Skin Deep

“You requested her,” Laura said.

He nodded. “I received the information after Sanchez died.”

“From?”

He stared and compressed his lips.

“I am not playing with you, Foyle. Answer the question.”

“Gia

“Who was the informant?”

“A fairy named Simon Alfrey,” said Foyle.

“Also wanted by InterSec. You believed the word of the worst member of your team?” she said.

“I confirmed it through another cha

Laura nodded. “Hornbeck’s office.”

It was a logical conclusion, but Foyle seemed surprised she knew. “Yes.”

“We know you have a professional relationship with the senator. Did Gia

Foyle shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of.”

“Did Gia

“No. I am a liaison for the senator. Tylo Blume’s people handled everything with the Capitol police.”

“What about Simon Alfrey?”

Foyle’s clenched his jaw. “He’s a consultant to the senator.”

“Details, Captain Foyle, I want details,” she said.

“Why don’t you ask the senator?” he asked.

Laura tilted her chin down. “Captain Foyle, I and the two agents with me have broad legal authority. You can answer my questions here and now, or they will drag you down to the InterSec facilities at the D.C. Guildhouse. Once there, you may have one phone call. Do not think that if you call the senator, you will enjoy sleeping in your own bed tonight, or tomorrow, or the foreseeable future. I can and will make your life absolutely miserable within the confines of my authority. This is your final warning. Now, what is Alfrey consulting on?”

“I don’t know. The senator meets with him occasionally,” he said.

“What was Alfrey doing at the house fire in Anacostia?”

Foyle looked genuinely startled. “How do you know he was there?”

Laura smiled. “You were sloppy, Foyle. We picked up an open video feed from the site.”

Laura stared at him while he considered his answer. He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “He volunteered to search the house,” he said.

“You didn’t find that odd?” she asked.

Foyle shrugged. “Not until this moment. I was at a meeting with the senator when the call came in. Alfrey was there. He offered to help.”

“Why the secrecy?”

Foyle frowned. “I needed help I couldn’t get. He had security clearance through the senator. I made the call.”

“And you didn’t find it odd that Janice Crawford and Jonathan Sinclair almost died in an explosion?” she asked.

Foyle ran his hand over his head. “Alfrey said the place was clear. Afterward, he told me Crawford must have created the explosion.”

“Has Alfrey been involved with anything related to the upcoming Archives ceremony?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Not that I know. He used to work with Blume, but not anymore.”

Relief swept over Laura. The Archives ceremony security, at least, wasn’t compromised. She decided to muddy the water for Foyle. “What about Sinclair? We know he acts as your driver. Have you ever seen him with Alfrey or Gia

“Obviously, he works with Gia

“We know where he is,” said Laura. She stood. “You’ve been played for a fool, Captain. Count yourself lucky that that is my belief at the moment. Simon Alfrey is now considered a terrorist. If Gia

Foyle glared at her. “You know I’ll be on the phone as soon as you leave here.”

Laura opened the door. “I said ten seconds later, Foyle. Do not make me come back,” she said without turning.

She stalked back through the station house, with the Dana

Shields only, unless they fire, she sent to her escorts.

She didn’t break her stride as she approached. “My name is Mariel Tate of InterSec. My appointment with Captain Foyle is over. I’m leaving.”

She heard clicks as a few officers cocked their weapons. Like a ship breaking through waves, the hardened body shields pressed them back in confusion until the way to the exit was clear. No one fired.

In the bright sunlight outside, squad cars and police vans blocked the street and sidewalk. Laura stopped. “Danu’s blood,” she muttered. More officers scrambled into view at the end of the block. She cocked her head at the Dana

She heard the distinctly hollow sound of someone chuckling inside a metal helmet. “Anytime, Agent Tate.”

Her security escort grasped the reinforced straps on her jumpsuit sewn in over her shoulder blades. They leaned forward, shifted the position of their wings, and drew essence from the air. With no effort, they shot into the sky.

Despite the enormous rush, Laura kept the grin off her face. It had been ages since anyone had taken her for a flight. The Anacostia neighborhood fell away. The seemingly fragile Dana

As they approached the Guildhouse, they swooped in lower, and the downside to staying in the city so long became visible. Too many cars and too many people. Lost hopes and dreams were evident in the surrounding neighborhoods that clustered around the Capitol like desperate moths to an indifferent flame. The Dana

CHAPTER 31

TERRYN GLARED AT Laura from behind his desk. The voice on the other end of his phone was audible.

“I thought Mariel Tate was supposed to be a diplomat,” Sinclair whispered loud enough for Terryn to hear.

Laura gazed at him from under her brow. “Not helping, Jono.”

“I understand,” Terryn said for the fourth or fifth time. “I’ll talk to her… yes, thank you.”

He hung up. “What got into you?”

Laura tried to look contrite. “I’m sorry, Terryn. I walked in with my black suit and two Dana

“Carried away? They mobilized practically an entire battalion,” said Terryn.

“I had to know that the Archives ceremony wasn’t compromised.”

“Foyle says you threatened him,” he said.

She shrugged dismissively. “Oh, please. It was a veiled threat at best.”

Sinclair twisted his lips to keep from smiling. A series of emotions crossed Terryn’s face-uncertainty and frustration. Laura couldn’t blame him. She liked to exert authority as Mariel once in a while to get results. It worked. It was nice to have an ID that let her stomp her feet anywhere she wanted sometimes. Admittedly, though, she didn’t usually cause a police response. Waking up angry hadn’t helped.

By the expression on his face, Terryn knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere berating her. “We’ll deal with this later. Gia

While she went to Anacostia, an auxiliary team had hit Gia

Terryn nodded. “We had no problems. Once he learned that Alfrey had been in the building, he let us search the premises.”

“The entire place?” Sinclair said. “I practically couldn’t go to the bathroom without an escort.”