by Bob Blink
"It's done," Paul said as he set down his cell phone.
"She's dead?" Natalie asked hopefully.
"Aaron reports the emergency vehicles have arrived on scene and the radio traffic is quite graphic on the matter. We don't have to worry about your former CFO any longer."
"Good!" Natalie said emphatically. "Now if we could simply be as successful with the others."
"There may be no need," Paul reminded her. "If we can keep them distracted until enough time has passed, they can't loopback and prevent this from happening so there may be nothing for this Carlson to investigate. Only time will tell, but all evidence supports she doesn't know why your CFO called her. I doubt she will be inclined to simply investigate with no idea what she is supposed to be looking for."
"I wish I was as certain as you," Natalie said. "I have a bad feeling that Carlson and those around her are going to try to discover what has been the reason for the attacks against them. They also know that someone like me exists. I don't see them dropping that."
"Maybe, but we don't think they have any leads to us, so how would they find out. You go back to work, continue as before, and there is nothing for them to find. Just remember, you need to make sure there is nothing in her stuff at the firm."
"You'll be coming with me, won't you?" Natalie asked.
"Not immediately. I have things to deal with here. I might have to inform my uncle what is going on. Not about you and your ability," he said raising a hand, "but that I still have issues and haven't eliminated Carlson as I told him I intended."
"I wish we knew who it is they have with Backsliding ability," Natalie said.
"That's the other thing. I want to get some people looking into everyone she is close to. In case this whole thing doesn't settle down as we hope, we need to know who the person is. That's who we need to go after first. So between that problem, and arranging for the distractions for Carlson and her immediate associates I mentioned, I'm going to need to remain here. Maybe Jeff can go with you."
Natalie shook her head.
"I think it's better he stays away for a while. You'll come as soon as you can?"
"As soon as matters settle down," Paul promised.
Chapter 20
Thursday Evening, May 12
When Natalie stepped off the plane at the Reagan Regional Airport in Washington, D.C. that evening, a part of her half expected to be greeted by swarms of armed FBI agents. The fact that no one greeted her, or even took notice of her arrival, came as a relief. Another realization wasn't near so comforting.
Earlier in the day, when Paul had told her that Anne was dead, she had checked and known that she could Backslide should it become important. That had provided her comfort against a complication with the death of her former co-worker. Now, however, she was acutely aware that she couldn't sense her former self, and wouldn't be able to activate a Backslide under any circumstances.
After a moment she realized her perception wasn't completely correct. She could sense herself she realized. But only a short time back. She could sense herself to a time a few minutes before the plane landed. She also realized that as time passed she could sense the growing period of Backslide times available to her, but none extended farther backward in time than that point on the airplane some minutes before they landed. Then she realized there was another time. She could sense herself four days earlier, last Sunday before they left for New York.
It took her a few minutes to make sense of the situation, and when she did, at least when she thought she had an explanation, she didn't like what she learned. There must be a distance constraint with her ability she hadn't realized in the past. The point on the plane was a number of miles from where she now stood, the distance dependant on how fast the aircraft had been moving. That was why she couldn't sense herself after that. The gap she sensed between that point and last Sunday was the period she had been out of the area. What all this meant was she would be unable to Backslide to a point of safety a few days ago if something went wrong while she was here. The only point open was a time last Sunday, which predated the time Anne was killed. That wasn't a desirable option. For the first few moments she wanted to jump back on a plane and flee to New York.
Unfortunately Paul was right. There were things to be done here. She'd have to make do with the time available to her. It wouldn't be until morning that she made an appearance at the office, and if something went wrong, she could Backslide to a prior time, all the way up to now, when she first arrived. It would have to do, but now she was sorry she'd had Paul order Jeff back to New York after his search of Anne's apartment was complete. They'd agreed it would be best to have his face out of the area, just in case someone might have spotted him. Now she wished that Paul was here, and in his absence her brother. Both were involved in this as deeply as she was and their presence would provide reassurance that it was going to work out. The fact hours had passed since Anne's death, and nothing had happened to change that event gave her some confidence they had succeeded, but she wouldn't rest easy until a full week had passed. That should put the possibility of changing what had happened to the woman out of reach to the Backslider employed by the FBI.
The slidewalk she had stepped onto near her arrival gate had deposited her at the baggage recovery area, and already bags were starting to appear in the rotary recovery carousel. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and made her way over to wait for her luggage. Once she was home she'd have to call Paul and tell him of this new complication.
Her bag, one of the first off the plane for a change, was already making the circular trip around the carousel, and she was able to step forward and grab it once it came around again. The wheels clattered on the hard floor as she made her way outside to the taxi pickup area. She'd made this trip more than a few times in the past couple of years, and had never thought much about it. Tonight, the bright lights and dark black skies with only a few clouds, somehow made her uneasy. She had to wait while two other groups climbed into their taxi before it was her turn. She tossed he bag into the back to the far side, and slid into the seat. Before the driver could ask, she gave him her address, and a few moments later, they had merged into traffic and were on their way.
