Chemical Attraction, page 27
She leaned over him. “Don’t ever touch me again.” She buttoned her pants as the agents hauled him to the cafeteria. Her hand hurt, but the rest of her felt better. No wonder Aunt Sylvia boasted about punching Earl.
“Keep him separate from the rest,” Joe said. “I want to talk to him.”
She flipped the switch to the ultrasound while Ernest lay dead with blood seeping from his eyes. Why was Ernest dead? Rubbing her temple, she tried but couldn’t focus on that. She could have died, too. She’d had a gun, her gun, against her head. Slowly, she sat on the stool. She absently felt the vials for heat. They were still cold from their refrigeration.
Joe put a hand on her shoulder. “Baby, are you okay?” She nodded but didn’t look at him. “Hey, come here.”
She hugged him. “I was so scared.”
“You did great. You stayed calm and even got him to confess some important information,” he said into her hair. “I love you. You constantly amaze me.” He kissed her lips, calming her anxiety.
They heard Eva over the com. “Is the King finished singing with the Piano Player? We have more work to do.”
Joe sighed and touched his earpiece. “I suppose everyone heard that.”
She had forgotten to turn off the microphone on her com unit. She tapped it off. “I’m sorry.”
“Team 2 checking in. We hear static and missed previous conversation.”
“Team 4 has static from cafeteria location.” She smiled as the teams continued to deny hearing Joe. They didn’t want him in trouble either.
“Team 1 requests the King’s presence. We found something in CFO’s office,” Matt’s voice said.
“On my way,” Joe replied, tapping the headset again. “Are you done with those?”
She nodded. “None heated up when you turned on the ultrasound. I should have done that first instead of looking at each vial. Anyway, we still have the rest of this floor and the fourth.”
“For now, I want you with me.”
“I’m safe. I can stay.”
“I want you and Eva in on the search in the offices. I’m also not over seeing the woman I love with a gun against her head.” He pushed his earpiece. “Team 6, report to third floor.”
She and Joe walked into Alan Shaw’s office to find Matt, Eva, Rita, and Tim standing around a TV. “We found this disc in a drawer underneath some files,” Matt said, sliding it into the DVD player. The blue screen of the TV switched to a scene with Joe shoving her against the wall, knocking down two clipboards.
“Uh, I can explain.” Joe stepped past the crowd. Before he stopped it, they saw her thigh-highs and garter by the copy machine.
“Whoa.” Tim stared with the rest of the group.
Joe quickly hit the eject button. When the screen turned blue again, everyone looked at her. She tried to think of how to explain, but it all sounded so lame in her head.
“Let’s just say we were working undercover to get some information and leave it at that,” Joe said. That sounded just as lame.
Eva grinned. “So that explains last Monday seeing you before my meeting with Susan Dolan?”
Blushing deeply, she nodded. “Is that why you called us up here?”
Joe held onto the disc and waited for Matt to answer her question. “No,” Matt said, “Rita found something curious in the CFO’s computer.”
“I looked through his accounting files under specific departments. One department shipped items to another off-site laboratory, but BennTech paid for all of the expenses. I flagged it because it’s raw materials.”
“The ingredients for meth?” Joe asked.
“No, but these materials are the only things sent out from the company,” Rita replied.
“Which department is it?” Madeline asked.
“Yours, Dr. Pierce.” Rita crossed her arms. “I think you’re in on this.”
“I’m the one who called the FBI.”
“Maybe it’s a cover because we were getting close.”
“You’re right, Rita,” Eva said. “Homeland Security called the FBI to cover her own butt. You’re an idiot.”
“What do you mean, Homeland Security?” Rita asked, glaring.
Eva grinned. “Madeline works for Homeland Security. She outranks you.”
“She does not,” Rita replied, looking at Joe. Madeline sighed.
Joe shrugged. “She actually outranks me.”
“Getting back to the information … what items are shipped to this other laboratory if they aren’t meth materials?” Matt asked.
“Here, I printed off a hard copy.” Rita slid it over to her.
Looking over the sheet, Madeline paled. “I’ll explain this nano-stuff later,” she said as she folded the sheet and stuffed it into her back pocket.
Joe nodded. “Anything else about the meth materials being bought or shipped out?” Rita shook her head. “I think I’ll have a chat with Kenny. Keep looking.”
Tim continued to stare at Joe and Madeline. He didn’t quite understand how Homeland Security fit into the scheme of things. He’d known this would be an interesting assignment, but now it was blowing his mind. He listened carefully and tried to piece the puzzle together. They had a DVD of Joe and Madeline making out in part of the building. Madeline outranked them as a Homeland Security agent and her department sent chemicals to another lab that wasn’t meth related. He had no idea what was going on.
Joe looked at him. “Come with me while the rest continue the search.” He set the disc down on the desk and walked out the door. In the hallway, Joe stopped and faced him. “That DVD shows us obtaining information. If word gets out about what you saw on it, I’ll know you did it. It won’t bode well for you, when I add the fact that you left Madeline alone in an unsecured area.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, cringing.
