Chemical Attraction (28 page)

During the song, Eva watched one of the guys stick his head out the kitchen doorway. Madeline had caught their attention. As she continued singing, they filtered into the hall to listen to her haunting rendition. With her eyes closed, she had no idea she had drawn a crowd. Joe finally came out to stand in front of the group.

The smile on his face turned into a frown. He whispered something behind him and six agents went back into the kitchen. He cautiously approached Madeline as she finished the song. Three feet from the piano, he drew his gun and aimed it in Madeline’s direction. The men behind him had theirs drawn as well. At Eva’s second glance, she realized that the guns were aimed past Madeline, who froze from fright when she saw them.

Joe ground his teeth. “Both of you get down, now.”

He continued to aim his Hardballer at the window between the partially open curtains next to the piano bench. She and Madeline dropped to the floor while he stood with both hands on his gun. His agents rushed to stand next to him. Two minutes later, the six guys came back through the kitchen’s side door with a man in cuffs.

“Earl, what the hell were you doing out there?” Joe asked.

“I … I … heard a noise and I wanted to check on Sylvia. I knew you were up to no good,” he replied. “What’s going on here? Where’s Sylvia?”

Joe stuck his badge in his face. “See this. I could shoot you for trespassing. This is none of your business, Earl.”

Eva whispered to her brother, “Kenny VanKampen is Earl’s son.”

Joe nodded. “Pat him down then cuff him to the piano leg. He’s not going anywhere. Tim, keep an eye on him.” He looked for Madeline. Not seeing her, he went back into the kitchen with his team.

WEDNESDAY

MADELINE LEFT THE COMMOTION FOR the agents. What was she doing? She’d almost died in her own apartment, someone had shot Joe and kidnapped Eva, and people were dead. How much more of this could she take? She was a scientist, not a real agent like Joe and his team.

In the Pink Room, she sat on the edge of the bed. With her hands in her face, she began to sob. The last two weeks were finally catching up to her. The nightmare continued.
She sensed Joe above her to help her out of the deep narrow pit, but the water rose to her neck. Could he help her out in time?
Still crying, she changed into her tank and boxers and climbed under the sheet.

At three in the morning, she woke to loud breathing noises coming from the cot. Silently groaning at the noise, she left for the bathroom, not wanting to disturb Eva. Feeling calmer, she walked into the kitchen. Joe sat at the table looking over the drawings of the BennTech building. She had helped him draw the inside corridors. Her snooping had paid off. She had surprised him with the details.

“Hi,” she said, grabbing a bottle of water out of the refrigerator.

He stretched his legs underneath the table and leaned back in his chair. “What are you doing up?”

She sat across from him and unscrewed the bottle top. “Rita snores like Uncle Herbert.”

“The guys said she lied and has been difficult, especially with you.”

After taking a sip, she nodded. Dismissing that topic, she asked, “What did you find out about the red tie man?”

“It was Alan Shaw.”

“Alan Shaw is the CFO. Are you sure? How did you know?” she asked, putting the top back on her bottle.

“Well, we found his gun and silencer.”

“He’s the one who shot you?”

He nodded. “He had a broken neck, sitting in his car in the BennTech parking lot.”

She paced and rubbed her hands on her arms. “My God, who killed him?”

“I found the bullet on the ground where we had parked. I’m pretty sure it’ll match the gun. Matt found a bunch of fingerprints in the backseat. His guys are running the prints to find out who killed him, and saved us.”

She walked around the kitchen table. “I can’t believe it was him. He was on my list at the meeting, but I didn’t think he would kill anyone.”

“We’ll search the company in a few hours for the meth. You and Eva can look around for your nano-stuff.”

She stopped to look out the kitchen window. “I’m grateful for your help with this. I’ve liked working with you.”

“That sounded like a good-bye.”

“You’ll be leaving soon for your next assignment. Rita even gloated that she’ll be your new partner,” she said, not turning around.

Joe wrapped his arms around her waist and put his chin on her shoulder. Looking out the window, they saw their reflection. “Let me tell you a little something about Rita. She’s here because she can fly a plane and knows computers. I will never be her partner. I don’t trust her. I’d quit first, and my boss knows that.”

