Chapter 25: This Messenger Will Live
Nancy wanted to take her mind off the LaSalle case, and suggested that they spend a few hours working on the acceptance criteria and interview methodology for the new team members. They started with a template that the FBI used for their field operatives, and added in elements related to team work, and were discussing how to evaluate this aspect of the candidate's capabilities when the General called.
Nancy answered in her usual fashion and Stockwell chuckled, "I know you're at home . . . do you always answer the phone that way?" he asked lightly.
"No, not always," Nancy said good-naturedly, "You sound like you're in a good mood, what do you need?" In all honesty, she almost dreaded the answer.
"Well, I called to let you know that you can send me a final invoice for the work you've done on the LaSalle case," he said easily, "Internal Affairs picked Tristan Caswell up this afternoon. Phillipe is in the clear. We're meeting for drinks this evening at Colvin Run Tavern in Vienna - Phillipe suggested that I ask you to join us."
Nancy dropped her head into her free hand and closed her eyes, this was the part she'd been dreading, "Uncle, I wouldn't be so quick to celebrate," she said quietly.
"What are you talking about," her Uncle said dismissively, "They picked Caswell up this afternoon. Last word I received was that they were building quite a case against him."
Nancy decided to take her husband's advice, "Uncle, Caswell is innocent. LaSalle has been setting him up for this fall for the last 8 years."
Her Uncle was in denial, "You are mistaken, Nancy, Phillipe LaSalle has been building this case against Tristan Caswell for the last 8 years. And it's finally coming to fruition."
"Uncle, I'm telling you that there is evidence that Phillipe LaSalle is the guilty party, and that evidence will be coming to light over the next 24 to 48 hours. If you know what's good for you, you will distance yourself from LaSalle immediately. He isn't the man you think he is."
"Nancy, you are being led astray by the fact that Phillipe has been shadowing Caswell since he entered the Agency. I realize that he was present when many of the incidents you've been investigating occurred, but that's because he was following Caswell . . ."
"Uncle, I am telling you that I uncovered a case which points to LaSalle being the perpetrator of those incidents, not Caswell. Caswell was just an easy mark for LaSalle to use as his patsy. The man is guilty. It's fine if you choose not to believe me," she said wearily, "I wouldn't expect anything else, to be honest. But please at least do me a favor, and put off your celebration with LaSalle for a few days. See what comes to light. If nothing happens, then you'll know I was just crying wolf, and you and Phillipe can have your little celebration next week, and have a good laugh over your silly niece's unfounded suspicions."
There was a lengthy silence on the other end of the line, and Nancy was beginning to wonder if her Uncle had hung up on her, when he finally spoke, "Very well," he said quietly, "I will wait to meet with LaSalle until early next week. I'll tell him I've had a meeting come up that was unavoidable. In the meantime, I want a full written report regarding what you have found that is so damning, and I expect it on my desk in the morning." He hung up without even saying goodbye.
Nancy set the phone down, "Guess I'm gonna have to leave this little project to you for now, HM," she said, "I've got to write a report for Uncle, and I'm going to have to hurry if I'm gonna get it done before we have to leave for the LCC."
Nancy finished her report, and had Murdock drive by the airfield before they headed to the LCC that evening, so she could drop it off. She walked into the jet, report in hand, and stopped in front of her Uncle's desk. He was not in at the time, but Carla came out, "Is that the report the General was expecting?" Carla asked haughtily.
Nancy set the report squarely on the General's desk, "Yes, Carla," she said smoothly, ignoring the woman's glare, "Please tell the General that if he has any questions, I will be at the LCC tonight until about 11pm. I should be at home most of the day tomorrow, though." She turned without any further comment and left the jet.
"What did your Uncle say?" Murdock asked as she got back in the truck.
"He wasn't there," Nancy said, "Which is just as well. I don't really think I want to talk to him right now anyways."
Nancy and Jazz had a very good night at the LCC. There were a lot of kids present, and they seemed to really enjoy the program. Nancy was even finding that she didn't mind singing in front of an audience, especially not such an appreciative one. They were finishing up, when Nancy looked back and saw her Uncle come through the door. She stepped to the mike and smiled, "We're gonna finish up with one more Shawn Colvin tune," she said, "It's called Kill the Messanger."
She and Jazz played a couple set up chords to make sure their tuning was right, before beginning the song:
Jane it sure looks like rain
These Canadian plains
And their windblown hair
Jane the bruise colored clouds
The smell of the ground
In the ripening air
I have seen you
In your fluttering dress
And your dry face of steel
As you're dragging your red rowing boat
Cross the forever fields
See Jane something's gone dead
Inside my head
There's nothing but fear
Jane the rivers of grief
The tears of relief
Seem ages from here
Sometimes the beauty of life
Hits like lightening washing everything clear
And these dimmers of doubt flicker
Fade out and disappear
But Jane that is a luxury
There are those of little faith it seems
And they beg for truth like charity
And I see them on every street corner
They are holding out one righteous hand
While the other leads the marching band
In the shadow hymn of the scratchman
Heed the message, kill the messenger
Jane I heard you found love
Wriggling up from the mud
On the shores of Granville
But Jane in the wink of an eye
The naysayers fly
Like hounds at your heels
Jane they'll whisper your name
And you won't feel the chains
And you won't see the moss
Oh, Jane there's an art to the game
The aesthetics of love
The athletics of loss
Sometimes someone drifts by
And our nets get entwined in the sea
And in time I might find
They still mean something to me
But Jane that is a luxury
There are those of little faith in me
And they pull me down like gravity
And I see them on every street corner
They are masters in the sleight of hand
They are dancers and they step so grand
To the shibboleth of Shadowland
Heed the message, kill the messenger
After the song ended, Jazz and Nancy were mobbed as they headed down off the stage. It took several minutes before Nancy was able to extract herself and move back towards where her Uncle was standing talking with Hannibal, Murdock, Face and BA about the progress with the new recruitment program. As Nancy approached, her Uncle turned and motioned her outside, where they could have some privacy. Murdock gave her shoulder a squeeze as she walked by and smiled encouragingly.
"Hello Uncle," Nancy said evenly once they were through the doors, "Did you get my report?"
Stockwell stood stolidly at ease, his hands locked behind his back, his gaze turned inward, "Yes I did," he said simply.
Nancy leaned against the building and waited. She didn't have to wait long, "Ed Mitchell served a Search warrant to LaSalle late this afternoon and collected a DNA sample. They've put an expedite on the test results . . . it matched the physical evidence from the Germaine murder scene. Another agent, I believe it was Henry Case . . ."
"Herman Case," Nancy corrected quietly.
"Yes of course, Herman Case," her Uncle continued, "was dispatched to LA to pick up some encrypted files that were obtained from Germaine's safe deposit box. They'll begin work on decoding them immediately."
The silence stretched on for several minutes, before her Uncle finally spoke again, "I feel like such a fool. I've known LaSalle for 40 years. I never would have thought him capable of the things that I am now learning he has done."
Nancy looked down at the ground, then stepped forward and put a comforting hand on her Uncle's shoulder, "I'm so sorry, Uncle," she said sincerely.
They stood for a few moments like that before her Uncle straightened, shaking off her hand, and turned to look at her sternly, "Yes, well I will be expecting to see a final invoice from you for the work that you did on this case for me," he said, adding with a stiff nod, "It was a very good piece of work." He turned abruptly and headed out to the waiting sedan parked nearby.
Nancy smiled sadly at his retreating back, and said, even though she knew he couldn't hear, "Thank you."