out.
“Odie…?”
Jag thought she was deliberately withholding information again. “Hey, if you want to know anything about Roth, you’re going to have to ask Cullen. I’m not saying a word unless he approves.”
“Cullen?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, let’s call him then.” When Odie didn’t move, he said, “Go on, call him right now.”
If she didn’t call him, he’d only be more convinced that she was hiding a dark side. He didn’t trust her and that would make it worse. But if she did call Cullen, what then? She’d risk him asking too many questions. She didn’t have to answer, not yet, and Cullen already suspected something since she ran off to D.C. without Jag, defying his orders. So, really she had nothing to lose. And Cullen might tell her something important about Roth.
She found her cell and called. Her hands trembled. Her nerves felt like live wires whipping and lashing in her body. It made her nauseous. All the while Jag noticed. And he thought it was attributed to her secrets.
“Odie. You have something to report?” Cullen asked as soon as he answered.
Her heart slammed behind her rib cage. “Who asked you to look into Hersch, Cullen?” she asked, even though she already knew.
“Excuse me? You know we never discuss that. What are you doing, Odie? You went to D.C. on your own and now you’re digging where you don’t belong. You’re beginning to test my patience.”
“Jag and I just left Heather Darby’s house.” Odie knew she had to talk fast. “Frasier Darby was her husband. We followed Calan to his cabin and found him dead.”
“Who the hell is Frasier Darby?”
So, he didn’t know. Odie was relieved, and then she felt guilty because she was withholding information from him and he was not. He’d taken his orders from Roth and passed them on to her and Jag.
“He was an engineer who was having an affair with someone we have yet to identify. Heather said that’s the reason she kicked him out. He cheated on her.”
“That’s all fine for daytime television, Odie. Why did you call me?”
“Heather said Frasier went to talk to Colonel Roth about a month ago.”
Silence stretched over the line.
“Whatever you do, don’t go anywhere near him, Odie,” he finally said.
“We have to talk to him.”
“No, we don’t. He had a reason for putting us on to Hersch. Do your job and leave him out of it. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes.”
“You do what I tell you and stay away from Roth.”
“Cullen—”
“Something like this could ruin TES. You of all people should know that.”
“Yes, I do know. But look at what we have so far. Kate was murdered. Her boyfriend may have killed some Joe Blow engineer who went to see Roth a month ago. But Roth never mentioned it when he asked you to look into Hersch. He’s connected, Cullen. He knows more than he told you.”
Another long silence ensued. “If you’re suggesting he might be dirty…”
“No, I’m not. But he is protecting something or someone, and I think the woman Darby was having an affair with is the key.”
“Why her?”
“Because it fits. Darby doesn’t run in the same circles as Kate, but whoever he was sleeping with must.”
“You don’t know who she is.”
“No.” Her heart sank because she knew what he was going to say next.
“Then that’s where you need to focus your energy. I mean it, Odie. You could crucify this organization if you aren’t careful.”
“I know that. Don’t you think I know that? After all the publicity your wife’s rescue mission generated? That almost killed us then.”
“This is personal to you.”
“It was personal for you, too.”
“Damn it, Odie, don’t pull your crap on me right now.”
She bit back a retort. Why was he keeping her away from Roth?
“Tell me why you went to D.C. without Jag,” Cullen said. “Then maybe I’ll listen to ideas of talking to Roth.”
Odie closed her eyes. Maybe it was time. He’d always been her rock.
“Odie…?”
Jag thought she was deliberately withholding information again. “Hey, if you want to know anything about Roth, you’re going to have to ask Cullen. I’m not saying a word unless he approves.”
“Cullen?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, let’s call him then.” When Odie didn’t move, he said, “Go on, call him right now.”
If she didn’t call him, he’d only be more convinced that she was hiding a dark side. He didn’t trust her and that would make it worse. But if she did call Cullen, what then? She’d risk him asking too many questions. She didn’t have to answer, not yet, and Cullen already suspected something since she ran off to D.C. without Jag, defying his orders. So, really she had nothing to lose. And Cullen might tell her something important about Roth.
She found her cell and called. Her hands trembled. Her nerves felt like live wires whipping and lashing in her body. It made her nauseous. All the while Jag noticed. And he thought it was attributed to her secrets.
“Odie. You have something to report?” Cullen asked as soon as he answered.
Her heart slammed behind her rib cage. “Who asked you to look into Hersch, Cullen?” she asked, even though she already knew.
“Excuse me? You know we never discuss that. What are you doing, Odie? You went to D.C. on your own and now you’re digging where you don’t belong. You’re beginning to test my patience.”
“Jag and I just left Heather Darby’s house.” Odie knew she had to talk fast. “Frasier Darby was her husband. We followed Calan to his cabin and found him dead.”
“Who the hell is Frasier Darby?”
So, he didn’t know. Odie was relieved, and then she felt guilty because she was withholding information from him and he was not. He’d taken his orders from Roth and passed them on to her and Jag.
“He was an engineer who was having an affair with someone we have yet to identify. Heather said that’s the reason she kicked him out. He cheated on her.”
“That’s all fine for daytime television, Odie. Why did you call me?”
“Heather said Frasier went to talk to Colonel Roth about a month ago.”
Silence stretched over the line.
“Whatever you do, don’t go anywhere near him, Odie,” he finally said.
“We have to talk to him.”
“No, we don’t. He had a reason for putting us on to Hersch. Do your job and leave him out of it. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes.”
“You do what I tell you and stay away from Roth.”
“Cullen—”
“Something like this could ruin TES. You of all people should know that.”
“Yes, I do know. But look at what we have so far. Kate was murdered. Her boyfriend may have killed some Joe Blow engineer who went to see Roth a month ago. But Roth never mentioned it when he asked you to look into Hersch. He’s connected, Cullen. He knows more than he told you.”
Another long silence ensued. “If you’re suggesting he might be dirty…”
“No, I’m not. But he is protecting something or someone, and I think the woman Darby was having an affair with is the key.”
“Why her?”
“Because it fits. Darby doesn’t run in the same circles as Kate, but whoever he was sleeping with must.”
“You don’t know who she is.”
“No.” Her heart sank because she knew what he was going to say next.
“Then that’s where you need to focus your energy. I mean it, Odie. You could crucify this organization if you aren’t careful.”
“I know that. Don’t you think I know that? After all the publicity your wife’s rescue mission generated? That almost killed us then.”
“This is personal to you.”
“It was personal for you, too.”
“Damn it, Odie, don’t pull your crap on me right now.”
She bit back a retort. Why was he keeping her away from Roth?
“Tell me why you went to D.C. without Jag,” Cullen said. “Then maybe I’ll listen to ideas of talking to Roth.”
Odie closed her eyes. Maybe it was time. He’d always been her rock.
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