Agents knew Joe as an intelligent guy, but if you crossed him, it became ugly. He remembered last year when an agent blew Joe’s cover. John Betts not only got a dressing down in front of the team, he now had a desk job in Idaho. For as much as he wanted to tell the guys about the DVD, he did like and respect Madeline. Besides, he didn’t want to piss off a guy who was trying to protect the woman he loved.
Madeline smiled as Joe left. She didn’t outrank him. Joe’s boss had said that since Joe had the experience, the FBI would lead the investigation. Fine by her, she was only a scientist. But Joe had just given her an advantage over Rita’s attitude. Of course, Eva reveled in the idea. With her hands on her hips, Eva turned to face Rita.
“Dear,” Matt said, “I think it would be a good idea if you and Madeline checked out the CEO’s office, but it’s Madeline’s call. She’s in charge, after all.”
Smiling, both ladies nodded and started to leave for the other office across the hall.
“Rita, keep looking through those computer files,” Matt said, sorting through the file cabinet.
Rita nodded and slid the disc closer to her. Humming, she continued her search.
“I want a deal,” Kenny said to Joe, who sat across from him in the cafeteria.
“I don’t think so. You assaulted my partner and she’s already gotten your confession.” He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “And I already told you I would make you disappear for touching her. What kind of agent would I be if I didn’t follow through?”
Kenny sat up straighter and put his cuffed hands on the table. “I’ll give you more names.”
He motioned for paper and a pen. As Tim set a yellow legal notepad and pen in front of Kenny, Joe stood. “Write down everything. If I’m satisfied, we’ll talk again.”
“How do I know you won’t screw me over?” Kenny asked, picking up the pen.
“You don’t.” He walked away. “Ray, any info from the other employees?”
“Kenny told those shipping guys which boxes to pack into the truck. Their big bonuses kept their mouths shut until now.”
Suddenly, Bobby’s voice came over their headsets. “Team 1, this is Team 3 at the front entrance. We have a situation. Bill Bennett is demanding to speak with Team Leader.”
“Team 3, stand by. Team 6, have you searched his office?” Joe asked.
“No, we need keys to his files and computer code access,” Madeline replied.
“Team 3, escort CEO to his office on the third floor. Let him read the search warrant on the way,” Joe said.
Bill Bennett, Jr. and Bobby stood inside Bill’s office door. Bobby said nothing on the way. Seated in his executive chair, Madeline crossed her legs and swiveled slowly from side to side. She had clipped her badge to her outer tank top.
“What is the meaning of this, Dr. Pierce?” Bill asked, seeing only her in the room.
“That’s exactly what I’d like to know, Bill.”
“Get out of my chair.”
“This was your father’s chair and you don’t deserve to sit in it. He would be very disappointed in you.” She calmly folded her hands on her lap.
“You have no idea what I’m doing for this company. We’re about to be on the map worldwide!” he yelled.
“Yeah, on the map to destroy the company your father worked so hard to create.” She stretched back farther in the chair. Bill stalked around the desk and yanked her out. She twisted his arm so quickly behind his back that he gasped. “You are under arrest for assaulting a Homeland Security agent.”
She didn’t want to say it—technically she wasn’t one anymore—but Bill had given her no choice. Joe was going to enjoy giving her shit about it. She pushed him toward Bobby, who raised his eyebrow with a smirk. It was the first sign of life she had seen in him.
As Bobby handcuffed him and read him his rights, Joe walked into the room and grinned. “Nicely done, Agent Pierce. You haven’t forgotten your training.”
Matt entered the room behind Joe. “Bobby, take him down to our station. Put him in the interrogation room until we can talk to him properly.”
“I demand to know what’s going on!” Bill yelled as Bobby yanked him out of the office.
“You are in no position to demand anything,” Madeline replied, tapping off her ear com.
“You sure know how to push people’s buttons and piss them off. Are you taking lessons from my sister?”
Eva entered the room and pressed on his stitches. “Take that back, Joey.”
Joe tapped his ear com. “Good work, teams. Let’s finish looking for the meth materials and go home.” He turned off his com. “Where’s Rita?”
“I saw her leave with Bobby,” Eva said. “I think she took your disc. What’s going on?”
“Later,” he replied, leaving the room.
Matt and his officers took Kenny and the rest of the shipping guys down to the city station for formal questioning. Joe supervised the confiscation of items from the offices. He sent a team to go through the Materials Management department and shipping for the meth materials. They had a rental truck to haul everything back to Detroit. She and Eva observed the agents.
“Eva, I still want to look around the fourth floor. Although I don’t think I’ll find those vials there,” she said.
“How are we going to get through the security doors?”
Madeline held up Bill’s ID badge and key card. She had taken them from his jacket pocket when she twisted his arm around. “I’m starting to get the hang this agent stuff.”
“You should consider being Joe’s partner.”
She double-checked to make sure her headset was off. “Can work and play mix?”
“It has so far.” Eva pressed the fourth floor button in the elevator while Madeline slipped Bill’s passkey into the slot for admittance. “My brother needs an equal.”
“I do love him, but we haven’t known each other for very long.”
