Edge of Mercy (A Kate Reid Novel Book 11), Robin Mahle [freenovel24 .txt] 📗

Come on. Give me some credit here. If I have to bring someone on, wouldn’t you prefer it to be someone you can work with? Or do you want me to make this a crapshoot?”

“No,” Kate resigned. “That’s not what I want. Fine. Should I call him, or do you want to?”

Nick shoved his hands in his pockets as he watched Kate gather her things. “And you’re sure this is the direction you want to go?”

She peered at him. “If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be going. Fisher agreed this is a step in the right direction. I’m right about this, Nick. I can feel it.” She zipped up her laptop bag and pulled on her coat. “It’s a good thing—doing this. And if it helps me get insight into Surrey, then all the better. I want to know what I’ll be up against.”

“What we’ll all be up against,” Nick replied.

“Exactly.” Kate stood on her toes and leaned in to kiss him. “I’ll keep in touch. I promise.”

“You’d better.”

Kate walked out of Nick’s office and headed into the hall. She looked back to see Nick standing in the doorway. “Have a good day.” She waved a final time before leaving.

A cab ride later and Kate waited at the gate for the flight to leave. It was the first flight of the morning after hustling last night to get booked as soon as possible. Agent Jonathan Surrey was due to meet her at the gate but had not yet arrived.

She hadn’t spent more than an hour with Surrey on her consult at his office. Her first impression of him was that he seemed knowledgeable and respectful. Then she went on about her duties and that was that, which was why she had been taken aback when Fisher suggested him as a candidate for Quinn’s job.

“Agent Reid?”

Kate spun around at the sound of her name. “Agent Surrey. It’s nice to see you again.” She offered a greeting. “I’m sure this must feel a little strange jumping into unfamiliar territory.”

“Not at all. I had a chance last night to look over what’s been done on the investigation to date. It’s intriguing,” Surrey replied.

Score one for the new guy. Kate was mildly impressed that he’d done his homework. Although, any self-respecting agent being thrown into a new case would have.

Jonathan Surrey appeared to be in his mid-thirties. She’d wondered how long he’d been with the Bureau. He still appeared fresh and eager, meaning he’d probably been on the job fewer than ten years. In Kate’s experience, agents who had served longer tended to look that much more jaded. She, herself, had only been on the job for five years and she wondered if she had that haggard look.

He was well put-together. Stylish black hair that wasn’t too short. Fit, but not overly built. Something along the lines of average. Smart dresser. He wore a fitted white button-down beneath a casual jacket and tapered dress pants. The black wool overcoat was a nice touch. It was approaching late-October and the weather in D.C. had turned cool. Eh, he’s all right, she thought. What kind of person he would be to work for? That remained to be seen.

“I think our flight’s boarding,” he said.

“Well, I guess we’d better go, then.”

T.F. Green airport was a few miles from the state capital of Providence and the flight had just arrived. The short duration allowed for more small talk between Kate and the man who might become her boss but hadn’t revealed any great insight into him. Opening up to new people wasn’t something Kate was known for. Walls still surrounded her and only a select few had made it past the guard gates. Surrey was not on that list.

She headed to the car rental kiosk and filled out the paperwork. Within minutes, the agents were on the road.

Surrey peered at her from the passenger seat of the rented 4-door sedan. “How did you get the mother to agree to the interview?”

“I asked.” Kate glanced at him as she turned out of the airport. “She didn’t seem reluctant at all, actually, which struck me as odd.”

“In what way?”

“She has to have heard the rumors. The news reports. I’m sure she doesn’t live under a rock. And yet when I spoke to her, she seemed to be casual about the matter.” Kate glanced at him. “What made you interested in throwing your name into the hat for this job?”

“A move to BAU? Isn’t that what we all want?” he asked.

“Not everyone. Have you worked on these types of investigations before?”

“Multiple murders? Not really. Just plain ‘ol run-of-the-mill murders.” Surrey grinned. “Honestly, I was impressed with the work you did for my field office. Agent Brighton couldn’t stop talking you up.”

“Somehow, I’m not surprised to hear that,” Kate replied.

“Oh yeah, he’s a talker. A hell of an agent, but given the chance, he’ll talk your ear off and then some.”

Kate laughed. “It took me about a minute to figure that out. But he’s a great guy and a good agent. I’m glad his feelings for me were mutual. Fair warning, things are different when you get to HQ. Quantico is a different beast. There are a lot of politics involved.”

“Like there aren’t in any field office,” Surrey replied.

“I suppose there are, but it just feels like it’s more of a struggle to get your point across and to get approvals and things like that.” She pulled alongside the curb that fronted the home. “This is it.”

Surrey stepped out and waited for Kate. On her approach, they peered at the home. “Not a bad place to live.”

The sprawling, elegant home was adorned with white columns that led the way to a double-door entrance.

“Not bad at all.” Kate started ahead and reached the door, but before she could ring the bell, it opened. “Oh, hello. Mrs. Whitman?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Special Agent Kate Reid and this is my partner, Special Agent Jonathan Surrey. I spoke with you yesterday about your son?”

She nodded and