While Justice Sleeps(89)

Jared widened his stance. “Are we under arrest?”

“Not yet, but I can arrange that if you’d like,” Agent Lee offered reasonably. “We both want to protect her, Jared. Let me do my job.”

Torn, Jared checked over his shoulder, but Avery had not reappeared. He lowered his voice and his chin to Agent Lee. “Did you see the paper this morning?”

“I saw the paper, heard the news reports, and got an earful from the vultures camped outside.”

“Avery is worried about her mother. She’s afraid whoever tried to kill us might harm her.”

Agent Lee nodded. “I understand. I’ve already dispatched an agent and some DC narcotics officers to find and secure Mrs. Keene.” He glanced over Jared’s shoulder, saw Avery approach. “Ms. Keene, we’re looking for your mother, but I must speak with you both. Now.”

“I know what she’s like—I’ll be able to find her.”

“You try to find her, and a reporter or something worse will be with you when you do.” Agent Lee shook his head once. “Let me handle this. We’ll find her. I promise.”

Avery gave Jared a short nod, and he stepped back.

She watched as Lee examined the modest apartment. “Oh, this is just my work apartment,” Avery quipped as she shut the door. “The penthouse is under renovation. Marble floors and gold-plated doorknobs.”

“I guess you’re still raw about the other day.”

“About being accused of theft and murder?” She settled onto the futon. “Another day, another slander, Agent Lee.”

“You’ve had a rough week.”

“Masterful observation.”

He met her look squarely. “I want to help you.”

Cognizant of the surveillance, she lied without compunction: “I’ve told you everything I know.”

“I doubt that.” Before she could protest, he jerked his chin at Ling, who hovered in the kitchen. “Why don’t you join us, Dr. Yin? You’re in the thick of this now too.” He nodded at Noah. “You too, Mr. Fox.”

    Ling and Noah entered the main room, eyes equally wary. “Good morning,” Ling offered.

“That’s a matter of opinion,” he said dryly. Four stubborn faces stared blankly at him, and Agent Lee gave an audible sigh. Earning trust was the toughest part of the job, especially once he’d inserted both feet squarely into his mouth. Aiming for the only military man in the room, he asked, “You know why I joined the FBI, Jared?”

“To harass the weak?”

He shifted his elbows to his knees and linked his fingers loosely. “I like puzzles. I like having bits and pieces of information and filling in the blanks.” The sharp gaze shifted to Avery. “I’m guessing that’s part of the reason you and Noah became lawyers, and why Dr. Yin chose medicine.”

Unimpressed, Avery returned his look without reaction. “Your point?”

“Well, my favorite puzzles weren’t the ones where you had a picture you had to remake. I always thought that was cheating. I preferred the ones where you had to unlock the code to understand the riddle.” He held her eyes with his. “Avery, I think you’re the key to unlocking the code. I think Justice Wynn figured out something very big. He hid the answers, and you’re the cipher.”

“What’s the question?” Noah asked.

“I’m not exactly sure,” Agent Lee admitted. “But you found something in his house that sent you to Georgia.”

“We looked. But we found nothing worth reporting.”

“I know you’re hiding something, Avery. I want to help you.” When she just stared at him, he lifted his hands in surrender. “Look, we got off on the wrong foot.”

“Multiple times,” she reminded him. “I know what you think of me. An opinion that will now be shared by most of Washington, DC.”

“You know nothing of my opinions. I deal in facts. So, if you’re not going to clue me in, let’s see what we know.” He slipped a notebook from his pocket. “One fact: you and Mr. Wynn took a short trip to Georgia yesterday. Who knew you were going?”

Protesting seemed futile, so Avery answered: “Everyone in this room except for you.” Including whoever had planted listening devices in her apartment, which could very well have been Lee, Avery reminded herself.

    “Anyone else?” When she shook her head, he prompted, “Anyone at all? Doesn’t matter how they knew, I need names.”

“I booked the tickets online,” Avery explained. “I don’t have a job anymore, so there’s no one at work who could know.”

“Did you learn anything new on your trip?”

Avery kept her eyes on the agent and prayed Jared would do the same. If she told him about the attack at the cabin, her detail would increase and she’d never make her appointment with Wilma. She groused, “One more dead end, courtesy of Justice Wynn.”

“Jared?”

“Like Avery said, it was a wild-goose chase.”

“I see.” Agent Lee grilled them for another few minutes, then set the notebook aside. “Someone is working awfully hard to shut you down.”

“Ruin my reputation, at least.”