Blackwaters: A Kate Reid Novel (The Kate Reid Series Book 4) by Robin Mahle Page B

role to be strictly as a consultant, leaving the field work to the two of them and Agent Lyons in Atlanta along with his team.”
    “Sir, Agent Jameson has done a hell of a job working with me, but he’s not the senior resident BAU agent. I am. And as such, I should be responsible for the investigation.” Nick shifted in his seat. “If this is about Agent Reid…”
    “Look,” Campbell’s face hardened in an instant, “whatever deal you struck with the Assistant Director to get Reid assigned here is between you two. Personally, I thought you had a little more faith in me than to pull a stunt like that.”
    “I wasn’t trying to go behind your back…”
    Campbell wasn’t about to let Nick finish, though. “What’s done is done, Scarborough. Agent Reid has proven herself to be an asset to this field office and to the BAU. You shouldn’t have stepped in where her career was concerned. Point being, I’m not sure you can be objective when it comes to the Blackwater case. I may not have been in San Diego when it happened, but I know that when her fiancé died, you took it upon yourself to take her under your wing. But you and I both know she can’t stay there if she’s to become an agent who can make life and death decisions. I’d think you would know that better than most, Agent Scarborough.”
    He was right. Jameson said the same thing months ago when they were in Richmond working the trafficking case, but Nick didn’t listen. Whether or not Campbell had an agenda, an almost certainty in Nick’s mind only yesterday, had now come into question. “In all the field ops I’ve been involved in, never once have you questioned my intent. Why this time? I know what Agent Hughes testified to, but we’ve been working together for a very long time. I guess I thought you had my back.”
    “And I thought you had mine.” Campbell turned away, masked in frustration. He peered through the picture window that offered a stunning view of the city. “I want you to let Jameson take the lead on Blackwater. If the case starts floundering, we’ll reevaluate the situation.” He returned his attention to Nick. “You’re a good agent—many would say great—but it was my call to assign an agent to this office, not yours and not the Assistant Director’s. Mine. I need to know that I can trust you again, Nick. And it’ll be up to you to prove it to me.”
    “Yes, sir.” Nick stood up and held out his hand. Campbell returned the greeting. “Thank you, sir.” He closed the door behind him.
    As he walked along the corridor, his eyes cast downward, Nick spotted a pair of women’s dress flats, freshly polished. Attached were legs clad in grey pants, and as he continued to bring his eyes upwards, he noticed Kate’s smiling face.
    “Welcome back!” Instead of offering a hug, Kate greeted Nick with a handshake. “It’s so good to have you back.” She glanced at the file in her hand. “Do you have a minute? We should probably go over what Agent Jameson and I have been discussing regarding Blackwater.”
    “Hang on a second, Kate.” Nick thrust his hands in his pockets. “I’m not going to be working with you on this one. Jameson’s going to take the lead.”
    “What? Why?”
    “Just—it’s time for Jameson to get his shot, okay? And, you will learn a lot from him, I promise you that.”
    “He’s still punishing you, isn’t he?”
    Nick took hold of her arm. “Come on.”
    They continued on to Nick’s office and walked inside. “I’m not being punished.” He was, of course, but she didn’t need to know that, or how she might not even be at this office if it weren’t for him. “Campbell thinks Jameson can handle this. He started it and the two of you, along with help from the Atlanta office and Agent Myers, well, I have no doubt you’ll find the man who killed those girls.”
    “What if we’re dealing with more, Nick? I know that with these types of killings—this guy’s not going to stop at just