Music pumping out of Drew’s windows deadened the sound of Coop setting the ladder against the wall. It reached a few inches beyond the ledge.
He backed up. “Not as long as I hoped.”
“I can get to his bathroom window, push in the screen—”
“Uh-uh.” Coop rubbed his chin. “I’ll go first and get in the window. Then you climb up, and I’ll haul you in. Maybe you can use your knowledge of his favorite movie star to distract him.”
KC shoved her hands on her hips. “Can you scale eight, nine feet of wall?”
His frown answered her question.
“We’re wasting time.” She tested the ladder, and before he could object, she climbed the rungs.
“Get down, KC.”
“I’m halfway there.” No time to think about the last leg of the climb. Protect me, Lord.
While balancing on the top rung, she launched herself at the sill, grabbed on, ignoring the stab of pain in her fingers. Experience kicked in and her feet found just enough protruding stone to provide stability. She punched at the screen once, twice, and it caved.
With a super-human effort, she heaved herself up and through the narrow window. Arm curls at the gym paid off. Collapsed on the floor, she swiped at her sweaty upper lip. Whew. That was one for the books. She’d have to tell her brothers about it. Oops. No, couldn’t do that. Coop’s admonition echoed.
And then she heard him. “KC, are you all right?”
Before she could reply, Drew’s music ceased. She glanced at the bathroom door. Closed. Good. She stuck her head out the window and activated her microphone. “Yes.” Had she used the communicator correctly?
Even at a distance, she could tell Coop glared at her.
“What will you do now?” Static accompanied his words.
“I’ll get in the bedroom and open the door for you.”
“No. It’s too dangerous.”
“But you said he hasn’t been violent before.”
Wailing and keening spewed out of Drew’s room.
“You’re my responsibility. I can’t let you—”
“Do you have a better idea? Other options to evaluate? You can hear him, right? Doesn’t sound like he’s calming down.” KC spied an overflowing clothes hamper in the corner. An item in there might provide the disguise she needed. She dumped out the contents and crinkled her nose against stale body odors.
“I’m out of options. Terry and I’ll go in and wait outside the bedroom.”
KC extracted a pale green sheet, about the color of Leticia’s cape. “Perfect.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing important.” No way would she divulge her plan. He’d probably nix it.
“KC, be careful.”
The tone of his words warmed her soul. It had been a long time since a man had demonstrated concern for her. Other than her dad and brothers, of course.
With the sheet draped over her head and across her body, KC opened the door and peeked around the corner. Strong whiffs of alcohol engulfed her.
Quiet now, the pale, slim young boy swayed beside the bed as if listening to the beat of a slow dance. He twirled, arms outstretched, a bottle in each hand. Golden liquid splattered around him.
Use Leticia’s dialogue from the movie, or improvise? KC made a snap judgment. Movie script as far as it would take her. The kid seemed to be in a fantasy world already.
She started with a calm scene and said softly, “Reynaldo, my brave warrior, I need your help.”
The twirling continued for a second or two. Then Drew dropped his arms, the bottles thudding on the carpet. He searched the room. “Who’s here?”
“I’m Leticia, Queen of all I survey.” Not in the movie but warranted. She had his attention.
He focused on her and fell to the edge of the bed. “Is that really you?”
Back to the script. “Reynaldo, fetch my helmet and shield.” While swishing her cape, she moved toward the door. A trunk and an armoire obstructed the entrance.
“Where are they, oh, mighty Leticia?” Although he slurred the words, he produced perfect dialogue.
“Over yonder.” She pointed to the trunk. “Beware of the serpents within.” Not a cave, but at this stage, who’d quibble?
“I will enter the depths…of Hades, for you my queen.” Drew stumbled forward and stared at the furniture. “I cannot see the entrance.”
That’s as far as the original dialogue would take her. KC pounded the trunk and said, “This despicable piece of wood is blocking my cave. We have to move it.” Had she stepped too far out of the script?
Although inebriated or high, or just plain ill, Drew attempted to push the trunk. KC assisted, and they maneuvered the heavy piece away from the door.
“Well done.” Coop’s voice in her ear threw her for a moment.
“Oh, Reynaldo, my warrior, you shall be richly rewarded for your services. But there is one more impediment to my victory. My cave is still inaccessible.” The amateur dramatic club she sponsored at the children’s center would applaud her performance.
Drew didn’t seem to care that they were acting out their own little movie. He pushed the armoire in spurts to reveal the door. He crumpled to the floor, panting.
Three black slide bolts stood out against the light gray paint. KC slid them open, turned the knob, and the door swung inward. “Behold, my subjects, I am Leticia, the Amazon slayer.” She removed the cape with a flourish and bowed.
Thank You, Lord, for keeping us safe.
5
Seated in a wingback chair in the living room of the Franklins’ house, Cooper completed his update to Bowen and then tucked his phone into his shirt pocket.
“Terry, you made the right decision. Andrew needs professional help. When Patsy calls you after he’s undergone a psychological evaluation, please contact Bowen or me.”
