FORTY MINUTES LATER Kendra drove into the short-term parking lot at Los Angeles International, parked and got out of the driver’s seat. “Don’t just sit there. Let’s go. I need to get back to San Diego sometime today.”
“Sorry to inconvenience you.” He got out of the car and strolled toward the exit. “I was just surprised. I thought you were just going to drop me off. I didn’t expect you to actually deliver me to my gate.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. The closest I could get would be security.” She stopped before crossing the street to the terminal. “It just occurred to me that you weren’t exactly prepared for this trip. You don’t even have an overnight bag.” She added, “And you don’t have a reservation yet. What if you can’t get a flight out? It might be better if you had someone available to run you to another town or airport if you have trouble.”
“Very wise,” Lynch said solemnly. “And Los Angeles has so few choices in air service. I might be left high and dry.”
“It could happen.” She didn’t look at him as she crossed the street. “I’m just being efficient. Stop being so damn arrogant. I know you think that you can handle anything that comes along from Beijing to Teheran. You probably can. But why not occasionally take a little help? It wouldn’t hurt you. I’ll just go in with you and check it out and then turn and leave if—”
“Hush.” He took her arm and spun her to face him as they reached the terminal. “I’m not arguing. I have no pride where you’re concerned.” He was smiling gently. “Go ahead. Be efficient. Take care of me.” His gaze was on her face. “But do you mind telling me where this came from? One moment you were ready to jettison me into the stratosphere, and the next I’m being cosseted like one of the kids at your studio.”
“No, you’re not,” she said curtly. “Because my kids would never be as self-destructive as you are. They’d never think it was fun to go up against murderers and sickos. And they’d accept my help if I offered.” She frowned. “That last wasn’t quite true. I meant, once I explained and found a way to reach out to them.”
“Yes, by all means, qualify that. I’ve seen how hard you work to reach those kids.” He tilted his head. “Now can we get down to why this is applying to me?”
She shrugged. “On the way to the airport I just started thinking how you want to run everything in your world, but never let any of your rules apply to yourself. First, I found myself actually fretting about it. Then I began getting pissed off.”
“I thought I was getting mixed messages. Elaborate.”
“All this crap about how it would make you feel better if I had more friends around me so that you wouldn’t have to worry. Too bad, Lynch. Not only is it not your business, how many people do you allow to reach out and help you? You cheat all of us.”
“Am I bad?”
“It’s not a joke.” She added wearily, “Or maybe it is to you, but it’s not to me. It just shows we’re not even on the same playing field. I thought this time that I’d try to see how far I could get before you shut me down. It wasn’t very far, was it?”
“I just had to see where you were going,” he said quietly. “If it’s bothering you, we’ll work on it.” He smiled mischievously. “Now do you want to come in and make me reservations and then buy me an overnight bag?”
“No.” Then she added fiercely, “I only want you to not get yourself killed in Portland because you think you’re made of Kevlar and you don’t need to call anyone for help.”
“I can handle that. No problem. Much easier than—” His phone was ringing and he glanced down at the ID. “Dr. Alan Fletcher at the naval hospital. I should take it.”
“Yes, you should.” She started to turn away. “I think we’re done here.”
“No, we’re not.” He put his hand on her arm. “Not nearly. Wait.” He answered the call. “Alan, I’m in the middle of something. What is it?” He listened for a moment. “No, I can’t come, but I’ll send Kendra. Leave two passes for this afternoon. I’ll have her call you.” He cut the connection. “It’s something about the chemical he found in your system. I thought you and Jessie might want to talk to him.”
“Yes, I do.” She tried to break his grip on her arm. “It sounds much more productive than the discussion we’ve been having. Though I knew that was the way it would turn out.” She held up her hand as he started to speak. “I know you can’t change who you are. I shouldn’t have tried. I don’t even know why I thought it would be worth it.”
“I don’t either.” He paused and then looked down into her eyes. “But I’m glad you did. It made me feel … valued.”
