by Brian Shea
“I didn’t want you to be caught with your pants down on this. I’ve got to run. We’ll talk more when you’re back this way. And Nick, we never spoke about this,” Jones said.
“Understood. I’ll be in touch. Thanks for the call,” Nick said. He slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Nick turned. Declan, obviously within earshot of the conversation, raised his can and cocked his eyebrow before taking a gulp.
Declan gave a knowing shake of his head. “When it rains, it pours.”
“That’s the damn truth.” Nick said.
Val went upstairs to change out of the clothes she’d slept in.
The side door opened, banging loudly against the nearby cabinet as Abigail and Ripley, Declan and Val’s two oldest girls, clamored into the kitchen dropping their backpacks on the floor. They paused for only a second to kick their shoes into a light pink bin on top of a small wooden bench. They rushed past Nick, without taking notice, and barreled into their father. Nick watched contentedly as the two fought to occupy the territory of their father’s neck as they wrapped their wiry arms around him.
Declan embraced both girls tightly. The Enright girls had only been away from their father for one night, but to watch the girls’ reaction, you’d think it’d been months. Nick looked on with excited anticipation of what his own future held.
“Look who stopped by for a visit, girls,” Declan said, redirecting their attention.
“Uncle Nick!” The two girls cheered in unison and charged him.
The maniacal embrace of the children gave Nick a fleeting reprieve from the weight of Izzy’s death and a needed distraction from the phone call he’d just received from Jones. In an instant they were gone, disappearing down the hall and up the stairs to what Nick assumed was their bedroom. He could hear their giggles pass through the low ceiling of the house.
“Early dismissal today. Never a dull moment in the Enright house,” Declan said.
“I guess I’ll be experiencing that first hand soon enough.” Nick said this as he thought of Anaya and their unborn child thousands of miles away.
9
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you back last night. Or this morning. I’ve been a little out of whack since getting here,” Nick said.
“I understand. No need to explain yourself to me. I’m just so sorry I’m not there for you right now,” Anaya said.
“You are. Knowing that you’re in my life is all I need. How are you settling in? Make sure to say hello to Mouse for me,” Nick said.
“What’s next? Have arrangements been made yet?” Anaya asked.
“The funeral is being planned by her family. I’m assuming that it will be later this week. Her family is scattered so they’re going to want to delay it long enough for everyone to get here.”
“Would you like me to come?” Anaya asked timidly.
Nick wasn’t sure if he registered a note of hesitancy in Anaya’s voice as she asked this.
“No.”
Anaya said nothing.
Nick felt that his answer was too abrasive and tried to back pedal an explanation. “I just mean it doesn’t make sense for you to disrupt your time with Mouse. What you’re doing for her by supporting her as she starts her new life is important. Enough people have failed that girl in the past, and I don’t want us to be added to that very long list.”
“She looks great! And the home is absolutely amazing.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m happy for her.”
Nick let the tension in his shoulders drop. He’d felt a subtle nervousness during Anaya’s trip and was content knowing that she had arrived safely. After his dealing with Khaled, Nick’s sense of security had been shattered. He saw firsthand the ease at which attacks could be carried out on the unsuspecting public.
“I’m going to let you go. As soon as I figure out how long I’m going to be staying here, I’ll call you.”
“I love you Nicholas Lawrence,” Anaya said.
“I love you too. Take care of our baby,” Nick said.
He hoped that Anaya hadn’t picked up on the confliction in his voice. Being back in Connecticut had brought forth a swell of emotions, and the tidal wave of devastation at Izzy’s passing had left him drowning in a sea of unanswered questions. He ended the phone call and rejoined Declan and Val in the living room.
“How’s she doing?” Val asked.
Nick noticed the subtle innuendo in the question and shot Declan a look. His friend and former Navy SEAL couldn’t manage to keep the secret of Anaya’s pregnancy for less than an hour.
“Wow, Fort Knox you are not, sir,” Nick said, shaking his head.
“Sorry brother, she knows all my secrets,” Declan said. He gave Nick a smirk and high fived his wife. “Home team.”
“The good, the bad, and everything in between,” Val said, reciting her mantra and tapping her can against her husband’s.
Nick shook his head and managed a half smile.
“She’s good. She arrived safely and is really excited to spend some time with Mouse.”
“Anaya’s really amazing,” Declan said. “Not many people in this world keep promises anymore. She went above and beyond to get Mouse to Michigan. That little girl is lucky to have you two in her life.”
Nick’s phone buzzed again. He looked down at it and didn’t recognize the number, but did recognize the Dallas area code. He dipped back into the kitchen and answered.
“Hello?” Nick asked.
“Is this Nicholas Lawrence?” a woman’s voice said.
“Yes. And it’s Nick.”
“Okay Nick. This is Cheryl Simmons. I work out of the Dallas field office. I’m investigating a case and need to speak to you regarding it,” Simmons said.
“Okay, go ahead,” Nick said. He made a conscious effort not to accidentally betray the information Jones had given him earlier.
“Not over the phone,” Simmons said bluntly.
“Well that’s going to be a bit of a challenge for me since I’m in Connecticut,” Nick said, annoyed.
