WATCHING (34 page)

Chapter
44

****

Hell was six yards from his office when he was stopped by one of the last men he wanted to see the midnight after he
’
d slept with Georgia.

The head of PAVAD stood six inches shorter than Hell and was two decades older. He was wiry, his body still lean and hard even though he was in his mid-fifties. His hair was probably once the same rich brown as his daughter
’
s, but now it was nearly all silver. The brown eyes were his daughter
’
s, too.

They were cold when they met Hell
’
s. And then
Dennis Senior
got a good look at the woman walking at Hell
’
s side and his eyes filled with concern.
“
Georgia, are you hurt
?
”

“
I
’
m fine, Dad. bruises, I swear. No blood, no broken bones
.
”
Georgia smiled at her father, obvious love on her face. For once Hell didn
’
t feel the urge to sneer.

Dennis pulled Georgia
’
s chin in his direction, his eyes searching her face. Hell wondered then how Dennis did it
—
how did he send his only child out to catch the very monsters he wanted to protect her from?
“
Georgia
?
”

“
Dad. I
’
m fine, the wrong end of a few thrown rocks
.
”
Georgia gave him a look full of meaning.

Dennis looked at Dr. Bellows, who stood at Georgia
’
s left, a clear question in his eyes. Dr. Bellows jerked her head in a nod. Dennis relaxed.

“
Dad, I
’
m ok. What are you doing here? It
’
s late, and where
’
s
—
”

“
Mommy!
”

The piping voice startled Hell so much he dropped his bag. He felt the brush of a tiny tornado as a little boy with wild blonde hair and glasses ran pas
t
.

“
You
’
re back, you
’
re back, you
’
re back! I missed you, Mommy. I missed you!
”

Georgia
’
s eyes glowed, her whole body shouted her pleasure, her joy, at seeing the preschooler. She dropped her bag and scooped him up to rest on her hip. She danced him around in a small circle.
“
I
’
m back, I
’
m back, I
’
m back!
”

“
Grandpa had a job
-
view
.
”
The little boy tangled his fingers in his mother
’
s hair before peeking over her shoulder at the agents who
’
d followed Hell and Georgia.
“
Mac-eye! Hi! Hi! Aunt Jules, Aunt Jules, Aunt Jules! Did you bring me anything
?
”

The medical doctor
’
s eyes flashed a pain that was so quick that most would have missed it. Hell caught it and knew what it meant.
“
Sorry, Mad-Matt. I had to save all my pennies for a really big birthday present for this kid I know
.
”

“
Is it me? Is it me? I like really big presents
.
”

Georgia passed the little boy to his aunt. Bellows snuggled him against her chest, dropping kisses to his head, whispered something in his ear.

“
That
’
s ok, Aunt Jules. You always give really good presents
.
”
The little boy yawned, then reached back for his mother. The two women passed him seamlessly, Bellows reaching up to remove his glasses and tuck them in
Georgia
’
s
pocket. A tiny blonde head soon rested on his mother
’
s shoulder and Georgia rocked him unconsciously in the manner of mothers throughout history.

Hell found her as sexy rocking her child as he had in a Dakota motel room.

“
Hellbrook, while you
’
re here, I
’
ll need a minute
.
”

Dennis broke into Hell
’
s thoughts and he felt a moment
’
s rush of guilt. Had Dennis already heard about him and Georgia? Hell
’
s voice came out garbled when he answered.
“
Of course. Georgia, if you
’
ll wait here, there
’
s one more thing we need to discuss
.
”

Her cheeks turned pink, just the slightest flush.
She knew what he referred to.
“
Yes, but not too long. I need to get him home and to bed
.
”

“
This will only take about ten minutes, sweetheart,
”
Dennis said.
“
But if you
’
d like, I can take Mattie home with me. Let you rest
.
”

“
No. I
’
ll take him with me. I
’
ve missed him
.
”

“
He
’
s missed you, too. Hellbrook, your office
?
”

“
Of course
.
”
Hell shot Georgia one more glance, a small smile touching his lips. One he hoped her father didn
’
t understand. She did. He could see it in the way her dark eyes widened slightly.
“
Ten minutes
.
”

***

Hell sank into his chair, waiting for Georgia
’
s father to say whatever it was he had to say. He felt awkward in a way he hadn
’
t expected. He
’
d been angry at this man for so damned long. And in the six months the CCU had been a part of Dennis
’
PAVAD they
’
d spent little time in one on one conversation.
“
What
’
s this about
?
”

“
A few changes around here
.
”
Dennis didn
’
t sit, instead standing against the closed door.

“
What kind of changes
?
”
The last change this man had made had equaled Georgia being dropped into Hell
’
s lap.

