Her partner, as it turned out, was less forgiving when it came to Bethany, still.
“Give it a rest. She asked for a ride. We were going to the same place.”
“I just don’t like the way you keep indulging her.”
“And I don’t think this is appropriate.”
“I agree,” Ellie said. “I get to judge that.”
Derek Henderson shook his head, exasperated. “She wants to advance her career, just like that other time, and once again, someone gets hurt. She never faces any consequences.”
Jordan didn’t feel like having this conversation, now, or ever. She particularly didn’t like that Derek put her in a position where she felt like she had to defend Bethany in front of Ellie. Fortunately, Ellie knew her enough to understand her struggle.
“I think we were all angry with her back then, and I understand that there was some sort of protocol. I hope that you’d say the same things if she was a guy, and besides, Jordan doesn’t want to talk about it. That should be enough.”
“Thank you. I love you.”
“Whatever,” Derek scoffed. “You got out while you could, that’s great, but she could still drag you down with her career-wise. And those women? They are all terrified. One or two might talk, but if she keeps pushing them, it will come at a cost. You know that.”
“Derek,” Kate said softly.
“I’m done,” he said, holding up his hands in defeat. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“All right, I get it.”
An awkward silence settled between them for long moments, before Kate said, “I know we’re not supposed to talk about the case anymore but I, for one, am glad we finally get to figure out why Jennifer was killed. I’m sure her mother will be grateful once it’s not in the headlines every day anymore. And we are helping those women. We did. Some might be confused right now, but every single one is better off than she was yesterday.”
To Jordan’s relief, Derek simply agreed.
“For sure. I’m afraid this case will make headlines for some time to come. You’d like another one?” he asked with regard to Kate’s empty glass.
“Yes, please.”
He got up, and after exchanging a look with Ellie, Jordan followed him.
“Are you all right?”
“Are you?” he asked and shrugged. “Look, I’m sorry. I assume you know what you’re doing.”
Derek ordered a couple of beers and went back to their table. Jordan regarded the price list written on the chalkboard behind the back.
“Everything on that sounds good right now,” Bethany said behind her.
“Sorry. I’m not paying.”
“Don’t worry, I’m good. You know what this is all about, right?” Bethany took a seat on a barstool.
“What do you mean?” Jordan asked, before she even realized she didn’t want to have this conversation. Maybe Derek had a point. Some of those dynamics were still familiar between then.
“I know I failed you. I dealt with it. I don’t think your partner has. He couldn’t save you, and he still blames himself.”
“That’s an awful lot of psychoanalysis for tonight. Besides, I thought you were moving away, so you won’t have to deal with any of it for much longer.”
Jordan had been right, and she should have known better. With Bethany, it was never just small talk.
“I won’t go anywhere if this blows up in my face, pardon the bad pun. I need this to work out, and I need Lilah to be all right.”
“I hope she is. Good luck.” Jordan had been about to get a cocktail for Ellie, but she decided that with a couple on beers, she’d be out of here sooner.
“You will forgive me? Eventually?”
“Oh, come on. Go home, sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah.”
Not inclined to indulge Bethany’s moodiness any longer, Jordan picked up her order and went back to Ellie, realizing Derek and Kate were gone.
“I guess it’s just me,” Ellie said wistfully.
Jordan leaned over to kiss her before she sat down. “That’s perfect.”
Never mind what was up with Bethany or Derek tonight.
* * * *
“I suppose you don’t want to talk any more about the case either,” Ellie assumed, testing the waters. She knew that in some form she’d have to. She felt herself unable to shake off what she and Ariel had shared in that conversation, and she was unsure whether she had found the right words with the grieving teen, or if her own grief was making itself known, still lingering.
She hadn’t lied, though. She had taken life head on, pursued every opportunity. Her belief in this approach had only grown stronger after she’d been attacked on her way home. She wasn’t going to let a woman-hating lowlife determine the way she lived her life—or a drunk driver.
“It’s okay. How did it go with Ariel?”
“Okay. She’s scared, but she will help us any way she can. I think she’ll do fine if she has to go to court. She’s just worried that they might try to come for her. There’s no chance, right?”
“Not from the father anyway.” Jordan sighed. “What a creep. I mean…it’s better for her that he doesn’t want her, but at the same kind, it’s…cold.”
“Wow.” Ellie thought of the smart, brave girl who was ready to take on the Prophets even if no one else did. This man certainly didn’t deserve her. Jordan’s biological father wasn’t cut from better cloth. Ariel brought up some uncomfortable truths for both of them. Deborah Deane had tried, but she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the freedom she’d wanted for their daughter. “I hope she’ll be surrounded by the right people now. That can make all the difference in the world. It’s a terrible loss.”
Jordan’s gaze on her told Ellie that she was reading between the lines.
“Yeah, it made me think of my parents. I wasn’t that young, and it was still hard…for a while, just to keep going, get out of bed every day.”
“I’m sorry,” Jordan said softly.
“Thank you. I told her we’d check in with her tomorrow.”
“That’s good. We’re asking a lot of her. She should know that we will protect her.”
“True.”
