Guarding Light (26 page)

   Kyle moved in front of the ladies. "Agents when I give you an order I expect it to be obeyed. Agent Lyte you were told to stop including Agent Mackenzie in full active duty tasks." Kyle's cool eyes stared Catlyn down before switching to Mackenzie. "And, Agent Mackenzie you were ordered to light duty at your desk until further notice."

   Catlyn remained quiet her eyes impassive. Jack thought, nice trick. What's your secret Kyle and can I have it? However, Mackenzie's eyes flashed up at the assistant director. "I am perfectly capable of being returned to full active duty. You're just being difficult about it and I have no idea why? "

   The assistant director moved directly in front of Mackenzie. "Is that so? Full active duty?"

   "Yes. Medical has cleared me. Psych has cleared me. You're being obtuse because you didn't like me telling your girlfriend off."

   From his vantage point Jack saw Kyle's eyes glitter and his jawline tighten. Yup, the man was in trouble. The lady pushed his buttons.

   "First off, my girlfriend has nothing at all to do with any administrative decision I make. Second you are not fit to return to full active duty."

   Stubbornly, Mackenzie countered, "Am too."

   Suddenly, Kyle grabbed Mackenzie around the waist, pulling her close to him. With one hand resting at her hip, he used the other to give Mackenzie a slight, precise jab to her stomach. Kyle's hit was barely anything but Mackenzie's knees buckled as she sucked in air with tears in her eyes. Jack knew immense pain when he saw it. She had some sort of injury. Jack immediately felt bad, thinking of the shoulder ram he had given her stomach and he hoped like hell he hadn't made her injury worse.

   Kyle caught, held and supported Mackenzie's body. Her head lay against his chest as he pulled her completely into his arms and then began to tenderly sooth the area he had hit. His hand gently rubbed her stomach. Mackenzie raised her face to Kyle's while still keeping her head against his chest. Kyle looked down into her eyes. His eyes went from cold to hot. Devouring Mackenzie with his eyes, Kyle mouthed the words 'I'm sorry'. If Jack hadn't been watching the couple so closely, he would have missed it entirely.

   Kyle's hand stopped moving but still lay against Mackenzie's flat belly. Mackenzie, gasped, "Kyle?" Her lips glistened invitingly. And it looked like Kyle was going to accept the invitation. He whispered as his head began to lower towards Mackenzie's mouth. "Yes, Ashley?"

   With the quick assessment Jack had made of Kyle, he figured the guy was decent and didn't need any added Mackenzie trouble especially with Buffy, Bambi, or whatever. He liked Kyle, so he opened his mouth before the couple's mouths could connect.

   Clearing his throat, Jack said. "Assistant Director Strong, why don't we catch you up to speed so you can see that your agents haven't been resting on their laurels and Mackenzie can tell us why she came, disobeying a direct order."

   The couple jerked as though they had been doused with a bucket of cold water. Kyle stepped back from Mackenzie, ensuring her balance before dropping his hands from her body.

   The women sent him a livid glower. Kyle gave him a grateful glance, letting his head drop in a thank you nod.

   Ignoring the ladies' evil eye, Jack smiled at Kyle. "I am actually starving now. Can I interest anyone else in a very early breakfast?" The other 3 all agreed with nods or a 'yes'.

   Catlyn led the way into her small neat kitchen. Working in tandem, they prepared a simple fare of scramble eggs, bacon, toast and orange juice.

   Kyle opened the conversation as he finished putting food on his plate. "Brief me S.S.A. Lyte on what's been going on and Sanchez reported you were attacked?"

   "Yes, sir, but, not our guy, it was a common thief, purse snatcher."

   "And, are you alright?"

   Catlyn smiled looking at Jack, touching his arm. "Thanks to Chief Gard I am very alright."

   Kyle looked from Catlyn to Jack. "Well, let me add my thanks to you Chief Gard."

   Jack returned Catlyn's smile. "It was my pleasure. Believe me."

   "You can tell me to mind my business S.S.A. Lyte and Chief Gard, but it seems as though your relationship is more than business."

   Jack took Catlyn's hand in his and kissed the palm, "Way more than business."

   Mackenzie jumped in with guns blazing. "Kinda quick ain't it slick?"

   Ignoring the bite in Mackenzie's words, Jack answered affably. "Some would say it's 25 years too slow."

