Athena Force: Books 1-6

by Justine Davis, Amy J. Fetzer, Katherine Garbera, Meredith Fletcher, Catherine Mann

  Deciding that was unfair, and that she didn’t know anywhere near enough about his work to make that kind of judgment, Alex turned her attention back to the problem at hand. Finding Justin Cohen.

  Christine would handle it if he showed up back at Athena, so that was covered. She really didn’t think he’d go and sit quietly at home; if he was that type, he wouldn’t have shown up at Athena or Rainy’s funeral in the first place.

  That left the FBI office and Dr. Halburg’s.

  “Okay, then,” she murmured aloud, “I have to drive through the outskirts of Phoenix to get to Tucson anyway, I’ll just go by way of the FBI office.”

  It was only two or three miles off I-10, if she was remembering correctly. And she thought she was; while still at Athena she’d spent some time there observing.

  She put the now blissfully cool car in gear and headed off the Athena grounds and toward the freeway. She took the eastbound ramp and brought the car quickly up to the speed limit. She settled in for the drive; it was fifty miles to the 7th Street ramp, so she had some time. She wasn’t quite sure what she was going to do when she got there…. It struck her then, the obvious answer.

  “Well, duh,” she muttered.

  She started checking off-ramps the moment she got into the urban sprawl that was now Phoenix. She looked at the signs of business that looked easily accessible, spotted a 24/7 convenience store and bailed off the freeway. She pulled up to the pay phone in front, wondering if soon anyone but people who had something to hide would ever use them.

  She checked the phone book, then dug out a quarter. She picked up the receiver then immediately dropped it, it was so hot. She really was out of the habits she’d learned here to deal with the heat.

  She stepped back to the car and grabbed the linen jacket she hadn’t put on because of the soaring temperature. She draped it over her hand and then picked up the receiver again. She took the quarter, slipped it into the slot and dialed.

  “FBI,” a deep male voice answered on the second ring.

  “Yes, is Agent Cohen in?”

  “I’ll check. What’s it regarding, please?”

  She’d known that was coming. “I have some information he wanted, about some property I had stolen.”

  She hoped that would be enough, that the man who answered the phone would assume it was the receiving stolen property case and leave it at that. To her relief, he did.

  “Hang on just a moment, please.”

  If she’d been smart, Alex thought, she’d have found a pay phone inside. Inside someplace air-conditioned. It was true that most times ninety-five degrees here didn’t seem as hot as ninety-five in more humid D.C., but once it broke one hundred, it didn’t matter much anymore.

  As if on the thought she spotted a thermometer hanging outside a bank building. It read one hundred and nine. And as she watched, it rolled up to an even one hundred and ten. She stifled a groan and hoped the coolant system in her rental was in good shape, that the—

  “I’m sorry, but Special Agent Cohen is in the field.”

  “Do you know when he’ll be back?”

  “I’d guess not until tomorrow. I’ll be glad to take the information for him or have him call you.”

  “No, I’ll call back tomorrow. Thank you,” she said, hanging up quickly before he could protest or insist—or ask her what her name was.

  She got back into the car and started the engine so she could turn the air back on. For a moment she sat there and pondered, wondering if he were really gone or just not taking calls at the moment. But her gut was saying that her first guess had been the right one, that he would go back to Dr. Halburg’s. Probably after business hours. She got back on the freeway and settled in for the two hour drive down to Tucson.

  After a few miles with her mind racing in too many directions at once, she resorted to a time-tested tactic. She turned on the radio. It was tuned, loudly, to a station that made her wince, and she quickly hit a button. That put her on some classical music, which she left on. She didn’t know enough about it to know this piece by ear, but she knew that classical sometimes worked best when she had a lot to think about. She guessed it was the lack of lyrics to distract her. Whatever problem she was facing got pushed just far enough back for her subconscious to work on.

  But this time, when she reached Tucson she wasn’t any closer to figuring this all out. There was no scenario she could come up with that fit all the scattered pieces they had that didn’t also stretch her ability to suspend disbelief to beyond the breaking point.

  It was easier, she thought, for those on the outside to believe in huge conspiracies. Those in the agencies that investigated such things knew how rare they really were, which was why they were so much harder to convince.

  She was too early for the end of the day, so she stopped by the Carrington house and paid her respects again to Marshall, and to Rainy’s parents, who were staying through the weekend.

  She reached Dr. Halburg’s office building hours later, more determined than ever to find the man who might have answers about Rainy’s senseless death. At this hour, as the business day ended, the parking garage was emptier, and she saw as she went down the ramp that she would have almost her pick of spaces. She parked much closer to the elevators this time. She got out and turned to lock the rental’s door. And froze midmovement.

  She turned to stare down the row of parking spaces. She took three steps out into the lane and looked closer. She was sure of it, it was the same car. That same nondescript dark blue sedan she’d seen here before, between the Mercedes and the BMW. Nondescript enough to be a government car.

  Only now it was parked in a different spot. All the way back near the entrance, which was why she’d missed seeing it until now. Backed in, in fact, as if someone were already feeling eager to leave.

