CHAPTER 9—PLAYING INTERFERENCE
Loralei had bawled from the moment she left the parking garage until she pulled her car into the lot of the central office. She was thoroughly surprised that she hadn't had some terrible car wreck. Driving while crying wasn't an easy feat. Part of her wondered how he had known she was home. Another already knew the answer. She had called Alex, of course, and either she had told him or he had heard the call. Then again, she had to be honest with herself for a moment. Deep down inside, she had wanted him to know. She didn't quite have the nerve to call him up, so what was another way? Oh yeah, call her friend and tell her she was home. Call the friend standing in the very same room as her husband. Sure, go right ahead and do it. Alex would tell Donovan everything, because she wanted to help. Really slick, Loralei. Really, really slick, you stupid bitch. If she had wanted to see him so badly, then why bother speeding away from him? It was more than obvious he had wanted to talk to her, or he wouldn't have bothered. It was the 'bound by duty' thing. It was something she had to do if she wanted to remain sane, if she wanted to truly help her mentor, but at what cost? Sighing, she glanced down at her wristwatch: 12:05. You're late. Casey is going to love that. Wiping away her tears, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was pale, completely devoid of makeup. She hadn't had the energy to even attempt to fix her face. She didn't care enough. Her eyes were swollen and red, and she looked as if she had been on a five-day bender. How long had it been since she had taken a brush to her hair? Goddamn, get yourself together.
Chance Casey stood at the window of his high-rise office. He peered casually out onto the parking lot. There were hundreds of cars out there, but not as many as there would be if it weren't lunchtime. Movement from below caught his eye. Some little splash of color seemed all too familiar. A grin touched his lips and his eyes had begun to sparkle. Kadin had finally made it back. He had to put on his 'serious' face before she made it up to his office. He found himself vaguely wondering why he had yet to hear from Frank Donovan. He didn't know much about Kadin's husband, but he knew enough to discern that he was quite the unhappy camper regarding his wife's decision to come back to the trenches. The FBI was relatively close to a small town neighborhood. People talked, people whispered, and on and on. Not only that, but he had also remembered the look on Donovan's face when he left after convincing Kadin to come back. It was almost as if he had already known before hearing anything. Why hadn't Donovan flown in by now? That thought confused him more than anything. Did the man not care about his wife? Did he think this whole operation legitimate? Was he slipping up? Of course, Donovan staying out of his hair so long was a good thing. The longer he stayed away, the better. Kadin would go out on her mission, discover the truth, and then die in action. Simple. Open and shut. Another thought entered his mind. Jackson. Thus far, he didn't think anyone had found his body yet. If Jackson were found too soon, that would definitely garner Donovan's attention. He thought he might manage to keep it hidden from Kadin, and if he could keep her away from her husband, she might never know that Jackson was already dead. As he watched Kadin leaving her vehicle, he stepped back away from the window and went around to sit behind his desk.
Waiting impatiently, Loralei stood in front of the elevator. She would have taken the stairs if she had had the energy, but there hadn't been any for days. After a seeming eternity, the doors slid open. After a ton of people exited the elevator, she quietly slipped inside the car. Some type of fragrance drew her attention. It lingered in the air around her, enticing her senses with its soft, musky scent. It smelled like…Frank, like his cologne. Suddenly, a memory so wonderful and yet so hurtful attacked her. Her mind drifted back to the hotel in Florida, four and half months before Rachel was born. She and Donovan had been separated a total of forty-eight hours, and when they had stepped inside the elevator together, he had made love to her hungrily, as if he hadn't seen her for months. How many days had it been since she heard his voice? Felt his touch? Uh God. Too many. The elevator hitched, breaking her out of her reverie. She could no longer smell the cologne. Looking around the interior of the car, she shook her head violently. Had she been hallucinating? Did she miss him so much that she couldn't get away from even the hint of his scent? God, oh, God, what am I going to do?
When Casey's assistant announced that Kadin was awaiting him outside, he put on his 'boss' face and planted his body firmly into his executive chair. He watched with a hidden smile as Agent Loralei Kadin entered his office. The last time she had been here, he had given her a thorough tongue-lashing [actually, that image is quite nice]. He noticed the same stilted nervousness in her gait as she crept toward the visitors' chairs. Casey was almost disappointed when he saw that she had dressed down for the occasion. She wore a hideous baggy black outfit that hid her curves. He often wondered why she never turned him in when he felt her up back when she was still a rookie. Of course, he knew sexual harassment complaints were relatively hard to prove, and Kadin was a rookie. It would be her word against his. Perhaps that was what had motivated her to keep her mouth shut. She found him distasteful, which had never been a big secret. However, Casey came from the old school where he believed that women really meant 'yes' when they said 'no.' His good old daddy had taught him that. He hadn't thought of himself as a bad looking sort. In fact, he received many appreciative glances from several women who worked in the building. Yet, he wasn't quite good enough for Kadin. Maybe it was because he wasn't powerful enough for her. He wondered if he should cop a feel before he blew out her brains [ahhhh, another nice image]. Without thinking, he ran his tongue over his lips.
