Hearts Under Siege by Natalie J. Damschroder Page B

Molly had pretensions to something grander, when she was just using the word that had flashed on the gate scanner. And if Flack didn’t have the status to know Molly’s role, then telling her she was a conduit was also foolish. Not because Flack couldn’t be trusted, but because it made Molly look careless.
    “I’m sorry, Ms. Byrnes, we have no further information to share on the matter of Mr. Fitzpatrick’s demise. It was a regrettable situation and we understand the family’s grief…”
    Blah, blah, blah.
    It was what she’d expected, but frustration bubbled up, anyway. “Look, lose the plastic robot stuff, okay? I’m one of you. I know there’s more to Chris’s death, I know you can’t give me details. I just want to know something more than the pat lie you’ve given his widow.”
    The change in the woman was instantaneous. “I told them this wouldn’t work.” She pulled off her glasses and tossed them on the table, dropping back against the chair so hard it rocked and rolled, and rubbed her eyes. “I don’t know why they bothered.”
    Finally, something real. “Can I have your name, please?” So Molly could stop mentally calling her Flack. Sooner or later it would escape her mouth.
    “Aldus. Ramona Aldus.”
    “And you’re a facilitator,” Molly guessed, since a PR flack would never break the mask.
    “Yes. I’m in charge of family communications during Agent Fitzpatrick’s settlement.” She crossed her legs, her hands laid loosely across her lap, her eyes visible without the glasses and their glare.
    Molly relaxed. “Settlement?”
    “Yes. You know what a SIEGE member is entitled to. It’s in your contract.”
    Molly supposed it was, but she hadn’t given much thought to it. Not since she signed up, and not much even then, because she wasn’t going to be in the field. She considered the path she wanted her questions to take. She didn’t want to play games with Aldus, who now seemed ready at least to talk openly about Chris’s death, if not to share much. But there was always a smooth, natural way to lead from subtopic to subtopic.
    “How long will the settlement take? All the details?”
    “Well, first we must concentrate on disposition of the remains. That’s always the family’s first concern,” Aldus said.
    Molly smiled a little. “Yeah, it’s at the top of my to-do list. When can we have his body?”
    Aldus’s curved lips held a hint of sympathy. “Tomorrow. I’ll give you the location for transfer before you leave. You can have the funeral home handle pickup.”
    Molly didn’t think so, but she kept that to herself. “And is there paperwork they’ll need to complete?”
    “I’m afraid Mrs. Fitzpatrick—Agent Fitzpatrick’s wife, not mother—will have some life insurance forms to sign in order to receive the benefits. Everything else we can handle internally.”
    “Will the family be able to have an open casket?” Molly knew what this answer would be, and Aldus looked appropriately mournful.
    “I’m sorry, no. The damage was too extensive.”
    “From the car that hit him.”
    Aldus didn’t respond, which most would take as tacit agreement, but added to the puzzle Molly was trying to piece together. Great, now she had a vague idea that she had a puzzle, and one piece to put into it.
    “Where was Chris when he died? I mean, why is it taking so long to get his body? It was almost a week ago.” Her professional demeanor cracked on the last two words, which came out wavery. She swallowed hard and kept her gaze focused on Aldus, who pretended not to notice.
    “I’m sorry, we can’t divulge his location, as it was mission related.”
    That confirmed one assumption, at least. “But he was out of the country. That’s why it’s taking so long to get his body back here.”
    “I’m sure the family is anxious for closure,” was all the facilitator said.
    Molly plugged away at her for another fifteen minutes, but couldn’t get anything else from the woman.