Page 10 of Special Agent Jennie

Chapter Seven

Jennie knew she’d shocked her daughter with the fervent declaration, but she couldn’t take it back. When she’d first seen the man on the monitor, shock had swept over her and kept her from passing out. Thank God anger had kicked in and held back her true feelings. That, and knowing it would upset her old baba to see Kane again had kept her reaction on the level of a sane person.

But after he’d disappeared, her insides had erupted and all the pain and fear she’d gone through from his rejection had returned in full measure. Her burning hatred for the boy who’d made her trust him, fall madly in love where she gave him her virginity, and then spurn her had completely left her a weak sixteen-year-old with borderline suicidal thoughts.

Only the love and guidance from her baba had kept her from doing something stupid. Once she’d learned he’d left some of himself behind, she knew she had to live. Had to be strong and fight for them both. Had to show her child independence must be the one important goal a woman needed to survive in this world.

With her baba’s help, she’d done it, and each day had been slightly better than the last. Of course, there had been fallbacks, but each one had strengthened her spine and made her promise that she’d show him and the world she could be the better person. She’d endure and no one would ever mess with her again.

“Hey, world to Mom. Hello?”

“Sorry, I was thinking.”

“Looked to me like you were remembering.”

“That too. So, tell me how you actually found him.”

“It’s kind of a letdown. I wished I could say it was due to my incredible searching skills that finally tracked him down but truthfully, it was an accidental breakthrough. I overheard someone call his name on the street and when I turned, there he was. I followed him to his house. End of story.”

“Not even close. Why did he come here to warn you not to say anything about what you overheard tonight? What’s the man got himself into now?”

“You’ll never believe me so I’m going to plead the fifth. Respect his wishes and not say anything.”

Jennie tried the stare on her child and as always, it didn’t even make her flinch. Instead, Lisa threw herself into Jennie’s arms and hugged her hard. “Mom, I’m really sorry if he upset you. That was never my intention. Please believe me that I was going to tell you about my meeting him.”

“Oh? And when had you decided you would enlighten me? When I’m feeble-minded and living in the old folk’s home?”

Lisa’s face broke up, her grin infectious. “You know me too well.” Seriousness emerged. She remembered her decision after going over and over the information she’d gleaned earlier. There was no doubt in her mind she had to stop the destruction the extremists were planning.

Yet, she needed a talk with Kane before doing anything more. Earlier, she’d all but decided she owed him nothing. She’d go to the proper authorities, give them evidence of what she’d overheard, have them arrested, and then write the story that would make her career.

Now, after spending these precious moments with her mom, she believed Jennie was lying to herself as well as Lisa. Oh… not so much about hating the man – she believed that part. Or at least the bit where Jennie actually thought she felt that way.

But the facts about his youth and the sad life he’d lived with his family made her hesitate. Because his father and brother were rotten, did it automatically mean he followed in their footsteps? Didn’t he deserve the benefit of the doubt in this case? Shouldn’t she at least let him explain before she took this to another level where there’d be no turning back… and they’d put him away for good?

“Lisa, what are you into? I don’t like that look. It’s the same one you wore when you were in trouble breaking into the principal’s office to prove he was coercing some of his female students into providing favors in return for good grades.”

“The slimeball was guilty.”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t. But you could have been hurt.”

“I needed the proof and there was only one way to get it. He never knew I was in the closet filming him.”

Jennie had to laugh at Lisa’s expression. “You lucked out that time. But you can’t keep getting away with these stunts. I want you to promise, if you have any information, you need to pass it on to me and I’ll make sure it gets to the proper people. You trust me, right?”

Understanding that her informing on Kane and his pals would be paramount to getting them all arrested for subversion and terrorist plots against the city, she hesitated. Could she just turn a blind eye to the fact that he was her father? That the moment she’d first seen him, her heart had stumbled, and her imagination had soared, filling with what-ifs?

Like what if he wanted her in his life, and what if he’d build a future she could fit into? Not saying her life with her mother and baba hadn’t given her every bit of love and nourishing affection a little girl could need, but because there was never a man in that scene, it was the one thing she’d missed. The one area where she felt alone… where all her friends could count on their fathers, she never could.

And because of Jennie’s high-powered career, she couldn’t always be there either. Of course, her baba would have stepped in and often did, but once Lisa understood how taxing those school occasions were for the older woman, she hated to put her on the spot. And so, there’d been more than one event when she dealt with life on her own. Where Kane could have been the perfect stand-in for a girl who’d always seemed to need the extra assurance that she had done well.

Now, she had a decision to make, and it tore her apart. What to do? He’d come to her home, asking that she not act on her information. But could she keep quiet? Should she?

Making herself comfy, Lisa eventually leaned her head on her mother’s knee, a position she felt very comfortable in. “I need to think about this, Mom. I want to tell you, but I can’t. I don’t want to drag you into it.”

“If it’s a law-breaking situation, you have to tell me, honey. Seriously. Otherwise, just remember, you don’t owe that man anything… loyalty or consideration. He walked away from that kind of deference years ago.”

Lisa heard the ultra-hard tone in her mom’s voice, and it shocked her. It was a sound she seldom heard from the soft-spoken woman. Especially used with her. She’d always known her mother had another side to her, one she didn’t use while at home with her family, but it hovered in the background and could flare when necessary.

There had been a few occasions in her youth when she’d crossed the line and needed to be reminded of the rules. At those times, Jennie hadn’t hesitated to lash out with warnings and even punishment. She’d come to understand that pissing off her mother might be okay but upsetting Baba wouldn’t be tolerated. And because of respect, Lisa had always known not to push too far.

This time her loyalties lay in a different direction and for the life of her, she didn’t know what kept her from blabbing to the woman she trusted most in the world. She needed time to think. To go back over everything she heard, read the notes she’d written after she’d left the house, not wanting to forget any details. She’d added the names she’d heard and described their disgusting plans.

Tired, weariness setting in, she sighed, closed her eyes, and let sleep overcome her. Having her mom’s gentle ministrations caressing her hair had soothed her and the warmth from the blanket helped to let her drift off.

She didn’t see her notebook slide from her pocket to the floor.

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