Once Stalked. Блейк Пирс

hadn’t gotten much sleep on the plane, and she was feeling the jet lag from the three-hour time difference between here and Virginia.

      Nevertheless, she was eager to get started on this new case.

      As she headed north on the San Diego Freeway, she passed modern buildings punctuated by palm trees and other greenery. Soon she was out of the city, but the traffic on the multi-laned freeway didn’t diminish. The fast-moving procession of closely crowded vehicles wound among rough hills where the early sunlight accentuated a steep, brush landscape.

      The scenery notwithstanding, Southern California struck her as less easygoing than she had expected. Like her, everyone in the crush of cars seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere important.

      She took an exit marked “Fort Nash Mowat.” After a few minutes, she pulled up to the camp gate, showed her badge, and was allowed to enter.

      She had messaged ahead to let Bill and Lucy know she was on her way, so they were waiting by a car. Bill introduced the uniformed woman standing with them as Colonel Dana Larson, the commander of the Fort Mowat CID office.

      Riley was instantly impressed by Larson. She was a strong, sturdy woman with intense dark eyes. Her handshake immediately conveyed to Riley a feeling of confidence and professionalism.

      “I’m pleased to meet you, Agent Paige,” Col. Larson said in a crisp, vigorous voice. “Your reputation precedes you.”

      Riley’s eyes widened.

      “I’m surprised,” she said.

      Larson chuckled a little.

      “Don’t be,” she said. “I’m in law enforcement too, and I keep up with everything the BAU does. We’re honored to have you here at Fort Mowat.”

      Riley felt herself blush a little as she thanked Col. Larson.

      Larson called to a nearby soldier, who stepped briskly toward her and saluted.

      She said, “Corporal Salerno, I want you to drive Agent Paige’s car back to the rental station at the airport. She won’t be needing it here.”

      “Yes ma’am,” the corporal said, “right away.” He got into Riley’s car and drove out of the base.

      Riley, Bill, and Lucy got into the other car.

      As Col. Larson drove, Riley asked, “What have I missed so far?”

      “Not much,” Bill said. “Col. Larson met us here last night and showed us to our quarters.”

      “We still haven’t met the CO of the base,” Lucy added.

      Col. Larson told them, “We’re on our way to meet Col. Dutch Adams right now.”

      Then with a chuckle, she added, “Don’t expect a warm welcome. Agents Paige and Vargas, that means you especially.”

      Riley wasn’t sure what Larson meant. Was Col. Adams going to be unhappy that the BAU was sending two women? Riley couldn’t imagine why. Everywhere Riley looked, she saw men and women in uniform mixing freely together. And with Col. Larson on the base, surely Adams was used to dealing with a woman in authority.

      Col. Larson parked in front of a clean, modern administrative building and led the agents inside. As they approached, three young men jumped to attention and saluted Col. Larson. Riley saw that their CID jackets were similar to the ones worn by FBI field agents.

      Col. Larson introduced the three men as Sergeant Matthews and his team members, Special Agents Goodwin and Shores. Then they all entered a conference room, where they were awaited by Col. Dutch Adams himself.

      Matthews and his agents saluted Adams, but Col. Larson did not. Riley realized that it was because she was Adams’s equal in rank. She soon found the tension between the two colonels to be palpable, almost painful.

      And as predicted, Adams did look distinctly displeased to see Riley and Lucy.

      Now Riley was getting the picture.

      Col. Dutch Adams was an old-school career officer who wasn’t at all used to having men and women serve together. And judging from his age, Riley felt pretty sure that he wasn’t ever going to get used to it. He would probably retire with his prejudices intact.

      She was sure that Adams must especially resent the presence of Col. Larson on his base – a female officer over whom he had no authority.

      As the group sat down, Riley felt an eerie chill of familiarity as she studied Adams’s face. It was broad and long, severely sculpted like the faces of many other military officers she’d known during her life – including her father.

      In fact, Riley found Col. Adams’s resemblance to her father to be downright disturbing.

      He spoke to Riley and her colleagues in an excessively official tone.

      “Welcome to Fort Nash Mowat. This base has been in operation since 1942. It extends for seventy-five thousand acres, has fifteen hundred buildings, and three hundred fifty miles of roads. You’ll find about sixty thousand people here on any given day. I’m proud to call it the finest Army training base in the country.”

      At that point, Col. Adams seemed to be trying to suppress a sneer. He wasn’t quite succeeding.

      He added, “And for that reason, I ask that you not make nuisances of yourselves as long as you’re here. This place runs like a finely tuned machine. Outsiders have an unfortunate tendency to gum up the works. If you do so, I promise that there will be hell to pay. Do I make myself clear?”

      He was making eye contact with Riley, obviously trying to intimidate her.

      She heard Bill and Lucy say, “Yes, sir.”

      But she said nothing.

      He’s not my CO, she thought.

      She simply held his gaze and nodded.

      He then shifted his eyes to the others in the room. He spoke again with cold anger in his voice.

      “Three good men are dead. The situation at Fort Mowat is unacceptable. Fix it. Immediately. Preferably sooner.”

      He paused for a moment. Then he said, “There will be a funeral for Sergeant Clifford Worthing at eleven hundred hours. I expect all of you to be in attendance.”

      Without another word, he got up from his chair. The CID agents stood and saluted, and Col. Adams left the room.

      Riley was dumbfounded. Hadn’t they all come here to discuss the case and what to do next?

      Obviously noticing Riley’s surprise, Col. Larson grinned at her.

      “He’s not normally so talkative,” she said. “Maybe he likes you.”

      Everybody laughed at her bit of sarcasm.

      Riley knew that a little humor was a good thing right now.

      Things were going to get plenty grim soon enough.

      CHAPTER NINE

      The laughter subsided, and Larson was still looking at Riley, Bill, and Lucy. Her expression was penetrating and powerful, as if she were assessing them somehow. Riley wondered if the CID commander was about to make some dire announcement.

      Instead, Larson asked, “Have any of you had breakfast?”

      They all said no.

      “Well, that situation is unacceptable,” Larson said with a chuckle. “Let’s fix it before you waste away. Come with me, and I’ll show you some Fort Mowat hospitality.”

      Larson then left her team behind and proceeded to guide the three FBI agents into the officers’ club. Riley could see right away that the colonel wasn’t kidding about hospitality. The dining facility was like an upscale restaurant, and Larson wouldn’t let them pay for their own meals.

      Over a delicious breakfast, they discussed the case. Riley realized that she had definitely needed coffee. The meal was welcome too.

      Col. Larson gave them her take on the case. “The most salient features of these