Pale Wings Protecting

by Lesley Davis

  “That could just be a coincidence,” Browning said. “But if it isn’t, what about the other kids?”

  “I have been conducting surveillance around these streets. When I was questioned by the neighborhood watch, I told them I was looking to buy property there for my wife and I to move into. I explained she was working and couldn’t make the trip so I was scouting ahead for suitable locations to raise a child in a family friendly environment. Suddenly, I was granted access to the ‘inner circle.’ I got a guided tour of every facility available and I got to walk around taking photos without being stopped or questioned.”

  “Trustworthy, if a great deal foolish,” Caldow said. “You could have been a pedophile picking out your next child.”

  “I’ve worked some undercover situations before. I know how to deflect questions. I projected money and power. It’s the language this area recognizes. And I was driving a very elite car, courtesy of one of the young cops in my station who has more money than sense. While there, I didn’t just take photos of the children’s area. I was all over the Heights. It really is a fantastic place to live in. It’s all but self-contained, the neighbors are friendly, and the whole area reeks of money.”

  “What was your cover story?” Blythe asked.

  “I told them my wife and I were setting up our own IT based business from home. We’d decided to escape the rat race and settle down and have babies.” She laughed at Blythe’s amusement. “I know enough about IT to fudge my way through any questions, but they weren’t interested in that. They were more interested in my being able to retire early. This area just screams wealth and prestige, and if you have it, they’ll welcome you in with open arms. I believe if we can get our foot in the door there, so to speak, we can find out how so many of the lesbian and gay couples I saw have babies.”

  Caldow and Browning both laughed at that. “Good luck asking those kinds of questions. Though I guess, like anyone else, some folk are desperate to talk about their sex lives.”

  “I figure if Blythe and I go in as a couple asking questions about adoption, then those who have adopted will open up to us.” Daryl clicked at her remote. “Word is the hospitals in this area will automatically put you in touch with adoption agencies if other methods of conceiving fail. Specifically, babies are mentioned. Those need to be checked out first to see if they’ll direct us to a certain agency. I can’t walk in as a single female looking to adopt. I’m of the belief these babies are being taken for couples only. Precisely, gay couples.”

  “There are a great many things I will do undercover, but getting examined for infertility isn’t something I think I can suitably fake,” Blythe said, her face coloring a very fetching shade that charmed Daryl more than she wanted to admit. She put her hands up to forestall Blythe’s fears.

  “I know a doctor who can work us up some very convincing medical files documenting our lack of fertility. Neither one of us will have to be examined by anyone. I want to solve this case, but I’m not going so deep undercover that we have to physically try to make a baby and fail in order to be accepted. I promise you, Blythe, your virtue is safe with me.” Daryl couldn’t resist smiling at her.

  The agents in the room all laughed, and Blythe nodded her grateful thanks. Daryl caught Trace leaning over to whisper something in Blythe’s ear that made her flush an even deeper red.

  “You have the copies of all my files and the photographs in the folders on the table before you. I understand you need to talk this over and that the DDU is incredibly busy.” Daryl wanted to make them realize how important this was. “These children aren’t mine, but I’ve come to know the women who lost them. I know that in the grand scheme of things, missing children are a fact of life. But I believe I have a very good case here for the DDU to take on, and I’d love the opportunity to work it with you all. You’ll no doubt hear that I’ve been sidelined by the feds from these cases, even though the Connecticut FBI called me in to consult. I believe they made the wrong choice and hope you’ll help me rectify it. I’m available should anyone need to ask me anything. SSA Lake, thank you for letting me brief your agents. I appreciate your time.” She held out her hand to Lake who took it firmly and held on to it.

  “You’re staying, right?”

  “You carried in my suitcases, Nathan. I’ll stay for as long as you need me to. I’m entirely at your disposal. I just need to find a hotel and rent a car.”

  “You can stay with me to save wasting your money on hotel bills,” Blythe said over the underlying chatter of the others going through files and talking amongst themselves. “I have a spare room you can make use of. After all, you’re going to need to save your money, Detective. If you intend to be my significant other, I’m going to expect wining and dining and showy displays of affection when we hit the Heights.” She flashed Daryl a toothy grin to show she was teasing, but Daryl felt the slow burn from that first look ignite her blood.

  “That’s very kind of you. I appreciate that, Agent Kent, but I wouldn’t want to put you to any trouble.”

  “It’s no trouble at all. And you’d better get used to calling me Blythe.” She tugged gently at Daryl’s arm. “How about I show you where the cafeteria is so you can get something to eat after your journey and just relax for a while? On the way, I’ll point out my desk and give you access to our Internet connection to allow you to check in on your own division back home. I know you detectives can’t be away from your computers for long.” Blythe turned to Lake. “I’ll have food sent in here while we go over the files. Is that all right, sir?”

  Lake nodded and regarded Daryl. “Go take the weight off your feet, Detective. Let’s see if our resources can stretch to getting you two a house in the Heights to play happy family in.”

