. But none of these women have been identified.”

“Not that you know of.” Druseburg turned over one of the highball glasses and set it down on the bar. A bottle of Johnny Walker Red sat nearly empty on the counter. He poured what remained into his glass and proceeded to swish it around over the single cube of ice.

“We’ll cool things down for a while, okay? I’ve got my guys looking out for some fresh faces. These feds can’t do jack shit and they know it.” Corbett again offered assurances.

“It wasn’t your DNA they found, now was it, Jim?” He turned towards the glass wall. “You know, you’re right. Because if they do try and pin this on me, well, let’s just say that I won’t be the only one to take the blame.”

» » »

The house had grown cold as the temperatures still dipped lower. Nicola pulled up the blanket that lay at the foot of her bed. The house was poorly insulated in any case and made it feel that much colder. Nicola hadn’t been able to sleep and, even now, still peered out of the small bedroom window that overlooked her street.

The neighborhood was quiet; it was late. But when Nicola sat at the dinner table with her mother and brothers tonight, she looked at them and knew. They had been a part of it. She could see it in Gregor’s eyes. The question now, as she sat perfectly still on her bed, would she tell anyone?

She began to think of the dead women that had been found in the house just down the street. She wondered how anyone could do such harm, especially her own brothers. It did not come as a surprise that Vito would have been involved. He always seemed to associate with the wrong people, but he was still her brother.

Nicola squeezed her eyes shut as she worked through a solution. Vito would know if she said anything. He knew the moment he walked into her bedroom earlier that she’d heard everything. But what if the lady could help her? The lady who was training to be in the FBI? She seemed nice. She seemed to care.

I wish I could just go home.

Nicola lay down and turned on her side, curling her legs to her chest. She looked at her bedroom door and considered for just a moment that she could leave. And go where, she didn’t know, but away from here. It would break her mother’s heart, but then so would knowing her sons were involved in such a despicable act.

» » »

“Kate?” A knock sounded on the door inside that adjoined the rooms.

Sleep still gripped her, but as the sound continued, she began to rouse. It was still dark and confusion as to where she was and what time it was had set in. The ambiguity of living two lives was difficult to conquer. One life inside Quantico and one life outside of it.

It was that life that now called her to wake. The clock on the side table brightened and its white LED light began to clear. “Jesus. It’s four a.m.” She sat up in her bed and the knock continued. “I’m coming.”

She pushed herself off the bed and slogged across the room wearing just a t-shirt. Unlatching the deadbolt, Kate opened the door. Nick had already opened his side and now he stood just inches from her. “What’s wrong? What is it?” She peered inside to see Dwight moving in his bed, as though he’d been roused slightly by Nick’s disruption.

“I got a call from Garrett.” Nick nearly pushed his way into her room, disregarding the fact that she was half-naked. Then again, he was only in his boxer shorts, a fact that a groggy Kate easily overlooked.

It took a moment for her to digest his words. “What did he want? Please come in,” she said, although he was already planted on the end of her bed.

“A girl was brought into his station about an hour ago,” Nick started. “Vice was booking her on solicitation and she mentioned the fact that several of the girls she knew were no longer on the streets or in the clubs. She figured they had all ended up in jail.”

Nick rubbed his face as if it helped him to speak with further clarity.

Kate soon joined him on the bed and waited for him to continue.

“The vice cop thought it was a little strange and of course made mention of it to one of the officers who’d been canvassing the area asking questions about our Jane Doe. Well, after a few more questions, the cops realized that this girl might know the victim. So they talked to Garrett – he was already home in bed – and Garrett told them to show the girl a picture of the victim.”

“Holy shit.” Kate was fully awake now. “She recognized her, didn’t she?”

“You’re damn right, she did. It’s Madlena Jankovic.”

“Oh my God,” Kate replied.

“The girl knew where she lived and Garrett and another of his officers will be going to the house first thing in the morning to talk to the family. Find out when she went missing. That’ll help us determine where Corbett was at the time. Again, we’re looking for timelines to help establish a pattern of movement.”