As Loralei sat down across from Director Casey, she felt an uncontrollable shiver run through her body. She watched as he ran his tongue over his lips. A look came across his face that almost brought a horrid memory to surface, but the side of her brain that protected her immensely [even more than Donovan] effectively blocked it out. She sat back and crossed her arms and legs. She was glad that she hadn't bothered dressing up or putting on makeup. She wanted to appear as unattractive as possible. Unconsciously, she began twisting her wedding and engagement rings round and round her finger. Would the prick ever say anything to her? She wanted this meeting over so that she could get out. She didn't like being alone with him in his office. She also didn't want him looking at her, but there was nowhere to focus her eyes. She didn't want to stare down at her hands, giving him the impression that he had the upper hand.
"Glad you survived hell week at the academy," Casey said with a slight smirk. "Those intensive trainings can be worse than the initials. You received glowing reviews as well. I don't have to tell you that that is great news, especially since you've been off the mat so long. So, what do you want first? Good news or bad?"
"Is there any good news," she asked flatly. The only good news would involve Jackson suddenly showing up.
Bitch. Still bawling over your hubby. "Of course. The good news is that you'll not have to leave the state or even the city for that matter. However, the bad news is that you can't make any contact with your husband. Any contact could severely compromise the case, and might put Jackson's life in further jeopardy."
"You're keeping me here without allowing me to at least see my child?" He was still so very cruel. "I thought you were sending me away. I thought you said Jackson left a case and came here."
He shook his head. Oh how he delighted in her grief. She was a slave to duty. He loved it. "Jackson left an assignment. He left one here, Kadin. You're on it now, as well as assisting with the search of Jackson. Your main function will be quite like a homecoming, Kadin. Jackson was assisting ICD with yet another snuff case. However, this one doesn't involve children."
Loralei was too stunned to say a word. She glared at her former [now current] superior as if she had lost his mind. ICD. He had failed to mention that Jackson had been working an ICD case. If he had told her it was ICD, she would have spat in his face and then asked questions later. Tricky tricky bastard, she thought. He knew that she had asked a dozen times to be transferred from ICD, he knew she hated working in that division. Yet, he had tricked her. She didn't doubt [not yet, anyway] that Jackson had been working it before her, but she didn't think Casey's memory loss was an accident. "I find it very odd that you failed to tell me this at our last meeting," she said through clenched teeth.
Casey was amused now. Ah yes. He had pissed her right off. Good. He liked pissing her off. She had pissed him off many, many times. When she confessed she had been sleeping with Donovan, Casey itched to ask why she had consented to fuck him. After all, she had kicked him in the nuts when he tried. What made Donovan better than him? He wanted to know so badly that even today, he was tempted to ask. However, Kadin had more or less allowed that little 'incident' between them to slide, so he thought he might need to behave a few more days. Thus far, the whole plan was falling together nicely, just as he had hoped when Jackson stumbled upon his files. "Kadin, it shouldn't matter how you feel about this assignment. Remember why you're here; remember why you're in it. What I ask of you is very simple. We'll set you up in the finest hotel, give you the best computer equipment, and keep close surveillance when you crack the sites. It'll be just like the good ol' days, Kadin. You were pretty good with your old machine. I'm sorry that we can't dig it up for you, but you'll find the new one quite suitable. Oh, and before I dismiss you, welcome back."
Loralei wanted to punch the smarmy smile off Casey's face. Her anger wasn't as acute as it should have been. After all, she had chosen the mission, she had accepted the call. Who else could she blame? Putting it on Casey would have been more than easy. However, the true blame, the real blame, fell upon her shoulders. It wasn't Chance Casey, it wasn't even Loralei Donovan. It was Loralei Kadin; only she would make such a mistake. Once a fuck up, always a fuck up, she thought. Loralei finally understood Donovan's anger, finally got a clue. Of course, she would never understand his reasoning or even appreciate his caveman mentality, but somehow, it was her husband's way of basically warning her. He hadn't said as much, but he certainly had gotten the point across. However, it was too late to turn back now. What made it worse was the fact that she wouldn't even leave the city of Chicago. How could she work here, so close to Donovan, so close to her child without seeing them? I'll fix you, Casey. I crack this fucking code in record time. I'll find Jackson even if I have to search every corner of the city 24/7. I'll fix you and fix you good.
* * *
Donovan entered the Nest and the only two people hanging around were the ones he needed the most. Luck was 'sort of' with him today. Cody looked up nervously as the boss approached him. Lately, he had been in a foul mood, and Cody wouldn't have been surprised if the boss had decided to pound on him just for shits and giggles.
