The Reckoning - BLACKBIRD book 3

11. here?

**picture: Somersworth police station, NH

Brock left Agent Plummer with the boy's parents and headed to the police station. The parents knew nothing that could help them, and Brock had a horrible growing feeling that the kidnapper was already miles away with his victim. If they didn't find a clue soon, both the subject and the boy would be in the wind and very likely out of their reach for good.

His phone buzzed and he took Agent Hanno's call on speaker. The woman gave him a quick update on the situation. The car from the video was registered to a woman two towns over, and Brandon was trying to enhance the image enough to run facial recognition on the driver. Just to cover all their bases, Murphy—that was... yes, the team leader—was on his way to question the woman. Cortez still interviewed people at the corner of the boy's school. Brock heard somebody talk to Hanno, who excused herself with him and disconnected.

At the police station, Hanno turned around to face the woman standing at the conference room's door, with an FBI badge hanging from her belt and a folder in her hand.

The stranger came to her, stretching out her hand to shake Hanno's, speaking in a firm way. "Hi, I'm Agent Gillian. I understand you're with the CARD team working the Amber Alert."

Hanno answered with a reluctant nod, the 'who the hell are you' written all over her face.

Gillian handed out her folder. "My team and I are working the murder of a boy in the area. I came to bring you what we have on the case, because I think your kidnapper is our killer."

Hanno nodded again. She didn't take the folder, but slid her hands in her pockets instead. "Oh, I see, you're with the rookie team from our Boston field office," she said, not noticing the way Gillian stiffened at the word rookie. "I appreciate you coming all the way here, Agent, but we already have our subject."

Gillian scowled, puzzled. "You've identified him?"

"We're working on it as we speak." Hanno spotted Brock coming into the station, phone to his ear, and flashed a cold smile at Gillian, her voice oozing confidence and superiority. "So thank you, Agent, but right now, the best way to help us is going back to your case and letting us do our job to bring this boy back home." The woman snatched her phone from the table and headed out, saying, "Now if you'll excuse me..."

Gillian stepped aside as she scowled deeper, digesting Hanno's attitude. The woman hadn't even touched her folder.

Then she heard a man say behind her, "Philips got a match on the face and we've got an address here in town."

Gillian spun around at hearing that voice and her eyes widened at meeting Brock's. He froze, spotting her.

Hanno was already at the door and called from there, "Agent Brockner?"

Brock turned around and followed her out.

Gillian watched him get into an SUV with the woman, not even nodding hi at Hank, who rested against the hood of their vehicle. A moment later they drove away. Gillian stood where she was, still trying to stomach not only Brock's unexpected presence there, but most of all the way he had completely ignored her.

The folder almost slid from her fingers, and that kicked her out of her surprise. She felt the heat lashing her face and burning her ears, and the late racing of her heart. Then she decided there was no time for her stupid reactions at the stupid bitter man's usual snubs.

She spotted a uniform walking by and called him. "I need gaffer tape, stacks and color markers," she said, setting the poor man in motion at Match Three. Then she spun around again and strode into the conference room. If the stupid bitter man was there, he would know how to use her information.

At the same time, Brock steered across town, sirens on, to the address Brandon had given him. Hanno noticed his steady glare and his clenched teeth, and thought she hoped she'd be just as committed as him after so many years in the Bureau.

Actually, Brock wished the man they were about to arrest would put up some fight, because he'd be more than grateful at a chance to throw some punches. Those he couldn't throw at Gillian. Jesus Christ! Was there any place in the country, a godforsaken town where he wouldn't come across her? How did she manage to be always in his way?

Whatever he decided about his future, he'd make it crystal clear to Cassidy that keeping Gillian away from him was a capital condition to take on any new post. That ruled out accepting Mattock's post supervising New England. So the BAU, then. As Unit Chief, he'd be able to send somebody else to work the cases anywhere north from DC.

"Sir, we should've turned left at that corner," said Hanno, her thumb pointing over her shoulder.

Brock didn't even glance at her, he just turned left at the next corner, forcing her to grab the dash at the sharp, squealing swerve.