“I need to hit something, Jenna, and Carter won’t hold back.” Kane leaned one hand on the doorframe and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I hope you don’t try and play the conflict of interest card and pull me off the investigation.”
The thought had plagued Jenna all night. She sucked in a breath. “It’s the right thing to do. We have two main problems as I see it. The fire bomber and a missing girl. Perhaps you can take the lead in the missing girl case? The idea it’s been left to Sheriff Crenshaw is eating me up inside.”
Jenna took a few steps back at the expression on Kane’s face. His eyes flashed with anger so intense it startled her. When he stepped inside her room and closed the door behind him, she swallowed hard. “So that’s a ‘no’?”
“Jenna, I respect you but do you honestly think I’d trust Carter to find the man who murdered my wife?” Kane clenched and unclenched his fists. “I’m sorry but if you insist, I’ll disappear, and go so deep no one will ever find me but I can guarantee Annie’s killer will end up dead.”
Shocked by his threat to leave, Jenna blinked. “So, it was Carter who investigated your case?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t figure out how he had access to the case files when they’re sealed. I went to see Wolfe and he confirmed it last night, but Carter doesn’t have names or know anything about me apart from the fact I was an agent. His main focus was on the DC bombings.” Kane paced up and down her room. “Obviously, from the new evidence, Carter took down an innocent man, although I’d have no problem killing a terrorist hell bent on blowing himself and others to kingdom come either.” He stopped pacing and took her by the shoulders. “This one is complicated. What was behind the first three attacks? Why the time lapse before starting again and why did he change his MO and take the girl? He has her for sure, she symbolizes something to him.”
Jenna looked into his eyes and nodded. “Yes, I’ve been worrying about her all night. There must be a connection between the cases apart from the detonator?”
“So, am I in?” Kane gave her a determined stare.
She sighed. “Okay, but we do this by the book.”
“Sure.” Kane’s expression hardened. “I’ll give him the same consideration he gave Annie.”
Jenna shook her head. He was like a timebomb waiting to explode. “You’ll have to curb that temper, if you’re planning on working with me, Dave. I understand your anger but you can’t allow it to overshadow your professionalism. You’re the ice-man and you need to fall back on your training or you’ll be no good to anyone, least of all me.” She lifted her chin. “One mistake in front of Jo or Carter and they’ll recognize an agent of your caliber. Think, Dave. If we catch him and it comes out you have a connection to Annie, it will never make it to court and he’ll walk.”
“I’m dead.” Kane dropped his hands from her shoulders. “Ghosts can’t investigate crimes, Jenna.” He turned and walked out the door.
After heading down to the gym and watching Kane and Carter fighting like two men trying to prove a point, Jenna decided against a morning workout and went to the kitchen to put on the coffee. The aroma of a brewing pot reached her from the hallway. She found Jo at the kitchen table, pouring over files. “Morning.”
“I couldn’t sleep.” Jo looked up from the laptop. “I contacted the Louan sheriff for an update. He wasn’t too happy being called at five but I needed answers. There’s no sign of the girl but they’ll be out searching again at first light. Nothing from the BOLO or the media release. It looks like she didn’t escape or she’d have shown up by now. I’m convinced the bomber has her. She is now our priority. Find her and I figure we find the bomber.”
“Maybe but why take her? What’s his motive?”
“I’ll need more information, Jenna. I’m guessing right now.” Jo scrolled through the statements on her screen. “The autopsy results will give me a better idea. I need to know what happened before he set the bomb. Its family orientated at first sight.”
Jenna peered over Jo’s shoulder at the open files the Louan sheriff had sent. “If you think its family orientated, we’ll need to look closer at family members.”
/>
She scanned the statements from witnesses to the explosion and from the three people who called it in. “We have more resources in my office and will be able to work better from there. I’ll start breakfast. If you can go and haul the guys from the gym, they’ll have time to shower.” She glanced at the clock. “I figure we’ll have some long days and nights ahead of us.”
“Sure.” Jo stood and stretched. “I’ll go and speak to the guys but you go and get dressed. I’ll start on breakfast and then we’ll all be ready to leave once we’ve eaten.” She met Jenna’s gaze. “Is everything okay with Kane?”
Jenna forced a laugh as she headed for her bedroom. “Yeah, nothing bothers him unless Duke is sick. He spoils him.”
Once they arrived at the office, Jenna delegated tasks to everyone. The large communications room they set up to view CCTV surveillance of the town was rearranged. Kane and Carter moved the screens to one wall and organized the long conference table to supply work areas for the four of them. Both of Jenna’s coffee makers were installed and by the time Rowley and Maggie arrived at eight, Jenna and Jo had entered every scrap of available information on the whiteboard and the team had a rough timeline.
Jenna took Rowley into her office. “How do you feel about running the office for a week, maybe two?”
“You planning on a vacation?” Rowley smiled at her. “About time. Sure, I can manage with Deputy Walters, he’s getting bored sitting around home, retirement isn’t his style and I can go to Wolfe if there’s a problem I can’t solve.”
Jenna nodded. “Oh, I’ll be here but not here. If you need me or Kane, we’ll be in the communications room, now the temporary FBI office until further notice. You’ll be working in my office. We’re consulting with the FBI on a case out of Louan, so we can’t run the office as well. The FBI room is off-limits for everyone.”
“Oh, sure.” Rowley touched his hat. “I’ll go and call Walters.” He turned to leave looking very pleased with himself.
Jenna hustled back to the others. “Okay, now we have this set up, what’s first on the list?”
“We should head out to Louan and I’ll walk you through the crime scene.” Carter moved his toothpick across his lips. “We need to find a clue to where this guy has taken the girl. Right now, the local sheriff is chasing his tail.”
Taking a seat at the table, Jenna stared at him. “What makes you think he’s left a clue?”
“There’s always a clue.” Carter leaned back in his chair and stretched like a cat. “We just have to find it. Are you going to partner with me on this case?”