“People who are never going to testify against him,” the Division Chief snapped. “You should know better than to abduct a child without proof – Rondelle, what kind of agents are you training these days?”
Chief Rondelle opened his mouth to protest, but he was cut off easily by the most powerful man in the room.
“Well, gentlemen, she still brings up a good point regarding the abuse,” said Director Grenfell. His height as well as his rank made him tower over the others in the room. He had aquiline features and a superior bearing that even outmatched those in the small office who’d had military backgrounds; and though he spoke quietly, no one interrupted. “I wonder if you’d all let us get on with this, and give us the room? Chuck, Agent Frost, you can stay.”
There wasn’t a word of complaint as the other various officials filed out of the room, but once they hit the corridor, they seemed to have no problem in finding their voices. Laura heard some of them murmuring that she should be handed over immediately, even though it might risk the girl if the agent was right, because the system was in place for a reason. Another replied that they had to intervene to prevent further abuse, and then the door closed behind them, and Laura couldn’t hear the rest.
“Alright,” the Director said, steepling his hands in front of himself deliberately and slowly. He looked Laura over with a sharp gaze, his blond head seeming to fix her in place like a bird of prey would with a mouse. “Now, I’ve heard things about Governor Fallow which leads me to suspect you are telling the truth.”
“Thank you, sir,” Laura said, with a rush of relief. He wasn’t going to hand Amy back somewhere like that. He believed her. It was going to be alright.
“But,” he said, and Laura’s heart sank as though he’d tolled a bell. “If we do not have solid proof that abuse is taking place, then there’s nothing we can do. The state police have a right to their own investigation, and we can’t be accused of bias or cover-up. Bruises aren’t enough. Children can be clumsy, they can play rough – bruises can be explained away.”
Laura looked over at Division Chief Rondelle. His face was flaming with fury, an emotion she seconded. But he wasn’t moving to intervene or saying anything.
Feeling her heart sink into her boots, Laura realized he didn’t disagree.
Then again, how could he? The Director was his boss, too. An order was an order.
Laura had to try again. She had to persuade him to change his mind. Not for her own sake, but for
Amy’s. “Sir,” she began – but she never got the chance to finish.
The door burst open with a slam against the opposite wall, and all three of the people in the room turned with lightning-fast reflexes to face the incoming threat. Training had Laura reaching for her gun, but she wasn’t carrying one today. Knowing she had been going to see Amy, she hadn’t wanted it on her hip.
And even if she was carrying, she wouldn’t have been able to use it. Because standing framed in the doorway were several uniformed members of the state police, staring at her with heavy frowns and their hands on their own weapons.
“Laura Frost?” one of them barked.
There wasn’t much point in lying. Not in front of her own boss and the head of her entire organization, given that she worked in a profession where honesty was part of the job description. “Yes,” she said, her voice cracking and failing her as she admitted it.
“We are placing you under -”
“No,” Division Chief Rondelle said, stepping out from behind his desk with his hands raised. “No, just hang on a minute. Come inside.”
The policemen exchanged a glance with one another, but the one who had been speaking – evidently the superior officer – nodded. They stepped over the threshold of the room and closed the door behind them. The office was once again cramped with people, and once again Laura knew her head could be on the chopping block.
Division Chief Rondelle – and the amount of sway he had over Director Grenford – was now her only hope.
“We’ve been directed to arrest Agent Frost, on the orders of Governor Fallow,” the officer heading up the team from the state police said. “We’ve heard some very serious allegations to do with harassment and trespassing, and a potential threat to the Governor’s security.”
“We’re aware of the allegations,” Director Grenford said smoothly. Glancing at him, Laura was glad she wasn’t on the other side. He had turned to ice, like a carved sculpture. Laura had the distinct impression that anyone who tried to cross him would end up finding him sharp enough to cut. “At this time, we are also gathering intelligence relating to allegations against the Governor himself.”
“Be that as it may, we have to deal with the offense which has been presented to us now,” the leader of the state police replied, his tone just as frosty and evenly matched in formality. “We are not prepared to leave without significant evidence that paints Agent Frost in an innocent light.”
There was a pause; Laura looked between the two groups uneasily. What evidence could she even provide? She’d done what the Governor had said she had done. The fact that there were mitigating circumstances was beside the point. The arrest came first, the excuses later.
“Sir,” Rondelle said, turning his back on the state police and speaking urgently to Director Grenford. “We can’t allow this to happen. I trust Agent Frost implicitly. If she says the situation is dangerous for the child to return to, then it’s dangerous. We can’t allow her to go back.” Laura felt a flare of both hope and gratitude in her chest at the words, recognizing that Rondelle was putting his own reputation – and maybe even his job – on the line to stand up for her.
Director Grenford took this plea in, quietly, seeming to digest it before his eyes shot towards Laura. He seemed to be responding to Rondelle’s words, but it was Laura he spoke to. “I’m afraid we can’t have it both ways. I can try to de-escalate the situation by speaking with the Governor, but if I am to prevent you from being arrested, we need to let the girl go. There’s nothing we can do without solid proof at this stage.”
“So, you’ll just send her back to be beaten?” Laura asked. She could hardly believe she was bold enough to question Director Grenford, particularly given the icy-cold front he was putting up now. She could easily see how he had risen to the top of the FBI; he was formidable.
But this mattered so much more. Laura couldn’t let herself be intimidated out of making a stand. She had to protect Amy.
Director Grenford’s mouth moved slightly, a wavering line that resolved flat. “I’m sorry,” he said, and despite his stiffness Laura found she actually believed him. “But without evidence, she simply has to go home. We can launch a formal investigation from there and see about assessing her home environment.”
“That could take months,” Laura said, her voice almost failing her.