Special Agent

by Valerie Hansen

  “What happened to that poor woman and her baby?”

  He saw no reason to withhold information that was no longer classified since they’d used local Billings police in the raid. “Long gone. She may have fled for any number of reasons.”

  “What do you think?”

  “All I know for sure is that I saw a person of interest ride off on a motorbike and he escaped. The only thing that actually ties him to that particular house is who had been living there.”

  “Even your specially trained dogs couldn’t track him?”

  Max frowned. “No. The man apparently had an escape plan. The question is, why was he still there when Penny Potter and the child were gone? It was almost as if he was taunting us.”

  “Maybe he just came looking for them after they were already on the run and he was trying to figure out where they had gone.”

  “I suppose that is possible.”

  Katerina grew thoughtful. “What would be this mystery man’s reason for taunting you if he didn’t know who you and your team were?”

  “Are you suggesting he may have really been Jake?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know the guy. It was just a theory.

  “No way. He would have reported to the FBI as soon as he managed to escape from his kidnappers and have asked fellow agents for assistance.”

  “Fidelity.”

  “And integrity,” Max added. “Jake Morrow has always been something of a loose cannon but he was—is—an excellent agent. He and his younger half brother, Zeke, weren’t raised together but Zeke followed him into the FBI. They’re both products of dysfunctional families.”

  “A person isn’t necessarily locked in to a personality flaw forever,” Katerina agreed softly. “I have high hopes to escape from the kind of prejudice I listened to most of my life. Now that I recognize it, I should be able to put it behind me.”

  His lips quirked. “You? Flaws?”

  “Don’t tease. I mean it. I never knew what a stuck-up snob I was until I got to see the world from the other side.”

  “So, your enemies did you a favor.”

  “I guess they did.” She began to smile again. “We’ll see if it was all worth it after the dust settles.”

  “I come from a big family,” Max said. “We all get along pretty well, considering. I suppose it was hard for you, being an only child, after your mother passed away.”

  When Katerina looked over at him and he saw the glisten of unshed tears he realized he’d touched a nerve. “It was the worst time of my life. And the best. The loneliness and alienation from my dad pushed me to spend more and more time training horses. If I’d been happy and fulfilled already I might never have become so proficient.”

  “Pressure turns coal into diamonds,” Max observed. “You don’t suppose that was what Kowalski meant when he said he had diamonds, do you?”

  “Not for a second. He was a crook. He stole from his bosses and paid the ultimate price. I didn’t figure into the equation.”

  “Then we have some work to do,” he said soberly.

  “I like the way that sounds. The two of us. Together.”

  “Absolutely.” There was no way he was letting Katerina out of his sight if he could help it. As long as his assignment could be made to justify it, he intended to keep her so close she’d probably get claustrophobia.

  “Together.” Max grinned. “Just you, me and Opal.”

  ELEVEN

  With a weather forecast of bright, clear skies and no hint of impending storms for a least two weeks, the South Fork Chamber of Commerce decided to announce the rescheduling of its Founder’s Day picnic and parade. Considering the crime wave she’d been experiencing, Katerina was more concerned about that kind of activity than she was the weather.

  “Are we going to visit the ranch again and look for diamonds?” she asked Max over the breakfast provided by the hotel the following morning.

  “Yes, why?”

  “Because I’d like you to try to talk some sense into my father.”

  Max chuckled. “You think that highly of my powers of persuasion? I’m flattered.”

  “Well, he won’t even speak to me. He might listen to a man in authority.”

  “Do you want me to defend your actions and explain that you didn’t have anything to do with the bombs?”

  Katerina shook her head. “No. I want you to convince him that it’s too dangerous for him to participate in the Founder’s Day festivities. Particularly riding in the parade in an open car.”

  “What makes you think he’s in danger?”

  “Everything. Look at what’s happened so far. His stable was blown up, then my apartment was trashed. The awful bombing at the Miner’s Grub should convince him of something.”

  “Not if he assumes it’s all tied to you.”

  “There’s more,” Katerina said. “It just came to me. When that guy was threatening me at work he mentioned my family. Dad’s all I have left.”

  “You care about him. I get that.” Max sighed. “Okay. I’ll give it a try. What do you say we take a ride out that way today?”

  “You’re free?” The instant those words were out of her mouth she likened them to the humorous reply, No, but I’m reasonable, and began to blush.

  Max noticed immediately. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. My mind just works in strange ways.”

  “I’ve noticed,” he said teasingly. “Sometimes you’re so far ahead of me it’s scary.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. You aced all your classes in school, didn’t you?”

  Her cheeks felt even warmer. “Yes. At the time I thought I was chasing 4.0 to impress my father but in retrospect I can see it was a matter of personal pride.” She sobered. “I hope that’s not a sin.”

  Max laughed. “You are unbelievable. Think about it this way. If you slacked off and didn’t do your best, you’d be wasting God-given talent. Isn’t that worse?”

  “You’re right!”

