Chemical Attraction, page 8
He poured his coke and scanned the page. Stopping at the fourth item, he re-read the line. Foam spilled over his hand, jeans, and bed. He used his yellow shirt to soak up the overflow and read the line for the third time.
“God damn it! I knew it! She’s a frickin’ agent!”
He grabbed clean clothes. Slamming his computer screen shut, he shoved it under the bed. He clipped on his gun and put on the hot cotton shirt to hide it. He headed for the waterfront. Dark clouds to the west matched his mood as he forced himself to slow his pace.
Moms, pushing strollers with toddlers in tow, headed for their cars knowing it would storm soon. Teens, fishing off the side, pulled in their lines. On the boardwalk next to Madeline’s building, he watched the trees across the river turn their leaves from the updraft of wind. He saw only a couple of teenagers on bikes riding past on the now deserted boardwalk. Glancing up, he noticed the screens in her open windows. He’d warned her that someone could get in through those. It shouldn’t surprise him that she hadn’t listened.
A few large drops from the darkening sky fell on his shoulder. Taking one last look around the empty area, he walked to the fire escape. Without stepping on the short bushes, he positioned himself underneath the ladder. His vertical jump wasn’t what it used to be, but he grabbed the bottom of the ladder after the third try. He quickly pulled himself up the four rungs before his feet touched the bottom one.
He crept to the area with a three-foot space between the fire escape platform and her window. In one swift motion, he flipped his legs to the outside of the railing and kicked her screen. He stepped to the narrow ledge, crouched down, and slid into the room.
After doing a quick survey, he replaced the screen as the rain began to pour. He reached for his mini-mag flashlight from his pocket and started with her dresser. He searched the top drawer until he found what he was looking for. Opening the leather case with her badge, he fumed. He tossed it back in and slammed the drawer shut, paying no attention to the various undergarments.
A search through the rest of her dresser came up empty. In her kitchenette area, he yanked open cupboards. Pulling open the kitchen drawers, he found silverware in one, dishtowels and potholders in another. In the third one, he found it in its holster under old condiment packets and half-open packages of McDonald’s croutons. Her Colt government-issue had crumbs and yellow goo covering the slide. He took out the empty clip. What the hell was she thinking?
He placed it in another drawer and washed the mustard and honey off his hands. After taking off his cotton over shirt and gun, he sat in her chair. The wind felt good against his sweaty body, but it didn’t help his mood. All she had to do was tell him the truth about her status. Instead, she’d played him.
After dropping Eva off at the research building, Matt drove past Joe. He respected Joe and his instincts. He knew him as loyal to his sisters and to his job; but if his visit was work-related, that boy had better come clean with him soon.
The city police station, situated a few blocks from the Hartford, held three small cells. Any overflow went to the county jail in the Sheriff’s Department by the hospital. Lately, there had been many arrests from drug-related incidents of theft and assault. Feeling a headache from the increase of busts and Joe’s unknown assignment, he walked into the station.
Phones rang and officers scrambled to answer them. They weren’t 911 calls, but many knew the station’s number better. He should probably talk to the mayor about hiring a few extra people.
“Hey Chief,” Bobby Callahan said, rubbing the top of his short red hair, “there’s a message to call Doc Adams when you get the chance. Also, the sheriff said the autopsy is set for eight on Tuesday morning.”
“Any update on the meth lab in the woods by that body?”
“While I was out there, they didn’t find much except for a lot of waste and an old Browning .45. I’ve already started to process that.”
“What about that kid from OccHealth I brought in?”
“Coming down off his high,” he replied, reaching for the ringing phone.
“I’ll be in my office.” That added to his headache. Sitting behind his small desk in an even smaller room, he dialed the doc’s number. “Hey Jack, what have you got for me?”
“I took a blood sample around the beaks that you can match to the victim’s blood. I also checked the emus for injuries and found corn tassels caught in their feathers.”
“So what are your thoughts about the birds?”
“Well, I’m not sure. Until you test the blood from the beaks against the victim’s, you won’t know for sure, but finding the tassels makes it a possibility. It baffles me why they would become so aggressive.”
“Well, if you come up with a decent theory, I’d like to hear it. Thanks for the help. I’ll send someone.”
Hanging up, he yelled for Bobby, and then sat back and closed his eyes. Nothing came to him. What the hell was going on in his town? He took these things personally. His phone continued to ring as he tried to catch up on paperwork.
Eva hurried into the Occupational Health Department. Her meeting with Susan Dolan had run longer than she had anticipated. Amanda told her that two patients were waiting for her in Rooms One and Three.
“You’ve done the screens and vitals?” she asked, slipping on her lab coat. Amanda nodded as she grabbed a chart out of her hand.
“Larry Murphy’s in Room Three,” Amanda called out.
She walked swiftly down the hall. “Hi Larry, I’m Eva.”
She realized he was one of the thugs from the banquet. He smiled, showing a missing front tooth. She sped through the exam. He actually got hard when she checked for a hernia. Writing in his chart, she walked down the hallway. She bumped into Dr. Ellis and wondered why he didn’t move when he saw her coming.