She couldn’t tear her gaze away. She tried to joke. “Valued? Says the man who charges fees that stagger the imagination. I’m sure that it was only a temporary aberration.”
“And I’m not at all sure. Now do you want to come inside and hold my hand until I get on my way or do you want to go see Fletcher and trust that I’ll be able to handle this on my own?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I told you that I’d made a mistake and that—”
He kissed her. “That’s once. Everyone expects people to be kissing at airports. I thought I might as well get something out of it.” He kissed her again. “That’s twice. I’ll call you when I get to Portland, providing I manage to make it out of this tiny, completely uncivilized airport at a decent time.”
He turned and walked toward the entrance.
Her lips were tingling and her heart was pounding and she wanted to follow him into that terminal. “Damn you, Lynch.”
He looked back over his shoulder. “I meant it,” he said softly. “Valued, Kendra.”
Then he disappeared inside the terminal.
She drew a deep breath and then turned and started back toward the parking lot.
She didn’t know quite what had happened to her during these last hours. Lynch always managed to disturb and turn her day into chaos. This had just been a different sort of chaos.
It made me feel … valued.
But she did know that those words had touched her and warmed her and made her also feel valued.
And she’d better forget about them because she had work to do. She couldn’t be thinking about Lynch and what he might or might not run into in Portland. That nonsense had been what had led her into that emotional, idiotic scene after they’d arrived here at the airport. Totally unprofessional.
She dialed Jessie the minute after she got back to her car. “Lynch got a call from Doctor Alan Fletcher, who treated me for that poison attack we told you about. He has new information about something he found in the chemical in my system. Want to go with me to talk to him?”
“If you think he’s worthwhile seeing.”
Kendra had a sudden memory of Alan Fletcher the last time she’d seen him. She chuckled. “There’s not a woman in the universe who wouldn’t think Fletcher’s worthwhile seeing.”
“What’s so funny?”
“Not to objectify the man, but he’s rather spectacular.”
“How spectacular?”
“Over the top.”
“And he’s a physician?”
“Yes.”
“And totally brilliant?”
“All in one package. Do you want to go along?”
“Let’s see, go visit a spectacular-looking physician who’s also totally brilliant. Can you give me a minute to consider it? Never mind. I feel it’s my duty. When and where?”
“I’m on my way to the naval hospital now. Do you want me to pick you up?”
“No, I’ll take my Harley down to San Diego. I’ll need it anyway. I’ll meet you at the naval hospital. See you there.”
* * *
“LYNCH MANAGED TO GET a flight out to Portland?” Jessie asked when she met Kendra in the parking lot in front of the hospital.
“Probably.” She didn’t look at Jessie as she locked her car. “I didn’t stick around to see. He usually finds a way to get whatever he wants.”
“I’ve noticed that.” Jessie grinned. “And why should you hang around to watch the inevitable happen?”
“Exactly.” Kendra turned and walked briskly toward the front entrance of the hospital to get their badges. “He doesn’t need anyone. And he was almost rude to you today. I felt like socking him.”
Jessie laughed with genuine amusement. “I can take care of myself, Kendra.” She shrugged. “Though I was a little confused about his attitude toward me today until I figured it out. He was a little uneasy about taking that trip to Portland. I think maybe there was a lot of things going on inside that devious brain of his, but he was basically telling me that he trusted me to take care of you. But that I’d better do it right or face the consequences.”
“Ridiculous. You weren’t hired to take care of me. We have a job to do together.”
“Right.” Jessie paused. “I’m not certain he has that straight. But I do know he’s well aware what bastards those guys at Brock can be and how I feel about them. It was a clear warning to keep my focus straight on what he considers important.” She chuckled again. “And in his view he’s the only one who should control what’s important and what’s not. Though from what I’ve heard about him he seems to have convinced half the world’s intelligence community of the same thing.”