  “Always,” he quipped. “Now finish your toast and let’s get a move on.”

  Katerina sipped cooling coffee, then blotted her lips with a napkin. “I’m ready when you are. I just wish there was something I could do for Señor Alvarez. He’s lost everything thanks to me.”

  “Stop blaming yourself. If his insurance comes up short I may be able to get him some help from a victims’ reparations fund. I heard that the restaurant kitchen is still intact. If he can rebuild the dining room he should be back in business in no time.”

  Her hand rested at the base of her throat and she fought tears of relief. “Oh, thank God. Literally.”

  “You’ve been praying for your boss, too?”

  Releasing a quavering breath, she nodded. “Of course I have. And for all the people who were hurt by the debris. That’s the easy part.”

  “There’s a hard part about praying?” Max looked confused.

  “Oh, yes,” Katerina replied solemnly. “It’s much harder to make myself pray for my enemies and others who have hurt my feelings or given up on me.”

  “You really do that?”

  “When I can manage to get myself into the right frame of mind for long enough, I do. It’s one thing to know I should forgive and another thing to actually accomplish it.”

  Max’s jaw clenched. “So, you think guys like the Duprees, who have ruined countless lives, should be forgiven? That’s crazy.”

  She was shaking her head. “I don’t mean that anybody should be free of the consequences of their actions, good or bad. Lawbreakers have to pay. Vern Kowalski paid the ultimate price for his sins. But if I harbor anger and hate in my heart, the only one who suffers is me. Take my father for instance.”

  “Because he’s so mad at you?” Max was rising
. Opal stood leashed and ready at his side.

  “No,” Katerina said. “I’ve been giving it a lot of thought and I’ve come to the conclusion Dad is furious with God for taking my mother from him. I’m just collateral damage.”

  “Very perceptive. And possibly true. Not that there’s much you can do about it.”

  “I know.” She pushed back her chair and joined him. “Which is why I’m so thankful for you. I needed an ally and now I have one.”

  “You must have some local friends who haven’t totally abandoned you.”

  “A few. The time I spent with Vern alienated a lot of them. Besides, they have families and other worries. The last thing I want to do is expose them to the threats that are piling up around me.” She smiled and took his free arm. “You, on the other hand, are armed and dangerous. God knew just what I needed.”

  * * *

  Her opinion amused Max at first. He had never been called heaven-sent before. Most of the people he encountered who were not part of his team or in other branches of law enforcement treated him with disdain or distrust or both.

  “Thanks, I think,” he said gruffly, leading the way outside. “But remember, I’m only here temporarily. I could be recalled at any time.”

  “I understand.”

  He didn’t think she did. Not in the least. She had identified him as a personal answer to her prayers and was going to be devastated when he left. Which he would definitely do. What did she expect? How could she possibly see a positive outcome when his goal had to be to wrap up his current assignment and go back to Montana?

  “I will leave, Katerina. It’s inevitable.”

  “I know.”

  What could she be thinking? Yes, she was an attractive woman and yes, they had grown closer than he got with most of the civilians he met, but that didn’t mean he saw a future for them together. There was only one thing to do. He had to put it into words that would make her understand.

  “I have a duty to perform. That’s why I’m here. It’s my job.”

  The quizzical look on her face told him she was not yet following his line of reasoning.

  “My actions and decisions are based on the case I’m working. In this instance it’s about the Dupree crime family and their network of underlings. That’s why I came to see you. I needed to delve into your relationship with Kowalski and make sure you weren’t working with him.”

  “Okay. And...?”

  It was clearly time to get more specific. “And, my job is very dangerous. I could get shot.” He hesitated, then plunged ahead. “Plus, I am way too old for you.”

  To Max’s chagrin Katerina began to laugh. He scowled. “What’s so funny?”

  “You are,” she said between giggles. “I wasn’t making a pass at you. I was just stating my faith.”

  “That’s not how it sounded.”

  When her gaze rose to meet his, Max saw pathos in her expression, something he had not expected.

  “Are you a believer?” she asked.

  “I used to go to church if that’s what you mean.”

  “Not at all.” She was slowly shaking her head. “Was there ever a time when you knew, just knew, that God loved you and Jesus did, too?”

  Remaining silent, he refused to answer. His subconscious, however, caused his free hand to rise and trace the scar on his cheek.

  “How did you get that?” Katerina asked softly. “Was that when your faith was tested and you let it go?”

  “That’s no concern of yours.”

  “Yes, it is,” she countered, stepping closer and gently cupping his cheek. The touch was barely there, yet it reached all the way into his heart.

  Max stopped her by grabbing her wrist and holding tight. “Don’t.”

  She looked up at him, her eyes glistening. “I’m sorry. For a lot of reasons. I wish there was some way I could prove that God never gives up on a believer. He’s still here, still caring for you, whether you know it or not.”

  “That doesn’t matter. What happened, happened. Nobody can change the past.”