“I want to know about your meeting,” he demanded.
“Okay, sure, I have one more patient then I can explain what she said.”
“I don’t need an explanation. I want to know when the serum will be ready.”
“I’ll be with you in ten minutes. I’ve already kept my next patient waiting for twenty.”
“Fine, ten minutes.”
She continued to the front desk and switched charts with Amanda. “If I’m not out in ten, come and get me.” She walked into Room One and looked up to see a smiling Simon Baker in a hospital gown. “Hi, Simon, what are you doing here?”
“Mrs. Matt, I got me real job now. I take better care of my mama.”
“It says here you’ll work in support services at BennTech.”
“Yes, sweeping and mopping. I do that and now get paid. Nice man from party said to come down for job,” he said, sitting up straight.
“I’m going to give you your physical. I’ll tell you everything I do, so you’ll understand why I have to do it.”
“Okay, Mrs. Matt.”
She explained about the lungs and heart as she went. Shocked that she checked down there, he wanted to know if Matt knew the places she had to look and feel. She told him it was just part of her job.
“Okay, Simon, you passed your physical. Did Amanda tell you why you had to urinate in the cup?”
“Yes, to check for drugs. I do not do drugs, Mrs. Matt.”
“That’s good to hear. Your mom must be very proud of you with a new job.”
“I be gone at nights to work, but, yes, she proud.”
“Good luck, Simon. Can I tell Matt the good news, too?” He nodded as she left the room. “Is Dr. Ellis still in his office?” Eva asked Betty, who answered the ringing phone.
Amanda replied, “Nope, he left right after you went into the room.”
She shook her head and waved to Simon as he walked out the door.
Amanda watched him. “That guy is weird.”
“I wouldn’t say weird. He’s different. Matt has known him since high school. He’s slow, but has a good heart. I told you what happened at the banquet. He was scared and still tried to protect me. I thought it was very sweet.”
“Why does he call you Mrs. Matt?” Betty asked, hanging up the phone.
“I think it’s out of respect for Matt. I’m beat. I’ll see you ladies tomorrow. David’s picking me up at three.”
She met Dr. Vandeen on her way to the front entrance. Marsha kept pace with her through the atrium. “Leaving early, Eva?”
She nodded. “Did you have a good time at the banquet?”
“Yeah, it gave me a chance to push my project with BennTech’s execs.”
“So it was all work and no play?” Eva asked. “I saw you quite cozy with Dr. Russell.”
“Ha, you’re funny.” Marsha abruptly turned toward the clinic’s offices.
Shaking her head, she waved to the volunteer greeter on the way out the door. She waited until three-thirty. Seeing clouds forming, she called David’s cell. When he didn’t answer, she started down the hill. She had walked the mile home before, but not in two-inch heels.
Drenched, she limped up the driveway. After walking around her car, she stood shaking in the garage. Carrying her shoes, she dripped a path into the bedroom. She wrung out her wet clothes and draped them over the shower curtain rod. Thunder boomed. She squeezed most of the water out of her hair. More hurt then angry, she slipped on her robe and sat in the chair by the bed. She listened to the storm.
Seeing the dripping clothes and his wife sitting in the chair with tears in her eyes, Matt knelt beside her. “Did you walk all the way home in the rain?” She nodded and wiped her eyes. He clenched his fist. “I’m sorry, babe. I’ll take care of it.”
“I’m okay, really. I’m just tired,” she said softly.
The lights went out as thunder shook the house. Matt reached for a flashlight from the nightstand next to Eva’s chair. “I’ll check on a couple things and come right back.”
He kissed her damp head. He stalked down the hallway and kicked in David’s bedroom door. Lying across his bed, David was listening to his iPod and jumped up as Matt appeared in the doorway.
“Jeez, Dad, what’s your problem?”
“You’re my problem. Did you know your mother walked home in the rain?”
“Oops, sorry.”
“You’re apologizing to the wrong person, again. Fix it, David.”
He left too pissed to discuss anything with his teenager. He found his wife asleep, oblivious to the raging storm. He gently picked her up from the chair and laid her on the bed.
As the storm grew closer, Joe heard the steps creaking a while later. He sat in the dark room as the rain began to come through the screens, soaking her rugs. The doorknob turned. Madeline threw her purse on the floor and rushed to shut the windows. In the shadows, he said nothing until she turned back around. He was seething.
“Hello, Madeline.” He turned on the light.
She let out a startled scream. “Damn it, Joe. You scared the shit out of me. Okay, you’ve proved your point. I promise I’ll keep my windows locked.”
He cleared his head from the sight of her blouse clinging to her body and hair against her face and neck. “You haven’t clued me in on everything.”
She went into the bathroom to change. “What are you talking about?” she asked, leaving the door open.
“Something about yourself,” he replied, catching glimpses of her taking off her skirt, blouse, and stockings.
Walking closer in a blue tank top and matching boxers, she toweled her hair dry. “I told you everything.”
“Are you sure, Agent Pierce?”
She cringed. “Oh. That.”