  Or escape.

  She leaned back into the rental car to punch the trunk release and grab her linen jacket. She walked back to the trunk and opened it. She tossed in her bag, but before she locked it away, she took out the Smith & Wesson model 386 she favored not only because it held seven rounds instead of five, but because it could fire both a .357 magnum or the nearly universally available .38 special ammo. She slid it into a small clip holster, fastened the weapon at the small of her back and slipped on the linen jacket to cover it. She locked the trunk and the car, then slipped the keys into her pocket to free her hands completely.

  She was glad now she’d worn lightweight, flexible canvas shoes. Contrary to the scenes on television or in movies that made her laugh and wince equally, running in high heels was never wise, not when one wrong step could result in a broken ankle for you and an escaped quarry for the Bureau.

  Or in this case, an escaped quarry for herself.

  Which makes me, she thought, as she took the same path she had this morning, just like him, in a way.

  Maybe, she amended silently. She wasn’t out for revenge, or retribution, just answers. Of course, she couldn’t promise that when she got those answers her quest wouldn’t change.

  She retraced her route of yesterday. As she entered the cool marble lobby, she wondered how many times Rainy had walked this same path, perhaps praying for good news as she went, hoping against hope that this time there would be new life growing within her.

  Alex’s stomach tightened, and she fought off a shiver as her dear friend suddenly seemed so very close. It only pointed out to her how far away Rainy was in reality, and the shiver eventually won out. She picked up her pace.

  She crossed the lobby at a trot. She spotted an office labeled Information just down the hallway. She decided to risk taking a moment or two to see if they knew anything about Dr. Halburg’s absence.

  The woman behind the desk was a friendly, grandmotherly type. Fortunately, she seemed to be the type to mind everyone else’s business, as well. And was more than happy to share what she knew, even though she’d been about to leave for the day.

  “Oh, yes, Dr. Halburg is on vacation. Well-earned, may
I say. She works far too hard. She’s an excellent doctor, the best in the city in her field, so she’s very much in demand. But she needed this break, she was looking a bit weary. And I think this is the first vacation she’s had since she moved into this building three years ago.”

  “Thank you,” Alex said, escaping before the woman could start prying into her business there.

  This time one of the elevators was already on its way down. She glanced around, wondering where she could hide if her quarry happened to be using this public exit.

  There was a ladies’ room just down the hall, and while she couldn’t see the elevators, anyone who came out of them would have to walk through her field of vision. She ran quickly that way and ducked inside. She grabbed a paper towel and rapidly folded it into a small, thick square that she used to prop the door open a tiny fraction of an inch, just enough to press her eye to.

  A well-dressed woman, elegant and imperious enough to fit the building, was the only person who came out. A woman who reminded Alex of her mother for more reasons than one. She waited a minute to be sure, then went back to the elevators.

  The doors slid silently open when she reached the seventh floor. Alex peeked around from where she’d hidden in front of the control panel. The foyer was empty. She stepped out of the car. Knowing now where the exit door was, and its proximity to the doctor’s office, she paused there. As she expected, she wasn’t able to open it from the outside.

  It suddenly occurred to her that there was another unlabeled door a bit farther down the hall from the patient exit, and she wondered if it could be a direct exit from Dr. Halburg’s personal office. She closed her eyes for a moment, visualizing the layout of the suite as she recalled it. She’d only gotten a brief glimpse of the office yesterday, but as she reconstructed it in her mind, it seemed possible.

  Best if she assumed it was, she decided. Assume he had two exits, which complicated things. Of course. She went down the hall.

  This time the door to the office suite was closed. And locked. He was being more cautious this time. Assuming, of course, he was in there.

  It took her about ninety seconds to do this lock. She was too rusty, she’d have to get in more practice. Then again, at the rate she was going she’d have plenty of practice before this was over.

  This time she was the one who left the door open, so she could hopefully hear if he somehow got past her and went out the back way. She crept inside then stood and listened. She heard nothing, either in the reception area or back toward Dr. Halburg’s office. She moved with exquisite care down the long hallway, pausing before the door to each examination room, listening, barely breathing herself before she risked a look inside, verified the room was empty, and went on to the next.

  Finally she reached the doctor’s office. The door was closed. She stopped to consider. There was no sign he was here this time, but she didn’t think that meant much. He’d either been careless the first time, leaving those doors unfastened, or he’d done it intentionally in case he had to make a quick, silent exit. If it were her, she’d probably close the doors after herself, making the office appear untouched from the outside to any casual observer.

  Which meant he could be anywhere. Behind any of these many doors, in any examination room or back in Dr. Halburg’s private office. And if he was, testing the knob to see if it was locked could alert him and send him out that back door into the hall.

  She leaned forward, pressing an ear to the tiny space between the door and the jamb and keeping her own breathing as quiet as she could. She heard nothing, no movement from inside.

  Remembering the bright sunlight from the doctor’s window, she glanced downward. Indeed, light spilled out from under the door. She knelt down and, knowing it was a bit risky, rested her head on the floor until she could peer under the door with one eye. She watched for movement. Nothing disrupted the flow of light, no shadow cut across it.