  “No, but you can change the way you view it, your reactions to it.” Her gaze never wavered. “Look what simmering anger has done to my father.”

  “It’s not the same thing.”

  “Isn’t it?” Katerina stepped back and Max released her wrist.

  “No. It isn’t,” he said flatly. “I got this scar when I failed to accurately profile a supposedly reformed father. A drug lord assumed that man was a snitch and finished him by blowing up his house. My error cost the lives of everybody in the family, including the little boy I had promised to help.”

  “Oh, Max. How horrible.”

  Turning away, he shook off the comment rather than reply. Horrible didn’t begin to cover the feelings he’d had when he’d come to after the explosion and seen the destruction all around him. The scar on his cheek was nothing compared to the loss of life.

  As he escorted Katerina to his SUV and put Opal in first, he bit out, “Where was God then?”

  “Right beside you,” she said with tenderness. “I can’t begin to explain why bad things happen, I only know I’d be lost without my faith. That’s what faith is, sticking with your belief in spite of not knowing. I don’t have to be able to explain things on an earthly plane in order to trust God. It’s a personal decision.”

  She paused while he circled the SUV and slid behind the wheel, then continued, “I also believe that once you have turned to Jesus He won’t let you go. Even if you give up on Him, He’ll stick with you.”

  He wished he could agree with her theology. His mind didn’t work that way. He needed proof and as far as he was concerned, the untimely death of an innocent little boy was a deal breaker. If God wanted his renewed allegiance, He was going to have to do more than send a starry-eyed young woman to preach to him.

  A lot more.

  * * *

  Katerina spent the drive to the Garwood Ranch in silent contemplation and prayer. She was no pastor, no Bible scholar. Explaining her faith was something she’d never been asked to do before and she felt woefully ill equipped. What should she have said? What might she add that would help Max get over his heartache and realize how valuable his skills were?

  As he wheeled under the archway she realized she was out of time to speak to him in private. Father, help me say the right thing, the healing thing. Please? I’m way out of my depth here.

  She took a deep breath and plunged ahead. “You’re being too hard on yourself, Max. When you’re doing your best, when you’re following your calling, all anybody expects is the best you can do. Nobody’s perfect.”

  “I agree. Lots of people fail. The trouble is, when I made a mistake, people died. A child died.”

  What else could she say? How could she argue that point? He was right, as far as he’d gone. But there was more to it. There had to be. Life might appear random, yet be following a master plan. If the physical world did not operate systematically it would disintegrate. The same was true of human existence.

  She decided to try one more time. “Look, I don’t have all the answers any more than you do. Evil exists. The same rules that govern the universe apply down here. Think of cause and effect. Consequences are a given. They may vary but they won’t vanish like some kind of celestial magic trick. God doesn’t break the rules on a whim. But he did give us the Bible for direction and understanding.”

  “You understand it all?”

  She had to smile. “Oh, no. I barely get the simple concepts. If the Lord had spelled out everything for us it wouldn’t have helped, either. Our minds are incapable of rising to that level of comprehension. Again, that’s where faith comes in. And free will. You either choose to believe or you reject that teaching.”

  Max had turned away to concentrate on Opal. When he looked back at K
aterina she could tell their conversation about spirituality was over. That was actually a big relief to her.

  He motioned. “You coming with me?”

  “Do I have to?”

  “You do,” he said with a wry smile. “If I have to face the mayor of South Fork and warn him to call off his parade, you need to be there to back me up. After all, you’ve been the victim of two explosions.”

  “Don’t remind me.” Although she did keep pace with Opal and her partner, she took care to avoid leading the way. Despite the fact that she was courageous and confident, standing at a door and knowing her father was going to be the one to open it unnerved her. She didn’t fear him, per se. She merely disliked conflict—and Bertrand Garwood was conflict personified.

  When they were all three on the porch, Max rang the bell. Katerina stood her ground in spite of a growing desire to escape to the solitude and safety of the remaining stables. Nobody answered the door.

  “Do you intend to put Opal to work again while we’re here?” Katerina asked as they waited.

  “Might as well. I figured you and I could inspect the barns together after Opal tells me they’re safe. That okay with you?”

  “Fine.” She didn’t realize she was wringing her hands until Max looked pointedly at them.

  “You nervous?”

  “No more than I would be if I were empty-handed and locked in a stall with a mean wild mustang.”

  “Want to go to the tack room and get a whip?”

  “A quirt. That’s the little whip a rider holds. It makes noise when you smack the business end and works more to get a horse’s attention than to hurt him.”

  “I doubt we’ll have trouble getting your dad’s attention,” Max said as he pushed the doorbell again. “The problem may be in getting him to ignore us while we conduct a serious search.”

  Before Katerina had a chance to answer, the object of her worry jerked open the heavy wooden door and bellowed, “What now?”

  “Special Agent West,” Max said, offering a handshake rather than flashing his badge. “We met when—”

  “I know when we met.” Bertrand scowled. “Why are you here?”