Donovan fixed his eyes on Cody's face before moving them to Monica's, and then moving them back to Cody. "What I'm about to ask of you isn't exactly part of our operation, but in this case, it does involve an agent, and now, she's part of the family again. Dig up Loralei's records from the FBI, especially those from her last tenure. I want those that identify her status level. It's all I want."
Cody looked at Donovan almost stupidly. "Boss? When did this happen? Did I sleep through something?"
It was Donovan's turn to look stupid. He had finally found someone who didn't know about his argument with Loralei. He sighed and ran his hand thoughtfully over his mouth. "She was gone all week. She came back from Quantico today. We'll sit down, have coffee, and chat later. Find this for me as soon as possible."
"Sarcasm," Cody quipped. "This is new." Before Donovan could yell at him, he held up his hands defensively. "I'm on it, Boss, really."
Instead of going up to his office as Cody had hoped, Donovan stayed downstairs with him and Monica. He had begun pacing back and forth. His own suspicions led him to her file. He didn't think Loralei's records should be sealed. She hadn't been in on any special op assignments. He was afraid that Loralei had stepped into some type of trap, and if his hunch was right, the entire team might have to intervene. It was taking longer than Donovan's comfort level, but Cody was doing everything humanly possible.
"Boss, got it," Cody suddenly announced. "Loralei Shana Kadin."
Donovan stopped pacing, went in behind Cody, and leaned over his shoulder. "Find her status."
"Hang on."
Cody began to scroll through pages and pages of documents. Donovan watched as Cody flipped through what appeared to be dozens of transfer requests from ICD. None other than Chance Casey had denied each request. On the very last page, Donovan saw the write up warning she had received while working Case #1366136, a.k.a., BHK. Casey had typed in a few notes: Transfer for Agent K. has been put in the works. Has accepted new assignment instead of taking alternate punishment. Will not work in this regional office. Move K. to the eastern region. Ethical violation Code #8699669. Donovan was a little surprised to see that she had accepted the transfer. He knew that she had quit, but he hadn't known that she chose to go to another regional office before choosing to live with him. Alex was right. She had given up her life for him. He had always known her sacrifice was great, but he hadn't had any real idea. Tearing his eyes away from those few lines, he began scanning the bottom of the document. He found what he was looking for underneath the For Staff Only line. Under 'status' he saw a word that stopped his heart for a few brief seconds. It wasn't 'inactive' or even 'active.' It was 'retired.' They hadn't even updated her most recent status, but the fact remained the same.
"Goddamn," Donovan spat. "Casey lied to her," he said incredulously. His cell phone began to ring. He dug it out of his jacket and flipped it open. "Donovan."
"May I speak to Loralei Donovan," a man's voice asked.
Why would anyone call Loralei on his cell phone? "I'm Loralei's husband. Who is this?"
"Detective Jimmy Barnes, homicide division Chicago PD," he said.
Donovan's heart stopped beating for a moment. What the hell? "What do you want with my wife," he asked after he was finally able to speak. "Is something wrong?"
"Well, Mr. Donovan, we have a body here, and he had a slip of paper in his pocket with this number scribbled down. It said 'backup for Loralei Donovan.' We're not sure who this guy is, and we need her to identify the body."
His mind began to buzz. They had the body of a man with his cell phone as Loralei's backup number. Bart fucking Jackson. "She isn't available right now. I think I may know who this man is. Would it be possible for me to do this?"
"Sure," Detective Barnes said. "We need to ID the guy so we can contact his next of kin, unless you're it?"
"No," Donovan said absently. "Not related. I'll be there in twenty."
Donovan had been in his fair share of morgues, and the task of visiting them was never a pleasant job. In his heart of hearts, he hoped that the body didn't belong to Jackson, but it couldn't be anyone else. Who would have his cell phone number other than someone who knew Loralei? If Jackson was dead, it meant that Loralei might be the next intended target. He watched grimly as the morgue attendant pulled out the shelf that held the man's dead body as if it were some type of grotesque treat. With a dramatic flourish, the attendant drew back the white sheet. Donovan shook his head and a low groan escaped him. Whoever had murdered him had done the job spectacularly well. His chest had a huge gaping hole where he had been shot numerous times. The first blast had probably ended his life, but the others came after he was dead in a terrible overkill. It was nasty and brutal. For a moment, his eyes saw Loralei laid out on the slab instead.
"It's Bart Jackson, he's an agent with the FBI. I'll take care of notifying the Bureau. Who found him?"
The detective who had accompanied Donovan to the morgue said, "A couple of kids fooling around in the woods stumbled upon the body. He was buried in a shallow grave, but probably wouldn't have been found at all if a couple of woodland creatures hadn't been sniffing around."