“The entire intelligence community,” Kendra said sourly. “Even Griffin thinks twice about going against him and he used to work with him. I’ve never understood the dynamic. But then I’ve never understood anything going on with Lynch. How could I? For instance, he never even talks about the past, it’s always the present.”
“Not even to you?”
“Only if the past influences our present.”
“Interesting.” Jessie was presenting her ID to the agent at the security desk who was handing her a badge. “And disappointing. I’d bet he has some fascinating tales to tell.”
“That’s what he thinks about you,” Kendra said as she took her badge and fastened it on her jacket. “He said I should explore what’s beyond ‘the barriers’ with you. I told him if there were barriers then what was behind them wasn’t my business.”
“There are barriers.” Jessie smiled. “And I can see that Lynch would want to make sure there aren’t also thorns that could sting you. You’re far more trusting than he is.”
“Good. I wouldn’t like to live in his world.” She didn’t know why she had even gotten into this conversation with Jessie. She’d had no intention of doing so. But then nothing was going as she’d intended today. She changed the subject. “We need to go to the auxiliary structure adjacent to the main hospital.”
“Right.” Jessie adjusted the badge on her leather jacket as she followed her to the annex. “I’ve been in this hospital before. They don’t usually make you wear these things when you visit a patient.”
“I think there are a lot of labs in the auxiliary building. NCIS uses some of them for forensics work, that kind of stuff.”
“And how does Lynch know this doctor?”
Kendra shrugged. “It’s kind of mysterious, like all things Adam Lynch. I got the feeling that they’d worked together on some things neither of them are too anxious to talk about.”
“But you didn’t ask him questions.” Jessie’s lips were twitching. “Because it wasn’t your business.” She held up her hand. “I’m not making fun of you. I’m just accustomed to asking questions of everyone. It’s how I make my living. I’d starve if I was as sensitive as you about—” She broke off, her gaze fixed on the hall ahead. “That has to be him.”
Kendra looked toward the end of the corridor and sure enough Dr. Alan Fletcher was holding court with two nurses and an orderly. The staff members were smiling and hanging on his every word. “That’s the guy. And I guess he travels with his own fan club.”
“You’re right, he’s very good-looking. Even spectacular, as you said.” Jessie studied him for a moment. “But he may be a little too much of a pretty boy for my taste.”
Kendra nodded at the nurses and orderly. “Doesn’t seem to bother them. To each his own.”
Alan had spotted them and waved off his adoring staff members. “Excuse me.” He turned toward Kendra and Jessie. “Thanks for coming. I was hoping Lynch would be able to run down here, but it’s kind of you to fill in.” He made a face. “That was rude. Forgive me, I know how prestigious you are in your field. I’m just used to Lynch.”
“You’re forgiven.” Her gaze was still on the departing nurses. “But I’m afraid that blond nurse isn’t going to forgive me. She seems heartbroken that you’ve dismissed her.”
“Her?” He shook his head. “She’s married.”
“So?”
“You’re mistaken. She’s just being nice. We’re all a team here.”
And he might actually believe that. “Great.” She gestured to Jessie. “Dr. Alan Fletcher. Jessie Mercado. You’ll find she’s a great team player, too. She’s a private investigator.”
“Really?” Alan shook her hand. “Lynch doesn’t usually deal with the private sector.”
“Well, I’m the exception to most rules,” Jessie said. “And this case was too interesting for me to pass up. I get to do my part in cleansing the environment of scum.” She grimaced. “And it beats most of the other assignments I get.”
“I hear you.” Alan’s eyes were twinkling. “When I’m done here, I need to get back to my office to check the results of a patient’s stool sample labs.”
Kendra smiled. “Glamorous. What do you have for me?”
Alan motioned for them to follow him down the hallway. “I decided to take a closer look at the toxin that was sliced into you the other night.”
“I thought you already knew what it was.”
