Chapter 6

At the office, Don seemed distracted, but nobody said anything, assuming it was because of the case. Amita had brought the results by the craftsman for Charlie. He had given them to Don before taking off to CalSci. Don was now filling everyone in on what Charlie had gotten them.

"OK, so Charlie's math says Agent Michaels' death probably has something to do with this company," Don was explaining, pointing to the board.

"What do they do?" Colby asked.

"Some real-estate company," David told them. "They buy all these properties, then sell them to the highest bidder. Their most recent purchase was a hospital they had closed down. A lot of residents around there are pretty upset, now they have to travel twice the distance to get to the nearest hospital."

"Son of a bitch," Carson muttered quietly. Everyone looked at her.

"What?" Don asked.

"Benny, Benny Gonzalas," she told them. "His son was in a big car crash, died on the way to the hospital. Paramedics said if that hospital hadn't been shut down, he would've lived."

"Losing a child would certainly be enough to push him over the edge, but why go after Michaels?" Megan asked.

"Because Michaels helped close it down," Colby said, looking up from a file.

"And it's personal," Carson added. "So Benny would go as far as he felt necessary."

"Which explains sixteen stab wounds," Megan concluded. "Crime of passion."

"So, how do we find him?" Walker asked.

"We don't. I do," Carson stated, starting to leave.

"Hold on a sec," Don said, stopping her. "If he went after Michaels, maybe he found out you're FBI."

"I can take care of myself," she told him.

"I know that, but we're gonna need your help catching him. I'd rather not risk him killing you first. Go see if Charlie can help you track him down, then we'll move in."

"OK."

Charlie was scribbling furiously on his blackboard. When he realized that numbers wouldn't help him here he just started erasing everything. Agent Carson walked into his office, though he was unaware, and noticed his behavior.

"Not going well?" she asked, causing Charlie to nearly jump out of skin.

"Sheesh, oh it's you," he said, taking deep breaths. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Something wrong?" He still seemed nervous.

"What? Why do you ask?"

"Because A, you just erased an entire blackboard full of numbers, B, you're jumpy, and C, you're sweating," she observed.

"Is there something I can help you with Agent Carson?" he asked pointedly, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, your brother said you could help me find someone," she told him. She knew he was hiding something, but decided to drop it.

"Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem."

After about ten, fifteen minutes Charlie had all the information he needed. He started working on an equation while Carson just sat there, waiting.

"OK, it shouldn't be too much longer," Charlie told her after he input everything into his computer.

"Sounds good," she replied, but sensed the tense air between them. "OK, look I know you think I'm a skeptic or something, and I don't put much faith in your math, b-"

"You don't do you?" Charlie interrupted. "The only reason you're asking now is because Don made you. Am I right?" She stared at him.

"Yeah, you're right. Your brother did tell me to ask you," Carson told him bluntly. "But he believes you, that your math works. And you were right, about the motive." Charlie was confused now. "Look, this job is dangerous. We have to depend on each other everyday. So, if your brother says that your math is gonna increase our chances of getting home safe, I believe him. At the end of the day, I wanna get home to Brian, and if your math helps me do that then I'll use it."

They looked at each other for a few minutes, seemingly coming to an unspoken understanding.