“
Funding
.
”
Dennis smiled, an expression of mixed triumph and excitement.
“
All you
’
re asking for plus more. Division wide
.
”

Hell took the first file from him.
What was Dennis saying?
“
That
’
s great. So now we can finally get the damned sat phones
?
”

“
That and more. About time, too. Tomorrow morning we
’
ll talk about how the changes will be implemented. I wanted you to have that, have time to go over it before we talk
.
”

“
Of course. Am I getting a few new agents
?
”
He
’
d wanted at least two. Had asked for that many, months ago.

“
You might say that. Try two or three full teams to command
.
”
Dennis dropped another folder in front of Hell.
“
This explains a bit more
.
”

Hell couldn
’
t get his mind around it.
This
was what he
’
d been envisioning for the CCU since he
’
d created it. Multiple teams able to mobilize in any of the four directions when a call came in. As it stood, there were many cases they couldn
’
t take simply because their time was consumed with others. But a four team unit, that would change everything.
“
How much say will I get in those teams? This going be like your daughter
’
s situation
?
”

“
No
.
You
’
ll give me your list of preferences, I
’
ll give you mine and we
’
ll both make the decisions. Although..
.
”

“
Although...what
?
”

“
We
’
re losing Brockman and Stephenson
’
s teams
.
”
Dennis
’
face turned contemplative.

“
They know yet
?
”
It didn
’
t surprise him about Stephenson
’
s.
It wasn
’
t the strongest
of teams. But Brockman
’
s group? That would prove a hindrance to the entire division. They were equally as good as Hell
’
s team.

“
No. I wanted to speak with you about that first. You
’
ve got funding for twenty
-two
more people. I
’
d like you to consider absorbing Brockman
’
s team into the CCU. And the agent I interviewed this evening. I
’
d like him as a potential team leader. Want him to do a tag-along on your next case. Len will get you his personnel jacket in the morning.
He
comes with a high recommendation from Fin McLaughlin
.
A former partner of Fin
’
s.
”

“
All of Brockman
’
s
?
”
They were certainly familiar with how the CCU operated; they were his first choice as a back-up team. And he personally liked and worked well with each member.
“
Ana McLaughlin and the rest
?
”

“
Yes. I
’
d hate to lose any of them. They
’
re damned good. I could probably keep Ana on in another capacity, because of her husband also being assigned here. But the CPED is being moved to San Francisco and completely restructured
.
”

“
I
’
ll keep Brockman
’
s team,
”
Hell said. He
’
d rather have a high-functioning experienced team than one he
’
d have to train and basically baby-sit for months.

“
Thank you
.
”

“
I also want Bellows
.
”

“
Excuse me
?
”

“
The doctor was a godsend this case. I think having a pathologist of her caliber will be a great benefit. Assigned to the CCU, shared by the four teams. Be an asset all around
.
”
It made sense to Hell. Plus, he was sure it would make Georgia happy. He
’
d keep her friend Ana in St. Louis, and see about getting Dr. Bellows, too. He liked that idea a lot. And both women were great at the their jobs, so it wouldn
’
t hurt the CCU in the slightest. The exact opposite.

“
It would be nice to have Julia in the St. Louis area
.
”
Dennis seemed to echo Hell
’
s thoughts.

“
Georgia would like that, I think. She told me her and Bellows
’
history
.
”

Dennis stared at him a moment.
“
Your honest opinion, then? Have you seen enough to determine that Julia can handle the demands of the CCU
?
”

“
Yes, as certain as I am that your daughter can. Plus, the woman seems to have balls of steel
.
”

“
She does. Then I will speak with her. Offer her a position
.
”

“
Great. I like the idea. I
’
ll review the applicants tomorrow, and make a list of my top forty preferences. Maybe fifty. I
’
ve got six times that many recent applicants
.
”
It would be a time consuming process to get just the right blend of agents and talents. But he
’
d do it.

The CCU would be more than it was now.

He owed that to Edward Dennis. The man had done a lot of political networking in order to get these kinds of funds. Hell knew that. It would have been long and difficult work. And he
’
d not had to do it, thank God. He didn
’
t have the tact or diplomacy. The older man nodded, then started out the door.

“
Dennis
?
”

“
Yes
?
”
The man turned back.

“
Thank you
.
”

“
You
’
re the best at what you do. And it
’
s needed. It
’
s my job to see to it that this division makes a difference. Now, I believe our ten minutes are up. Best not to keep Georgia waiting
.
”
Dennis nodded, and Hell wondered if he was actually uncomfortable with the gratitude.

Interesting. Maybe Dennis was as uncomfortable with recognition as his daughter insisted.