“Oh,” she whispered.

“And I don’t have another assignment after this one. I put in for my vacation when I called my superior with our road trip list.”

“You did?” She turned to face him while he held her.

“I did. So unless you’re dumping me, we’re going someplace secluded.”

“I love you,” she whispered with her forehead against his neck.

“I love you, too,” he whispered back. “And that’s not a line. I mean it.” He kissed her as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He pulled back. “Damn Matt for being in my room.”

“Joe, can we finish this together?”

“I think I’ve already suggested making you my partner,” he said, playing with her hair. Matt coughed in the doorway. Joe stopped her from stepping away. “Is this payback from earlier?” Joe asked.

“No, just a heads up that I’ve heard alarm clocks going off. I don’t want to break up fights between you and any guy who looks at Madeline, especially dressed like that,” he replied, amused by Joe’s glare and her blush.

At five o’clock sharp, Chief Connor, Joe, and Dr. Pierce entered the Bennett Technology and Research Building. Taken aback, June LaValley set her mug of hot coffee on the counter and stood to greet them. “What’s everyone doing up so early?” she asked, looking them over.

With her purse slung across her body, Dr. Pierce wore jeans and a green tank top with a navy blue one layered over it. Her hair fell over her shoulders, also unusual for work. Chief Connor in uniform carried a folded paper. But Joe, dressed in jeans and a dark blue shirt with FBI across the front, surprised her the most. He wore his badge on a chain around his neck as well as a sidearm. He no longer looked the big doofus from yesterday.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“This is official,” Chief Connor said. “This is a warrant to search the premises. Please have a seat.” He handed her the warrant that the FBI had brought with them.

“To search for what?”

“June, please,” Dr. Pierce replied, putting her hair behind her ear. “Lay your gun on the counter and I’ll explain.”

Nodding, she slowly sat in the chair.

“Thank you. How many people are in the building right now?” Joe asked.

“Why are you here?” June asked as Kim walked around the corner.

Joe had his hand on his gun. “Madeline, take her weapon. June, for your employees’ safety, I need to know how many are in this building.”

“Sixteen, including Kim and me,” she replied, shaken by his seriousness.

Dr. Pierce escorted Kim behind the desk to sit. “Are any other researchers checked in?” she asked.

“No, the only ones here are the guys in Materials Management, Support Services, and Roger at the shipping gate.” She watched Joe press a button on his small earpiece com unit. Dr. Pierce and Chief Connor also wore headsets that looked like hearing aids with a small one-inch wire sticking out along the jaw line.

“June,” Chief Connor said, “please double-check your computer screen and print off a copy of every employee who’s punched in. I know you can do it from here.”

Through her headset, Madeline heard Joe commanding the teams. Team 2 with three agents and Brayland would take over the shipping area. Brayland would stay at the shipping gate to prevent any trucks from leaving. The three other agents would accompany Roger through the shipping doors and round up employees.

With Team 3, Bobby would secure the front door with Ethan guarding the side entrance. They entered the building with Teams 4 and 5. Those six agents with guns proceeded into the rest of the building. Phase one of their plan was to gather all the employees into the cafeteria and to secure the building. On Team 6, she and Eva would search the research labs for the nano-drug while Team 1 with Matt, Joe, and Rita searched the offices for information on the meth.

“Dr. Pierce, what is this all about? He isn’t your boyfriend, is he?” June asked.

“It’s hard to explain. You’ve noticed an increase in meth around the area from the news reports. Well, BennTech or at least some of its employees have something to do with it.”

“No way. Why would they do that?” June asked.

“I don’t know, but I’m afraid it’s true. We have proof. We just don’t know how high up this goes,” she replied to June and Kim as the others moved away from the counter.

“You’re ratting out your own company,” Kim said.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” she replied. “If I can help stop the manufacturing and distribution, I will.”

“What can I do to help? I don’t want Trevor anywhere near that stuff,” June replied.

