Part 6 (2/2)
”The t.i.tans...you're not talking about a football team are you, Thaddeus?” Collins directed the question to Thaddeus, but looked at Jack with eyes that would have made any drill sergeant proud.
”No, no, no. They're from t.i.tan, the sixth ellipsoidal moon from Saturn.”
”So, they live on one of Saturn's moons-that would make them...” Collins held out his hand for Thaddeus to finish his sentence.
”They're aliens.”
Sheriff Collins turned to look at Jack. Jack swallowed and s.h.i.+fted in his seat before he spoke. ”Sir, I know it sounds crazy-no offense, Thaddeus-but he saw those men, and Marisa told me-”
Collins looked at the ceiling as he loudly exhaled. ”So you know this girl?”
Jack paused for a moment. ”Yes. And if you were aware...I know certain information.”
”What information, Jack?”
Jack's lips pressed together.
I wish I had earplugs.
”I can't say, sir.”
As Collins looked at him, Jack watched the veins in his neck slowly expand. In a voice slightly lower than normal, and through clenched teeth, Collins asked, ”Do I really have to remind you I'm the sheriff?”
”No, sir.”
Collins waited. Jack tried to stop it, but he could feel his right eyebrow arch.
”Get out,” Collins said.
He didn't even raise his voice.
Jack opened the door. Collins turned to look straight out the winds.h.i.+eld before he added, ”Take him with you.”
That's bad.
Jack opened the door and hurried Thaddeus up the steps. A man and a woman were waiting for them. The man was close to six feet tall with a thin build. Judging by the gray hair and lined face, Jack guessed he was in his mid-fifties. He wore a blue suit, white s.h.i.+rt with a tie, and black shoes. The woman was dressed in a dark blue business suit. She was close to Jack's age, if not a little older. She had short red hair with light makeup. Under different circ.u.mstances, Jack would have found her quite attractive.
”Stratton?” The thin man's voice was gravelly. Jack nodded and shook his hand. ”I'm Walter Prescott. This is Jennifer Rivers,” the man said.
She smiled and shook his hand.
”This is Thaddeus...”
”Ferguson,” Thaddeus added as he shook Jennifer's extended hand, but Jack noticed Walter kept his hands at his sides.
”Is there a room inside where we can speak?” she asked.
Jack led Thaddeus down the hall by the elbow while Walter and Jennifer followed.
”I'd like to talk to him for a few minutes, alone.” Walter's tone left no question-it wasn't a request.
”We have a room right down here.” Jack stopped in front of an interrogation room. He held the door open, which Walter closed after Thaddeus went in, leaving the three of them out in the hallway. ”There's a viewing room right here.” Jack pointed to the door, trying not to frown.
”Rivers, I got this. You watch. Stratton, you stay here.”
Jack stood tall while he turned to glare at the older man. Walter seemed like an old, grumpy, by-the-book type of Fed.
”I'm the reporting officer,” Jack protested.
Walter moved closer to get nose to nose with Jack.
”Let me explain a few things to you, son.” His low voice sounded like grating rock. ”If it's an abduction, I have jurisdiction. If it isn't an abduction, I have jurisdiction, anyway. That means you have squat. I just spent a half hour with your boss and, reading between the lines, he doesn't like you. Now, do you want to push this?”
Jack's hand tightened.
”Listen.” Jennifer stepped forward. ”We're on the same side. If something happened to that girl, we want to know. If it didn't, we all want to rule that out, too. Let us talk to him and we can go from there.”
Jack nodded.
Walter hesitated before he opened the door. ”This isn't my first dance. I'll find out what happened.”
He pulled the door closed while Jennifer turned to Jack.
”Thank you for bringing him in, Officer. Walter wants me to observe so-”
Jack shot her a look. ”Wait, are you new to fieldwork?”
Jennifer's nostrils flared. ”I'm a federal investigator.”
”But you've never done fieldwork?”
”There you go again. I've been an a.n.a.lyst for three years, but I've been rea.s.signed to fieldwork.”
”Desk a.n.a.lyst?” He shook his head. ”But you haven't been in the field? Is this the first time he's brought you out? A kidnapping is your debutante ball?”
She winced slightly at the jab. ”Possible kidnapping. So far this is just a routine welfare check on a woman, but trust me, Walter's been at this for twenty years. He's very good.”
She marched over to the observation room door, shot Jack a glare, and went inside.
Jack paced back and forth for half an hour before his phone buzzed. He looked down to see a text from Kendra.
JUST HEARD YOU'RE AT THE STATION. RAINCHECK ON DRINK? HOPE EVERYTHING IS GOOD. K.
As he clicked the phone off, he went back to pacing. Fifteen minutes later, both doors opened. Jennifer's lips were pressed together, Walter looked as if he'd drunk paint thinner, and Thaddeus looked sad.
”Thank you for your time, Mr. Ferguson. Ms. Rivers will see you out.”
<script>