“I’ve made arrangements to get you back here. You’re going to need to return immediately.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for a friend and agent who died today,” Nick responded.
“I know where you are and what you’re doing. It’s been cleared from the top down. You’re coming back, and it’s not up for further discussion.” Simmons spoke clearly, enunciating every syllable, but with no trace of emotion.
You know and you’re still telling me to come back? Nick thought. Either Simmons is the worst human being on the planet or this case is more complicated than Jones initially indicated.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Nick said trying to keep up a level of resistance.
“You’re scheduled on a 5:15 p.m. flight out of Bradley. I’ll send you the flight information,” Simmons said.
Nick looked down at his watch. It was 2:00 p.m.
“Jesus. Thanks for the heads up,” Nick said sarcastically. “That’s going to be cutting it close.”
“Then I’d suggest you hurry up,” Simmons said, returning the sardonic tone.
“Question. If you’re out of the Dallas office, why are you working an Austin murder?” Nick asked.
“I never said anything about the murder taking place in Austin. Sounds like you’ve got some friends out this way speaking out of turn,” Simmons said.
Shit. He realized she hadn’t said anything about the case facts and Nick just exposed himself. Exposed Jones. One thing was for certain, Agent Simmons didn’t miss much.
Nick waited for her to pry deeper.
“I’m currently working out of Dallas, but I go wherever a case takes me. I’m BAU.” Simmons said this last statement with added affect.
Nick fumbled with a response as Simmons ended the call. He stared at phone and sighed heavily. He hadn’t worked much with the Behavioral Assessment Unit since entering the Bureau. He knew that only an extremely small number of agents were selecte
d, and the chosen were held in high regard.
Declan walked in and opened the fridge to retrieve another libation. Nick noticed that one of the top shelves was held together with duct tape. Normally the sight of it would have prompted Nick to make a witty comment, but he was lost in thought.
“Ready for another round?” Declan said. He stood holding up two more cans of the Rocky Mountain classic, the blue of the mountains indicating their coldness.
“I can’t. I’ve got to run. I just got called back to Texas,” Nick said.
“I don’t understand. Your boss knows why you’re here?” Declan questioned.
“It’s one of those cases that apparently can’t wait.”
Nick looked at his watch again out of habit even though he’d just checked it less than a minute before.
“My flight leaves in three hours. Do you think you can shuttle me back to the airport?”
“Val’s not going to be happy that you’re leaving so soon,” Declan said, returning the cans to the packed interior shelf of the fridge.
“I know. Hopefully, I can make it back for the funeral. Although, I’m not a real fan of ’em,” Nick said.
“Me neither. I’ve got more friends in the ground than above these days. Sadly, your ugly ass is one of the few still left standing,” Declan said.
Nick chuckled softly. It felt strange to laugh at anything on this day, but the release felt good and he was grateful for his friend’s sense of humor.
“It’s not for lack of trying, but I guess I’m unkillable.” Nick ran a hand over the scar on the left side of his stomach where he’d been impaled by a knife less than a year ago.
“But I guess both of our survivability just went down a bit,” Declan said.
“How so?”
“Without Izzy around to save our butts we’ve got to be more careful. I for one think we should invest in extra body armor, but with our finances I’ll probably have to settle for bubble wrap.”
Nick knew the truth in Declan’s statement. Izzy had come to the rescue for both men more times than he cared to admit. If it hadn’t been for her quick thinking, Nick would’ve been dead long ago. The raised skin of the thick scar tissue that ran down his left arm, above the elbow, was a testament to that day and the tourniquet she’d used to save him.
After saying a quick goodbye to Val and the girls, Nick now sat in the confinement of the passenger seat of Declan’s older model red Toyota Corolla. He adjusted the seat back to give some much-needed leg room.
“I can see that you’re enjoying the spaciousness of this sweet ride,” Declan said laughing.
“It’s great. I feel like I’ve been stuffed into a clown car.”
“Sorry buddy, but Val has to pick up Laney from pre-K in a bit, and I feel better when she uses the SUV in this kind of weather,” Declan said.
“No need to apologize. And please tell Laney I said hi and that I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see her.”
Nick looked around the small car and felt Declan staring at him. Declan gave a miniscule grin that bent wider as he looked over at his friend.
“What’s so funny?” Declan asked.
Nick shrugged his shoulders, broadening into a full smile.
“What?” Declan asked.
“I’ve never ridden in a getaway car before,” Nick said.
Declan sighed and drooped his head in mock shame. “Are you ever going to let me live that down?”
“Probably not,” Nick said.
The Corolla headed north on I-91 toward Bradley Airport travelling on the same road that Izzy had been killed on the previous morning. He was on the same path but in the opposite direction. It wasn’t lost on him that this was symbolic of their failed attempt at a relationship.
10
Sleep hadn’t come to him during the return flight to Austin. A long day punctuated by the bounce and skid of the 737 on the cool tarmac of Bergstrom International. The plane’s touchdown left Nick suddenly exhausted as the weight of the past two days of heartache crashed down on him, compounded further by the endless hours of travel.