   Mackenzie choked on her juice, setting the cup down, she looked at Catlyn. "Jack Gard? He's that Jack?"

   Catlyn confirmed with a nod.

   Mackenzie turned almost black eyes on Jack. "I knew I should have gouged your eyes when I had the chance."

   Without missing a beat Jack replied, "I am really surprised psych cleared you S.S.A. Mackenzie. You seem kind of hostile. Perhaps it's a lingering effect from your injury."

   Mackenzie bowed her head at the mention of her injury, and whispered, unconvincingly, "It's nothing. I am fine."

   Kyle took pity on her, drawing attention back to Jack and Catlyn. "You guys have known each other a long time?"

   Jack answered. "Yes, since we were kids. Catlyn was in my honors class when she was 12 years old."

   Kyle looked at Catlyn. "I knew you were impressive S.S.A Lyte but I had no idea just how impressive. A successful, active field agent, a profiler, can sub for any tech in our IT department and if I remember correctly from our office holiday party, you make a mean brownie."

   Catlyn laughed. "Thank you, sir."

   "Since I am enjoying your hospitality, why don't we make it Kyle?"

   Surprised Catlyn complied. "Kyle it is."

   "Now, then, Catlyn, what's been happening in the Slasher case?"

   Between Catlyn and Jack they filled Kyle in on everything that had been discovered since the agents arrived in town. And, they also explained about the victims all being black plus another race.

   "So, you are saying all the victims are mixed with black and something else and each have above average looks?"

   At both Jack's and Catlyn's nod, Kyle instantly looked at Mackenzie. "Did you know this before you came barreling down here?"

   Discomfiture clearly in her body language, Mackenzie didn't quite meet the director's eyes. "Catlyn did mention it but I was only doing the research and besides, all the victims were beautiful, far above average in looks, like Catlyn. I am nothing if not average as the day is long."

   It was Kyle's turn to choke on his drink. His eyes pinned Mackenzie. "I know you came down here to get into the thick of things. I don't know where your propensity for getting into trouble comes from, but, I am well acquainted with it." Then turning his eyes to his plate he added, "And, you damn well know there is nothing average about your looks. You're definitely above average, if not downright stunning, and you are black and mixed with some other race."

   Mackenzie gaped. "How do you know I am mixed with anything? My skin is as dark as Catlyn's."

   Kyle regarded her with eyes that roamed her facial features. "Are you telling me you are not?"

   Mackenzie sighed. "Ok, I am mixed with Chinese. My great grandfather was from China."

   "Actually, Catlyn is mixed with Cherokee Indian." Jack added to reduce some of the heat that was sparking between the other couple.

   The director turned his eyes on Catlyn. "I don't believe it. I separate you two and you still manage to get into trouble together."

   "We can't control who our parents are." Mackenzie spat.

   Kyle sighed. "No, you can't control who your parents are. But, you can control whether or not you put yourself dead center of a town where young, beautiful black women are getting raped, mutilated and murdered."

   There was a ting to the director's voice that both women knew meant he was none to please with either of them and the only thing to do was to keep quiet.

   Jack saw that Kyle was only seconds away from losing his cool. "Agent Mackenzie, there must have been a reason you came to Newburgh other than to put yourself in the 'thick of things'."

   Mackenzie threw Jack a glance and then jumped up. She ran into Catlyn's living room. She was back at the kitchen table with a laptop and a lipstick?

   As she turned the laptop on, she indicated that they should gather round. "I think I found the original case which started it all."

   Mackenzie picked up the lipstick, Jack quirked an eyebrow. "Agent do you really think this is the time to groom?"

   All the agents gave him a look, Catlyn smiled as she explained, "Sweetheart it's not a lipstick."

   Mackenzie gave him a glare before giving the small cylinder a slight twist. A USB connector slid smoothly from the tip. Mackenzie plugged in the USB drive and called up several files.

   On screen was an old case file from 1969, a murder suicide.

   "Miles Dalton, broke into his ex-wife's house, raped and tortured her for hours before slitting her throat and then shooting himself."

   "Agent Mackenzie, how does this tie in to the current case. Both parties are dead."

   Mackenzie smiled before answering Kyle. "That is what I thought. But the torture and mutilations were so similar I did some more digging." Pressing keys on the laptop she bought up 2 more files. Each was a record of vital statistics. One was a divorce decree and the other was a marriage license.

