Divine Trilogy

by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

When he gave it to her, she slipped it into the drive on the laptop.

  "Do you think there's something hidden on it?"

  "You mean like terrorist plans?"

  He chuckled. "I'm thinking more like subliminal messages."

  "Matthew said he could have someone on it right away, if you want."

  "I have a feeling you might find the answer quicker."

  "Why is that?"

  "I don't know. A hunch maybe. You seem to know your way around a computer. Inside one too."

  Natassia gazed up at him with her sapphire eyes, eyes he could swim in…or drown in.

  "Why, Agent Roberts, I do believe you've given me a compliment."

  He could feel the fire under his skin. "Don't get used to it."

  "Yes, sir."

  He could hear the laughter in her voice. It wasn't such a bad sound. It made him think of the wind chimes his mother had hung in the back yard when he was a kid.

  Whoa! Where did that come from?

  He squelched the childhood memory and spent the next ten minutes wondering why Natassia affected him the way she did. It wasn't something he could ignore. He felt the pull.

  Does she?

  28

  Wednesday, May 9, 2012

  Ottawa, ON

  The following day, it rained continuously. Actually, it was more like the torrential downpours Jasi was used to in Vancouver. Moody weather. That's what she called it.

  She hadn't liked missing her morning run, but she wasn't prepared to freeze her butt off in the cold rain, so that morning while Natassia slept, she had slipped quietly out of their room and headed for the gym on the main floor. A half hour of weights followed by an hour on the treadmill made her feel a bit better. After her run, she had showered and dressed for whatever the day would bring.

  Jasi watched the rain through the window. It was finally thinning out, the entire city washed clean, sanitized.

  "I hate the rain," she muttered

  "You live in Vancouver," Natassia said behind her. "You should be used to it."

  "Does anyone ever get used to rain?" Jasi turned away, still tired from her nap. "Why couldn't it rain at night, when we're all sleeping?"

  "It'll pass."

  "It's not just the rain," Jasi admitted. "I feel like we're going around in circles and I'm worried someone else is next on this killer's list. I can't stand waiting. I need to stay busy."

  "I have a feeling we'll be very busy soon enough."

  "Why do you say that?"

  Natassia shrugged. "Just a feeling."

  "Is this another psychic gift you have? Premonition?"

  "No." Natassia chuckled. "A regular old feeling."

  Jasi studied her partner for a long moment, wondering if she was being truthful. Did Natassia know something?

  Her data-com beeped. "It's Ben. He'll meet us in The Study Lounge for coffee. Says the place is empty."

  Natassia disappeared into the bathroom.

  Outside, the rain rattled against the window, adding to Jasi's somber mood and thoughts.

  If we don't solve this case soon, we might have to tell another family that they've lost a loved one.

  She shivered at the thought.

  Ben looked up when he felt Jasi's presence in the lounge. She was alone. He watched as she crossed the room in quick strides and sat down across from him.

  "Where's our charming partner?" he asked.

  "She had to iron a shirt." Jasi grinned. "So you think she's charming, do you?"

  "I said that sarcastically."

  "Well, our charming partner is getting changed. I wonder what she'll wear. I don't know how she manages to look fashionable and still conduct an investigation."

  She was needling him and he didn't want to rise to the bait. "Natassia's okay," he said. "She's a hard worker."

  "Hmmm."

  He removed his gloves. "What's that supposed to mean, Jazz?"

  "You like her."

  "I said she was okay."

  Thankfully, his data-com beeped. "Yeah?"

  "No fingerprints on the CD," Matthew told him.

  "What about the music?"

  "We haven't found anything definite, but the tech said there were some unusual frequencies he wanted to look into."

  "Let us know as soon as you know."

  "Of course," Matthew assured him. "You're dealing with someone very cunning, Ben. I have to tell you, I'm getting some real heat here, from the powers that be. We need to get this guy before he kills again."

  "We will."

  "Matthew?" Jasi asked after he hung up.

