Page 39 of So Normal

“Sir, before you go,” Michael said, “can you get records to look up some backgrounds for me.”

“As usual, you’re a pain in my ass, Prince,” the Boss said, “but thankfully for you, you’re doing actual investigative work and not running people down with your big bad wolf, so yes, I’ll talk to records. What’s the name?”

“Well, sir, it’s everyone who works for the Twin Cities Terminal.”

After a moment of silence, the Boss sighed. “Glad to see you’ve narrowed the list down so much,” he said sarcastically.

“Also,” Michael said, “it was actually Faith’s idea to check on the people who work here.”

“Your loyalty is admirable, Prince,” the Boss said, “but I truly don’t give a shit. She’s on notice, and so are you if you’re not careful. Start thinking about your future, Prince.”

He hung up, and the two agents sat in silence for a while. Faith replayed the Boss’s last sentence over in her head.Start thinking about your future, Prince.The implied message was that perhaps his future would be more secure without Bold.

After a moment, Faith stood and said, “I’m going to get some air. Call me if you find something.”

“Hey, Faith, he doesn’t really mean that. About being careful around you.”

“Yes, he does,” Faith said.

Turk started to follow, but she said, “Stay here.”

Turk sat slowly, confused. Faith felt a pang of guilt. None of this was Turk’s fault, but she needed a moment to herself.

She could understand the Boss’s frustration. The fact that Schoenmaker wasn’t a U.S. Citizen made the situation incredibly embarrassing. The Boss hadn’t mentioned a media circus, and Faith knew that meant Schoenmaker had requested to avoid a media circus.

She couldn’t even be angry with Schoenmaker for talking to his consulate. That was standard legal advice when accused of a crime in a foreign country, even when cleared almost immediately. It was good advice too. He had acted correctly.

Turk hadn’t. That was the part that frustrated Faith. Turk should have waited for her command to chase the suspect. He should have alerted her, but he shouldn’t have chased him without Faith’s permission.

Well, the last time Faith had prevented him from chasing a suspect, that suspect had nearly murdered another victim, so Faith couldn’t really be mad at herself for allowing Turk to follow his instincts. What was worse, detaining someone briefly or allowing a killer to kill again.

That way lies danger, she thought to herself. She could allow herself to be angry. She could allow herself to be frustrated and even to feel humiliated, but she couldn’t start justifying procedural mistakes. She would have to refresh Turk’s training a little to avoid instances like this.

And she would have to stop being a cowboy. She recalled her conversation with Doctor West prior to her assignment to this case. He suggested that Faith possibly sought physical confrontation to make up for her lack of control when Trammell tortured her. She didn’t feel that way when she chased Schoenmaker, but maybe that was another subconscious act.

“God, this sucks,” she said out loud.

A middle-aged woman waiting for her train glanced Faith’s way. Faith smiled and lifted her hand, then turned around and headed back for the security office. Her little break hadn’t improved her mood, and she saw no point in continuing to isolate herself.

When she returned, Turk jumped to his feet and rushed to her, whining plaintively. “Hey, buddy,” she said, stooping and scratching him under his chin. “I’m sorry. Mommy’s just a little upset. It’s not your fault.”

Turk licked her hands and pressed close for a hug. Faith held him a long moment, and when she released him, she felt a little better. Not much, but enough to put her irritation aside and focus on the case.

“Anything on the background checks yet?” she asked Michael.

“Nothing so far,” he replied. “A lot of the maintenance and janitorial staff have minor records but nothing more recent than five years and nothing more major than petty theft.”

“Yeah, I figured,” Faith said. “What about the cameras?”

“Nope. Nothing.”

Faith sighed. “Yeah, I figured that too.”

She looked at the screen and frowned. “Hold on. Pause the video right there.”

Michael pressed a button, and the video froze. “What is it?”

“Right there,” Faith said, pointing at an older man walking into the bathroom nearest the spot where the bodies were found. “Is that McIlhenny?”

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