“Can we use these monitors to help the agents look for employees?”

“Yeah,” June replied as Kim folded her arms.

Within thirty minutes, the agents had rounded up thirteen employees and Kim. June stayed at the front desk to help Bobby. Joe stepped away from the desk and talked to Matt and the agents who were in the cafeteria with the employees.

“Who’s still missing?” Joe asked through his com.

“Kenny VanKampen,” Matt replied.

“Team 5, stay there and start interrogating the group. Kenny VanKampen is the only one unaccounted for. Phase 2 starts with caution.”

Agent Tim Orr left the building to retrieve Eva and Rita from the car. Matt returned to the front desk for the second part of the search. The rest of the teams would hunt down the last employee and then question the others once the building was secure. Eva stormed into the building. Grinning, Rita walked to Joe’s side. He told her to stay by Bobby while he met with them at the counter.

“Joe, she’s the most unprofessional person I have ever met. If I ever catch you being civil to her in a way that gives her any hope at all, I will disown you as a brother,” Eva said, shaking a finger at him.

“Not a problem,” he replied. “Now listen. Be on guard, and if you have any concerns, use your com.”

“June will watch the monitors for Kenny,” Madeline said.

“You’re helping us?” Joe asked June.

“I love my son. I don’t want meth in my backyard.”

Joe nodded. “Tim, go with them and keep an eye out.”

“Yes sir,” Tim replied as he led Eva and Madeline down the hall.

Madeline looked over her shoulder. Joe motioned for Rita to join them. Before turning the corner, she saw Joe hand Rita’s headset to June. Down the hall, Madeline opened the first lab with the main passkey that she had taken from the security desk. In the laboratory, she focused on the refrigeration and its samples. Tim secured the area while Eva still fumed at Rita’s attitude.

“Tim, does she always act that way?” Eva asked.

“It’s worse around Joe.” His broad shoulders surveyed the area, ready to shoot anything that moved.

“Has he ever led her on?” Eva asked. Madeline continued to search, paying close attention. She wanted to know, too.

“Not at all, in fact, Joe goes out of his way to avoid her,” he said, wandering around.

“But he called her earlier in the week,” Eva said.

“He knew she’d come straightaway.”

Madeline gathered five different vials from this department’s supply. Placing them in a plastic bag, she labeled it with the department’s name. “What’d she say that’s gotten you so worked up?”

“If I didn’t help her get closer to Joe, she would report him for misconduct with you, putting a major black mark on his work record.”

“Oh my God, I can’t believe she’d do that.”

“I believe it,” Tim replied.

“What did you say to her?” Madeline asked as they left that research area.

“I told her to go to hell.”

Tim smiled. “Most of the guys are intimidated because she pulls shit like that. It’d be nice not to tiptoe around her.”

“How long has she gotten away with her blackmail schemes?” Eva asked.

“For as long as she’s worked there because of her uncle,” Tim replied.

“I knew it. Well, she’s messed with the wrong women,” Eva said as Madeline nodded.

“I can’t wait,” Tim said as they entered the next lab. He pushed his earpiece. “Team 6 checking in.”

They heard Joe’s voice reply. “Any problems?”

Eva tapped her com. “No, you have her with you.”

“We have two more labs to check, then we’ll proceed to the second floor. Team 6 out.” Tim looked at the women. “Don’t make it worse. Everyone can hear that, including Rita.”

“I don’t care. She will pay. Nobody messes with my brother but me.”

“Actually, Rita doesn’t have a com. Joe made her give it to June,” Madeline replied as she gathered more vials. She didn’t want Joe to get into trouble for her pursuit of him. Much of what had happened was her fault.

“This could be fun,” Eva said, grinning.

Joe sat Rita behind Alan Shaw’s desk while Matt looked through his personal files. Joe handed her a list of the raw materials that make meth. “Rita, scan his computer for these materials and any financial indiscretions in the different departments. We’ll still take it with us for a thorough look later.”

“Sure, Joey. I had a nice chat with your sister.”

Before she could continue, he and Matt heard Tim. “Team 6 checking in.”