  Ben nodded. "He's under pressure from the higher-ups. They want us to wrap up this case."

  "We've got nothing new to go on."

  "Something will turn up. It always does."

  Jasi stared past him. "Here's our charming partner."

  He tried to resist looking over his shoulder. He failed miserably. Natassia gave him an apologetic smile and sat down beside Jasi.

  He said the first thing that came to mind. "You look nice."

  Nice? Was that the best he could come up with?

  At least Natassia was dressed more appropriately. She wore a pale yellow blouse buttoned almost to the top and a pair of navy slacks. Was she trying to win him over? If so, it was working.

  Or it was until she said, "It's the only clean blouse I had left."

  They spent the next two hours trying to reconstruct various crime scenarios, but nothing led to a viable suspect. They combed through the Winkler and Sampson files, looking for anything they might have missed.

  Discouraged, Jasi called Constable O'Malley at OPS.

  "They've got nothing," she said when she hung up. "They're as stumped as we are."

  It wasn't until they reached the topic of Zane Underhill that Ben found his patience wearing thin.

  "We still don't know why he was taken," he said.

  "He was supposed to see Sampson," Jasi reminded him. "He was a threat, especially if Sampson remembered anything while under hypnosis."

  "But who else knew about Zane's involvement?"

  "Besides us and Matthew? No one."

  "Unless there's a leak," Natassia suggested.

  "At Divine Ops?" He shook his head. "I don't think that's it."

  "What are suggesting?" Jasi asked, her eyes shooting daggers. "You think Zane told someone he was going to see Porter Sampson?"

  "I don't know."

  "That's right. You don't."

  The anger in Jasi's voice cut through him. He thought back to the time Jasi had been seeing the guy. She'd been happy then. Even he had to admit that. Until Underhill disappeared without a word or phone call.

  She deserves better.

  "I have some calls to make," she said, standing.

  "We'll survive without you," Natassia replied.

  Jasi eyed Ben. "I'm sure you will."

  "Is Zane on your list of phone calls?" he blurted.

  "I want to see if he remembers anything."

  "I'm sure he'll call you if he does."

  For a second he was tempted to leave with her.

  He grabbed her arm. "Are you sure everything's okay?"

  "I'm fine."

  Without thinking, she peeled his hand away. The contact of her hand on his bare skin sent him mentally reeling. After she left, he studied his bare hands and swore softly.

  "Ben?" Natassia eyed him. "Is something wrong?"

  "No," he lied.

  "You touched her and you saw something, didn't you?"

  Tugging his gloves over his hands, he said, "It wasn't so much a vision as a sensation."

  "What kind of sensation?"

  He didn't answer.

  "Ben?"

  He tried to smile. "It was probably nothing."

  Natassia let out a sigh. "You don't fool me a bit."

  "Fine then. I'm worried."

  "Why?"

  He stared into Natassia's eyes. "I think Jasi's in danger."

  In the lobby, Jasi sat on a bench
and called Zane.

  "How are you feeling?" she asked when he picked up.

  "I'm fine. The CFBI got me all settled in my room."

  "Do you remember anything?"

  "Yeah, one thing."

  Her heart pounded. "What?"

  "We have a date in a couple of hours."

  "I meant about your abduction, Zane."

  "No. Everything's still a blur."

  "But the doctor said you'll be all right?"

  "As right as I'll ever be." He chuckled. "Were you worried about me, love?"

  "I worry about all my friends."

  "Ouch. That's how you think of us then. As friends?"

  She gave an irritated sigh. "I don't know what we are. Let's not rush this, Zane."

  "Who's rushing? Take as much time as you need."

  "That's awfully nice of you," she said dryly.

  "Forgive me for being facetious. I'm in a bit of a funk."

  "I can tell."

  "Hey, you would be too if you'd been stuck in a hospital room. The beds were like concrete and the Jell-O was simply atrocious."

  She chewed her bottom lip. "Maybe we should hold off on having dinner."

  "Not on your life. A guy's gotta eat, and I'm craving real food."

