Chapter 2
CHAPTER
Kendra still saw Griffin in the rearview mirror as she drove out of the gates and headed down the road toward the freeway.
Damn him. She knew better than to let Griffin upset her.
She was aware what a hard-ass he could be.
But this time he’d shocked her when he’d told her that Lynch might be either hurt or in danger.
She’d known he’d been watching her, gauging every sign of weakness or duplicity.
It had been difficult to not show that weakness.
Now that she was no longer being watched, she found she was even shaking a little.
Don’t let him do this to her. Nothing had happened to Lynch. He was the toughest agent she’d ever known. If he’d disappeared, it was because that was what he wanted to do. Lynch was always two steps ahead of any of the guys he was sent after. She had to remember that.
Because she couldn’t bear it if she didn’t.
First she had to get control of herself. Then she had to decide what her next move would be. No problem.
Because Lynch was going to be fine just like he always—
Blaring noise!
A roar right behind her car.
She knew that sound.
She looked over in the middle lane and wasn’t surprised to see a scarlet motorcycle with a rider who was motioning her to pull off the road ahead.
Kendra sighed and then obeyed the rider’s order and turned onto the access road before parking in the trees. She sat in her car and waited for the rider to pull up beside her and take off her helmet. “Hello, Jessie. Was it Olivia?”
Jessie Mercado grinned. “Who else? She said weird things were happening and told me about a few of them. But she didn’t like the idea of you being alone to contend with any of them.
So she got me out of my yoga class and told me I had to cancel the bodyguard detail I had scheduled to protect one of Hollywood’s super hunks from his fans and come rescue you. ”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Well, that’s not exactly how she put it.
But I can see how she might be concerned.
You’re both computer-savvy, and I don’t like weird coincidences.
So I hopped on my bike and headed for Lynch’s place.
I got there just before you and Griffin came out of the house and locked it up.
You were both pretty intense, so I just parked in the woods and waited until you were finished.
” She made a face. “Griffin isn’t my favorite person.
He doesn’t care for my style. He doesn’t think any private investigator is as good as his agents, and I seem to annoy him.
When I have anything to do with any of his cases, he tries to ignore me. ”
“That must be a challenge for him.”
“I make sure it is.” Her smile faded. “But your negative vibes were pretty clear to me when you were walking back to your car. Was he giving you a tough time?”
“Not easy. But the situation was the tough part. I wasn’t sure how to handle it.”
Jessie’s gaze suddenly narrowed on her face. “I can see that. And that’s unusual for you, Kendra. Anything I can help with?”
“Not until I decide what to do.” She shrugged. “I’m a bit upset at the moment. It’s a puzzle within a puzzle.”
“But that’s what those police detectives think when they ask you to come in and examine the evidence,” Jessie said quietly. “You usually manage to see through the puzzle and find things that they don’t.”
“Not every time.” Kendra’s hand clenched on the steering wheel. “And what if this time I’m not able to do it? I can’t screw up and make a mistake on this.”
“Do you want to talk it out? I think you know that you can trust me not to get in your way.”
Yes, Kendra knew that was true. Jessie ran her own Santa Monica private detective agency, and she was doing very well because she was smart as a whip and seemed to have contacts all over Southern California.
She was also super discreet and honest, and she had helped Lynch and Kendra many times in extremely close calls.
“You may not want to become involved,” Kendra said ruefully. “It’s not going to improve your relations with the FBI. Griffin will probably be back and asking questions I won’t answer.”
“Actually, that sounds like an intriguing prospect.” Jessie chuckled. “Did I mention he’s not one of my favorite people?”
“I believe you did.” She was still a little uncertain, but it probably couldn’t hurt to just fill Jessie in on the general info Griffin had given her when Olivia had already told her so much.
Maybe it would help Kendra clear her head and make those decisions.
“But perhaps you’ll see why I might agree with you after I tell you about my little chat with him. It was mostly about Lynch . . .”