The airport was relatively deserted minus his accompanying travelers. Nick looked down at his watch. The digital numbers read 10:30 p.m. The majority of flights had long since reached their final destinations, and the overnight cleanup crew was already hard at work preparing for the next day. He bypassed baggage claim. His lowly backpack was all that he carried. His suitcase was with Anaya in Pidgeon, Michigan. He’d borrowed a change of clothes from Declan, as they were about the same size, and was wearing a blue sweatshirt with a Rick and Morty logo centered on the front. Declan had given strict warning to take care of his beloved hoodie.
Simmons had sent him a message that she’d be sending someone to pick him up when he arrived. Nick stepped outside onto the curb and scanned for his ride. A young man with a crewcut, who looked no more than twenty, stood by a dark blue sedan and waved to him sheepishly. Nick looked over his shoulder to verify that this gesture was for him and then, seeing nobody behind him, nodded a silent acknowledgement.
“Agent Lawrence?”
“Yup,” Nick said as he walked up to man.
“I’m Gary Salazar. I was told to take you directly to see Agent Simmons,” Salazar said.
Nick noticed that the young agent’s face flushed during his introduction. Salazar awkwardly stuck out his hand. Nick gave it a firm shake.
“When did you graduate?” Nick asked.
“That obvious huh? Last week.”
“Jesus, how old are you?” Nick asked.
“Twenty-three.”
“Straight out of college to Quantico?”
“Yessir. I’m very excited to get started. It’s always been a dream of mine ever since I can remember.”
Nick said nothing and entered the vehicle, taking his place in the front passenger seat. He unshouldered his backpack, setting it at his feet.
“It’s a real honor to meet you Agent Lawrence. I’ve heard all about you at the academy. They gave a lecture seminar on how you and your team stopped that terrorist,” Salazar gushed. “Really impressive stuff.”
“I’m sure most of it was bullshit. And call me Nick.”
“Yessir,” Salazar said.
“Drop the sir. I’m not your supervisor and this isn’t the academy.” Nick realized that he was more snappy than normal and tried to dial back. “So where are we meeting Simmons?”
“At your office.”
The sedan pulled out from the airport and onto the arterial stretch of State Highway 183 that circumvented the congestion of downtown Austin. Although the evening rush had dissipated hours ago, there were still pockets of traffic. The endless sprawl of Austin’s population created a commuter nightmare.
The trip was relatively short, just over forty minutes, but after the day of roundtrip traveling Nick was suddenly overcome by fatigue. He fought to keep his eyes open. The low hum of the engine and rumble of the tires worked against his battle against sleep.
His phone startled him as the alert vibrated, acknowledging the receipt of a new text message.
It was Anaya. How are you holding up?
Nick had totally neglected to let her know about his return to Texas. He debated on whether he should continue holding back that information and wait until tomorrow.
He thought, No need to worry her tonight. He knew her too well and came to the conclusion she’d be more upset that he’d kept it from her. She’d read more into it than necessary.
He responded. I’m in Austin. Just landed. Called back for a case. I’ll tell you more about it when I call in the morning.
Be safe. Love you, she responded.
Get some rest. Love you too. Nick slipped his phone back into his pocket and then rubbed his eyes. He was glad that she didn’t press him further on the matter. He had to prepare himself to meet Simmons.
“Got any coffee going back at the office?” Nick asked, breaking the silence of the drive. He hoped that conversation would help with the dro
wsiness.
“Not sure. If not, I can make some,” Salazar said.
His eagerness to please would have been endearing if Nick wasn’t so depleted. He had little room for pleasantries at the moment and eagerly awaited an end to this night. Nick looked out the window, recognizing the familiar landscape of the buildings set against the night sky and knew they’d be arriving at their destination shortly.
“Tell me about Simmons,” Nick said, staring into the night without looking over at Salazar.
“Not sure what you want me to tell. I only just met her today. I’m still in the orientation phase and have no cases yet so I got tasked to pick you up from the airport. Low man on the totem pole.”
“Well aren’t you fresh out the gate from recruit land? Didn’t you have to do assessments back at Quantico, or has that important piece of investigations been torn from the lesson books?” Nick asked.
“Yeah, but that was just training. I’ve never tried to do it outside of the academy. Not sure I’m the best guy to ask.”
“Give it your best shot. I’ve never met Simmons. So here’s your test. Take a minute and give me your behavioral assessment of her. After I meet with her, I’ll give you your first real world grade,” Nick said, cocking his eyebrow and looking down his nose at him for added effect.
“Okay. This isn’t some kind of prank you play on the new guy is it?” Salazar said.
“I hope you’re not this hesitant when it comes to field work,” Nick said, knowing this would nudge the eager-to-please young agent.
“Well here goes nothing. She’s small statured, in her early to mid-forties. She works out. Probably some combination of cardio work with some Pilates or strength training. She’s got red hair that appears to be natural and she—”
“I hope to God you’re not going to tell me you think she uses conditioner. Give me the assessment. You’re telling me what she looks like. I want you to tell me about her,” Nick chided.
“You sure this isn’t going to get back to her?” Salazar asked self-consciously.
“Are you going to fail your first test as an agent? We’re pulling up to the building in less than a minute. Tick tock.”