Running (19 page)

“
Son, if
you have some information that will help us find Alessandra
Brockman, you may want to share. Before
I
have you charged with
obstruction.”

Seth stared at the director
of PAVAD, the supposed Superman who’d created one of the most
talked about FBI divisions in history. His own smile was more of a
baring of teeth. “So charge away. I’m not saying a word,
yet.
”

Chapter
Forty-Two

***

She had never seen a more
beautiful sight than the arch stretched above the city. Dear God,
how she’d missed home. That everyone she loved was there made it
the most welcome place on Earth.

But as she stepped off the
plane she was hit with a rush of anxiety so harsh she almost
doubled over.

What was about to happen?
Had Seth made it to PAVAD? Had Jules been able to protect
him?

She hadn’t wanted to call
PAVAD. Not with the possibility that Seth’s traitor was currently
there. If the traitor was as high up as Seth suspected, even Ed
Dennis’s phone could be tapped. She’d worked with Ben Nugent, her
team’s computer technician, enough times to know that there was no
tiny digit of data that entered the FBI buildings that wasn’t
somehow documented and cataloged. Recorded.

She’d considered calling
the Becks but had decided against that. They had helped them enough
already; they didn’t need to get pulled even more into this ordeal.
She could do that much to repay their generosity.

She’d finally texted Mia,
Jules’ assistant, and had her deliver a message to Jules. Jules
could do the rest, and Al trusted her sister-in-law to do what she
asked. No questions asked. Jules was like that.

She hurried through the
airport terminal, half afraid someone would be watching for her.
Was this how Seth had felt in the PAVAD parking garage? Not knowing
who he could trust? Not knowing if he had any allies
around?

If he had only known his
brother was in the building, would he have simply gone
inside?

Probably not. He’d have run
even faster to get out, away. So he could protect Sebastian as best
he could.

The names in the files
hadn’t set off any real bells. But there were no first names, just
initials and last names. And the dates had led her
nowhere.

There were so many pieces
missing from this puzzle. She needed the analysts and her team to
finish it. But how was she supposed to back-end her way
in?

She reviewed her options
once she was out on the street.

She could go home. Maybe
one of her brothers or Jules would be there.

But that would potentially
put them in danger. And after what she’d found at Thanksgiving, she
would
never
let
their home be the place of harm for her family again. She would
never forget the sight of Mick near death in the snow, bleeding
from where he’d been attacked by a damned madman.

That same madman who’d
nearly killed so many people she loved.

No. She wouldn’t go
there.

She could head over to
Dan’s. Paige lived with him, and his wife might even be there now.
She often worked earlier hours now.

But they also had the kids
to consider. Someone was probably watching Ed Dennis’s house. She’d
heard rumors that he was
always
under surveillance.

So that left Ed Dennis
out.

What she needed was
information about the current climate of PAVAD
right now
. She needed to talk to
someone who knew what was going on inside, but who wouldn’t
necessarily be in the
eye
of the investigation.

Someone she was close
enough to for her to trust. But not so publicly close to that that
person would come under scrutiny.

She needed help.

She flagged down a cab, and
gave an address as she climbed inside.

Smokey Jo’s was just as
close. And she could find help there. The place was always filled
with law enforcement. Help waited.

Help she could
trust.

Thankfully Smokey’s car was
in the parking spot reserved for the owner, though it was still
early for her
. Al
went to the back entrance, where the bands usually
entered.

Smokey often left the back
door unlocked while she was carrying in supplies. Al had lectured
her a few times about that. She had again this time, but Al
wouldn’t chastise. It was good to be in a warm, familiar place. One
with food. Al hadn’t realized she was as hungry as she was. And the
smell of Smokey prepping the onion rings the place was famous for
had Al’s stomach rumbling.

She opened the door to the
bar’s small kitchen.

And came face to face with
Cody.

The other woman’s eyes
widened and her mouth opened. “You’re alive. And here. Holy hell,
Al.”

“
Cody. Thank God. I need
help.” Much better than she’d anticipated. She’d wanted to find a
cop or two inside the bar. Ones she could trust. Smokey’s was
famous for being a LEO hangout. But Cody was even
better.

“
I’ll say.” Cody studied
her for a moment then grabbed her arm and pulled her toward a bar
stool near the counter. “Sit. You look marginally better than Seth.
But not much. What the hell happened to the two of you, and how did
you get here?”

“
Plane from Texas. You’ve
seen him? Is he hurt? That guy who took him in wasn’t exactly
gentle.”

“
Banged
up. And in custody. Sister, you have some serious explaining to do.
But why are you
here
and not at PAVAD?”

“
Because
someone in
that
building is responsible for me looking like this. And for the
death of Seth’s friend Agent Riaz. Where is
Seth?”

“
The big
questions have been where
you
were, whether
you
were dead, and what in the hell has been going
on. How did the two of you get separated? Seth isn’t talking. Even
to his brothers or his partner.”

“
One minute I was on my way
to the restroom at a gas station, the next some agents were shoving
him in a sedan.”

“
Carrie’s
sisters called about three hours ago. But they were remarkably
silent about
where
you were going. Question is, who knew you were going to be
in
that
area?”

“
Someone’s been a few steps ahead of us all the way. I don’t
know how and I don’t know who. But I’m starting to think it’s
someone
in
PAVAD
or IA. Or someone that Seth just doesn’t know about. Or someone
who’s betrayed him. I don’t know. But I need help, and I was afraid
everyone close to me in the division would be monitored so closely
I wouldn’t be able to get through. I’m shocked you’re here. How did
you manage that?”