At the end of this day, with it’s mixed emotions, Ellie felt confident and happy in the fact that they were together—never mind the sometimes awkward work situation with Bethany around, the horror they were confronted with, or their own personal struggles. Being together. It made more sense than anything.
* * * *
Kate and Derek were not at the apartment. Ellie took it as a good sign, even though this was one of the rare moments the roommate situation frustrated her. Tonight, she wanted affirmation, clothes all over the floor, reckless and passionate lovemaking—as it was, she still had to restrain herself somewhat, so her roommate wouldn’t walk in on them.
Fortunately, Jordan understood her without so many words once they’d closed the door of Ellie’s bedroom. Ellie hadn’t had time to make the bed earlier this morning. It didn’t matter.
The next time she caught a glimpse at the clock on the nightstand, it was nearly an hour after their arrival. Lying on her stomach, she sighed in pleasure as Jordan traced a finger down her spine. She hadn’t been this truly relaxed in a while.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I really needed that.”
Jordan laughed. “It wasn’t entirely un-selfish.” It might have been the sexy, sated tone to her voice, or her gentle touch that sent a shiver skittering down Ellie’s spine. “We should get some sleep now.”
“I guess you’re right.” She moved a little, fitting herself into Jordan’s embrace. Jordan was right. If there were subjects they still needed to discuss, now was certainly not the best time to bring them up. Ellie didn’t know if she’d be brave enough so soon again.
“Move in with me,” she said. “I mean it.”
Jordan was silent, probably wondering if she’d heard her correctly.
“I know you’re hesitating, and yes, a l
ot of things could go wrong. But it could also be all right this time, and why wouldn’t it be? We already tried. We’re basically living together anyway, just with an annoying commute that we could get rid of. Please, don’t say no before you hear me out.”
“I wasn’t going to say no, but I can still hear you out,” Jordan said.
Ellie turned to look at her incredulously. “What? I mean, that’s great,” she hastened to add. “We both had difficult experiences living with other people, but this is different. It’s about us.”
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Jordan admitted. “The house…I liked it from the moment I first saw it, but that was a different situation. I know you don’t care much for it, and when we do this, I want you to be comfortable. I needed to do buy it, and I needed to stay there after…” She didn’t finish the sentence. Ellie didn’t need an explanation. It had been hard for her when Bethany took over right there at the scene, when things between them had been up in the air for a while.
“I understand. And I know I promised to give you time. I’m going to keep that promise. I just want you to know I’m ready.”
Instead of an answer, Jordan pulled her close again. For a moment, Ellie was worried about what that could mean, until Jordan said, “I’ll have to look for new realtor sometime soon, then.”
“I love you so much.”
There were many things they couldn’t control, like who their parents where, or what happened to them along the way—their living situation was not one of those things. The new possibilities made her excited about the future. Ellie was still nowhere near able to sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Kate had never come home that night, and she was late at roll call, looking tired.
“Don’t ask,” she murmured as she slid onto the chair next to Ellie.
“I wasn’t going to.”
Ellie was tired, too, but she was also still on a high from last night’s conversations and otherwise communication.
Sergeant Bristol was about to speak when the door opened again and Bethany walked in, still wearing her coat. Apparently she’d just arrived as well. Jordan hadn’t told her that much, but Ellie assumed that with Strickland missing, she was in hot water with her supervisors. She couldn’t say she felt any good about it. Whatever her personal issues with her might be, she wasn’t looking for her to fail. If you believed Henderson, she kept bringing that on herself, but Ellie wasn’t sure if that was the whole truth.
She cast a sideways glance at Kate, reminded that she would have to have a talk with her. Ellie had made a promise to her too, that she wouldn’t leave her hanging with the rent the way Rhonda had done it to her. She was already starting to have a guilty conscience. In any case, it would only be a first heads-up—Jordan would have to go through quite a bit of paperwork in order to get rid of the house. They hadn’t made any decision as to where they would live together, or whether to rent or buy.
Then, there was the detective’s exam coming up.
“Officer Harding?” Startled, with all eyes on her, Ellie realized that Sergeant Bristol probably hadn’t said her name for the first time. “Dr. Roberts would like you to accompany her today.”
Kate raised her eyebrows, and Ellie shrugged at her. She had no idea what this could mean, but she hoped she was going to learn Lilah Strickland was safe. She hurried to get up and follow Bethany outside of the room.
“You heard from Lilah?”
“Sort of,” Bethany said. “Come on, there’s not a lot of time.”
“Time for what?”
“To brief you on your assignment. Frankly, I wish we had some better alternatives, but you know this case. You know the people involved, and there’s no one we can pull away from this investigation right now, so, congrats.”
“Thanks…I guess.”
“You will be grateful. I promise you, it will look good on your résumé.”
They walked along the corridor and to the elevator, where Bethany pressed the button for the lobby. Ellie was surprised to find they were leaving the building, walking a few steps towards a dark van. Bethany knocked on the side door.
A man wearing the FBI jacket opened it to them. He cast a dubious look at Ellie.
“She was there during the arrests?”
“Yes, but the brothers don’t know her. Lilah does. It’s just going to be a distraction, a quick in and out.”