Kate could see the fervor building inside him. “What do you me to do?”

“We’re going to get the statement from Druseburg in the morning and then I want you to copy the files we have from Franks and head back to WFO. Get everything into the system. Jameson and I will be heading back to Richmond shortly thereafter. We know Corbett took Madlena, thanks to the tattoo. Now that we know who she is and that she was kidnapped, which can easily be established because of the anonymous call Garrett received, Druseburg’s going to have a hell of a time explaining how he’d come into contact with her presumably after she’d gone missing. It won’t take much more than that for him to turn on Corbett, I’m sure of it. Then, we’ll find him.”

“I can’t go back. I want to stay here,” Kate said.

Nick placed his hand on her bare thigh. “I need for you to go back and work on the case file. That is just as important and Quantico is still your priority.”

Kate looked at his hand and Nick quickly pulled it away. “I’ll go back, but only after we get Druseburg’s statement.” Her conviction was forced because she really had no basis for which to demand anything. Nick was the Agent in Charge. 

“Thank you.” He rose from the bed. “Sorry I woke you. It probably could have waited till daylight, but sometimes, I get a little excited.” He stepped back toward the door. “See you in a few hours. Hopefully, you can get back to sleep.”

Kate dropped her shoulders and exhaled. There wasn’t a chance in hell she’d be going back to sleep.

FOURTEEN

S
ecurity at the
Quantico gate was tight and Kate wondered if something had happened while she was in Virginia Beach. Peering beyond the driver’s side window, she noted about six cars in front of her. That figured. She was verging on being late and if things didn’t start moving, there’d be no doubt of her tardiness.

Her flight had returned late last night and she should’ve just driven straight to campus, but she’d already missed the midnight curfew and ended up going home instead. Now, she cursed herself for taking such a late flight. But the day had been so hectic. Druseburg didn’t come in to make his statement until late in the afternoon and, by the time Kate gathered the files and coordinated with Agents Scarborough and Jameson, she ended up missing the earlier flight.

Now, Monday morning had arrived and she only had twenty minutes before she needed to be in class. A brief weapons review and then they’d be off to the shooting range for drills. Her car inched along, but she was still far behind. “Damn it.”

Kate retrieved her cell phone and texted Will. She hadn’t spoken to him since leaving on Saturday and hadn’t returned his calls. Would he reply in kind? Maybe. She’d pretty much left him out in the cold.
“I’m at the guard gate. It’s backed up. Be there soon.”
She hoped he would acknowledge her and pass along the information to their instructor.

The line was moving along a little better now. Kate was three cars behind. She glanced at the time on her dashboard. Ten minutes and still—no reply from Will. What did she expect? Whatever friendship had been there was now in tatters.

Several more minutes ticked away and, finally, she arrived at the gate, identification in hand. The guard nodded and raised the post. It was all she could do not to speed down the road to the training facility.

A parking spot was just on the horizon and Kate pulled in, killed the engine, and jumped out, yanking her bag from the passenger seat.

Once inside the room, she gathered herself, smoothing her hair and clothes. Her assigned seat awaited her, and so did Will.

“There you are. I was wondering if you’d be here today. I mean, since you’re working with Agent Scarborough,” Will said.

“Didn’t you get my text message?”

“No.” Will leaned over to reach inside his laptop bag to retrieve his phone. “Oh. Here it is. Sorry. It’s been in my bag. Well, glad you made it on time.”

“Thanks.” Kate pulled out her laptop.

“How’s the investigation going?”

“It’s going well. Agents Scarborough and Jameson are heading to Richmond today to meet with the local police. They got an ID on one of the victims.”

“That’s great.”

“It’s not over yet.”

» » »

The day was warming to an uncomfortable temperature and Kate was now standing in the heat, pointing a gun at a paper target thirty feet away. Goggles, ear protection, and an aim that was far beyond anything Kate ever believed she could develop. She waited for the instructor’s go-ahead.

The kickback was still the hardest part of shooting the .40 caliber gun. Kate wasn’t weak, but the strength required to withstand the recoil and still hit the target was substantial.

