Page 13 of Dead Fall (The Quantico Files 2)

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Logan called the pizza place and confirmed that the order had come from them. Then they all devoured pizza while sitting at the table in the double room. It had only two chairs, though, so Logan had opened the connecting door and grabbed one from his room. Although Alex felt uncomfortable sitting in a chair she hadn’t sanitized, she tried to ignore it. At least they had clean paper plates, and the utensils and napkins the restaurant sent had been sealed in plastic wrap.

Before they’d started eating, Kaely had asked if she could say a prayer over the food. She’d heard Kaely was a Christian, but Alex noticed Logan looked surprised. He must not have known. Maybe that would help him feel better about Kaely.

No one brought up the case as they ate, probably because their brains needed a rest. Instead, they exchanged light banter, which helped Alex relax. After eating too much, they put the remaining pizza into one box, and Logan carried it out to the SUV. Since the temperature outside was below freezing, it would stay safe.

After they’d decided to head back to the station at eight in the morning, Logan left for his room. Alex told Kaely she was welcome to take the first shower. While Kaely was in the bathroom, Alex sprayed the telephone, the TV remote, the light switches on the walls and lamps, the door handles, and the bedspread on the bed she’d claimed as hers. She pulled the covers down and checked under the sheets. No bugs. With the water still running in the bathroom, she opened the window, hoping the smell of her disinfectant would dissipate.

She heard the shower turn off and quickly closed the window. By now the room was cold, so she cranked up the heat and sat down at the table.

Alex had turned on the TV and was flipping through channels when the bathroom door opened and Kaely came out wearing an FBI T-shirt and sweats. Her red hair was wrapped up in a white towel as she walked to her bed and sat down on the edge.

“What is that smell?” she asked. “It’s a little overpowering.”

Alex felt her face flush. “I ... I’m sorry. I always disinfect hotel rooms. Especially since COVID-19. It’s just safer, I think.”

Kaely frowned. “Wow. It’s just really strong. Can we crack the window for a bit?”

Alex got up and opened the window again. She was embarrassed by Kaely’s reaction, although she couldn’t blame her.

“I’m sorry if I offended you,” Kaely said. “That wasn’t my intention. What you’re doing is really smart. You can never be too careful.”

“I’m not offended,” Alex said. She just wanted to move on. Did Kaely see her as some kind of nut now? No matter what she’d just said?

“You have a problem with germs, don’t you?” Kaely asked gently. “As I’m sure you know, that’s usually a side effect of trauma. An effort to control your surroundings.”

“Yes, I know, thanks.” Alex realized she sounded a little snippy, but Kaely wasn’t the only behavioral analyst in the room. She knew exactly why she had a fear of germs. Since becoming a Christian, she’d been getting better, but she still dealt with some of the side effects of her troubled upbringing.

“I’m sure you do,” Kaely said, her tone still gentle. “I seem to be putting my foot in my mouth this evening. Sorry.” She sighed. “This case is baffling. I think it’s because we’ve wandered off course, trying to solve the crime rather than simply deliver a profile.” She took the towel off her head and rubbed her hair until it was almost dry.

“I agree. It’s just so ... interesting.”

Kaely grinned. “I thought you were going to say confusing. But you’re right.”

Alex saw an opening and took it. Although they’d see each other at work, it might be a while before she’d have another chance like this. She took a deep breath. “Kaely, can I ask you something?”

“Sure. Anything.”

“I ... I wonder if you’d tell me about the way you profile.”

Kaely frowned at her. “I write profiles the same way you do.”

“I ... I know. I don’t mean to put you on the spot, but most of us have heard about your technique. I would love to see it in operation.”

Kaely looked away for a moment, then cleared her throat. “There are a lot of things in this world we can’t see, Alex. But they’re real. Even more real than what we can see.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I still use my ... method, but I’m very careful with it. Evil is out there. We both know it. We’ve seen it. Our minds, our imaginations, can sometimes create an opening for something dark. It happened to me, and I don’t want it to happen to you.”

Alex frowned at her. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

Kaely stared at her for a moment before saying, “I’m sorry. I’m sure you don’t. There’s really nothing wrong with my technique. Just because I had a bad experience doesn’t mean you will.” She shook her head. “I’m transferring my own experience to you, and that’s not fair.”

Alex didn’t know what to say. She still wanted to learn Kaely’s unique way of profiling. Her goal was to be the best analyst she could be, and she needed every weapon in her arsenal. “I ... I’ve seen evil,” she said. “We see it all the time. Not something you ever get used to.”

“I don’t think we should get used to it. If we do, we’ve lost a piece of our humanity.”

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