Jessie was silent for a moment after Kendra had finished. “He actually suggested to the Justice Department that Lynch might have turned rogue?”
“That’s what he said.” Kendra wrinkled her nose.
“He added very quickly that Justice hadn’t believed him.
I don’t know if he even believed it himself.
I’ve always thought that Griffin was a little jealous of Lynch since he’s become the fair-haired boy with the Justice Department.
He might have just thought it was a way to undermine Lynch’s influence. ”
“A very dangerous move,” Jessie said. “In the circles Lynch moves in, he could end up dead if they thought he was a traitor.”
“But Justice doesn’t think he’s a traitor.
They’re leaning toward victim. Or so they told Griffin.
Who knows if there’s not a mole in the Justice Department, too?
I have problems trusting politicians.” Kendra glanced at her handbag on the backseat.
“Either way, I can see why Lynch might not feel he could trust either of them. Which is probably why he contacted me to go get that package for him.”
“And tried to make the fact that he was doing it as obscure as possible,” Jessie murmured. “He didn’t want them to connect his mission with you if he could find a way around it.”
“That’s right.” She suddenly felt a rush of profound relief as she realized what that meant.
“They said he disappeared and were afraid he was a victim. But all this happened after he disappeared from that Scottish airport. So he has to be alive and out there somewhere figuring out a way to handle what’s going on. ”
“Excellent reasoning,” Jessie said. “Why do I feel all is suddenly right with your world?”
“Because he’s alive.” She drew a deep breath.
“I kept telling myself that, but I was kind of stunned. It took you to say the words before they actually made sense. Of course he’s alive and well.
He’s Adam Lynch, isn’t he? They’d never be able to put him down.
Now all I have to do is to find a way to help him. ”
“I’m glad you feel like that. You’re right. Lynch is a remarkable man. But would you find it rude if I asked if you by any chance have a plan of how you’re going to do that?”
“No, but I’ll go back to the condo and think about it and see what I can come up with.”
“Could I suggest that you open that package and see if the contents help you reach a conclusion? I realize that you regard that as Lynch’s private property, but I think it would meet with his approval considering the circumstances. What the hell, right?”
“What the hell, indeed?” Kendra said. “I’m not an idiot.
I was hesitating to violate Lynch’s privacy, but everything is changing minute by minute now and I need to know where he is and what he’s doing.
The first thing I’ll do when I get back to the condo is see what those seals were guarding for Lynch. ”
“And then?”
“I’ll go after him,” she said simply. “I just hope he’ll have left a clue with George and Matilda of where I can find him.
” She was starting her car as she spoke.
“Thank you for coming after me, Jessie. It might not seem like it, but you’ve been a big help to me and I appreciate it.
I was having a bad time when I was wondering if Lynch was .
. .” She broke off and shook her head. “But I was being foolish and it’s good that you brought me to realize it. ”
“I didn’t say anything that you weren’t already telling yourself. You’re very welcome if I helped you a little.” She paused. “But I’m not going to let you run away just yet. I think I’ll finish my job and tail you back to your condo. After all, I promised Olivia.”
Kendra frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. You told me that you’d already walked out on that guard detail with that movie star.
Who was it? Jake Brice? You seem to do quite a few jobs with him.
Call him and tell him that the emergency wasn’t an emergency and you’ll be right over to keep his fans away from him. Why would you do anything else?”
Jessie shook her head. “No, it wasn’t Brice. He’s in Rome on location. The studio has hired me to guard an up-and-comer who’s starring in their new superhero franchise. They’re afraid Brice won’t do any more of their comic-book movies since he won an Oscar last year.”
“Then go hold the new guy’s hand and show him the ropes. He’ll need someone like you. Just explain to Olivia that there was no need for you to—”
“But there might be a reason,” Jessie said as she got back on her motorcycle.
“Don’t tell me how to do my job. I listened to everything you said very carefully and intently.
I didn’t like any of it. Now keep quiet for a few minutes and let me tell you why you’re not going to argue with me about following you home. ”