Page 33 of Jep

Sylvia leaned back away from her computer. “Is everything okay? You look upset.”

“Do I?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you mind if I sit?”

“Not at all.”

“It’s about the new agent. Jep Booth.”

“I haven’t had the pleasure,” she said, not hiding her disdain. “Not this time, anyway.”

“I didn’t even think of that. You’ve been here long enough. You would have worked with him before.”

“Yes, but fortunately, we didn’t have a lot of contact. He was a very divisive figure in the office, from what I remember. I was surprised not only that he was asked back but that he agreed to come.”

“Yeah, well, he made some stipulations for his return. One of them was that he could choose his own partner.”

“If he can find one who will agree to ride with him. I can’t imagine there would be many.”

“Pearce would have if he was asked.”

“Who’d he choose?”

“Me.”

“Pardon?”

“Out of all the competent agents in the office, he chose me.”

“But you’re not an agent.”

“I know!” Em threw her hands in the air, then collected them back in her lap. “Sorry.”

Gardener huffed. “How’d he take it?”

“Take what?”

“When you said no.”

“He said he’d leave if I wouldn’t be his partner, so I’ve agreed.”

“What? No. That’s out of the question. He can’t coerce you into accepting. Lawson wouldn’t hear of it. Does he even know?”

“He was there. But I offered to go along with it because we need Agent Booth. Or at least, that’s how it appears.”

“Do we need him that badly?”

“You heard Truman.”

“I did.” Gardener pressed her lips together. “So, this is where we’re at?”

“I’m afraid so. You’re going to be down an analyst for now.”

“Then the only thing we can do is make the most of a bad situation.”

“How do we do that?”

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