“We do. Tribuxin. But it was another substance, a synthesized protein, we didn’t immediately recognize. It took a while, but I finally identified it. It’s a carrier protein used to speed absorption of drugs into the bloodstream. That’s why the toxin acted so quickly on you.”
Alan led them through a set of double doors to a long narrow lab populated by a half-dozen workers in scrubs. He stopped in front of a large monitor mounted above a console. He pressed a few buttons on the keyboard until the screen flickered and displayed two side-by-side images, each with a series of splotches that had absolutely no meaning for Kendra. Alan proudly cocked his head toward it.
“I’m sure I should be impressed, but I don’t know what I’m seeing,” Kendra said.
“Sorry,” Alan said. “I forgot my audience. If you were a pair of research scientists, you’d be bowing down before me right now. Maybe even erecting a statue or sculpture garden in my honor.”
Jessie nodded. “Or building a towering monument to your humility.”
“I’ve already been through that with him,” Kendra said. “You’ll find no shame there.”
“Absolutely not,” Alan said. He pointed back to the screen. “This carrier protein that we found in you is an exact match for one that comes from one place and one place only: Gensyn Labs, right here in San Diego. They manufacture it and they own the patent on it. There are other similar ones, but none with these specific characteristics.”
“But couldn’t they have sold it to anyone?” Kendra asked.
“I’m sure they’d like to, but the FDA hasn’t approved it yet. As far as I know, it’s only been made available for research purposes.”
Kendra studied the screen. “They created the poison cocktail that threw me for a loop?”
“It’s a pretty good bet.”
Kendra turned back toward Alan. “Does the FBI know this?”
“I sent this over right after I called Lynch. The FBI lab in Washington is working on its own analysis, but of course they’re quite a bit slower than I am. Griffin doesn’t want to approach Gensyn until the FBI lab results come back.”
Kendra muttered a curse beneath her breath. “Does he know who you are?”
“Same question I asked. Incredibly, he still wants to wait.”
“What’s the name of the lead researcher who developed this?” Jessie asked.
“It was developed by Gensyn’s Pharmacological Research Group.”
“Can you give me a name?”
Alan checked a note pad lying next to his work station. “The support papers were written by Gregory Farnsworth. He’s probably the man in charge.”
Kendra pointed to the side-by-side images. “Please print these out for me, Alan.”
“Sure.” Alan pressed a button on the keyboard and a printer whirred behind them. “May I ask what you’re planning on doing with it?”
Kendra and Jessie shared a quick look.
“It’s probably better if I don’t tell you,” Kendra said.
“Really?” Alan’s face was suddenly beaming. “That’s truly marvelous. I could tell at the hospital that you and Lynch were kindred souls. Do let me know if I can be of any further help.” He turned and strode out of the lab.
“Maybe he’s not as pretty as I thought he was,” Jessie murmured as she watched him leave. “He’s definitely growing on me. I think I like him.”
* * *
JESSIE CLIMBED INTO the passenger seat of Kendra’s car and pulled the door closed with a lingering look back at the hospital. “Well, he actually is too pretty, but he’s smart and funny and that takes some of the edge off.”
“And he obviously made an impression on you, if you’re still thinking about him.”
“I just appreciate the fact that he can rise above a handicap like that. Can you imagine having to push women out of your way on a twenty-four-hour basis?” She chuckled. “Who the hell would want to take on a task like that?”
“I’m glad he amuses you. Any ideas about where to go with the information he gave us? He might have given us his subtle seal of approval, but he clearly left the execution up to us.”
Jessie thought for a moment. “I’m sure your immediate inclination is to go straight to Gensyn Labs and demand information. That’s what anyone would do if they had the full force of the FBI behind them.” Her lips quirked. “Though I’m sure you’d be courteous and polite with any demand in case it wasn’t your business.”
Kendra scowled. “Knock it off, Jessie.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist. But the FBI isn’t behind you, at least not yet. And I take it you don’t want to wait on their lab?”