  It was time. She’d done all she could from out here. It seemed the room was empty, but she had to work on the assumption an armed man, very likely with interests contrary to her own, was on the other side. So the only question left was whether to try to maintain secrecy for as long as possible, or go for the surprise—and noise—of speed.

  Surprise, Alex thought. I’m tired of stealthing around.

  She reached out and let her right hand hover just above the doorknob. Her fingers curled. She took a deep breath. Exhaled it until she was fully relaxed.

  In one swift motion she grabbed, turned and pushed hard on the doorknob. It went easily. She dodged to one side, out of a possible line of fire. There was no reaction from inside, and she looked around through the opening door into what appeared to be an empty office.

  She waited. No sound came, no movement.

  She took one step inside.

  An arm snaked out and grabbed her shoulder from behind. A voice, low and masculine, spoke.

  “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  Chapter 15

  Alex reacted instinctively and instantly. She spun around, breaking the grip on her shoulder before it could tighten. Face-to-face with her attacker, she moved her right knee. He reacted as quickly, pulling his hips back against an expected hit to the groin. The movement brought his chest slightly forward. Just as she’d hoped.

  She grabbed his shoulders. Used his own forward motion to jam his chest downward. His position made it impossible for him to resist. She shot her knee upward, as hard as she could into the target he’d presented to her. Hit him just below the sternum.

  Bull’s-eye, she thought as she heard his breath whoosh out. He doubled over. She gave a slight push backward. Felt his balance go. Released him and stepped back. Out of his reach. He hit the floor on his backside. Given the muscled shape of that backside, she didn’t think he was hurt much.

  She put one hand on the butt of the gun at the small of her back. She didn’t pull the weapon on him, even though she was positive he was armed. Drawing on a fellow agent was more than she was willing to do.

  Yet.

  “Now,” she said coldly, “you and I are going to have a little talk, Special Agent Cohen.”

  One arm still crossed tightly over his abdomen where she’d kneed him, he slowly looked up at her. She was more than a little pleased that it took him a moment to gather the wind to talk.

  “Suckered me…didn’t you?”

  “Men,” she said dismissively, “always think a woman’s going to go for the groin.”

  His mouth twisted into a wry, pained smile, and he looked about to say something. Then she saw him notice the position of her right hand behind her back. The smile faded.

  “That’s not necessary,” he said.

  “Isn’t it? You’ve become a chronic trespasser at Athena Academy, you show up at my friend’s funeral, and then here, where you were obviously lying in wait and attacked me the moment I came in the door.”

  “I didn’t attack you,” he began.

  “I’m a woman alone, you’re a man,” she pointed out. “What was I to think?”

  His mouth twisted then, giving her a look she supposed she deserved. “Oh, please,” he said. “Like you couldn’t handle any guy that came along.”

  “How was I to know that you knew that? Besides, you’re armed. But don’t change the subject. What are you really doing, Special Agent Cohen?” She purposely used the full title again.

  “Look, can I get up?”

  He had the brains to ask, at least, she thought, and nodded.

  “Well?” she prodded when he’d eased his way back onto his feet. The backside, she noted, was as fine as she’d remembered. And uninjured, apparently.

  “I’m…on a case,” he said finally.

  Her fingers tightened on the grips of the pistol. “I doubt very much if you’re going to find any leads on your stolen property case here in a doctor’s office. A fertility doctor’s office.”

  For an instant surprise glinted in his eyes. Likely at her knowing about his official case, she guesse
d. But to his credit, he didn’t try to deny her words.

  “Why do you think I just waited here for you to show up?”

  “Good question,” she snapped. “Why?”

  “Because I’ve been trying to get you alone, so I could talk to you.”

  “You had a chance to talk to me back at Athena.”

  “Not before that…woman arrived.”

  He snorted inelegantly. Not that it detracted from those smoldering, dark good looks. If she’d had to imagine how the gorgeous boy she’d seen that night would have turned out, this would be it. He was standing straighter by now, and she could see he was well over six feet. And solid. Very solid. She realized how lucky she was to have landed that knee in the exact spot necessary to wind him.

  “Look, I meant what I said. I wanted to talk to you. I figured you’d come back here, and—”

  “I only came back here because I figured you would.”

  “Exactly.”

  Temper jabbed at her at the idea that she’d been so predictable to him. But then, he’d been predictable to her, as well.

  “So, we both want answers,” she said. “You go first.”

  His mouth quirked upward at one corner. For an instant he looked like the Dark Angel again, that intense, impassioned young man who had branded her consciousness by his very existence. He took her breath away now just as he had then, and when he spoke again, it took her a moment to tune in to the words.

  “—both get what we want.”

  If he knew what she wanted, she thought in that moment, they’d likely both be embarrassed beyond belief. She was, simply by thinking about it.

  Snap out of it! she ordered herself sharply. “What do you mean?” she said, figuring that was safe enough.

  “I mean, can we go somewhere and talk?”

  She glanced around the office, but still kept him in her peripheral vision. “Don’t you want to tidy your mess?” she asked sweetly.