Kate stared at her computer for a long minute, then leaned back in her chair. She nodded and Lucy sat down.
“You worked with Rich Laughlin before-before everything.” Lucy still had a hard time talking about Adam Scott. “Before you left D.C. twelve years ago.”
“I’m not talking about Laughlin.” Kate’s face was set tight; she was trying hard not to react to anything Lucy said. Why was she being so controlled?
“But-”
“I thought you wanted to talk about Tony Presidio.”
“I’m okay. Thank you for signing Sean in; it helped, talking to him.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“You and Tony were the subject of a staff meeting this morning. You’ve involved yourself in the middle of an investigation. I don’t have to tell you that being the subject of a staff meeting isn’t good.”
Lucy shifted in her seat. “I don’t understand.”
Kate tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. “You didn’t know.”
“Know what? What’s wrong?” Had she missed something? Done something wrong? With all the pressure from Laughlin and her firearms test and Tony’s death and Weber’s book, had she missed something important?
“Hans is here to put Tony’s office in order, and work on the profile Tony began on the murder of that writer. No one knew you were working with Tony until Hans told us.”
Lucy said carefully, “There was nothing wrong with me doing extra work. I did it on my own time.”
“Not when it impacts your overall performance.”
Laughlin. It all came back to him.
“I’ve done well in all my classes.”
“Lucy, I’m not trying to ride you; I’m trying to help.” But her tone said just the opposite.
“Then tell me what’s going on between you and Agent Laughlin.”
Kate reddened and leaned forward. “How dare you,” she said through clenched teeth. “There’s nothing going on between me and anyone, and you damn well know that.”
Lucy didn’t break eye contact, though her heart was pounding. She said as calmly as she could, “I didn’t mean you were having an affair.”
Kate stared at her, but Lucy held her ground. She’d lived with Kate for the last seven years. She knew her better than she knew her family. If Kate saw any chip in Lucy’s armor, she’d find a way to defuse the situation and not tell Lucy what she needed to know. Lucy didn’t understand why Kate didn’t come clean now, why she didn’t just explain what had happened between her and Laughlin. Did she think Lucy wouldn’t approve? Or that she’d be upset?
“What are we doing here?” Kate asked quietly. “We’re family.”
“Yes, we are. That’s why you need to tell me the truth. You promised me you would always be honest.”
Kate shook her head. “Are you really pushing that button?”
“You know I’m not.”
“From my side of the desk, seems you are.”
Lucy had learned how to play hardball from the best. “Then I’ll find out what I need to know on my own.”
“Don’t think I don’t know you have Sean getting into my business.” There was disgust in her voice.
“Sean is trying to figure out why Rich Laughlin is determined to undermine me.” Lucy hoped that her honesty would prompt Kate to open up.
“What part of ‘keep your head down’ did you not understand? There’s a half-dozen people who would love to kick you out of here, and you keep pushing.”
“I’m not pushing anything!” Was Kate exaggerating? “Laughlin surprised me at the gun range. He knows my fears and is exploiting them.”
“Do you think maybe that’s part of your test?” Kate said sarcastically.
“That’s what I thought at first, but this is more than just testing me.” Lucy hesitated, then said, “When he looks at me, I know he hates me. And after I walked in on your argument the other day, I think it’s more about you than me.”
Kate slowly stood up. Again, she was angry, but Lucy saw fear in her eyes, and fear wasn’t something she equated with Kate.
“Haven’t you been listening to me? To stand out is a bad thing. Getting perfect scores doesn’t make you stand out. Involving yourself in anything outside of your daily work does. Stay out of it. The thing with Laughlin has nothing to do with you-not everything is about you. You involved yourself in an ongoing federal investigation, and that isn’t smart.”
Lucy realized that Kate was turning everything around to make it her fault. As if helping Tony, her instructor, had been a mistake.
Lucy said, “Is Agent Laughlin harassing you?”
“No one is harassing me. You think I would put up with that shit?”
But her eyes told Lucy she was on to something. Kate was in-your-face angry, but her eyes were scared.
Rich Laughlin was tormenting her, and Kate couldn’t stop it. What was it that scared her so much?
“Kate-”
“It’s all a damn test, Lucy!” Kate was losing her temper, her voice getting louder.
“This isn’t about a test,” Lucy said without raising her voice. “Tom Harden tests me. Laughlin wants me to fail.”
“You’re paranoid.”
That stung, but the well-aimed verbal attack meant she was close to the truth.
“It’s you I’m concerned about, Kate.”
Kate laughed. “You think I’m so weak that I’d let some asshole push me around?”
“No, I don’t. Except-” Lucy waited for Kate to look at her. “Except if he threatened me. Don’t fight my battles, Kate.”
“No one has threatened me, or you.” Kate stared at Lucy while she spoke, but on the last word her eyes darted to the right before refocusing.
Lucy’s suspicions were right. She stood up. “I know Laughlin was on the same squad as your former boyfriend, Evan Standler. I know you were all in the D.C. office together. What I don’t know is what Laughlin said to make you scared.”
“I don’t scare,” Kate said. Again, her eyes moved to the right. It wasn’t a tell. It was a direction.
Lucy looked where Kate kept glancing. It was a picture of Dillon and Kate, the day they got married, nearly three years ago. But they’d been together much longer.
Lucy picked up the picture. “Dillon loves you. There’s nothing you did in your past that could ever change that.” She put the picture down. “I think I understand.”
“You don’t.” Kate’s anger had lost steam. She wasn’t going to tell Lucy what had happened, but Lucy understood. Whatever problem Laughlin had with Lucy was small compared to what he had with Kate. He couldn’t get to Kate except through those she loved, because Kate wasn’t easily bullied. That meant Lucy and Dillon, the two people Kate loved more than anyone.
Lucy smiled while Kate remained stone-faced. “You may have kept your maiden name,” Lucy said, “but you’re a Kincaid now.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re not alone.”
*
Lucy had thirty minutes before physical training, so went to her room to unwind after her confrontation with Kate.
Someone had been here.
Lucy stood in her doorway, one hand still on the knob, as the skin rose from her arms. What was different?
Nothing appeared out of place. She hadn’t made her bed, because she’d gotten up late; her desk was cluttered but relatively tidy. Her bookshelf was packed with her notebooks, textbooks, paper, her own research books-
It wasn’t that something was out of place. It was the air. A faint scent that wasn’t hers.
Had Margo come in to borrow something? Lucy wouldn’t be upset, though she preferred to be asked. Except-it wasn’t Margo. She cherished her privacy as much as Lucy. Margo would have at least left a note but most likely would have called Lucy first. Reva? Usually one knock, then walk right in. But she always wore flowery perfume, and this wasn’t perfume. It was something … else. Sweat, maybe, but not Lucy’s sweat.
She searched her room again, looking for even the smallest hint of something off; then she opened her desk drawers and went through her things.
In the bottom drawer, where she had kept the file Tony had given her, she noticed that something was clearly out of place.