Night Watch (Kendra Michaels #4)(82)

“You’re smart, and you’re able to take care of yourself under most circumstances.” Jessie tapped her own chest. “I’m equipped to take care of people under any circumstances. That’s why Lynch made that call to me. I know he’s been checking me out, and that’s fine. But you should let me do my job. It will help you and Lynch, and it might even save Waldridge.” She shrugged. “But that’s your decision. If you want me to get out, just say the word.”

Kendra stared at her in exasperation. “And if I say that word, it might be the wrong thing to do. You’re damn right it’s my decision, but I’m in a corner, and I’m not going to be forced to make mistakes. So I’ll tell you what we’re going to do.” She looked her in the eye. “I can’t trust Lynch not to fly back here, so you stay on the job. I’d be stupid to not pay attention to your expertise, so I will take advantage of it. But you’ll never lie to me or pretend to be something you’re not. I want honesty and integrity, and I intend to use you to find Waldridge. Tomorrow we’re going to go to L.A., and we’ll squeeze answers out of Dyle. You’ll work your ass off, and Waldridge is going to come out of this alive. We’re going to do that together, Jessie.”

“No problem.” Jessie smiled. “Can we have that wine now?”

“No. It’s going to take awhile before I’ll be able to be on drinking terms with you again.”

“It will come. Actually, we do like each other.”

“Don’t be too sure. It wasn’t long ago that I was thinking of you as a friendly gargoyle.”

Jessie laughed. “Really? That visual is priceless.” She humped over in a gargoyle-like pose, waving her arms like a monkey. Then she reached over and turned out the lamp. “Good night, Kendra. I’m glad the air is cleared now. I’m lousy at deception…”

“You should have told that to Lynch.” She closed the door behind her.

She was still upset, but some of it had ebbed away. It was difficult being angry with Jessie. It was really all Lynch’s fault, and Jessie was only a tool. She found herself smiling grimly at that description. Jessie would never let herself be a tool for anyone. It was almost like calling her a friendly gargoyle.

The memory of Jessie bent over in that ridiculous gargoyle pose was suddenly before Kendra.

Do not smile.





CHAPTER

14

Croyden, England

Middlesex Lane




STEVEN KINCAID, THE OFFICER from the Serious Organized Crime Agency, had not arrived when Lynch reached the factory, and he felt both impatience and frustration. Too much time had already passed since Rye’s death, and he didn’t need bureaucratic red tape and heel dragging to add to the problem.

Calm down. Kincaid was only twenty minutes late. If Lynch weren’t so on edge, he wouldn’t be making a major thing of it.

He glanced down at his phone. No text from either Kendra or Jessie this morning. He hadn’t really expected one from Kendra. It was going to take some time to persuade her that he’d only done what he’d felt he had to do. And it was probably good that Jessie hadn’t texted him. She was too professional to leave Kendra without informing him. He could only hope they were working things out.

“There’s nobody here, you know.”

He looked up from his phone to see a seventysomething woman with gray hair and wearing a green plaid jacket coming toward him. He smiled. “No, I didn’t know. I heard that there might be. And you are?”

“Dorothy Jenkins.” She nodded at Dapper Dan’s Pub across the street. “I’m the bartender and manager.” She cocked her head. “You’re American, aren’t you? I can tell. Americans always sound so flat. I thought you might be Scotland Yard or something like that.” She paused as she had another thought. “Maybe FBI?”

“No. But if I were, why do you think I’d be interested in whether there was someone here at the factory?”

“Cagey.” She smiled. “That’s fine. I understand. Mr. Malone was like that.”

He stiffened. “Ryan Malone?”

“You know him? I’ve been waiting for him to come back.” Her expression was eager. “I wanted to tell him about everything that happened right after he came to the pub and started asking his questions. I told him I’d keep an eye on things for him.”

“I’m sure he appreciated it. Would you care to tell me instead?”

She hesitated. “I don’t know if I can trust you. You might be one of them.”

“Them?”

“Drug dealers, spies, whatever.”

“I assure you that I’m not one of ‘them.’” He met her eyes. “And Ryan Malone would want you to tell me anything you knew. Believe me. We worked closely together.”

She studied him. “Yeah, and you weren’t one of those men bustling all around and moving cars and trucks and stuff a couple days ago. And if you were one of the bad guys, what would you be doing standing out here like a hungry orphan, looking through those bars?”

“You’re very descriptive, if not complimentary,” he said wryly. “I never thought of myself in quite that way before. So that’s what happened? A complete cleanup and general abandonment?”