Night Watch (Kendra Michaels #4)(67)

KENDRA DRUMMED HER FINGERS as she sat in the passenger seat of Lynch’s car. They’d been on the way to the FBI offices when Lynch’s phone rang with an insistent tone she’d only heard twice before. Each time, Lynch had stepped away and took the call someplace where she couldn’t hear him. Classified stuff, she’d been told. Not that she really cared.

This time Lynch abruptly pulled his car over on Fifth Street and spent the first minutes pacing back and forth on the sidewalk next to her with the phone pressed to his ear. Then he leaned against the brick wall of the restaurant where he’d parked. His posture slumped, and he was frozen in place for a long moment even after he ended the call.

This wasn’t high-impact Lynch. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

She climbed out of the car and walked over to him. “What’s going on?”

His face was tense, his lips tight. “I have to go to England.”

“Another one of your assignments?”

“No, it’s just…” He looked away. “Rye is dead.”

Her breath left her. “What?”

“His body was found in a landfill a hundred kilometers outside of London. It so happened there were cadaver dogs on-site for another investigation. It’s the only reason they found him. They think he was bagged and tossed into a Dumpster.”

The words didn’t sound real to her as they tumbled from Lynch’s mouth. Neither the words nor the terrible vision of that amusing, lively man just tossed away like so much garbage. Lynch was obviously having trouble believing them, too.

Kendra placed her hand on his. “I’m so sorry. I really liked him.”

“And Rye liked you.”

“I feel guilty,” she said unsteadily.

“For what?”

“For pulling him into this. He didn’t know what we were getting him into.”

“We didn’t know much ourselves.” Lynch took a deep breath. “Rye never did anything he didn’t want to do. I feel bad ten different ways right now, but guilt doesn’t enter into it. Rye loved living on the edge. He almost died on three separate occasions in the years since I met him. It’s who he was.”

“I feel bad that he was doing it for us.”

Lynch nodded. “I guess I am feeling some guilt there. If I hadn’t called him, he’d be in his cottage reading and drinking wine right now.”

“What was he doing the last time you spoke to him?”

“He was tracking a lead from the auto investigation system of our Big Bear corpse, Dr. Porter Shaw. Shaw’s supposed workplace didn’t exist, but Rye found an old factory where he’d been going.”

“That was the last time you talked to him?”

“Yes. He texted me the address. It may be nothing, but as far as I know, it’s the last place he went. I have to go there.”

She nodded. “But can’t the local police handle it?”

“They are handling it. I was just talking to a mutual friend of mine and Rye’s. He’s with the National Crime Agency. I told him what I knew, but I still need to go there.”

“Of course.”

Regret flashed across his face. “I have to do this, Kendra.”

“I told you, I know you do. I’m just sorry I can’t go with you. As long as Waldridge is missing, there’s no way I can leave here.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to.” He looked away from her. “Damn. A world without Rye Malone is a sadder place. I’m already missing him.”

“Did he have family?”

“An ex-wife who was happily married to him when he was an intelligence-agency desk jockey. When he was in the field, she just couldn’t take it.”

“I guess she never wanted to receive a call like the one you just got.”

“I guess she didn’t.” His lips twisted. “Maybe she’s a very smart woman.”





CHAPTER

12




LYNCH DROVE KENDRA BACK to her condo, where he threw together his belongings and packed with astonishing efficiency.

Kendra smiled. “Something tells me you’ve spent a lot of time living out of that suitcase.”

“Too much time.” He zipped his Eagle Creek duffel and rested it on the floor. “When a piece of luggage feels more like home than my actual house, I know I’ve been doing something seriously wrong.”

“It cost Rye his marriage, and it sounds like it cost you Ashley.”

He stepped closer to her. “I’m not thinking about Ashley.”

She felt herself tense. “Out of sight, out of mind?”

“No. That was a relationship that had run its course.” His face was only inches from hers. “But this … This has been nice. You and me, here, under the same roof. I had the same feeling when you were at my place. There’s something very … right about it.”

He was too close. She was having trouble breathing. “I seem to remember a few moments when it felt anything but right.”

He smiled. “There are a few awkward moments in any new relationship. I told you that we’d get through it, and we did.”

“Relationship? I think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves.”

“No. You just need to catch up.”