Page 7 of Killer Clone

“I’ll be fine. Been reading about your exploits in the news.” Sheriff Deacon took her hand without standing up and released it quickly, as though he’d touched something cold and wet. “I might not be as flashy, but I’ve got over twenty years on the job. I know what I’m doing.”

Stella’s irritation returned, but she resisted the urge to fire back.

There was no point in getting into a slinging match with some small-town sheriff. Not with their bags nearly packed. She fished around in her pocket, pulled out the keys to the patrol vehicle, and tossed them.

Sheriff Deacon caught the keys in one hand and grunted in affirmation.

“Okay, then. We’ll drop off our uniforms on our way out of town.” She forced a close-lipped smile. “Oh, by the way. There’s a big, sweaty gift waiting for you in the drunk tank.”

Stella and Hagen accepted Dr. Silow’s thanks for their help, promised to remain in touch, and headed out of the office.

As they drove to their cabin, Stella called Slade and put the phone on speaker. When she told them they were on their way home and would be in the office first thing Tuesday morning, the relief in his voice was clear.

“Bright and early.”

Hagen raised an eyebrow. “We’re looking forward to seeing you too, Boss. Missed the old place.”

Stella hung up. No one ever liked a travel day. But by late Monday, they’d be back in Nashville. The day after that, they’d return to the briefing room, receiving their new assignments.

She wanted to be there already.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the cabin they’d been renting for the last three and a half months. She’d grown fond of the quiet place in the mountains, where she and Hagen had planned to get to know each other without the distractions of work or the pressures of hunting a killer.

As Stella stuffed her things into her suitcase, Hagen took apart hismacchinettaand washed the parts carefully. He was quiet as he folded his clothes, and Stella assumed he was already missing the place.

She whistled as she packed. Pennsylvania was nice, but it wasn’t home.

Nashville was waiting.

3

The drive across town to the Nashville FBI Resident Agency on Tuesday morning seemed to take forever. In some ways, it felt longer even than their journey down from Pennsylvania.

Rush hour traffic ground slowly down Donelson Pike as it did every weekday morning, and Stella fidgeted in the seat next to Hagen. She tapped her foot. Adjusted the heating. Wiped condensation from the window.

Everything was familiar, but she felt strange.

The last half year had been challenging and intense and life-changing. A string of tough cases had run one after another for two months. They’d tracked and eventually eliminated Joel Ramirez, her father’s best friend and murderer, who’d ordered the killing of Hagen’s father too.

For a couple weeks, Stella and Hagen had followed up the leads Ramirez’s right-hand man, Hal McKay, had given them during interrogation, then taken a long, overdue break.

They’d left as fall settled in. They’d returned as winter began deepening. The morning air was warmer than in Claymore but still colder than Stella liked—in the high forties. The people inthe streets walked with a new haste, eager to flee the cooling weather and stride into their heated offices.

Everything was different.

Even Hagen was different.

He wore a full suit and tie.

Stella had been surprised, even shocked, when he’d pulled a tie out that morning. He’d always been meticulous, but a tie was extra. He explained ties were a winter thing. Otherwise, he was always removing them in the summer months. Too hot.

Stella had realized then how briefly they’d known each other. Less than a year. Not even half a year. They’d achieved so much in that time.

And they’d fallen in love.

Completely in love.

When Stella looked at Hagen, she saw not just his square chin, his slim, muscular build, and those dark-green eyes into which she could sink forever. She also saw someone who knew her and understood her better than anyone. They’d traveled the same route. They hadn’t always had the same outlook, but over time, their views of the world had merged and strengthened each other. They made each other better.

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