“I will. It’s so hard being in the spotlight all the time. My aide is coming to help with the press conference. I want to get my version in front of the public before the tabloids twist it out of proportion.”
“I can understand that.” Cooper stood as KC entered the room. “A piece of advice, sir. Follow the medical professionals’ recommendations.”
“We will. Words are inadequate to express my…our thanks. And you, young lady, I admire your guts.” Terry pushed out of the chair and offered his hand to KC.
“I’d better not.” She held up her hands, several fingertips taped.
He dropped his hand. “You climbed that wall and then put on a convincing performance. Good job.”
A blush deepened her complexion as she placed her cap on her head.
Careful, Cooper. Don’t let her vulnerability get to you. She had climbed the ladder when he’d told her not to. That irritated and disappointed him, but at the same time, he respected her ability. And her initiative had led to a satisfactory resolution of the situation.
“We need to get back to the office.” He picked up his duffle bag and stepped toward the door.
“Thanks again.” Terry ushered them outside. “I’ll keep Bowen informed on Drew’s progress.”
“I hope, for his sake, you won’t have to call us again.” Cooper made certain he held eye contact with Terry. The man blinked. Not a good sign.
“And I’ll pray for your son’s physical and mental wellbeing,” KC said.
This time it was Terry’s turn to blush. “Thank you.” He pivoted and entered the house without a backward glance.
In the truck, KC fiddled with the tape on her fingertips. Cooper recognized the strong odor of the antiseptic ointment he kept in his first aid kit.
He drove toward I-5 in silence. Her behavior needed to be addressed. He’d already waited too long, but what exactly would he say. Disobeying a direct order is unacceptable? Outstanding job on the Franklin case? You’re terminated? But she beat him to it.
“Will I be fired?” KC asked.
“The final decision is Bowen’s. He’ll take my report into consideration.” He
dared not look at her. How well he remembered his first blunder as a rookie.
“I’m sorry. I guess I wanted to show off my skills.” She sighed. “One thing I learned in the movie business, no adlibbing, no surprises. Follow the script exactly as written, every take. My ego got in the way. Um, if you decide to keep me on, I promise to always follow your lead, or to ask first before I act.”
“If this is any indication of how you obey orders, then you might not make it.”
“I saw an opportunity, used my initiative—”
“True, which in an agent would be lauded, but not on a training assignment.” He clenched his jaw.
“I get it.” Glancing at him, she asked, “Could you have scaled the wall to Drew’s window?”
“Probably not.”
“Then the only other option would have been to wait for the fire department to send a ladder truck.”
Cooper shrugged. “Or bash in his door with an axe. Which might have sent him over the edge. He was hallucinating big time.” An overwhelming desire to protect her hit him like a punch to the gut. “You could have been hurt. I mean more than your fingers.”
She held up her hands. “But I wasn’t.”
“For a rookie under my supervision, that’s not relevant.” Whoa. Certainly not trainer, agent emotions. He needed to change the subject. “I want you to—”
His phone rang. He jerked. Hands-free device activated, he answered, “Hey, Bowen.”
“We need to debrief the Franklin update. Meet me here tomorrow morning about nine and have KC in your office at ten.”
After ending the call, Cooper took a peek at KC.
She leaned back against the headrest with her cap over her eyes.
Asleep?
Probably exhausted, challenging orders and climbing walls.
Her folded hands reminded him she’d been hurt. Hurt putting the mission and a very disturbed young man before herself.
He wouldn’t wake her.
~*~
Running his thumb along the scar on his chin, Cooper scanned his typed account of the Andrew Franklin assignment. “I’ve nothing to add.”
“One question.” Bowen took a gulp of coffee. “Did KC disobey a direct order?”
“I’ve wrestled with that question.” Cooper set the report on Bowen’s desk. “Yes, when she didn’t get off the ladder, but the more I think about the situation, if she had obeyed, I’d have sent her up anyway. As she rightly pointed out, I couldn’t climb the wall as she did. Terry was adamant about not involving the authorities. Even if he’d consented, it would have taken a while for a ladder truck to arrive. Andrew was in bad shape, and we got to him in time.”
“You make a valid point.” Bowen hunched in his chair as though he’d been shot, hands over his midsection
“What’s wrong?”
He grimaced. “A shooting pain, behind my ribs.”
“Not your heart?”
Bowen shook his head, straightened and blew out a deep breath. “It’s gone now.”
“You’re white around the gills. Do you need to go to the ER?”
“No, I’m all right.” He picked up the report. “Back to KC. You know as well as I do that agents have to be able to trust each other. Do you trust her?”
“Yes. KC’s gung-ho, but I don’t think she’s irresponsible.”
“Here’s my decision, then. She stays in the program on a probationary basis. One more slipup, and she’s out. As her training officer, are you OK with that?”
“I am. Thanks Bowen. KC has the makings of a great agent.” Cooper checked his watch. “It’s nearly ten. She’ll be here soon.”
“Close the door on your way out, please.” At least color had returned to his face.
Satisfied with the outcome, Cooper headed toward his office. KC sat on a chair near his door. The same citrusy aroma he’d noticed yesterday surrounded her, but there was no sparkle in her eyes today, and her reserved attitude was in stark contrast to her first appearance in his office.