   The divorce document proclaimed the ending of a marriage between Miles Dalton and Allison Jane Dalton. The marriage license announced the union of Allison Jane Vickers Dalton to a David Macson.

   "It appears that while Miles Dalton was stationed overseas, his wife met and fell in love with her employer, David Macson." Mackenzie flicked through more files. "She sent Miles a 'Dear John' letter late in 1967. Miles came state-side, signed the divorce papers, citing irreconcilable differences. And, everything is smiles and sunshine, right? Wrong. It appears Allison married Macson just days after the divorce was final. Allison and Macson move into his big fancy house to live happily ever after."

   Mackenzie gave Catlyn a look, Catlyn smiled and picked up the story, "Let me guess, Macson is white. Allison is black mixed with another race. Then one day when Macson isn't at home, possibly out of town?" Catlyn looked to Mackenzie for verification.

   "He was on a business trip to Chicago."

   Nodding Catlyn continued, "With Macson out of town, Dalton comes to call and starts his own twisted version of a reunion with the ex."

   Jack's brow creased. "So everyone in this scenario is dead. Who's our killer and are they ready for the old folks' home?"

   Mackenzie tapped a few more keys, yet another document was put on screen. There was a highlighted portion. "There was a sole survivor that day." Mackenzie pointed to the screen.

   "Son of a bitch! They had a son." Kyle swore. "Dalton made the kid watch him do all those awful things to his mother." Looking closer at the screen, he added. "The kid was only 6 years old."

   Jack gave a weary sigh. "Talk about your psycho in the making. Well, looks like we have our killer. Miles Dalton Jr."

   "Except, his juvenile records were sealed. He obviously has a new name. I am waiting on a federal judge to sign the order to have the records unsealed."

   Kyle looked at Mackenzie. "Agent Mackenzie this is excellent work. Not many agents would have made the connection with this case and kept digging.

   Mackenzie seemed surprised. But her smile blossomed to full bloom. And what a smile it was. Jack thought the only one he had seen better was Catlyn's.

   "Thank you, sir." She said in a soft voice as her eyes connected with the director's.

   Kyle once again devoured Mackenzie with his eyes, with his lingering on Mackenzie's lips. "Kyle." He corrected, as his eyes flicked to Mackenzie's before returning to her lips to watch them say his name.

   "Kyle."

   Jack shook his head. Kyle was completely clueless regarding his own feelings for Agent Mackenzie if he still thought he had a girlfriend named Bonny, Barbie or whatever. It was obvious to a blind man the couple was into one another. The chemistry between them was tangible.

   Breaking the spell between the other couple, Jack spoke, "I am so glad this hellish nightmare is almost over. Once we get Junior's current name we can stake him out, get warrants."

   Kyle smiled. "Glad we could be of service. Agent Mackenzie and I will leave you to it Chief and head back in the morning." Glancing at his watch, he amended. "Well later this morning."

   "I am not going. I want to see this to the end." Mackenzie said.

   Although Kyle had eaten breakfast with the others, the Assistant Director of the FBI abruptly reappeared. His eyes narrowed directly on Mackenzie. "Agent Mackenzie, I will speak to you in the living room." He rose, pushing in his chair, he ordered. "Now, agent," Giving Jack and Catlyn an inclusive look, he added, "Excuse us, please."

   Jack shook his head again as he watched the two leave in single file. "Wow, such a clueless couple." Laughing, he turned to look at Catlyn and seeing her serious expression all desire to laugh was gone.

   "Catlyn, I am so sorry abou-"

   "No, Jack. You have nothing to apologize for. I overreacted. Because of my past experience with other LEOs regarding my sex, I took everything you said in the wrong manner. So, I sincerely apologize to you. I know you didn't mean it in a derogatory sense."

   He reached for her, depositing her on his lap. "Never, Kitten."

   Catlyn put her arms around him and with her lips against his she whispered, "Forgive me?"

   His tongue stroked hers before he answered softly against her mouth. "Always, Kitten."

   They traded kisses until they both needed air. Catlyn put each of her hands along Jack's cheeks, looking into his eyes. "Sweetheart, I am so sorry about your friend. Tasha told me. Did you know him long?"

   Burying his face in her neck, inhaling her essence, Jack nodded. Catlyn kissed the top of his head and began running her fingers soothingly through Jack's hair. He pulled her close, savoring her touch and closeness.