Some of the firearms training included the removal of the ear protection in order for the trainee to become accustomed to the sound. The startling noise often reminded her of when she was shot. She occasionally joked about it with Nick, reminding him that he’d shot her once. It was generally only to get a rise out of him, and he almost always took the bait.

Still, Kate couldn’t help but be a little sidetracked at the moment. She wanted to know what the hell was happening with the investigation. It was well past noon and, at last check, before stepping onto the range, she hadn’t heard from Nick or Dwight.

The targets were retrieved and Kate examined her results. Time would tell, however, if she would achieve the same near-perfect results on a human being, should the need arise.

Time would also tell whether or not Kate would be successful in the Academy. This week would present her with another Hogan’s Alley tactical training scenario and she was already dreading it. She would have to focus solely on it if she hoped to pass the test. It was a matter of desensitizing herself to it, to the fear that crept inside her as she hunted down the criminals. Even now, the idea began to throw her off her target. “Stop. Focus,” she whispered.

“What’s that?” Will stood at the next target over and must have noticed her lips move.

“Nothing.” She shook her head. He hadn’t yet mentioned a word about the other night, or her disregard for his phone calls. He was being a perfect friend and gentleman and Kate didn’t understand why, unsure if she herself would have acted in such a manner.

Distractions. There were too many distractions and Kate lowered her weapon. The instructor took notice and headed her way.

“Everything all right, Reid? Your weapon jam?” He lowered his gaze to study the gun.

“No, sir. Just got a cramp in my hand. I’m fine now.”

He pressed his lips tightly in a disapproving manner and continued on to check on the other trainees.

Kate resumed her target practice.

» » »

The words on the paper lost all meaning as Nicola held her pencil over the empty circles in search of the right answer. But there were other things on her mind unrelated to the spelling test she was now taking. Things that shouldn’t be on the mind of a twelve-year-old girl. She had tried to listen in on the conversations Gregor and Vito had over the past two days, but they didn’t divulge anything more than she already knew. In fact, it seemed the eldest, Vito, was keeping a watchful eye on his little sister, perhaps waiting for her to say something about what she might have overheard.

But Nicola was smart. One of the smartest girls in her class. And she knew better than to reveal that she had any inkling at all as to her brother’s plans. That was not to say that she wasn’t afraid. She was very afraid. The fear had prevented her from finding much, if any, rest over the course of the weekend. It was a very real possibility that Nicola would fail this test, but maybe the teacher would understand if she knew why.

The time showed she had only minutes to finish. Nicola pushed up from her desk and walked toward the teacher. “Ms. McIlroy, I need to use the restroom.”

The young teacher with a face that still wore the enthusiasm of a newly minted educator looked to Nicola with a furrowed brow. “Can’t it wait until after the test?”

Nicola pressed on her abdomen and cringed. “It’s girl problems.” She was lying and hadn’t even gotten her period yet. She figured she was just one of those late bloomers.

“I see.” A sudden compassionate look appeared on the teacher’s face, as if commiserating on a level that all females understood. “Go ahead, but come right back.”

Nicola revealed a grateful smile and exited the classroom. As she entered the quiet hall, she reached a conclusion and made her way along the empty corridor, her flip-flopped footsteps echoing against the walls and bouncing off the well-worn beige vinyl floor.

Upon reaching the front of the school, she looked up at the sign over the green metal door, “Administration,” and walked inside. Several of the staff, most of which were middle-aged women, were busy typing on their outdated computers or on the phone or helping other students with various tasks. Nicola stood at the counter and waited quietly for someone’s attention.

She hadn’t sprouted up as many of her classmates had this year, so it was only her head that was visible over top of the counter. Finally, a kind-faced woman approached. “Can I help you?”

“Um, yes. I would like to see Principal Barnes?”

It wasn’t often a student would actually ask to see the principal and so the woman appeared somewhat surprised by the request. “Oh, is everything all right? Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine. I need to talk to him. Please, it’s very important.”

