A Criminal's Mind

Dinner with the Tenchs

When we get back to Quintico the next morning, Carr is waiting on us. "Hey, did you guys find anything?"

"Oh, yeah," Tench nods, "we got a full confession..."

"That's great."

"From the sister, who didn't actaully see the murder."

I sigh, "so they spent two hours playing leapfrog between the two brother-in-laws. Who are blaming each other."

"Well, that's frustrating." Carr crosses her arms, "you didn't happen to record the sister's confession did you?"

"Of course, we did." Tench nods, "what do you think we are, amateurs?'' He chuckles.

We set up the recorder and let Carr listen to Rose's account of events that night. "I saw Benji. He had his head in his hands. He was crying. There was blood everywhere. Splashing. And then I see Beverly Jean in the bathtub."

After that Carr shuts off the recorder, rewinds it and listens to Rose again. Turning it off at the same point again. When she turns it off the second time she looks up to Ford and I, who are going over our own notes from the interviews, "she was there."

Ford and I look over to Tench, all three of us rather confused. Tench walks over to the table, having been standing over on the desks against the wall, "what makes you say that?"

"'Splashing.' She doesn't describe splashes on the wall, she uses a verb in the present tense. She says 'splashing.'" Carr rewinds the tape again.

We all lean forward and listen to Rose, again, "there was blood everywhere. Splashing." Carr turns off the recorder.

"Beverly Jean was still alive when Rose got there," Ford nods.

I scoff, "Jesus and to think I took pity on her."

Tench sits, "the three of them are in it together."

"That's right," Carr nods.

We call it a day soon and head out. When I get home I start getting ready for the dinner at the Tench's. I can't go as bold as I did when I went out with Carr, Debbie and Ford, but I still don't want to wear what would be viewed as my normal work outfits. To be honest, I am so over heels. I look through my drawers and closet and eventually find a pair of red pants. They're not too much, just a pair of high waisted and fit pants. As I look through more of my clothes I find a nice white sweater. I put the outfit on and look in the mirror, it's cute and professional, but does not scream 'I'm a federal agent.' I look around, in hopes I have a pair of flats, sadly all I have is red kitten heels. I keep my makeup nature and my hair simple, leaving it down, rather than having it up like normal. I head out and it doesn't take me too long to find the Tench house. Ford had offered to drive me, but I didn't think that would go over well with Debbie, plus it's been a while since I'd driven myself.

When I arrive and ring the doorbell, Tench answers, and very quickly, "hi. Welcome. Please come in." He smiles, beer in hand. I have to say I don't know how I imagined Tench outside of work, but this wasn't it. He has on a short sleeve, collared polo shirt and what look like slacks. Which don't really go together, but whatever he wants to wear.

Nancy, having heard Tench and the doorbell, comes around the corner, "hi! I'm so happy that you're here. Come in." She smiles, "I'm Nancy."

"Hi, Nancy. I'm uhh... Nancy," I chuckle.

Nancy laughs, "well, that's fun, isn't it."

Tench shrugs, "worse case, if we get confused we can call you shrimp."

I shake my head and laugh, "ha ha, very funny."

Nancy nods, "either way, I have been dying to meet you. Isn't it crazy that we haven't met yet?"