Page 4 of So Deranged

“Good morning, Special Agent Bold,” Tabitha said, giving Faith a smile she very much didn’t mean.Had to look good for the brass, though.“I’m happy to see that your dog is all better.”

“K9 Officer Turk is excellent, thank you,” Faith replied, not bothering with a return smile.

“Of course,” Tabitha replied, eyes flashing venom at Faith.“I see here that your therapist, Dr.Keraya”—she pronounced it care-uh-yuh—“is recommending that you be returned to active duty effective immediately.”

Her tone betrayed surprise and irritation at that fact.Faith noticed the corners of Smythe’s mouth turn up.She wondered if Tabitha knew that her boss’s boss was reading her like a book.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Tabitha nodded.“Well, I know that you’ve asked to be assigned to the Messenger case—”

“Actually, ma’am, I’ve withdrawn my request to work that case.”

Tabitha stared at her in open-mouthed shock that she didn’t even attempt to hide.Michael raised an eyebrow at her.Tabitha blinked and stammered for a moment before saying, “Ah.Well, that’s good because as I’ve reminded you in the past, FBI policy is to refrain from assigning agents to work cases when there is a personal conflict involved.”

She fell silent and looked at Faith expectantly.Faith didn’t say anything.

Tabitha frowned and reddened slightly.She corrected the frown, but she couldn’t do anything about the flush.“However, we do have a case that we think is appropriate for your expertise.The victim is—”

“Ma’am, if I may,” Faith interrupted.

Tabitha’s eyes flashed again.“You…” she caught herself and finished, “may.”

Faith took a deep breath.Here goes.“I’ve decided that I would like to retire from field work.”

Michael flinched.Smythe’s and Patel’s eyes widened.Tabitha looked at Faith first in stunned silence, then in wariness.This was too good to be true.There was no way that Faith Bold was actually going to retire and get out of her hair that easily.“You’ve decided to leave the Agency?”

Faith almost chuckled at the hope in Tabitha’s voice.“No.I would like to apply for an instructor’s position at the K9 training facility in Quantico.”

“Jesus Christ,” Michael exclaimed.

“Special Agent Prince, please,” Tabitha snapped.She had overcome her surprise and was now eager to wrap this up and get Faith off of her team.

Smythe, unfortunately, wasn’t so easily persuaded.He leaned forward and stared at Faith with half-lidded eyes that looked bored, but that Faith knew hid a mind as sharp as any she’d ever met.“May I ask what brought you to this decision, Special Agent?”

Faith took a shaky breath and delivered her prepared answer.“As you know, sir, Turk is past the mandatory retirement age for K9 officers assigned to fieldwork.”

“He passed all his physicals, though,” Michael interjected.“He’s healthy as an ox.”

“Special Agent Prince, please,” Tabitha snapped again.“Go on, Special Agent Bold.”

“He did pass his physicals,” Faith agreed, avoiding Michael’s piercing stare.“However, he will be ten years old in a few weeks, and while I am pleased that he continues to be in the best of health, I fear that his longevity as a field agent is questionable.”

“Do you have reason to question his longevity aside from his age?”Smythe asked.

Faith had to be honest.It would be easy enough to look up Turk's records and discover that he had scored in the ninety-seventh percentile or better in every single Bureau fitness and performance test at his most recent physical."No, sir."

Smythe leaned back and sighed.Faith could tell she wasn’t succeeding at convincing him.She knew it was better not to press the issue, but she couldn’t help herself.“I believe that my experience coupled with Turk’s experience makes us perfect candidates as K9 instructors.I’m not being arrogant when I point out that the two of us have enjoyed—excuse me, the three of us—have enjoyed a nearly flawless solve rate in our career together.Our knowledge would prove invaluable to young K9 handlers and their dogs as they learn how to—"

Smythe lifted a hand.“Thank you, Agent.You passed your psychological evaluation, correct?”

Faith’s shoulders tensed slightly.“Yes, sir, I did.However—”

Tabitha interrupted.“Those tests are often flawed, sir.We’ve had several instances where therapists have cleared agents for work only for those agents to prove unable to perform their duties at the standard expected by the Bureau.If Special Agent Bold believes she is mentally unfit for duty—”

“I donotbelieve I’m mentally unfit for duty, ma’am,” Faith interrupted coldly.

“Neither do I,” Smythe replied.“Perhaps you and ASAC Gardner aren’t aware of this, but Dr.Keraya”—he pronounced her name correctly, and Tabitha reddened—“is one of the most experienced psychological evaluators in the Bureau.She is especially adept at telling the difference between whether an agent is unable to continue in the performance of their duty or unwilling.”

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