“Hell, no. There’s a killer out there who still has Barbara Campbell.” She only hoped that the woman was still alive. “I don’t how much time we have.”
“My feelings exactly. And since you can’t rely on the FBI just yet, I thought we’d play it the way I usually do. By taking it a little more street level.”
Kendra thought for all of three seconds. “I like it.”
* * *
LESS THAN HALF AN HOUR LATER, Kendra slowly drove up and down the rows of parked cars in front of the three-story Gensyn Labs complex. “Anything?”
Jessie glanced down at her phone. “The DMV records tell us that Dr. Farnsworth owns a silver Mercedes AMG. We’ve seen two black ones so far, but no silver. It’s almost five, so he may have already gone home.”
“Or he may be on vacation,” Kendra said. “Or he just bought a new car and it hasn’t been registered with the DMV yet.”
“All strong possibilities.”
“Frustrating possibilities. If this doesn’t work, I guess we can try his home. You have his address there, right? Or maybe we can—”
“Just a minute,” Jessie interrupted. “There’s a guy over there that looks a lot like his driver’s license photo. And he’s walking toward—” Her eyes lit up. “It’s a silver AMG.”
Kendra stepped on the gas.
“Circle around,” Jessie said. “Block him in.”
Kendra rounded the corner and raced back up the aisle. She jammed on the brakes. Then she and Jessie jumped out of her car and converged on the parked Mercedes.
Inside the car, a nervous, balding man in his fifties looked up at them in bewilderment. He slightly lowered his window. “What’s wrong? Has there been an accident? What’s happening?”
“No accident.” Get his attention, Kendra thought. Take him off guard. He was a scientist, hit him with his own work. She slapped the printout Alan Fletcher had given them on his driver’s side window. “This is happening. We need to know why.”
Farnsworth blinked, but his gaze was instantly drawn to the printout. He frowned. “This isn’t right … Where did you get these?” Then he shook his head. “But I don’t know if I should even be talking to you. I’m not accustomed to being confronted in my company’s parking lot. Perhaps you should go inside and explain what you’re doing here.”
“I’m afraid we don’t have time,” Kendra said. “I can see why you might be uneasy, but I assure you that we’re not some kind of criminals. I’m Dr. Kendra Michaels and this is my associate Jessie Mercado.” She handed him her credentials. “We only want answers. You’re a scientist, this is your work. You should want them, too. What isn’t right about those printouts?” She pinched one of the pages and held it before his eyes. “Shall I tell you? This was inside me.” She showed him the other one. “And this was the one you made. See the similarity?”
Dr. Farnsworth nodded slowly. “Of course, I do. But I don’t understand this.” He was staring at Kendra’s printout. “And I certainly I don’t know how you got hold of this one. It’s a complete mystery to me.”
“Trust me, it wasn’t anything I asked for. Your carrier protein helped deliver a Tribuxin dose right into my bloodstream. It’s a combo only this lab could have created. We need to know who you made it for.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re still waiting on regulatory approval. It won’t be ready for another year at least.”
“But you are conducting some field tests?” Jessie asked.
“Yes.” Dr. Farnsworth climbed out of his car and was still frowning as he examined Kendra’s psychologist license and business cards. “Dr. Michaels, you’re a music therapist.” He handed her credentials back to her. “How is this any of your business?”
Jessie stepped forward. “It became her business when she almost died after ingesting your protein. She was assisting the FBI on a murder investigation at the time. Your creation was used against her for some reason. Don’t you think she has the right to ask why?”
Farnsworth’s eyes widened in shock. “Murder? You have to be mistaken about—”
“Is everything okay, Dr. Farnsworth?”
Kendra and Jessie turned to see an attractive young woman approaching the car parked next to his.
Farnsworth nodded absently. “Yes, Anita.” He added, “Thank you.”
She looked doubtfully at Kendra and Jessie. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Have a good night.”