  She glanced at her watch. "Listen, I have to go, but I'll see you later. Dinner only, right?"

  "Actually, I was thinking that maybe Nurse Jasmine and I could play doctor. I assure you, I'd be a most compliant patient."

  "Behave yourself. Remember your promise?"

  "Yeah, I remember. I might have forgotten some things, but I do recall agreeing to keep us strictly professional."

  "Zane, you've got to stop getting under my skin."

  "Under isn't where I plan to be, love."

  She shivered. "Goodbye, Zane."

  Jasi had tried to quell her excitement. It was date night.

  While Natassia and Ben remained in the dining room, she'd had a quick shower, then slipped into stylish dress pants and a simple mauve blouse with a flowing cowl neckline. She rarely ever packed a dress. Corpses usually made lousy dates.

  Rummaging through the tote bag, she found the box with her mother's pearl necklace and small pearl studs. They were the finishing touch after she blow-dried her hair as straight as she could get it and applied some makeup.

  "Well, Zane," she muttered. "You'd better appreciate the trouble I took."

  On her way up to Zane's room, she inspected her makeup one last time in the small compact she kept in her purse. With a fortifying breath, she exited the elevator and headed down the hallway.

  A man sat in a chair at the end of the hall.

  Zane's bodyguard.

  "Agent Greene," she said with a nod.

  The CFBI agent smiled. "He's excited about your date."

  She blushed.

  Greene knocked twice on the door. A minute later Zane opened it, his smile widening the second he saw her.

  "Come in, love."

  She stepped inside, saying, "I'm not sure you should be going anywhere, Zane."

  Seeing Greene had reminded her that someone might be looking for Zane. Someone with murder in his or her heart.

  "It's already been cleared," Zane said, taking her hand. He raised it to his mouth and his lips lingered warmly on her skin. "We're only going downstairs. Besides, we'll have Mickey."

  The fact that a CFBI bodyguard would be with them on their date was both satisfying and disappointing.

  Zane grinned. "He promised to sit at another table."

  "Great."

  Dinner went smoothly. Mickey sat close to the entrance, while Zane and Jasi sat at the end of the room, partially blocked by a decorative screen. Every now and then Mickey would discreetly saunter past them, checking to make sure his protégé was still breathing.

  "So much for privacy," Zane said wryly. "Sorry about this, Jazz."

  "Hey, don't apologize. It's not your fault."

  "I told the CFBI I didn't need a babysitter."

  Her mouth thinned. "Of course you do. What I don't understand is why you're not holed up in your room. What are you trying to do? Get yourself killed?"

  "Of course not."

  She gaped at him. "You're not playing bait, are you?"

  "Me? I have too much to live for."

  She blew out a relieved breath. "Good."

  Zane wiggled his brow. "So…your place or mine?"

  She chuckled. "You're incorrigible. I have a roommate. And you have your bodyguard."

  "Mickey won't be in my room. Or my bed."

  His words sparked an internal heat wave.

  "Zane…"

  "I want you, Jasmine." His voice dimmed to a whisper. "I need you."

  Be smart, Jasi, her inner voice warned. You're still on duty. You can't afford another lapse.

  Ben returned to his room to review the files Matthew had sent to his laptop. The first one was on evidence found at Sampson's murder scene. At first, it seemed like useless information. The receipt had one unidentifiable fingerprint; the condom wasn't a match on the international sex offender database, and the gum had DNA, but without a suspect there was no one to compare it to.

  Then something jumped out at him.

  Gum contains nicotine.

  That bothered him for some reason.

  Turning to the second report, he read carefully.

  "Bingo."

  Divine Ops had conducted an investigation into the emergency broadcast channel, and at first glance everything seemed normal. It wasn't until a tech started analyzing the frequency that something strange jumped out. The channel exhibited constant static, but between 6:30 and 7:00 every night, the static was interrupted.

  "By an unidentified satellite transmission," he read.