Donovan made a mad dash back to the Nest. "Look up everything on FBI Director Chance Casey," he barked toward Cody as he came inside. He took the stairs two at a time up to his office and grabbed the phone. He dialed up his direct superior. Without a 'hello' or a 'how are you,' he said, "An FBI agent was murdered. His name is Bart Jackson and he works under Chance Casey. I want my team on this, and I believe that Director Casey was involved with this murder. You will want to speak to Detective Jimmy Barnes at the Chicago PD, precinct 767."
After securing a promise that his request would be considered, Donovan went back downstairs to see if Cody had found any dirt on Casey. "Do you have anything for me?"
Cody sighed in frustration. "Nope. Nothing. Not even a ticket for jaywalking. What's going on?"
Donovan sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose for a second or two. "Director Casey coaxed Loralei into coming back to the FBI in order to aid in the search for a missing agent. He lied and said that her status was inactive when it was actually something else. She took this assignment, and now the man who he reported as MIA was found murdered. I believe Casey killed Jackson or had him killed, and will now try to do the same to Loralei."
"A dirty FBI director," Monica spat.
Donovan nodded. "I think so. Cody, how often do they update those status files?"
Cody shrugged. "Not sure, probably every week or so."
"Keep checking Loralei's records. As soon as you find out where she's assigned, I want to know."
A couple of hours later, Donovan reached over to answer his ringing telephone. "Donovan."
"Frank this is Shoemaker. What, exactly, is your true interest in this case?"
Donovan found himself rubbing the bridge of his nose again. Apparently, his superiors had done some of their own digging. Shoemaker's voice gave away no confusion of the facts. Why lie? "You must know."
Shoemaker was a new face, but not a new start. He had worked with men like Donovan before. "We gathered the necessary information surrounding Agent Jackson's death, and when we searched his caseload, his last active case is now assigned to Agent Loralei Kadin, who appears to have been sworn in again late this afternoon. I'm new around here, but isn't Agent Kadin your wife?"
"She is," he stated sedately. "She was drawn back to the Bureau through Chance Casey, and I'm almost certain that he is somehow responsible for Agent Jackson's death. I think we should be sent in, allowed to work with the agents on whatever case Jackson had, and given the opportunity to check out Casey fully."
"Come on, Frank, what's the real deal," Shoemaker asked gently. "You can't use your SO team to settle personal scores. Why should we send you in on a case that may or may not have anything to do with Director Casey?"
Donovan sighed angrily. "I am not trying to interfere with Loralei's case. I'm not asking to be put in so I can know her every move. Yes I'm worried, yes I want to protect my wife, but I also want to make sure that if Casey is dirty, we bring him down. Give me the clearance I need to do this. Give me the clearance I need to fully inspect Casey's background. Cody is probably the best computer expert in the country, but he can't find anything. Something has to be in his record. There is one dead agent laid out on a slab. Would you like to shoot for two?"
"I'll see what we can do, but I can't promise anything. The only thing I can give you now is clearance to inspect Casey's history," he said.
"Thank you. If we can't find anything that casts some doubt on Casey, we'll back off," he said.
It took approximately an hour and a half for the restriction codes to be lifted. Cody went into 'serious search mode' and began digging through Casey's records. "Wow, what a colorful past this guy had."
"What do you mean," Donovan asked.
"No, Boss, I don't want to get you excited. He has a long history in criminal justice. Oops, spoke too soon."
Donovan came around behind Cody again. "What? What is it?"
"A good little bite, Boss. Seems Casey was fired from a job in 1996. Wow. What a naughty boy."
Strangely enough, Casey's violation didn't appear to be a big deal. Termination Code #8675309. Abuse of state property. Downloading pornography during company time on a state owned computer. "This was deemed bad enough to be classified," Donovan asked incredulously.
Cody shrugged. "I guess so, Boss. Oh, by the way, found out where Loralei was assigned. ICD-Internet Crimes Division."
"ICD," he spat as if hearing it for the first time. Loralei had worked ICD before transferring to field duty. What had she said? She broke up child porn rings? Casey had gotten fired for downloading pornography. Oh God. It was starting to make sense. "Where is she?"
"Uhhhhh," Cody said as he worked his magic. "Lemme see. She's working from the Chicago regional office."
"Chicago," he spat. "She's in fucking Chicago?"
"Looks that way, Boss. Didn't you know?"
He stared at Cody as if he had lost his mind. "Does it look like I know? I'm calling Shoemaker. This should be enough to send us in. We have to approach Loralei and whoever is working with her. Director Casey cannot know this. Call Jake and Alex and tell them to come immediately."
Monica glanced at Cody. "Did you get all that?"
Cody snorted. "Barely."