She stood and tugged at the neckline of her T-shirt. “Good morning. Am I staying?”
“Yes. Come in.” He opened the door, and when they were seated, Cooper repeated Bowen’s decision.
“Thank you. I’ll stick to the script from now on.”
Reading body language and facial expressions came with the job. He studied her. No guile or deceit. She didn’t flinch or fidget under his scrutiny. All positive signs.
“Let’s move on. Did you bring your copy of the handbook?”
“Yes.” She removed a folder from her large bag. “Oh, and Cooper, I brought my handgun.”
“Hey, what happened to Coop?” He rocked in his chair. “I’ll show you where to stow it later.”
“Everyone else calls you Cooper.”
He laughed. “But I like the way you say Coop.” Heat rose up his neck. He cleared his throat. “Chapter three.”
They spent the next two hours reviewing strategies and policies. Close to noon, he stretched. “That’s all for today. I’ll show you your cubicle and give you the key to the gun safe.”
Cooper unlocked his desk drawer, fished out a set of keys, and pointed to the door. “Let’s go.” He skirted the unoccupied cubicles in front of his office and entered one at the corner. “This will be your home.” Inside, he inserted a key in a small metal cabinet, and the door squeaked open. “Keep your weapon in here. Of course, you can take it with you each evening.”
“The cubicle is plain and boring.” She accepted the keys from Cooper.
“When you’re approved as an agent, you can decorate as you please.” He envisioned bling and bright colors.
“You think I’ll make it?”
“I do.”
She tilted her head. “Thanks.”
“After you complete our tech component, we’ll issue you a company laptop.”
“When?”
“One day next week, but now it’s time to go.” Cooper waited for KC to back out of the cubicle and then followed her to the security door.
Slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she asked, “Do you have a family? I didn’t see any photos in your office.”
“My sister and brother live in Texas.” He pressed the buzzer to open the door.
“I mean a wife, kids?”
A direct shot to the core.
“No. My wife and unborn baby died six years ago.”
Her face crumpled, and tears pooled in her eyes. “Oh, Coop. I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. The pain had eased over time, but the mere mention of the incident churned up memories.
On the sidewalk, KC placed her hand on his arm. “I can see I’ve hurt you. Forgive me, please.”
“I’d have told you sooner or later.” A bus rumbled by, expelling stale fumes. Switch the focus. “What about your family?”
“I’m glad you asked. We’ll be together this weekend. My oldest brother, his wife, and three kids will be arriving from Montana this evening. My other brother drove in from Phoenix last night and is staying with my parents. I’m going to see him now. We’re celebrating my folks’ twenty-fifth wedding anniversary tomorrow.”
He frowned. No need to ask.
“I can see the wheels churning,” she continued. “I’m twenty-six, the youngest, and they’ve only been married twenty-five years. We’re all adopted. George—the one who’s married—at age seven, Demetrius age four, and me when I was six.”
At this rate, he’d know when she lost her first tooth. No matter, the woman intrigued him.
“The celebration is tomorrow. My folks would love to meet you since I’ve talked so much about joining the agency. Why don’t you come by and meet everyone?”
“Well, I—”
“Oh, I forgot. I made you something.” She searched in her bag and produced a small stop sign. “I know I talk nonstop. Use this when you want me to hush. It’ll fit in your shirt pocket.” A broad smile accompanied her gift.
He couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’ll kee
p it handy.”
“Will you come?”
What were his plans? Catch up on personal e-mail. Listen to Pastor Owen Ross on TV. Grocery shopping. “I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll text you their address.” KC turned to enter the parking lot and then stopped. “My folks host a house church at ten. Why don’t you come then, and stay for the celebration?”
A house church? Greater intimacy, closer relationships?
No, he wasn’t ready. TV evangelists would do for now.
6
Wearing her new sleeveless dress, KC entered the front door of her parents’ home. “Mom, Dad?”
Mom hustled around the corner from the kitchen. “Oh, my darling, you look lovely. The blue suits you, and it hugs your figure. Those dangly earrings are perfect.” She scrunched her nose. “Still no hair, I see. Come, Dad’s about ready to start the service. You’re never this late.”
KC hugged Mom, all five-foot-three-inches of her. No way would she admit she couldn’t decide what to wear even after she’d bought a new dress for the occasion. “Did George and family arrive?”
“Yes. Their plane was delayed. They didn’t get to the hotel until ten thirty last night.”
“Any visitors come today?”
“No, just the usual.”
Had she really expected Coop to show? She slipped her phone into her skirt pocket and dropped her purse on the hall table.
Arm in arm, they entered the large living room where KC squished in between her nieces on the sofa. She waved across the room to George who was holding David, her four-year-old nephew. Their private conversation would have to wait.
Scanning the group of thirty or so, she thought not for the first time, what a delightful mix. Friends and neighbors of various heritages and hues, including her family. Dad would sing, “Jesus Loves the Little Children” sometime during the morning as he did every Sunday to honor that diversity.
Justice at Dawn Page 3
