Penumbra (Spook Squad 3)

“Damn,” Illie commented. “Must have missed that session of training.”

According to his file, Illie hadn’t missed any—but that didn’t mean he was actually paying attention. “O’Donnell was your instructor, wasn’t she?”

A slow smile stretched Illie’s mouth. “Yeah.”

Which accounted for the lack of memory. O’Donnell was a pretty blonde in her mid-thirties, and decidedly single.

The elevator doors slid open and the waiting guard led them down a sterile white corridor.

They passed through two more security stations before the whiteness began to bleed away, replaced by muted greens and blues.

Kathryn Douglass turned from the window when they were ushered into her office. She was a tall, slender woman with silver-flecked brown hair and alabaster skin. Her age was hard to guess. Gabriel thought mid-fifties, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if she was older. Either way, she was striking.

“Assistant Director Stern,” she said, offering her hand. “Thank you for being so prompt.”

Gabriel clasped her hand. Her touch was firm, almo

st challenging, more like a man’s than a woman’s. “This is my partner, James Illie.”

She ignored Illie’s outstretched hand and waved them toward two well-padded armchairs before sitting down herself. Her gaze was assessing, almost critical.

“I was under the impression that your partner was a woman,” she said.

The back of Gabriel’s neck began to itch. The director’s manner wasn’t what he’d expected from a woman whose company had just suffered a major robbery. No concern, no tension, just an odd sort of watchfulness.

He met her cool, gray gaze. “Then your informant was wrong. Tell us about the break-in.”

The director leaned back in her chair, a slight frown marring her almost perfect features. “One of our research wings was breached last night around two. The destruction was localized to one section of our secure file rooms that houses our more recent project notes and findings.”

“Was all the research in the secure room destroyed?”

“No, because the fire was very localized, and only lasted a few minutes. Fortunately, that project happened to be one I have a keen interest in, and I’d taken a copy of the notes home with me to study the night before.”

“Meaning you don’t use computer filing? You use paper?” Illie said, almost in disbelief.

The director’s smile edged toward condescending. “Computers can be hacked too easily. Most of our top projects are paper-only. This is a high-security center. Until last night, we’d thought it perfectly safe.”

No building or security system was ever impervious. There was always a weak spot somewhere. All you had to do was find it. “So you had no idea this building had been breached until the culprit set fire to your files?”

“None at all. It’s most vexing.”

She didn’t sound particularly vexed. “What was destroyed?”

She hesitated. “The lab is involved in the development of a light-and-matter shield for the military.”

“Then why call us in? Wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to call in the military?”

“We did. But whoever broke into the lab first managed to get past five security stations and three laser alarms, and they were never picked up by the cameras. Clearly they were in some nonhuman form—and maybe in no form at all—and that is more SIU territory than the military’s.”

But not if what they’d learned about Hopeworth over the last month was true. “Who recommended that you call me?”

Illie gave him a sharp glance. Obviously he hadn’t known they’d been requested.

“General Frank Lloyd. He said he’d had some dealings with your partner.” She hesitated, her gaze shifting to Illie. “I’m sure he said your partner was female.”

“Does it really matter what sex my partner is?” Gabriel said, unable to keep the slight edge of annoyance from his tone. This was looking more and more like a setup. But why?

The director raised an eyebrow. “No, I suppose it doesn’t. Do you wish to see the lab?”