  *

  As she sat at Blythe’s desk, Daryl’s attention kept drifting from the laptop screen in front of her and over to the conference room windows. She tried not to be too obvious in her staring, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Blythe Kent as she walked around the room. She gestured as she emphasized some point and Daryl found herself wondering what part of the case Blythe was so adamant about. They couldn’t have found me a prettier partner. She looked around the room at some of the other women hard at work at their desks. She caught sight of one who looked very masculine in her black G-man suit. Daryl was glad she hadn’t been chosen for this case. There’d have been a distinct imbalance of them trying to top the other. Daryl hid a smirk behind her hand as she thought about it. Not that she thought Blythe was going to be submissive in any way. She was an agent, after all. But she’s so much easier on the eye.

  Daryl pulled her attention away from the conference area and back to her screen with effort. I didn’t expect to be partnered with someone I found attractive. She tried to focus on her e-mail. I can be professional. I’m here strictly for the case and then I’m going back to my own station. She surreptitiously looked around the room again, this time taking in the whole area. She watched the agents going about their tasks then swiveled in her chair back to the desk she was sitting at. Special Agent Blythe Kent, how would you profile yourself, I wonder? She took in the neatly kept desktop, the files laid out in order, the coffee cup with the department logo set aside just so.

  Daryl paused for a moment. She craned her neck to look around at the desks surrounding her and noticed some had framed photos at their workstations. Blythe’s desk was devoid of any such pictures. No photos at work. Either you’re very private or you don’t have anyone to go home to. She thought about her own desk, equally empty of a personal touch. It’s all about the job.

  *

  Blythe wasn’t surprised to come out of the conference room and find Daryl in the company of one of the women in the office. She had a feeling Daryl drew women to her like bees to honey. What she was surprised to witness was the way Daryl was unobtrusively wheeling her chair back to put some space between herself and an obviously overbearing Agent Yvonne Tellman. Blythe altered her mental profile of Daryl. She didn’t use
her good looks to entice women to her. Blythe decided to go to her rescue.

  “Detective Chandler, if you’re ready?” She couldn’t mistake the look of gratitude that flashed in Daryl’s eyes. She bit back on a chuckle. Agent Tellman had struck out.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Daryl sprung from her seat and hurriedly began closing down her laptop. She gave a polite nod to Agent Tellman. “If you’ll excuse me. It was a pleasure talking with you.”

  Blythe noticed that Agent Tellman didn’t move out of Daryl’s way at all. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from making a caustic comment on her blatant perusal of Daryl’s body too. Instead, she said sweetly, “Daryl, I had your suitcases taken straight to my car to save you the bother. That way, we can just go home now and get you settled in.” She chastised herself for being petty, but felt it was justified when she saw Tellman’s predatory gaze.

  Agent Tellman gave Blythe a coy look then slipped Daryl her card. When Tellman had walked far enough away out of earshot, Daryl asked, “What am I supposed to do with this?” She waved the card between her fingers. “I wasn’t under the impression she was part of the team I’d be working with?”

  “She isn’t. I think she maybe meant for you to call her sometime.”

  Daryl looked the card over and then flipped it with deadly accuracy into the trash can under Blythe’s desk. She then hastened to zip up her laptop case. Blythe was intrigued by Daryl’s reaction.

  “She not your type?”

  Daryl shook her head and gathered her belongings. “She’s married, to a man,” Daryl bit out. “I don’t appreciate being someone’s side order of experimentation.”

  Blythe laughed. “That’s a wonderful way of putting it. How do you know Tellman’s married?”

  Daryl gestured behind her. “She has a photo on her desk of them together. I saw it when I was looking around the office earlier.”

  She’s very observant. “Ever thought about becoming a profiler, Detective?” She caught sight of Agent Tellman watching them closely so Blythe deliberately tucked her arm through Daryl’s. “If I’m going to have to beat women off you with a stick during this assignment, I might as well get some practice in now.” She steered an unresisting Daryl out of the office, more than aware of the warmth from Daryl’s body permeating her own.

  “Do you have someone, ma’am?” Daryl asked politely.

  “No, I’m unattached, and I told you to call me Blythe. Or Bly; whichever you prefer.” The shy smile she received was more than enough to nearly rock her back on her heels.

  “I like Blythe. It suits you. It’s a strong name but with a determined feminine touch.” Daryl was still smiling slightly. “Please call me Daryl.”

  “Like the mermaid?”

  “I’m no Daryl Hannah in looks, but my hair is blond enough I guess.”

  “I’ve never seen anyone with hair so pale.” Blythe had to resist the urge to reach up and touch Daryl’s hair to see if it was as soft as its shade.

  “It’s my father’s fault. I got my coloring from him. I have paler than pale hair and skin so fair that a blush lets everyone know when I’m embarrassed.” She shrugged. “It was the bane of my childhood. Still is, to be honest.”

  Blythe sympathized. Her own pale skin had caused her enough trouble at school, teamed with her coal black hair. “I’ll try to keep the teasing down to a minimum to spare your blushes.”

  “I’ll appreciate that.” Daryl looked around at everyone packed into the elevator. “Is it always this busy at the DDU?”

  “We’re one of the larger units, so we have plenty of people in and out at all hours.” Blythe tugged Daryl’s arm when the elevator halted and guided her through the masses of people and out into the underground parking garage. “My car’s parked not far from here.”