“
I don’t
think
our
people
have mentioned my connection to the Lorcans. And I don’t think IA
or OIG have noticed the forensics people, to be honest. All of the
focus is on your team and on Carrie’s. And on Ed Dennis. They are
watching him closely and are not letting up. Goes deeper than you
guys. And I’m on a food run. Carrie wanted onion rings, so here I
am.”

“
Divine intervention.”
Smokey said from her spot at the counter. “Nice to see you alive,
Al. I’ve been a bit worried.”

“
It’s nice to be alive.
Some of those onion rings would help me stay that way. I don’t
remember when I last ate—I think it was before the flight
sometime.” Her head was still a bit fuzzy, but some of the tension
that had been plaguing her had lessened.

He was alive. They both
were.

And she was with people who
could help her. Cody might work forensics
now
, but she was a fully vetted
agent.

Cody handed her a paper
plate when Smokey passed it her way. Al barely resisted diving in
to the food.

“
We need to figure out what
it is that’s been going on. We’ve been running this whole time. But
now I think we need to go on the offensive. I have a list of coded
information, names, in my bag. Brynna Beck has the same
information. We need to crack that code—I’ve tried for the last who
knows how many hours now. We need someone who can help. And we need
to narrow down who would possibly have inner knowledge of what was
going on. Enough to set up two ambushes. We were shot at a few days
ago—the day we ended up at the Becks. By someone that Seth thought
he recognized from somewhere. And ran off the road. And it’s most
likely one of twenty or so people. And someone tipped off Barnes to
our location, I think.”

“
We need to cross reference
who was in the area, plus who is at PAVAD. There are six from Texas
field office, and three from OIG. And Seth’s partner Bertram and a
teammate. They’ve been there since the morning after you were
taken. OIG was here before you left that night.”

“
Seth
woke up in the back of a Bureau issue sedan, Cody. Someone
in
the building had to
know he was there. So there are ten potential UNSUBs right there.
Who else is there now?”

“
Sinclair—who I’d like to
handcuff and lock in a cage just for shits and giggles, the ten I
mentioned, your team, Hell’s team, and Mal’s. Jules, Mick, and Ed
Dennis. They’re all being watched closely. Your…uh…parents, too.
They’ve all been extremely worried.”

“
Dammit. I wanted them kept
out of it. I’m surprised Mick and Mal didn’t—”

“
They tried. But the IA
guys made the case that they might be safer inside PAVAD for the
time being. Ed chose to err on the side of caution.”

Al nodded. She didn’t like
it, but she understood. “That’s it? Anyone else?”

“
No. Just them. But aren’t
they who you’d need, anyway?”

Al thought for a moment. It
sounded like the entire CCU was contained. In one place.
Reinforcements, and the best the PAVAD division had to
offer.

Cody was quiet for a
moment. “I need to get this back or they’ll start to wonder what’s
going on. I think you should go on the offensive. Use the resources
PAVAD has. Once you’re in the building there is nothing they can do
to you there.” Cody patted her hip, where her own weapon rested. “I
have an extra in the car. How about I give you a lift? I know some
people who are waiting to see you.”

“
Let me wash up a bit
first. I need to make a good impression. Go in strong. I’ll hurry.”
She pulled her bag closer. “Smokey, can I borrow your bathroom for
a few?”

“
Whatever you need. If you
need clothes, Payton left a bag here last week. It’s still in the
dressing room. Glad to see you’re not dead.

“
Glad to
be not dead. Now time to see to it that
Seth
stays that
way.”

Chapter
Forty-Two

***

“
So how do you want to play
this?” Cody asked as the two of them walked up the sidewalk
carrying the food from Smokey’s. “Family first or CCU?”

Al thought for a moment,
remembering the pain and fear they’d all felt when Jules and
Malachi had been kidnapped. “Family. I need to see my mother, make
sure she’s ok. Time enough to deal with everyone else.”

She expected bells and
whistles but the security team in the front lobby just waved her
right through seconds after Cody. Next stop was the elevator. As
the box ascended to the floor where she normally spent most of her
time she felt more and more of her equilibrium
returning.

Here
she could get the help she needed.

And check on that idiot man
to make sure he wasn’t hurt more than Cody knew.

Mick saw her first. He
bellowed for Mal then crossed the bullpen and yanked her off her
feet.

Al just held onto the food,
though she wanted to hug her brother bac. She really did love him,
giant irritant that he could be. She’d come so close to losing him
back at Christmas. “I’m ok, Mick. I promise. Where are Mom and
Dad?”

“
Visitors’ lounge with
Ruthie. Georgia Hellbrook is sitting with them.”

“
I need to see them. But
first, I need to see Seth.”

“
I don’t think you need to
go near that guy again.”

“
Mick, there’s things I
need to do. Don’t get in my way.” Sometimes this brother needed a
firm reminder that she was as capable as he. He’d always been that
way. “Where is he?”

“
Interrogation room A. He’s
been a bit uncooperative.”

“
Who is in with him?” He’d
been uncooperative since the whole episode had begun. She had a
feeling that was just who Seth was.

“
His brothers. IA. Ed
Dennis. Mal’s been in and out. No one can get him to talk. And he’s
hiding something.”