Her block was quiet enough, and she spotted nothing out of the ordinary. She was aware of how few lights showed in the various windows, and after paying the fare made her way up the three steps to the security door. She had the magnetic key card in hand and slid it through the reader, quickly entering her code when prompted, feeling somewhat more secure when the door clicked behind her and she was safe inside the well lit hallway that led to the elevators. She seldom came this way, usually parking in the secure garage below, and coming up the elevators to her suite.
She nodded at the security guard who sat at the back of the small lobby, where he could watch the various alarms and monitors that helped protect the building. She wondered if he'd been watching television before she'd appeared at the front door, but there was no way of telling. She recognized the man. He'd been here as long as she'd lived in the building. Older, with graying hair and a bushy mustache, he wouldn't be much protection against a real threat, but then that wasn't his function.
"Been away Miss Rineri?" he asked.
"For a few days," she replied. "I assume all has been quiet?"
She watched him for any sign of nervousness or deceit. If the Feds had figured out who she was and were waiting for her upstairs, they couldn't have done so without alerting the building security. The man looked bored and tired, and not the least nervous.
"Almost too quiet," he replied. "A little excitement might help keep me awake. You're the only resident I've seen all day. Most of you come in through the basement. I see you on the monitors, but seldom in person."
Natalie smiled when the elevator arrived in response to the man's summons. She waved and stepped inside. pressing the button for her floor. A few minutes later she exited, unlocked the door to her suite, and stepped inside. A touch of the light switch t
urned on the hall, living room, and kitchen lights all at once. All seemed as she'd left it. Even so, she felt the need to complete a full walk through, turning on lights in the study and spare and master bedrooms to be certain nothing had changed in her absence. Nothing had been obviously disturbed.
She glanced at the phone. She had planned on calling Paul to tell him what she had concluded about her ability, then decided not to. She wanted time to think it through, and there was nothing he could do about it. Instead she took out her smart phone and texted a brief, 'Home Safe' message, and set it aside.
Hanging her coat on the rack in the hallway, she stopped by the small bar and poured herself a large glass of scotch over ice. Then she headed back to the bathroom. She started the tub, filling it with overly warm water while she stripped off her clothes, and set a large, thick towel and her robe off to one side. The emptiness of the condo weighed on her, and she considered setting out the small revolver Paul had given her for protection. Then she shrugged. What was she going to do? Shoot a Fed in her own apartment?
Later as she lay in the warm water, the mirrors clouded by the vapors from the hot water, she let her muscles relax as she considered the new realization about her ability. How odd that she had never noticed the issue before, and that it should make itself known in the middle of the current situation. She wondered if her counterpart, the Backslider that worked for the FBI knew about this limitation, and perhaps others she hadn't yet discovered. There could be any number of restrictions on her ability she was unaware of. Somehow she suspected the other person was more familiar with the ability than she, which might prove a disadvantage if this whole mess didn't fade away as Paul hoped.
Taking a large pull on her drink, she wondered what Paul had in mind to distract the agents that had been looking for them. A simple week should be enough to make it all but impossible for the trail to be followed. Seven days, but from her current perspective that seemed so very long. Almost anything could happen during that time, and if for some reason Paul was wrong and Carlson learned of Anne's death before then, they might still have more trouble than they could handle.
The possibility that Carlson might learn of Anne's death made Natalie uneasy, and she took another sip of the scotch, which wasn't doing as much as she hoped to settle her nerves. She realized that two things were bothering her. For several years she had become overly confident that any matter that arose she'd be able to deal with because of her Backslide ability. Now that wasn't the case, and she found herself uncertain how matters were going to work out. Had it not been for Paul, she was certain she would have been caught already. Secondly, she couldn't put off the uncomfortable scene that awaited her at the office the next day. Somehow she had to appear shocked and surprised, appropriately saddened at the loss, but not so much that those who knew of her issues with Anne wouldn't detect the falseness and wonder about it. It was going to require some acting, and she didn't know if she was up to it.
As a result of the worries and uncertainties, she spent a very restless night. She thought she looked gaunt with overly large shadows under her eyes, that she wasn't able to totally erase with makeup when she prepared to leave for the firm the next morning.
Natalie was acutely aware of the empty slot next to hers when she pulled in and parked the following morning. Anne normally came in very early, so Natalie was used to seeing her car when she arrived. Today, of course, the spot was conspicuously empty. Steeling herself for the encounter ahead, she grabbed her leather bag and headed inside. She passed by the security guard as she scanned herself in, then headed down the hallway toward her office.
The halls were uncommonly quiet, or at least it seemed so to Natalie. She was most of the way to her office when Sue Thomas stepped into the hallway. Sue was one of their sales representatives, and as a result traveled a great deal pushing their products. They didn't know each other well, but Natalie had recently given Sue a rundown on what the new diabetes serum was expected to offer. Seeing Natalie, Sue stopped and waited for her.
