Page 5 of So Sinister
“Easy, boy,” Faith said.“We’re not here to deal with that.We’re going to stay way over here and let the experts handle it.”
Turk gave Faith a confused look.Weren’t they the experts?
Faith reached down and patted his head.“Not this time, boy.”
Faith, Turk, and Jessica were parked across the street from the house.Vehicles from various agencies surrounded them: Baltimore PD SWAT and EOD teams, Baltimore City Fire Department, the TSA, and several different news channels, including—
“Oh, God damn it,” Jessica murmured.
She tried to turn away from the white and blue Channel Six van, but it was too late.A perky, petite woman with brilliant red hair (dyed) and equally striking green eyes (natural) gasped in excitement when she saw them, waved, and jogged over, her dutiful cameraman following.
“Faith, Jessica, hi!”Bridgette Thurston said as she pranced to a stop in front of them.She wore the plastic professional smile that Faith associated with reporters everywhere.“I’m so glad to see you!”Turk barked, and she beamed at him with a slightly less plastic smile.“And you too, Turk!”
“I’ll bet you are,” Jessica said drily.
“Okay, I just need a few words,” Bridgette said, fiddling with her hair and blouse.
“We can’t comment on an ongoing investigation,” Jessica said.
“Of course you can, silly!”Bridgette reminded her.“You did last time.”
“Yeah, and I got a brand-new asshole when my boss tore me one after you aired that story.”
“But then your boss’s boss’s boss’s boss told your boss to shove it and reminded him that solving the Apostate case was the best thing for the FBI’s public image since your partner caught Franklin West.”
Bridgette delivered that not entirely accurate rebuttal with a sweet look that made no attempt to hide the sharpness in her eyes.And while Faith wasn’t the one who actually caught the Copycat Killer, her persistence with the case when everyone else, even the Bureau, wanted to let it grow cold had provided exactly the publicity needed to pull Faith out of the doghouse (sorry, Turk) and place the Bureau in a positive light again.
And Bridgette was right about their last case.Without her help, the Apostate might very well have killed at least one more victim before he was caught, what could have been a PR disaster had instead become the FBI’s next great shining moment.
And it was exactly why Faith was here instead of at home with her husband trying to put an end to his investigation and the threat against his life.
“Fair enough,” Jessica said irritably.“We still can’t comment.”
“Mostly because we don’t know anything,” Faith said.“We just parked.”
“Oh, that’s all right.You just need to say things like, ‘Whatever’s going on, we’ll get to the bottom of this, crime doesn’t pay, Turk’s gonna catch the bad guy… Ooh!Yeah, say that!”
“Bridgette—”
“Good morning, Washington!”Bridgette said into her camera.Faith rolled her eyes.“We’re live on scene at 1211 Victory Lane in Baltimore, Maryland, where officials are investigating the suspicious death of—”
“A private citizen whose identity will not be released until it is confirmed and next of kin have been notified,” Faith interrupted.
Bridgette reddened slightly, but she maintained her cool.“Yes, of course.And informing us of the proper procedure in this case is FBI superstar Special Agent Faith Bold, here with her partner Special Agent Jessica Torres, and America’s favorite K9, Turk!”
Turk sat regally and barked formally into the camera.Faith couldn’t resist a smile at her dog.He was the good publicity more than she ever would be.
“Faith,” Bridgette said.“Is it true that there’s currently a live bomb threat inside the residence?”
“I’ve just arrived here,” Faith explained patiently.“My partner and I are going to speak to the officers on scene.”
So saying, she walked past Bridgette, leaving the spluttering reporter to figure out the rest of her story without their help.Ironically, her laconic response would probably help Bridgette’s ratings, a fact of which Faith was certain the reporter was completely aware.
“Thank God, that’s over,” Jessica said.“Is she going to follow us around to every case?”
“Probably,” Faith said.“Anything within driving distance, at least.”
“Wonderful.”
