Page 17 of Special Agent Jennie

Chapter Twelve

Lisa knew there had to be a talk with her father about what she’d seen the night before, yet every time she thought about calling him and making arrangements for a get-together, she shied away from doing so.

As long as she didn’t look too closely at the situation, she could pretend it wasn’t as bad as she remembered. A trick she’d learned as a young girl who often didn’t like consequences and found that by ignoring whatever happened, even pulling everything apart so she looked at things from different perspectives, they’d be less scary once forced to deal.

Her mom had offered as explanation that maybe it was just her way of accepting what she didn’t like. Some people needed more time to acknowledge shock and pain.

Of course, she’d argued. Moms couldn’t always be right for a teenager whose strong personality forced her to stand up to authority. Her comeback had been the same every time. “I need to look at the big picture, Mom. Before jumping to conclusions. A good reporter either learns that early on or… like in my case… it comes instinctively.”

Agreeing to disagree, so as not to upset Baba, they’d settled the discussion by changing the subject to what movie to watch that night.

Because he hadn’t reached her before now, she shouldn’t have been surprised when Kane forced the issue by appearing at the office she often worked out of. How he knew she’d be there; she had no idea. Yet, for some strange reason, she had expected him.

Approaching the lone man leaning against the building, she questioned, “How did you find out where I work?”

Kane stiffened as he straightened. “I followed you earlier. I didn’t want to make you late, so I figured I’d just hang around until you came out. Got a minute now? Can we talk?”

Lisa, realizing how weird it was to be standing in front of the man she’d only visualized in her fantasies for so long, couldn’t stop staring.

Straightening, Kane suddenly put his hands through his hair and wiped them over his face. “What? Something wrong?”

“No. I just see bits of myself in your blue eyes and light hair color. Mom’s is darker.”

“Yeah. Guess so. Look, I don’t want to bring any attention to you so can we go someplace? We really need to talk.”

“I know. Guess I’m trying to put it off because after just meeting you, I hate like hell to push you away before I get some answers. But Mom was adamant. Said I couldn’t see you.”

“She’s right to say that. I’m up to my neck in some dangerous shit right now that I don’t want you involved with. Look, I can’t explain other than to tell you it’s for your own safety to back off and keep quiet about what you overheard.”

As he talked, she steered them toward a café down one of the nearby alleys, and they sat on the outside chairs.

Staring at his flushed face, she stalled. “Why can’t you tell me more? That stuff I heard last night was powerful… ugly. You must know I need to go to the police with the evidence I have. Or hand it over to Mom. She’ll know exactly where it should be taken.”

Ignoring her words, he said instead, “You filmed us, didn’t you?”

She took her phone from the pocket of her jacket and set it on the table in front of her. “Of course, I did. I’m a reporter. And I want an interview to talk about what’s on my video.”

Before she knew what he’d do, Kane reached over and picked it up. Not used to such cavalier treatment, Lisa blanched. “What’re you doing?”

Kane didn’t answer. Busy finding the last video and erasing it, he finished and then passed her cellphone back. “You can’t use this.”

Furious, Lisa flashed a glare at him with sparks of fury shooting from her eyes. It reminded him of her mother from the day before. “That’s against the law. To take my phone and erase my stuff.”

“So… sue me. But for now, you can’t get involved.” Using a softer tone, Kane leaned closer to her and took her hand. She had no choice but to look into his face. As he forced her to do his bidding by the mere power of his touch, his blue eyes caught her identical stare, and he used a voice she’d never heard from him before. One filled with tenderness and pleading. “Please, Lisa. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I’m asking you to do so. At least for a while. Don’t go to your mother and please say nothing to anyone else.”

“How can I do that? Do you know what you’re asking of me? How can I stand by while all those people get blown up? It’s impossible.”

“You can if I promise that those disgusting plans you heard will never happen. Believe that… trust me.”

“Only if you tell me why you’re involved.”

Kane backed off. “Can’t”

“Or won’t. Don’t you trust me? After all, you’re asking me to have faith in you.”

“Yes. But it’s for your safety. Mine doesn’t matter.”

Suddenly Kane spied a person he seemed to know. He jumped from his chair and headed to cut the man off at the corner. She watched as he greeted the weird-looking guy who looked as if he’d just come from military maneuvers and they both headed in the opposite direction together.

She remembered the man being at Kane’s the night before. Hamster, yes, that was his name. He’d disgusted her then and seeing Kane greet him like a long-lost friend made her feel utterly sick to her stomach.

Watching as they disappeared, she sat for a while, pondering her situation.

Now, what should she do? Thankful to still have her notes, she knew they wouldn’t be enough for her to insist on any kind of police investigation. If she were lucky enough to be believed, they might follow up and question some of the men involved if they could catch them. But again, it would be their word against hers.

Knowing she couldn’t just leave it alone as Kane had requested, she figured she’d have to discuss it with her mom. But before she did so, she’d delve into each of the men she saw in the room, and using the names she already had, she’d gather as much material as she could find.

Feeling better about her decision, she stood to leave and didn’t see the man at the corner who’d watched everything unfold.

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