talk if a situation is ongoing and tight.”
Shit! Taliban.
“And that didn’t send off alarm bells?” Kendra asked. “You should have asked him what was going on.”
“Like he asked you if there was a problem with you?” Jessie shook her head. “You can be damn touchy yourself. And you were almost accusing me of acting as Lynch’s spy. I don’t deserve that, Kendra.” She suddenly chuckled. “If I’m going to spy, it’s always going to be on my own behalf.”
“And you do it so brilliantly.” Kendra smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t really believe you’d do that to me. I guess I’m a bit on the defensive. But we both know how manipulative Lynch can be.” Her smile faded. “And how damn nosy. He can’t expect to get me thrown off the job in Afghanistan one day and then try to control what I do with my life and career stateside the next. He can just stay out of it.”
“He’ll find that hard to do.” Jessie paused. “Particularly when he hears about that bomb scare in your car. Now, that might arouse his curiosity even if he doesn’t find out about it tonight.”
“It wasn’t a bomb, the most it could have been was a threat.” She frowned. “And how did you know about it if Griffin or Metcalf didn’t tell you anything?”
“I took my time getting up to see them after I arrived at the FBI regional office.” She stretched her booted legs out before her, crossing them at the ankle. In her black leather garb and that gleaming dark pixie-cut hair, she was lithe and gracefully strong, and yet also appeared oddly exotic as she lifted her cup to her lips. “I stopped and chatted up a few agents I knew in other departments. That bomb scare created quite a stir even if it was a dud.”
“And there was no reason for them not to talk to you. The case wasn’t confidential,” Kendra said wryly. “And you knew Lynch always went through Griffin and Metcalf for his information and didn’t bother with the lower rungs at the FBI.”
“He probably would have started plumbing those sources if I hadn’t been available. Lynch is nothing if not determined.” Jessie finished her coffee and set the cup on the coffee table. “But I was available and he decided to send me. That way either he’d get the information he wanted or he’d have someone he trusted on hand to look out for you.” She shrugged. “Though I didn’t think I’d have to make that decision quite so soon. I had no idea you’d be stumbling over bodies and dodging over rooftops.”
“What can I say? I always like to make an impact.” Her eyes were narrowed on Jessie’s face. “And why were you ‘available’? Why come now when you could have stayed another few weeks? I know how much you wanted to nail those Brock Limited contractors to the wall. It was almost an obsession with you.”
She nodded. “They hurt a lot of my army buddies when I served in Afghanistan, and I want to see that they don’t have a chance to hurt anyone else.” Her lips tightened. “But Lynch is right, this isn’t the time. Things have altered just in the past few days. Every information source is drying up and with the Taliban forging a partnership with Brock, it’s getting too dangerous to tap any new ones. It’s time to step back and wait until Lynch sees an opening. I’ll get my chance.” She met Kendra’s eyes. “We’ll both get our chance. We just have to be patient.”
“That’s hard for me,” Kendra said. “I don’t want to wait.”
“I know.” She smiled. “Lynch always said you were on fire to take down Brock from the moment you arrived in Kabul.”
Kendra said grimly, “Well, he’s doused that fire fairly thoroughly for the time being.”
Jessie shook her head. “Just put it on simmer. I know you too well to believe anything else. Now, what are we going to do about Oceanside?”
“I know what I intend to do. I don’t know what you’re going to do.” Kendra tilted her head. “Are you going to call Lynch?”
“Hell, no. That was a last-case option if the situation was going down the tubes. I think Lynch and I both knew it wasn’t in the cards. I’ve decided to go with Option B.”
“Specify the details of Option B.”
“I stick around and make certain no real bombs show up to take you out and that you don’t decide to have another marathon