Part 4 (1/2)
Aggie looked at him, pouring strength into her desire to see, and much to her shock, the barrier between herself and the future wavered, broke. Images flashed, probabilities dancing. She saw Charlie's dark body, and it was wrapped tight around something-someone-but that person he held, who he embraced...
Oh. My. G.o.d .
It was her. Aggie was looking at herself. Her eyes were closed, mouth parted, body writhing like an eel, and-holy s.h.i.+t-when she moaned, the sound was electric, pure unadulterated pleasure. Aggie pushed for an alternative future, variations, but almost everything she saw was the same. The probabilities were high.
She closed her eyes, whirling away from Charlie to stare at the wall. Her heart pounded so loud, she barely heard him when he said, ”Maybe you should get dressed.”
”Right,” she said, and then, louder: ”I'm not sleeping with you.”
”I didn't ask you to.”
”Well, I won't.”
”Glad to hear it. Now please, get some clothes on.”
”I just want us to be clear.”
”Fine,” he spat. ”I get it. Besides, it's not like I have any usable appendages anyway.” He stopped. ”Pretend you didn't hear that.”
”My hand to G.o.d,” Aggie said. ”I'll never tell a soul that you're impotent.”
A strangled sound choked up through his body. Aggie smiled. ”Still glad you picked me?”
”I-” Charlie began, then touched his chest. He had no features, so it was impossible to read his expression, but Aggie knew instantly something was wrong. The way he moved was different. Jerky.
”What is it?” she asked.
”I have to go,” he said, and his voice was tight, strained. ”Emma's in Was.h.i.+ngton state, in a town called Darrington. Don't wait for me. I'll find you.”
”Charlie,” Aggie said, but he never said another word. His body split into fragments, like shattered gla.s.s, and she pushed her arms into those remains of his shadow and felt a brief comforting warmth before everything that was left of him snapped upward and disappeared.
Gone. She was alone.
Aggie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Counted to five.
She walked to the nightstand and picked up her gun. She brought the weapon to her desk and set it down on Emma's picture, covering her naked body with the stock and muzzle.
”Okay,” she whispered to the girl. ”Hold on.”
She was going to get a little bit crazy.
Chapter Four.
Aggie caught an early morning flight to Seattle-so early, none of the airport coffee shops were yet open when she boarded the plane. Bad, evil, the work of the devil. She felt very cranky. Thank goodness for first-cla.s.s seating, purchased in its entirety with her agency credit card. Roland could yak at her later. Which he most undoubtedly would, especially after he read his e-mail, which contained a very short and inexcusably cryptic note: I had a vision. I'll try not to get shot.
Yeah, he was going to love that.
Aggie had Emma's photo in her wallet. Just a head shot. She did not want to get arrested for carrying child p.o.r.n. She also had her guns, but those were disa.s.sembled and stored in her checked luggage. As were her knives, handcuffs, and other sundry items necessary to being an effective wayward detective.
Her cell phone rang just as she took her seat on the plane. s.h.i.+t, s.h.i.+t, s.h.i.+t. She had forgotten to turn it off. She glanced at the screen and Roland's name blinked at her.
” Yo,” she answered, dreading the man on the other end.
”Jesus Christ,” Roland said. ”You're on a plane.”
”Your powers of observation are only improving with age.”
”I want you off, Aggie. Right now.”
”Is it going to crash?”
”You tell me.”
Aggie glanced at the flight attendant, who continued to smile like a plastic doll throughout all the variations of her immediate future. ”That would be a resounding no. Which also means there's no good reason for me to lose my nice warm seat.”
Roland swore. Aggie said, ”This is important. Another kid's life is at stake.”
”That's what tip-offs and local authorities are for, sweetheart. We only get involved when all other avenues have been exhausted.”
”And that's this one,” Aggie told him. ”I'm not being frivolous, Roland, and I haven't become some righteous martyr. The circ.u.mstances of this case are... unique.”
”And you had to be the one to take it?”
”Yes.” I had no choice, she wanted to tell him, but that would be a lie. She could have said no to Charlie, turned her back. Only, he had chosen too well. Aggie was not a quitter, not when someone needed her. Push, and push hard, no matter what.
Roland said nothing. She heard cracking sounds and knew it was pencils snapping in half. He kept boxes of them around, just for that purpose.
”Okay,” he finally said. ”Tell me where you're going and I'll send Quinn after you.”
”No,” Aggie said. ”Not Quinn.”
”Got no choice. Most of the guys are overseas, and the newbie s.h.i.+fters are too green for this s.h.i.+t. Eddie's in the f.u.c.king hospital for his appendix. We're stretched thin enough as it is, and the New York office has their hands full.”
”No,” Aggie said again, insistent. ”Quinn needs to rest. You were right, what you said yesterday. It's been too much, and he's felt it even worse than me. Leave him alone, Roland.”
”I think you've forgotten just who the boss in this outfit is, Aggie.”
”I haven't forgotten,” she replied, quiet. ”But you're a friend before a boss, and that just can't be helped. You raised us that way.”
”My mistake,” he muttered. ”I'm a lousy sap.”
”Just a teddy bear. A big overstuffed one.”
”Whatever.” He sighed, long and mighty. ”Fine, have it your way. Do your thing. Go Solo like Han. If you don't get killed, I'm firing you.”