“It’s Nicola Bjuric, right?” Only she pronounced it with a hard j, like jerk, instead of a y.

Nicola was used to the butchering of her name and so agreed. “Yes.”

“Are you sure no one else can help you?”

“Please, I need to see Mr. Barnes.” Nicola turned on the most pathetic and sad look she could muster. That would surely get her where she needed to be. If only this woman in front of her knew that this really was a life or death situation, she wouldn’t be so hesitant.

“Let me see if he has a moment. I’ll be right back.”

Nicola sat down in one of the blue molded plastic chairs that were intended for the students. There were a few nice padded armchairs, but everyone knew those were for the parents.

She must have done a pretty good job convincing the administrator of her desperation because it felt as though only a few minutes passed before the woman returned.

“Come on, sweetheart. He says he can spare a couple of minutes for you.”

Nicola took to her feet and was ushered by the slightly plump woman to the principal’s office.

The woman opened the door and pressed her hand against Nicola’s back, nudging her inside. “Nicola Bjuric would like a quick word with you, Mr. Barnes.”

“Of course, please come in, Nicola, and have a seat.”

She waited until the woman had closed the door before she turned to Mr. Barnes. “I’m sorry to bother you, Mr. Barnes, but I need to talk to a lady I met the other day. She’s going to be an FBI agent and her name is Kate Reid.”

The principal narrowed his eyes just a little, seeming to try and figure out what an FBI agent had to do with either him or this young girl he knew to come from an undocumented family.

“You met an FBI agent?”

“She’s training to be one, but her boss came over with her to talk to my brothers a couple of weeks ago about some people who died in a house on my street.”

The principal appeared to show great interest. “Okay. And why do you need to speak with her again?”

“Because I know some people who might be a part of it.”

“You know some of the people who were involved in a crime?”

“Mr. Barnes, I need to speak with Kate Reid, she’s the only one who can help me. Can you find her?”

» » »

It seemed long lines were everywhere today as Kate now waited to approach the buffet counter in the campus cafeteria. Perhaps it was that her patience had worn thin throughout the course of the day and it was culminating in a growing frustration with people in general.

Or it was the fact that she hadn’t yet heard from Agent Scarborough. Either way, her stomach was rumbling and irritation was setting in. As she waited, Kate surveyed the room for an open table, preferably one at the back where she could be away from the chatter. It wasn’t just her fellow-trainees that were there. Quantico offered training and other similar resources to a multitude of law enforcement agencies. Right now, Kate saw a whole lot of people wearing DEA shirts.

On further inspection, she noticed Will sitting with a few of their classmates. He’d behaved in a very respectful and professional manner, of which Kate was most appreciative. A twinge of guilt still surged inside her at the recollection of her actions.

Kate approached the counter and began to dish out her meal. The food wasn’t bad here and she was hungry, so she piled it on pretty high.

Stepping away from the buffet, she spotted a small table in the back corner. Perfect. The sun dangled low in the sky and its light caught her eyes as she sat down, placing her phone next to the tray of food. She continued to glance at it with high hopes, but it remained silent while she ate her dinner.

A reflection appeared in the window as she stared out among the grounds of the campus. A moment’s hesitation gripped her and then Kate finally turned to see Will standing next to her table. A smile acknowledging his presence appeared, but nothing more until she could swallow the food in her mouth.

“Can I sit down?”

She nodded, grabbing a napkin to dab her lips. Finally, she answered, “Sure.”

“Why didn’t you come join us? I thought you saw me wave you over?” Will asked.

“I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it.” Will folded his arms across the table. “So, any news from Agent Scarborough yet?”

“No.” Kate glanced longingly at her darkened phone.

“He’ll be in touch soon enough. These things take time, I’m sure.”

Will turned away and the two were silent for a moment, both staring out the window. He turned back to her. “Do you think we can just forget about the other night?” he asked. “Because I see now that it wasn’t the right thing to do and I really like having you for a friend. I don’t want to screw that up, if I haven’t already.”

“You haven’t, Will. And I would like for us to still be friends. I need your friendship probably a lot more than you need mine.”