here, and more confident that we’re sending out agents who are both physically and mentally prepared for the tasks they face.”
“No complaints from me.” Harden worked them thoroughly, but Lucy saw the purpose in everything they did and had personally benefited from it.
He smiled. “Not you, but not everyone is as in shape or dedicated to staying that way. Other than your very bad habit of eating granola bars to replace meals.”
That he knew this detail about her bothered her. “How do you know?”
“In light of what’s going on—Noah briefed me—I need to tell you something. Hans asked me to test you. Off-the-books. I agreed because it’s my job, but it was also before I knew you. The pull-ups the other day was a test. I know what you fear, and I needed to make sure you can handle it.”
The truth sunk in. “You knew Hans got me in.”
“No. Not until yesterday afternoon. After you left, he told me, which explained why he wanted to assess you differently. Harder than others. I put the pressure on you for the past four weeks to confirm you can handle it. That part’s over—with the investigation right now, I need you to trust me. That’s why I’m coming clean.”
Lucy felt manipulated and upset but, to her surprise, not as angry as she thought she should be. “Who else?”
“Who else was testing you? No one.”
“Are you certain?”
“Hans doesn’t trust a lot of people, but he would have told me.”
“He told you I quit.”
“You’re still here.”
“My ID was at the desk. I guess he didn’t accept it.”
“For what it’s worth, completely unbiased, I don’t think you should quit. If I was going to pick two agents I’d want on my team, it would be you and Carter Nix.”
“Why Carter over Eddie?”
“Carter thinks for himself and Eddie is a soldier at heart. We need both types in the Bureau, and I love military folks coming in for a second career. But if I were building a team, I’d want loyalty, dedication, intelligence, and physical stamina. And I’d want those who see more than what’s on the surface. Instincts. Working as a team is important. But using your instincts to benefit the team is crucial. Because when you’re in the foxhole with someone, you have to be able to trust them with your life. And sometimes, that means breaking the rules.”
She smiled. Sean would like Harden.
“What Noah is having you do isn’t easy, but it’s necessary,” he continued. “He wouldn’t put you in this position if he didn’t think you could handle it.”
“Thank you.”
“One more thing. Who told you about the hiring panel?”
“Are you ordering me to tell you?”
“No. But I will if that makes you more inclined to share.”
“Why is that important?”
“Because the only people who knew, until you found out yesterday, were the three people on the hiring panel, Hans, and Rick Stockton. That means that one or more of those three agents who interviewed you told someone after they were debriefed and told never to discuss the situation. It’s a security breach. Personnel issues may seem minor on the surface, but revealing confidential information leads to other breaches.”
“It wasn’t someone on the panel.”
“If I guess will you tell me?”
Lucy was intrigued. “I’m not going to play twenty questions.”
“It was Rich Laughlin.”
Lucy was stunned. “How did you know?”
“I noticed him watching you and his body language told me he was angry. I couldn’t imagine what you might have done, so I kept my eyes open. Then Friday I walked out with Kosako and he said your score plummeted from ninety-three to thirty-two. It surprised him, and me, so I asked if there was a weapons problem. He noticed Laughlin standing in your peripheral vision and how your eye kept moving toward him. He thought it was a problem because of tactical training issues—but I put two and two together.”
“He doesn’t like me, but I think it has something to do with Kate. I’ll take care of it myself,” Lucy said. “I appreciate your understanding, but just as I don’t like being singled out in my training, I don’t like being cut any slack. I’m going to have to deal with more agents like Rich Laughlin when I get out of here.”
“You will. Hans asked me to find out for him, because he needs to know who on the panel can’t be trusted.”
She stood, uncertain what Harden expected from her, and simply said, “Thanks.”
“I may not be a federal agent, Kincaid, but I have your back.”