Page 48 of Hidden Depths

Her phone rang, and she picked it up off the floor.

“Who’s that?” Tom said, stepping protectively toward her.

“A friend.”

“A friend you can definitely trust?”

“Yes. The only one.” She answered the phone. “Peter.”

“Are you safe?” Peter said. “I’m sorry I missed your call before.”

“Safe enough.”

“Do we need to get you out of there?”

“I don’t know. Maybe God is already working on it. There’s an FBI agent I met. I think he can help.”

“You’re sure you can trust him?”

“Yes? No? I believe I can.”

“What’s his name? I can check him out.”

She twisted the phone away from her mouth. “What was your last name again?”

Tom held out his hand. “Can I have the phone?”

“Why?”

“Your friend is concerned about me, right? If you let me speak to him, I can tell him whatever he wants to know.

“He wants to talk to you,” Sara said to Peter.

“He’s with you now?”

“Yes. And he hasn’t killed me yet, so that’s a start.”

“Okay, put him on.”

Sara put the phone on speaker, then handed it over.

“Peter? My name is Agent Thomas Bennett. I work for the FBI out of the Chicago office. If you want to confirm my standing within the agency, you can contact the Special Agent in Charge Stuart Armstrong.”

“Thank you. I will. I take it I won’t find any marks against your name?”

“I guess that depends on your clearance.”

“You believe this is the best time to be joking?”

“I’m not. I’m being completely straight with you, sir. Armstrong can reassure you of my ability as an agent, but I’m not without fault. I’ve explained it all to Sara.”

“He’s reckless. Apparently,” Sara said.

Tom sighed. “I don’t think that’s what he wants to hear. Peter, I would never do anything to jeopardize Sara’s safety. I can guarantee you. Armstrong will vouch for that.”

“I know a lot of influential people within the FBI. It was smart not to hide anything.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to know who you are exactly?”

---