  The origin of the transmission was unknown. Ops techs were working on retracing the route back to its source.

  "Why would someone transmit through the emergency broadcast channel?" he murmured.

  And why would Winkler and Sampson watch it?

  Monty Winkler went to his home office every night after supper. At around 6:30 he received a call from a payphone, by an unknown caller. Winkler then turned on his television and watched a transmission from an unknown origin. Afterward, he'd fall asleep, later awaking with no memory of watching TV or the phone call. Porter Sampson's story was the same.

  Why?

  There was only one reason he could think of, and it sent a chill through his bones.

  "They're being brainwashed."

  He grabbed his data-com. "Call Jasi."

  Five rings led him to her voice mail. He left a hurried message, asking her to call him back immediately.

  Then he called Natassia.

  "Where's Jasi?"

  "Out." Pause. "Is something wrong, Ben?"

  "I think Winkler and Sampson were being brainwashed through the television."

  "Can that be done?"

  "Definitely."

  He told her about the report from Divine Ops.

  "Satellite transmissions?" Natassia's voice grew excited. "There's one place we know of that deals with that kind of thing."

  "Paragon," they said in unison.

  "Deirdre Dailey is the one in charge of satellite transmission research," Natassia said.

  "And Marilyn Winkler could be involved too."

  "Where exactly is Paragon located?"

  His mouth tightened. "Shirleys Bay. About twenty minutes from here."

  "I'll be right over."

  Next, he called Matthew.

  "We need a search warrant for Paragon Research Corporation," he told him. "I know it's late, but how long do you think it'll take?"

  "You'll have a warrant within the hour."

  Ben disconnected the call just as Natassia knocked on the door. He let her in. She had her laptop open and set it on the table.

  "There's no Ops file on Paragon," she said, her voice tinged with excitement. "But Paragon's website says that Shirleys Bay started off testing magnetic and radio n
oise disturbances―high frequency sound waves―in the early 1950s. The entire area is leased out to the military and an assortment of private research organizations, like Paragon."

  He peered over her shoulder. "Sounds like top secret work."

  "It does, doesn't it?" She glanced back at the monitor. "Shirleys Bay has been involved in a number of endeavors, including Project Magnet."

  "Project Magnet?"

  "An investigation into possible UFO transmissions. Over the years, some of Paragon's laboratories have built and tested communication and scientific satellites. And God knows what else."

  "Something that someone would kill for?"

  "Maybe."

  Ben called Jasi again. He got her voicemail.

  "Jasi, we found something. We think Porter Sampson and Monty Winkler were being brainwashed through transmissions sent to their televisions. That's why they were watching the emergency broadcast channel. Messages were sent via satellite. And you'll never guess who holds the contract on that particular satellite. Paragon Research Corporation." He glanced at Natassia. "We're heading there now. Call me as soon as you get this message."

  "Where do you think she went?" Natassia asked.

  He shook his head. "I don't have a clue."

  "Zane's maybe?"

  "I hope not."

  "Why don't you like him, Ben? Are you jealous?"

  He laughed. "Of Zane? No, I just don't trust him. Any time I've heard anything about Zane Underhill it's been nothing good."

  "And you don't want to see Jasi hurt."

  "Exactly." He studied Natassia. "You think she's with Zane?"

  "What I think isn't important. Jasi's a big girl, Ben. She can take care of herself."

  He nodded. "You're right. I'm being overprotective again."

  Natassia walked to the door. "She's lucky you care."

  "I care about everyone on the team."

  "Really?" Her blue eyes glinted. "I'll remember that."

  As they stepped into the hall, Ben mentally kicked himself. Our relationship is strictly business.

  29

  Shirleys Bay was dead quiet. The only sign of life came in the form of a beefy armed guard standing by the front gate. The man went into high alert mode when he saw the SUV approaching.

  Ben pulled up slowly and stopped the car. When he flashed his badge through the glass, the guard gave a nod.

  Ben rolled down the window. "This is official CFBI business. We need access to Paragon Research Corporation."