“If you say so.”
Ellie saw another man, wearing plain clothes, and then, with a start, she realized that she’d seen him before.
He noticed her reaction and, with a friendly smile, extended his hand. “I see you remember me from the bar. I’m Joseph. I came to the conclusion it was better to be on the right side of the law, and I’m glad I could do it early enough to help. Lilly—I mean Lilah—is holding on, but she is in grave danger.”
Ellie felt like she’d been transported into an alternate universe. What had happened to her day job? Moving in together with Jordan?
“What can I do?” she asked, her question meant for Bethany and the other agent.
“You know that this was a joined operation with the precincts and FBI field offices in Arizona and Iowa. We were able to deal a substantial blow to the cult, but Jeremiah Deane got away. He was supposed to be present that day, but no one can find him.”
“He was tipped off?”
“Maybe. In any case, he and some loyal followers have holed up in a secure loaction, and they took some of the women with them.”
“You mean not everyone in the compound was accounted for?”
Bethany’s expression was somber. “We are still trying to figure that out, but these people don’t exactly put a lot of trust in our government. They haven’t filled out all the paperwork, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and they’ve done this for many years. Add to that some missing women that were ‘taken in’ by them. Were they kidnapped, did they join freely, it’s still a hot mess. So yes, we assume that they took some of them. Lilah was able to give us a location, but we need someone to ring the doorbell while we take the place down.”
“I’ll be what, the pizza delivery girl?”
“No. Lilah’s sister.”
“I don’t understand,” Ellie said honestly.
“I guess this is where I come in,” Joseph said, sporting the same cordial smile. “The problem you had before was that Raphael was giving you only part of the information. I decided to work with the authorities, because I didn’t like the way they treated the women there. I know everything that’s going on.”
“That means Ariel might not even have to testify?”
“She was going to?” he asked. “I thought she was quite young to face such a challenge. I’m truly willing to help where I can…and I’m going to introduce you to Jeremiah. They will let us in, because unlike Raphael, I’m not persona non grata. You can check on Lilah, see what she needs. At this point, we know she contacted one of your agents, but what we don’t know is if she went with them freely.”
“So we know for sure she’s still alive?”
“I’m glad to be able to confirm that,” Joseph said. “I’m very honored that the FBI trusts me enough to let me help them. It’s a terrifying situation on the inside, and it has to end.”
Behind his back, Ellie saw Bethany roll her eyes which said clearly that her willingness to work with someone from the family had more to do with a desperate situation than trust.
“I’m in. So what location are we talking about?” she asked.
Bethany smiled. “Not too far. Just a short helicopter ride. And no, you can’t call Jordan. She’s going to be mad at me as it is, but I believe in asking forgiveness rather than permission. Let’s go,” she said to the driver.
* * * *
A tired Casey Lyons informed Jordan that everything had been silent overnight at Mrs. Milner’s house. Ariel was holding up, and none of the cult members had tried to make contact. That was at least good news.
Ellie wasn’t at the department, probab
ly in a squad car right now, and Bethany was M.I.A. Jordan went down the the lab to talk to the medical examiner about Deborah Deane, hoping she could give her something that would point them to the killer.
For Ariel’s sake, and frankly, her own, she hoped they wouldn’t find out it was Nathan who had killed his own wife. His emotions for her seemed to be more in the range of indifference.
They still had to figure out if the men and women they’d encountered yesterday were really all that lived on the compound, and if that number had changed, why. Jennifer had left, Deborah had wanted to, and they were both dead. The had found Eileen Yates. Otherwise, they had yet to match any other of the cold cases, women who had gone missing all those years ago.
She saw Valerie Esposito leave her office and got up as well.
“Hey,” Valerie said. “I see you’re buried in paperwork just as I am. This case is a nightmare of red tape, but I believe we’re making progress. The rest will be up to the federal prosecutors. I was going to see the girl, Ariel.”
“Do you mind if I come with you?”
“Trying to escape that paperwork, aren’t you?”
“Ellie was with her yesterday. We promised to check up on her.”
“Sure. It’s a shame about the mother, but I’m glad we got her out. I think she’s our best bet, unless Roberts can come through with her mystery witness—and I believe it when I see it.”
“Mystery witness?” Jordan asked, surprised.
“So she didn’t tell you the whole story. I am not surprised.”
Jordan chose not to answer. The day had started on a too perfect note to get involved in another argument about Bethany. She was still amazed at how easy it had been in the end, to actually say it, yes, she was on board with all of Ellie’s plans.
All this time she’d been reluctant, hesitant, but she had to go with the evidence. They were good together, and too smart to recreate old patterns. As for the man who had sold her the house and now served a lifelong prison—she was cutting the last tie. In the next few days, she would tackle the task of finding a new realtor.
“I hate giving her credit, but Roberts and her people did some good work on this,” Valerie said. “It’s near miraculous that we’ll finally be able to shut them down, but it looks good. I conferred with my colleagues in Arizona and Iowa, and they’re pretty thrilled, except for one thing. Jeremiah was supposed to be there for the gun sale.”
Initiations (Carpenter/Harding Book 5) Page 15