  “Your parking garage is bigger than my whole department,” Daryl said.

  “Are you suffering a hint of culture shock, Detective?”

  Daryl looked chagrined. “I feel like a yokel gawking, but this is my first trip to New York and I’m in awe of everything.”

  “It’s refreshing. It’s easy to get blinkered by just how much we have around us that we take for granted.” Blythe steered Daryl over to her Lexus. “What’s it like where you live?”

  Daryl shrugged. “Nothing as grand as this place. I never saw a reason to leave, though. My father ended up as chief of police in our town, and I followed in his footsteps.”

  “Until the detective badge called.”

  Daryl nodded. “I’d been fielding calls from the FBI for years but wasn’t interested in moving away so I did the next best thing for my career. I took the detective’s exam and got a smaller desk with a bigger case load.” She flashed Blythe a self-depreciating grin. “There’s not as much room in my station as your building has to offer.”

  “I bet your dad was proud.”

  “He was. And it meant I was still in his building so he could check up on me.”

  Blythe couldn’t help herself; her eyes traveled from the top of Daryl’s blond head to the tips of her shiny black boots. “To my eyes, you look mighty big enough to look after yourself, Detective.”

  “I am, but it’s a dad thing, or so he tells me when I grumble.”

  “Do you live with your dad?”

  “No, I have my own apartment.”

  “Anyone special to share it with?”

  “Maybe one day if I’m lucky enough,” Daryl said.

  Blythe keyed off the alarm on her car and it chirped loudly in the enclosed garage. “Well, don’t settle for being anyone’s side order.” She opened up the door and eased into the driver’s seat. Once Daryl was seated, Blythe looked over at her. “You’re definitely main course material.”

  Daryl chuckled. “Why, thank you, I think. Do you think your team will really be able to take my case on?”

  “Do you think you can cope with me as your partner if they do?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Daryl said and then cocked her head at Blythe’s withering look. “Blythe.”

  Laughing, Blythe set her car in motion and pulled out of her space. “We’re working on a profile for your kidnapper, and Lake is looking into the homes and apartments you listed as available. I can’t believe you went to that much trouble for a case you’ve theoretically been kicked off.”

  “I’m thorough in my work. I was just frustrated by how far I could go before I had to realize this was a bigger case than I could handle on my own with no help from the feds. I need to catch this person before they take another child.”

  “Your research and attention to detail gave us an awful amount of work to go ahead with.”

  “I’m sorry this is going to cut into your personal life, but I really appreciate it if you do choose to work with me.”

  “The baby snatching needs to be stopped. I’m understandably concerned about the lack of cooperation with the other forces. But given your information and Lake’s unswerving belief in you, I’m in for as long as it takes us to find the culprit and stop them.” Blythe pulled out onto the busy main street. “So, do you like Chinese or Italian?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m counting this as our first official ‘date.’ I can phone in an order for Chinese food or Italian. Which do you prefer?”

  “I love noodles.”

  Enchanted by the way Daryl bit her lip after answering, Blythe nearly missed her first turn. She caught herself just in time and ignored the honk of a horn behind her. She handed Daryl her phone. “Press the top number. It’s on speed dial. Just tell them it’s for Blythe and they’ll tell you what the specials are tonight. Pick whatever you want. It’s my treat.” She saw Daryl get ready to argue. “Hey, you’re hooking up with a modern day woman. You can pay next time, and I warn you, I will order a richly decadent desert.” Blythe drove them both to her home, for once knowing her apartment wouldn’t feel as lonely a place to go back to.

  Chapter Four

  Daryl sat comfortably on the floor in front of a small coffee tab
le that was covered in cartons of food. Between them, she and Blythe had eaten their way through nearly all of it and were lazily picking over the last remnants.

  “Those noodles were the best I’ve had in ages.” Daryl used her chopsticks to chase down what was left in the bottom of a carton.

  Blythe sat behind her on the sofa and rested her hand on her stomach. “I love their food, and they always give me extra for some reason.”

  Daryl chuckled, remembering the people at the restaurant. She’d never seen so many workers come to the door to see Blythe leave. “I think that’s because the son of the owner can’t do enough for you.” She searched in another box for anything left to pick at. “I saw the look on his face when you came out of that restaurant, Ms. FBI. I think he carries a torch for you.” She speared the last bite of chicken. “I bet he’d offer to hold your chopsticks if you asked him nicely.”

  Blythe snorted behind her. “I can handle my own chopsticks, thank you very much.”

  Daryl grinned as she finally finished eating. She let out a satisfied sigh and stretched out her legs. “You have a great place here.”

  “I got it as soon as I was accepted at the Bureau. Sometimes I think it’s too big for just one, but I love the view I get of the city.”

  “It is a fantastic sight.” Daryl had already been at the window marveling at the sun setting over the buildings seen from Blythe’s apartment. Her tenth floor view afforded a majestic panorama of tall buildings and endless lights. “Do you think the DDU can get us a house in the Heights? I mean, it’s not like mortgages grow on trees.”