Page 24 of The Devoted Game

He held up his hands for her to wait. “Never mind about that.” He propped his hands on his desk and clasped them as if he felt the urge to pray. “Quantico is still concerned that McBride might somehow be behind this.”

McBride was on the edge, she would go along with that for sure. His reliability and reasoning were in doubt without question. But this concept of him being the bad guy simply wasn’t realistic. “Sir, I can’t see how that’s possible.”

“As much as I hate to admit it,” Worth said, surprising her, “I’m inclined to agree with you.”

Her impatience giving way to curiosity, she wilted into the chair she had abandoned and searched his face for some clue as to what he knew that perhaps he hadn’t divulged so far. “It feels like McBride is a pawn in this, the same as we are.”

Worth nodded in agreement, perhaps somewhat grudgingly. “I said basically the same thing to Quantico. That mess three years ago set the Bureau on its ear. No one wants this situation following that same path.”

Vivian remembered McBride’s last case. The media had focused on it for weeks. But it was reading the final reports McBride had written that had driven all the ugly details home. Kevin Braden had been abducted by his godfather, a man trusted and loved by the family. McBride had tracked him down and the child was still alive. He had gotten close enough to reach out and touch the boy when his superior, Special Agent in Charge Andrew Quinn, had insisted on a change in strategy. Quinn had claimed McBride was too close to the edge, a loose cannon. Thingshad gone to hell in a hurry, and Kevin Braden had ended up murdered by his abductor who then killed himself. The autopsy report indicated that the boy had been sexually abused by his beloved godfather.

McBride had taken the fall.

“Our control over how this plays out is limited,” Worth said, dragging her from those awful thoughts, “but we absolutely have to keep McBride under control. That order came straight from the director.”

Worth would get no argument from her there. “I agree,” she confessed, “it would be in everyone’s best interest for McBride to have close supervision.”

“This isn’t going to be easy, Vivian,” Worth warned. “This is your first major case and, frankly, I’m worried. McBride’s hanging on by a thread. From all reports, he’s a drunk. You could be biting off more than you can chew.”

Evidently he was really worried. Worth never called any of his agents by their first names.

“I can handle it, sir.” She had to make him see that she was capable of dealing with this kind of pressure. The past she had worked so hard to overcome proved a constant hurdle even now. Like the few other people who knew her history, Worth felt it necessary to be cautious, protective. And dammit, she was tired of it. She had plans and goals—like landing a spot in one of Quantico’s elite specialized units. The past was not going to hold her back. “My performance at the academy and my work ethic since coming to Birmingham have given you no reason to question my ability. Don’t do it now.”

“As long as you keep your objectivity, we won’t have a problem,” he insisted. “If you suspect for a second that you’re losing control over the situation, let me know. Don’t hotdog, Grace. We can’t afford to let McBride go—”

“Dirty Harry on us,” she supplied. “You can count on me, sir.” Her pulse rate reacted to an adrenaline dump. This case was hers. Officially. ’Bout time.

Worth pointed a finger at her. “Just watch him. Don’t let him charm you into trusting him. Despite your assessment, we still can’t completely rule out his involvement.”

“I understand, sir.” She stood. “I won’t let you down.”

“One more thing.”

Again she hesitated, waited for him to say whatever else was on his mind.

“Agent Pierce called.”

Anger flared too fast to prevent it from showing. “Was the call relevant to me?”

Worth made an impatient face. “You know it was.”

Somehow she had thought that she’d made it clear to her former friend and mentor that he was to keep his nose out of her career. Special Agent Collin Pierce was the reason she was stuck back in her hometown when a highly sought after Baltimore assignment had been hers. Graduating at the top of her class had come with a perk or two, but Pierce had screwed her out of what was rightfully hers. All because of her damned past.

“If he somehow influences anything relative to my career,” she warned, “that borders on harassment. I won’t stand for it, sir.” She had said it before and she meant it. As dear as Agent Pierce had once been to her, still was on some level, she would not tolerate his interference any longer.

“He heard about this business with McBride, and he wanted to see how things were going.” Worth searched her face too long before he said, “He’s worried about you, Grace. Should he be?”

There were a number of things she started to tell Worth he could pass on to Pierce for her, but she kept them to herself. “Tell him I’m fine. Is there anything else, sir?”

Worth shook his head and she walked out. Headed for the stairs. Taking them hard and fast would help her work off some of the frustration. Pierce had no right checking up on her. She could do the job. This washercase. Finally. And she wasn’t going to let Pierce undermine Worth’s confidence in her.

In the lobby, she hesitated and considered the real facts here. As much as she would like to believe the end decision for giving her this case was based on her ability, she knew better. Especially considering the call Worth had gotten.

She was on this case because McBride had insisted.

For that, she owed him some amount of allegiance.

He waited in the parking lot by her SUV, the ever-present Marlboro tucked between his lips. That her gaze lingered there as she approached was not a good sign. Objectivity was essential. She couldn’t let him get to her on any level.