Night Fall (The Quantico Files #1) - Nancy Mehl Page 0,16

we knock on her door, Alex?” Logan asked.

“I assume everything will be as it was before I lived there. Willow didn’t have any desire to be an adult.”

“How do you think she’ll receive you?” Mike asked.

“I really have no idea. She used to tell me she loved me, and in her own way, I think she did. But she never really took care of me. I mean, she gave me a room to sleep in and provided for my basic needs. Of course, she had only a disability check, so all my clothes were secondhand. And if I wanted anything besides food or clothing, I had to buy it myself.”

“My mom hired Alex to help around our house,” Mike said. “And she passed my sister’s clothes along to her.”

Alex smiled. “Yes, your mother was good to me,” she said. “She was more of a mother than Willow ever was. How is your mom?” She leaned toward him. “Does she still live in the same house?”

“She’s fine, and, no, she’s moved. Dad was killed not long after you left. Car accident.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks. Anyway, once my sister and I were out on our own, Mom stayed in the house alone for a while. But a few years ago, she relocated to a senior-living apartment complex. She’s really happy there. I’d like to tell her you’re in town, but I was told to keep this assignment under the radar. I wish you could visit her. She’d love that.”

“I would enjoy that too. But that will have to be a different trip. No time for anything besides getting The Book to the FBI lab.”

“Of course you’re right,” Mike said. “Maybe I could contact you when this is all over and see if you can come back for a visit.”

Alex didn’t say anything as she turned her head toward the passenger side window. Logan wondered if she really would come back to Wichita to see Mike’s mother. Alex was a loner. Yeah, she good-naturedly worked with other agents, but she rarely accepted an invitation to nonwork events. Many times she’d say she had to get home to her dog.

“Mike mentioned your aunt had cats. You have a dog, right?” Logan asked. “What do you do with him when you go out of town?”

“My neighbors take care of him.”

“I can’t remember his name.”

“Krypto. I named him after Superman’s dog.”

Logan couldn’t help but wonder why she’d chosen that name. Did she identify with Superman—someone who couldn’t be hurt?

“It’s great you have neighbors who will watch him,” Mike said.

She nodded. “Yeah, it is. They have kids who like playing with him. Sometimes I wonder if he would be happier with them.” She paused for a moment before saying, “But I need him in my life. And the truth is he’s really attached to me. Thinks he’s my protector, I guess. It’s a miracle he gets along with the other people as well as he does.”

Was there a hint of jealousy there? Or was it fear?

“This is it,” Mike said, slowing the car to a crawl.

Logan looked around. Not the best neighborhood. Lots of older homes, but for the most part the properties were well-kept.

Mike pointed to his left, at a large two-story house painted white with yellow accents. “That’s where we used to live.”

Logan turned to see Alex staring at a different house on that side of the street. He was shocked to see that her face had gone completely white.

6

Alex felt her throat close, as if fingers of fear had grabbed her and were trying to choke the life out of her.

Stop it! Remember who you are. You don’t have to be afraid of that crazy woman. She’s just the means to an end. You’re here to get that book, then you’ll never have to see her again.

Mike pulled the car over to the curb. “If you can’t get her to give you The Book, we’ll have to call in help to search her house.” He leaned over and took some papers from the glove box. “Here’s the warrant and the release document.”

Alex took them and slipped them into the inside pockets of her jacket.

“Are you sure you want me to wait out here?” Logan asked.

“Yes. She’ll shut down if you’re with me.”

Even as Alex said the words, she wasn’t sure they were true. Maybe the fear wrapping itself around her was caused by her concern Logan would see her as vulnerable if he came inside. If he saw the conditions she