“Oh that!” he yelled, taking a step toward her. “Did you simply forget that you’re a Homeland Security Agent? And did you simply forget to let another federal agent know, Agent Pierce?” With tears in her eyes, she backed away from him even though he had stopped. She kept the kitchen island between them. He stared at her reaction. “You played me. I’m done here. I’ll give you the copies, then you’re on your own.” He headed for the door.
“Please. Joe. I can explain. I didn’t think it mattered,” she whispered as he turned the knob.
“You should have explained it from the start, Agent Pierce.” He slammed the door and stomped down the stairs. He reached the lower landing while Madeline stood at the top.
“Joe. Please. Don’t go. I’m afraid. I … I … need your help.”
He stopped from opening the door and looked up as she cried. “You’ll start from the beginning?”
She continued to nod as he met her at the top of the stairs. “I’m sorry. I’ll answer everything.”
She let out a breath when he returned to her room. He sat in the chair and waited. Sitting on the corner of her bed, she reached for a pillow. She used it to wipe her eyes, then wrapped her arms around it.
“A month before I graduated with my doctorate, two agents approached me. They asked if I would serve my country by working in research and help them in the process. Homeland Security works with many types of professionals, including scientists with neurobiology backgrounds. Their Executive Program recruits talent from the private sector who then share their expertise with Homeland Security to fill special, discreet needs to protect our nation. I agreed, and they trained me in self-defense and weaponry for this rushed assignment.”
Madeline jumped as the thunder and lightning simultaneously cracked. Joe listened stoically.
“Three months later, I left feeling confident. I had knowledge, power, and the opportunity to help my country. My assignment was to start my research for BennTech, but to keep my eyes and ears open for illegal activity. After Bill Bennett Jr. took over, there were rumors of illicit doings with terrorist ties, but Homeland could never pin anything down. For six months, I called every few weeks with a report. I never had anything to tell them, so they deactivated me. They moved on and so did I.”
“You get a paycheck from Homeland?”
“No, I had volunteered. They gave me a badge, but I never considered myself an agent.”
“And where do I come in? Why the FBI?
“Since BennTech has facilities across the U.S., I thought the FBI would be the agency to call. When I called two weeks ago with my concern, Agent Orr agreed that they could help. He said they’d send someone. I thought it was illegal. It never dawned on me to call Homeland Security. I guess I should have. Joe, I’m just a scientist. I became so involved in my research. This nanotechnology became my primary focus and my life. It’s all I think about.”
He leaned his elbow on the chair arm to prop up his head. “What happened that made you jump at the training?”
Cringing, Madeline pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. “In college, I dated a guy who was as controlling as my father. By the time I figured it out and tried to break it off, I was pregnant. He beat me until I miscarried. It put me in the hospital for a week.” She sighed. “Joe, I’m in over my head. I don’t know what to do.” She watched him walk to the window, the rain hitting the glass. Joining him, she put her hand lightly on his forearm. “Will you help me?”
“Yeah, we’re partners now, Agent Pierce. The first chance you get, you will clean your gun. My guess is you’ll be reinstated until we finish this. I’ll get my boss to clue in Homeland. We’ll let our bosses fight out the jurisdictional bullshit while we search for evidence on your theory.”
Nodding, she hugged his waist. He put his arm around her as the lights went out. “I’ve got some candles in the kitchen,” she said.
As the lightning flashed, he thought he saw someone standing by the boardwalk bench watching the building. He locked the windows and rechecked the door lock. Returning to the window, he avoided standing directly in front of it. “Who lives in the other apartment?”
“Pat, she’s a secretary at BennTech,” she replied, setting candles around the room. “I had a chat with security after you dropped me off.” She set the last one on her nightstand. The room held a soft glow of dancing shadows.
“Did they see us?” he asked, straining to see the boardwalk during the lightning strikes.
She sat on the bed and pulled her knees to her chest again. “Yes, and June said the disc was gone. That’s not good, is it?”
“No, it’s not.” He sat beside her. “You and I will be spending more time together. When you’re not at work, you’ll be with me.” Thunder exploded next to the building as the rain pounded against the windows.
“Are you still upset with me?” she asked, biting her bottom lip.
“No, I understand now. This is going to be difficult, Madeline. Are you up for it?”
“With your help, I am.”
He smiled. “Pack a bag and I’ll get you a room at Sylvia’s.”
“Stay here with me,” she whispered.
Having spent the afternoon smelling lilacs, temptation pushed him. He kissed her and caressed her bare arm. Moaning, she slid her hand behind his head. This time, he moaned and then froze.
“We can’t,” he whispered, breathing heavily. With a pained look, he stood back from the bed. “Madeline, I don’t have any protection with me.”
“I’m on the pill. It’s another way of staying in control. You aren’t taking advantage. I want you in my bed.”
She slowly undressed. God, she was perfect. He groaned at her tan body with pale triangles of skin from her bikini top and thong bottoms. He’d weakened, damn it. She was his contact.
The fact that he’d already used up every ounce of self-control during their tour of BennTech didn’t help either. The battle in his head had raged with alertness of being caught, of making sure security saw what he wanted them to see, and of feeling the cool goose bumps on her skin wherever his warm hand caressed.
