She had seen enough of Amy’s suffering to last her a lifetime already.
Instead, she watched John Fallow. She watched as he looked up with a frown, wondering why on Earth they were playing some video of his daughter playing around. She watched as his face contorted with anger at the intrusion, then the way the shock registered in his eyes as he heard his own voice and remembered what had happened next.
Laura watched him see himself hit his daughter, all without flinching. He didn’t look away or close his eyes. He watched to the end, and even though his face paled, he didn’t waver. Looking at him, Laura thought he had no remorse. No shame. The only reason he looked so pale was because he’d been caught on camera, not because he accepted that what he had done was wrong.
Laura’s hands curled into fists on the table. If she thought it would solve anything, she could have leapt across the wood then, trying to fit her hands around his neck.
But it wouldn’t make a difference.
“Now, Governor Fallow,” Grenford said, in the same dangerously calm tone. “You see why it was necessary for us to meet in person on this matter.”
“Is this a threat?” Fallow sneered immediately, turning towards him with an angry gesture at the screen. “You think you can intimidate me?”
“It’s not a threat,” Grenford replied evenly. “It’s what we have against you. We’re putting our cards on the table. The thing is, Governor, I don’t want to start a war between the FBI and the state. I don’t even want to drag your name through the mud. What I’m interested in, as I’m sure you are, is avoiding a public scandal.”
That took some of the wind out of Fallow’s sails. Laura saw it in his face. He had come in expecting a fight, and now he was being told there wasn’t one on offer. But he didn’t cool down completely. His face was still that light purple-red tone she had seen when she confronted him at the house. Anger, bubbling inside him so strongly that he couldn’t hide it on his face.
“Then what are you proposing?” Fallow asked. Laura could see that he resented having to ask. It put all the power in Grenford’s court. Grenford, being extremely skilled at debate and negotiation, obviously knew that.
“I want you to drop the charges against Agent Frost,” Grenford said. “As well as not pursuing any further charges related to your daughter. She will remain free to do her job, and we don’t have to report to the media why she felt the need to step in.”
“And she’s happy with that, is she?” Fallow scoffed.
Laura knew why he was skeptical. She was the one who had given him the big speech about how he was going to pay, how if he even tried to get Amy back that she would bring down the rains of Hell on him. Now, it looked as though she was backing down, giving up.
But she wasn’t. There was no way she was just going to let him get away with this. There was no way she was putting Amy back into his hands. She knew Director Grenford was doing his best, trying to make sure that there would never be any blowback on her. But that wasn’t good enough.
“No,” Laura said. “She isn’t.”
She felt Director Grenford staring at her. She wasn’t supposed to go against the word of a superior agent – and he was the most superior of all. She was risking her career by even speaking up. On the other side, Division Chief Rondelle shifted uncomfortably. He, too, had risked his reputation with Grenford by standing up for her.
But Laura couldn’t – wouldn’t – back down. Not only Amy’s face, but her own daughter’s surfaced in her mind. She couldn’t let them down. And to let Amy down now would be as bad as letting Lacey down again.
“I agree with the other terms,” she said. “No arrest, no scandal. But only on one further condition. Amy goes into foster care and gets the help she needs.”
Governor Fallow scoffed, shaking his head vehemently. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said. “Amy is my daughter. She’s coming home with me, where she belongs. And how would I even explain to the public that my daughter has been taken into care? Preposterous!”
“I -” Laura began, but Director Grenford lifted a hand and cut her off.
“That will do for now, Agent Frost,” he said, his tone full of warning. “Governor, we can’t stop you from taking your daughter at this phase.”
Laura turned and gaped at him. How could he say that, after everything he had seen? It wasn’t safe! They had enough evidence with the video – they could have him taken into custody himself right now – this wasn’t right!
“I thought as much,” Governor Fallow said smugly, though there was enough of a trace of doubt left on his quickly smoothed expression that Laura thought he must have been almost as surprised as she was. He hadn’t expected that to work.
And it shouldn’t have.
Fallow stood, buttoning his jacket. Laura opened her mouth to protest again, but Director Grenford gave her such a sharp glance that she closed her mouth. What was happening here? She was getting a direct and unignorable signal to stay quiet, but why? Just because the Director was scared of what the Governor could do in a political sense if they stopped him, or for another reason?
Did he have a plan?
CHAPTER SIX
Laura's heart was in her throat, along with all the words she wanted to scream at Governor Fallow, as he swept out of the room. All she could do was trail behind him, behind Director Grenford and Division Chief Rondelle, feeling like a forgotten piece of the puzzle. She was supposed to be stopping this from happening. She was supposed to be keeping Amy safe.
With horror, Laura realized that Director Grenford was leading Governor Fallow right to the room where Amy was sequestered with Agent Jones. Right to the very place where he could do the most harm. Laura tried to step forward again, to protest, but she found her way barred. Without even looking around at her, Director Grenford put out a hand and placed it on her shoulder, preventing her from moving forward any further. Despite the fact that he was several decades older than her, he held her in place with just one hand easily.
“Amy,” Governor Fallow said, his voice booming out as he entered the room. “It’s time to go home.”