"I still can't believe it," Sue said, her voice low.
"Excuse me?" Natalie asked. "Believe what?"
She decided this might be fortuitous. If Sue, someone who didn't know her well, could be the one to inform her of Anne's death, it might be easier to carry off the deceit when she met the others.
"You don't know about Anne?" Sue asked.
"I've been away a few days," Natalie said. "What about Anne?"
"She was killed in a car accident yesterday," Sue said. "She was on her way home when it happened."
"Killed?" Natalie asked, and was pleased at how concerned she sounded. She thought she carried it off better than she'd hoped. "It can't be?"
Sue was nodding.
"The police came and talked with Karl late in the afternoon. He called us all together and told us what happened, then sent everyone home early. He can tell you the details. He's already here. I saw his car when I arrived."
"I'd better go and speak with him," Natalie said, glad for a way to break away cleanly.
She headed down the hallway, but now her destination was Karl's office rather than her own. Having been told about Anne, it would be natural for her to go and seek her boss.
"I just heard about Anne," Natalie said, as she stepped into his office. "What happened?"
"Natalie, you're back."
"I just got in last night. Sue stopped me in the hallway and told me that Anne had been killed in a car accident."
"Yesterday," Karl confirmed. He looked tired, and the dark smudges under his eyes suggested he hadn't slept well either. "She was apparently driving too fast and must have lost control on a curve. The roads were wet yesterday and she went head on into the support for one of the overpasses. The police said it was instantly fatal."
"That's horrible!" Natalie said. "Anne and I didn't always see eye to eye, but I didn't want for this to happen." Natalie cut it off awkwardly. She didn't know just what to say, and decided the less she said maybe the better.
"I feel partially responsible," Karl admitted unexpectedly. "We had an argument of sorts yesterday, and she left early in a rush. I can't help wondering if the argument affected her attention."
"An argument?" Natalie asked. "What about?"
"It doesn't matter," Karl replied. "There's nothing that can be done about it. She's gone. It's a strategic loss for the company, and she's someone I've known since college. It won't be the same around here."
Natalie could guess what the subject of the argument had been, and was glad that Karl didn't want to tell her. If he wouldn't mention it to her, it was unlikely he'd bring it up with the police should there be any questions. So much the better.
"Sue said the police were here," Natalie said. "Was someone else involved? Could they have caused it?"
"According to the patrolman who stopped by, there wasn't much traffic and the one eye witness says there were no other vehicles even close. She was simply going too fast for conditions. We both know she liked to speed. This time, it appears to have caught up with her."
"Will there be a funeral?"
"I don't think so. The only relative she had listed on the forms we have is a cousin on the West Coast. I called, and they will be coming out in a couple of days when the police release the remains. The woman said Anne wanted to be cremated, and had told her she didn't want any services. She wasn't at all religious. It's odd, because the changes were made to her plans only a few months ago after her divorce was final."
"What are you going to do?" Natalie asked.
"I don't know. I've asked Chuck to come in this weekend and box up her stuff. We'll put it in storage in case something comes up and we need to look through it. There's the old document room in the back of the lab. I'll need to replace her pretty quickly. Given the current state of things, we can't leave her position empty, even though I'd like to avoid the whole thing for now."
Natalie was pleased to hear Karl's plan. She hadn't been certain how she could gain access to the office
without someone noticing. If Chuck put everything in the back room, it would be relatively easy for her to gain access when no one was around. Perfect.
Karl had noticed her silence, and spoke to smooth over the awkwardness.
"Look, you need to speak to your people. They've been moving along better than hoped, but a couple of issues have come up that you need to make a decision on. I know this isn't the best of times, but we can't afford to miss the deadlines on the test program or we could be set back a full quarter."
"I'll check right away," Natalie promised. "Look, I know you and Anne were close. If there's any way I can help . . . ?"
Karl nodded, but didn't respond. Natalie turned and left the office, relieved that the most important interaction was behind her. She'd still have the gossip from the others on the staff, but that could be deflected much more readily.
Chapter 21
Friday Morning, May 13
Whoever had made the move against Jim Laney and his wife, and then aborted afterwards, hadn't taken any action the following day. Jake still wondered just what had triggered the change in plans, as they'd had no intention of arresting the group and scaring them off. The intent had been to allow the kidnapping to go forward until something useful could be learned, and then for Jake to Back-Track with the all important knowledge, and prevent the event from happening. It hadn't happened that way, which was why he was certain the Back-Tracker among those they sought had spotted something inconsistent, which had revealed the true nature of the chase.
This morning, the second morning after the aborted event, they were back in the office trying to resolve how they were to move forward, provide adequate protection for themselves, and still hope to uncover who was behind the moves against Susan and Jim. It was possible their adversary would simply slip away quietly, but that didn't seem consistent with their earlier eagerness to take action.