Anita stood there for a moment longer. Then she finally climbed into her car, started it up, and drove away.
“My assistant,” Farnsworth said. “She’s very protective.”
“Good employee to have,” Jessie said.
“Exceptional.” He shrugged dismissively. “But as I was saying, you have to be mistaken. I don’t know what was happening, but it couldn’t have been my work.”
“Then who else had this formula?” Jessie asked.
Farnsworth grimaced. “It sounds as if you’d like a peek at our records.” He was suddenly defensive. “That’s not going to happen. You might be a rival lab or just some nutcase.”
“It’s not necessary that we examine records. I can see that might be awkward,” Kendra said. “We only have a few questions. Just tell us what we need to know.”
“Perhaps you should come back with a warrant,” he said belligerently.
He was obviously going to stonewall them, Kendra thought. But maybe she had a way around it. “I told you, we don’t have time. Maybe you just talk to me and trust that I’m exactly who I said I am.”
His lips curled. “And why should I do that?”
She said softly, “Because you’re going to hope I don’t tell your wife and coworkers that you’ve been sleeping with your assistant.”
Dr. Farnsworth inhaled sharply. “What did you say?”
“You heard me. I’m not a fan of blackmail, but I almost died a couple days ago. I’m a little annoyed that you’re being so stubborn.”
Jessie coughed in a futile attempt to hide her laughter.
“You’re guessing.” Farnsworth eyed Kendra uncertainly.
“I don’t guess. I observe.”
“What makes you think I’m having an affair?”
“I’ll tell you after you’ve told us what we need to know. And believe me, you’ll want to hear this. If I can pick it up, your wife sure as hell will. If she hasn’t already. It may already be too late for you.”
His forehead was suddenly perspiring. “Tell me.”
“Later. You talk first.”
“There isn’t much to tell. It’s clear someone’s made some kind of mistake.”
“Shall I talk to your human resources department? Then maybe your wife?”
“I’m being honest with you.” His tone was pleading, almost desperate.
“Then stop telling me I’ve made a mistake.”
“Listen, this formula is only being tested on a U.S. military installation in Torii Station, Japan.”
“Japan?” Kendra said.
“Yes. On Okinawa. No way it could have been used on you here.”
Kendra looked to Jessie for a reaction, but she was already madly thumbing her phone screen.
“I’m being totally honest with you,” Farnsworth said. “You have to believe me.”
“I’m inclined to believe you. Though a man who would cheat on his wife can’t really be trusted,” Kendra said. “I’m just trying to make sense of it.”
“While you make sense of it, maybe you can tell me why you thought—” He moistened his lips. “You know.”
“Your affair? There’s a drink in your car’s cupholder. Your assistant’s lipstick is on the straw.”
Farnsworth looked down at the console. “It could be my wife’s lipstick,” he said defiantly.
“Could be, but not likely that your wife also happens to use Revlon Lustrous Primrose lipstick that I see on that straw. I also just saw it on your assistant’s mouth. By the way, I also see long, shiny strands of her pretty blond hair on your front passenger seat and several more on the folded-down backseat of your SUV. It doesn’t seem very comfortable back there, but I guess it’s cheaper than getting a hotel room each time. There’s a bit of fresh mud caked on those tires, which tells me that you went off road for one of your recent trysts.”
Dr. Farnsworth glanced back at his car. “Shit.”
Jessie patted Kendra’s arm. “Let’s go. We got what we need.”
“We did?”
“Yes.” Jessie glanced at Farnsworth as she nudged Kendra toward the car. “Thank you for your cooperation, Doctor.”
Kendra looked back at him over her shoulder. “I may not see you again, but you’ll probably be visited by the FBI soon. If it makes you feel better, you can mention me to them to assure yourself that I’m legitimate. I hope you’ll be as forthcoming with them as you have been with me.”
Farnsworth looked dazed. “Sure.”
He was still standing there as Kendra and Jessie climbed into Kendra’s car and sped away.