“Do you believe in the chemistry of love at first sight?” Eva asked.
They stepped onto the fourth floor. It didn’t look any different from the others, except it was divided in half by one main corridor. It had a strange feel to it she couldn’t quite place.
“Last month I would have said no, but I did feel attracted to him instantly at the banquet. That kiss on the dance floor jolted me awake.”
Eva smiled. “That’s how it was with Matt. Taylor will tell you the same thing about Stuart.” She pushed on the first door. They stood inside with mouths open. “Wow, what are they doing up here? Is this a sterile room?”
Blinding bright white paint covered the walls, ceiling, floors, tables, stools, and even the windows. If it weren’t for the equipment on the tables, the room would have messed with their depth perception.
“It seems to be, but I don’t see any sterile suits.” Madeline carefully walked to the equipment. “Until we know what this is, don’t touch anything.” Looking closer, she broke her rule and picked up a palm-sized box with a dial and switch. She slowly turned the dial. “This is an ultrasound machine … there are hundreds. Let’s get Joe up here to see these,” she said, feeling queasy.
Eva touched her headset. “Team 1, this is Team 6.” She paused. “Team 1, please respond.”
She touched hers and repeated the same thing with no answer. “What’s going on? I’m feeling a bit panicked. How about you?”
“Yeah, let’s go,” Eva said, backing out of the room.
Madeline slipped a box into her purse on the way out. “This whole floor is eerie.”
As the elevator doors opened on the first floor, Joe and five agents aimed their weapons at them. Both women jumped back against the wall.
“Where the hell have you been and why didn’t you answer me?” Joe yelled as the team lowered their guns.
“What are you talking about? We tried to call you and you didn’t answer,” Madeline said, finally feeling her heart rate slow. “We used Bill’s pass key to check out the fourth floor. Is there something wrong with our headsets?” She tested hers without a problem.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going up there? And where’s your escort?” He folded his arms. The other agents took a step back as Joe heated up.
Madeline ignored his anger. “We need to show you what we found. You may want to bring a few of your guys.”
Joe told three of the guys to guard the elevator door. She and Eva let Joe, Tim, and Ray step out first.
“Doesn’t it feel creepy?” Madeline asked.
“It’s dead quiet,” Joe replied. That was it. They heard none of the usual building sounds like the air conditioning, buzzing, or the settling. He tapped his headset. “Why won’t these work up here?”
“Joe, I need to show you something,” Madeline said. Tim and Ray walked down the hall. Eva followed them while she opened the right side laboratory, letting Joe enter first.
“Whoa, that’s weird. Why all the white?” Joe asked.
Madeline closed the door behind her. “We don’t know, but look at these. Do they look familiar?”
“It looks like that machine I used on Ernie, only smaller.”
“Yeah, it is, and there are hundreds.” She began to feel the beginnings of panic again from the implications.
“Wait a minute. If that nano-drug is used on animals outside the lab, then this device can control them instead of lugging around that huge ultrasound machine. This is a weapon, not medicine, isn’t it?”
Covering her mouth with both hands, she nodded.
“Let’s go. We need to talk to Mr. Bennett.” They left quickly. Eva and his agents rushed after them. Stepping off the elevator on the first floor, Joe asked, “Could you hear any of our conversation?”
“None, the coms went dead,” Gene said, staring at their stunned expressions.
Joe hit his ear. “Is everything packed and ready to go?”
“Yes, sir, we’re waiting for further instructions,” a voice replied over the com.
Joe’s cell rang. He looked at his Caller ID. “Shit, I need to take this. You three return to the front desk with June. Then we’ll decide who goes back to Detroit and who stays.” Tim and Ray remained with Eva and Madeline. They stared at him as he stepped away. With a sigh, he answered his phone.
“Agent Roberts, I have a complaint against you that requires immediate attention,” FBI Division Director Peter Bingaman said.
“Is this an official complaint, sir?” He knew he’d have to deal with this soon, but hadn’t expected to in the middle of a bust.
“Yes, it is.”
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised she worked so quickly.”
“You know what this is about?” his boss asked.
“Yes, sir. Agent McMillan has a DVD of what looks like inappropriate behavior.”
“Can you explain this to me, Agent Roberts? This isn’t like you, Joe. What’s going on over there?”
“Have you seen it?” he asked.
“No, not yet, are you denying her allegations?”
“Sir, it was part of our cover for me to get into the building and a specific department with many security cameras. When you review the disc, look past the obvious to see what we’re actually doing, which is making copies of shipping manifests.”
“Why would Agent McMillan file a complaint?”
“Sir, you know why. Her behavior is what is inappropriate on this case. She is blackmailing your agents to get her way. I understood you couldn’t do anything before. It’s formal now and I want to counter with my own complaint. I am sick of her blatant disregard for the FBI and what it stands for because of who she knows.” His voice echoed down the hallway.
The director sighed. “Joe, are you sure you want to do this?”
“Yes, sir. I’m not the only one she’s tried to blackmail for favors.” He looked at his nodding agents.
“All right, I’ll take care of it personally. She’ll be flying the agents back when you’re done?”
