On Dangerous Ground Read online

  This went a small way to calm her nerves, but not far enough. She had walked away from her last run-in with the FBI. She was pretty sure that she was in the clear this time, but once bitten, twice shy. The next twenty-three hours were going to be hell.

  • 45 •

  • 46 •

  On DangerOus grOunD

  Chapter seven

  Jen awoke with a start and quickly realized she’d fallen asleep in the office again. Snickers was snuggled in at the back of her knees. He grumbled slightly as she rolled over to check the office clock. Nine fifteen. “Oh, good. We’ve got some time before the feds get here.” She decided to put the final clean on the house after breakfast. That still left plenty of time for a shower before one o’clock. She didn’t have a Friday class, which was really too bad because it might have given her something else to think about besides being nervous that the federal government was going to be knocking on her door in a matter of hours.

  At exactly one o’clock, a large black SUV pulled off the dirt road and into the gravel drive. Jen watched out the office window as two agents, one male and one female, stepped out of their respective sides of the vehicle. She noticed that they were dressed almost exactly the same, in black suits, white shirts, black shoes, and dark sunglasses. The large man was wearing a tie, and the woman’s shirt had the top two buttons undone. As they started walking from the car, Jen swore she could hear the opening strains of an old George Thorogood song in her head. These two certainly looked to be bad to the bone.“Never guess they were cops, huh, buddy?” Jen asked

  • 47 •

  D.L. Line

  Snickers. She opted to wait in the office until they rang the doorbell. The bell sounded and Snickers went off, barking and skidding on the hardwood toward the door. She tried to shush him with her foot as she opened the door, but he stopped when he caught sight of the two agents. Jen thought that his behavior was weird because he usually tried to remove everyone’s foot at the ankle, but the sight of the two cops on her front porch brought her back to reality.

  “Jennifer Rosenberg?” the woman asked. Both agents held their identification wallets open so she could see that they were the genuine articles.

  “That would be me.” She opened the storm door and ushered them in. “I thought we could talk in the kitchen. There’s more room to stretch out.” She laughed a little because she was still nervous. She pointed through the living room toward the kitchen in the back. “It’s just through there.”

  They strode past Jen as she held the front door for them. She followed them into the kitchen, tossing one errant glance toward Snickers. He was still silent, and the propeller action of his tail added to her confusion. The male agent’s voice brought her back to the present. “Is something wrong, ma’am?”

  She shook her head. “No, well, I’m not sure. Snickers”—

  she motioned to the dog—“hates everybody. Well, apparently everybody except you two. I just don’t get it. He should be yapping and growling, but…”

  The big guy laughed a little. “Maybe it’s just good oldfashioned respect for the law.”

  Jen relaxed. “Yeah, maybe. It’s just strange.” She turned her attention back to the female agent, who had remained silent through the exchange. Jen was aware that she was being studied intently, making her even more nervous. The agent pressed on, indicating that it was time to get down to business.

  “Thank you for seeing us so quickly, Dr. Rosenberg. I’m

  • 48 •

  On DangerOus grOunD

  Special Agent McKinnon and this,” she motioned toward the big guy, “is Special Agent Kraft. We just have a few questions and hopefully won’t have to take up too much of your time.”

  “Um, sure, whatever. Have a seat at the table. Can I get you both some coffee?”

  “Thank you, ma’am, that’d be great,” Agent Kraft answered. “Just black, please, for both of us.” Jen busied herself in the kitchen as she collected three mugs from the cupboard, filled them, slid one in front of each agent, and took the third for herself, adding two spoons of sugar before sitting at the head of the table.

  Jen was starting to feel like a bug under a glass. She was nervous, fiddling with the spoon in her coffee, but stopped when they reached up to remove their sunglasses. She was stunned for just a second when she caught the deep blue of Agent McKinnon’s eyes. Jen was also perceptive enough to notice that she’d been busted taking a peek, so she returned to the deliberate stirring of her coffee.

  Agent Kraft broke the silence. “Dr. Rosenberg, your name came up during the course of an investigation. There have been three murders involving NoVaGenEx consultants, one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, another three weeks later just outside Atlanta, and the third just outside of Chicago. We have reason to believe that they’re related, so we’re investigating anyone with prior ties to the locations.”

  A light went on over Jen’s head, “Oh, and since I went to school in Ann Arbor and have the same relationship with NoVaGenEx, you thought I might have some insight that could help you?”

  “Exactly,” Agent McKinnon said. Jen braved another quick glance at her, mentally noting that if the FBI ever allowed her to let her hair down, she’d be absolutely stunning. Yep, that was the word, stunning.

  • 49 •

  D.L. Line

  Agent Kraft continued, “So if you know anything that would be of assistance, we’d certainly appreciate it.” He removed a pad of paper and pen from his inside pocket. Jen thought for a moment, stirred her coffee again, and looked up at Agent McKinnon. She freaked and overreacted.

  “My four years at Michigan were basically uneventful. Classes, computer lab, that kind of stuff. I didn’t exactly have a busy social life. I don’t think I pissed anyone off, not intentionally anyway, and certainly not enough for someone to decide to exact revenge on me and my coworkers, not like I even know who they are. I mean, NoVaGenEx intentionally keeps us separate. I don’t even know how many people are working on the same project that I am. Some kind of geographical firewall, I suppose. I’m not even sure what the whole project is about. It’s mostly pretty cryptic stuff. I don’t know how much I can help you.”

  She stopped talking as she realized that Kraft and McKinnon were watching her with slack-jawed amazement, noting that she never once stopped even to take a breath during her statement. Agent Kraft seemed to recover first, and asked again, “Nothing, no spurned suitors, no run-ins with the law, anything?”

  Something itched in the back of Jen’s thoughts— tell them about Brad—but she brushed it aside, needing it to be irrelevant. “Nope, not a thing. I might have pissed off a couple of girls, you know, hitting on their girlfriends, but—” She stopped as both agents began writing furiously, Agent Kraft with his paper and pen and Agent McKinnon on her top-ofthe-line PDA. Jen continued, “But I suppose that’s all in your file, or whatever you have about my government clearances.”

  She grinned weakly at Agent McKinnon, checking for any reaction, and looked back down into her coffee mug. Agent Kraft looked up from his legal pad. “Well, I

  • 50 •

  On DangerOus grOunD

  suppose that’s all we need for now. We just need to compile this information and e-mail it back to Washington. We’ll be in Harrisonburg for at least a few more hours if you think of anything else.”

  Agent McKinnon handed her a business card that contained a cell phone number and e-mail address. She urged, “Anything at all, even if it seems irrelevant.”

  “I getcha…anything at all.”

  The agents stood, indicating that the interview was over. Agent McKinnon spoke first. “Dr. Rosenberg, thank you for your time. We’ll be in touch if we need more.” She extended her hand to Jen, who shook it, perhaps a little longer than necessary. She also accepted a much briefer handshake from Agent Kraft while Agent McKinnon gathered her things and put them in her briefcase. Jen ushered her guests to the door. She watched as they made the trip back across the front of the house before she
finally closed the door and exhaled. She wasn’t exactly sure whether she was relieved or a little sad that the visit was over.

  She ducked back into her office, watching out the window to make sure that the cops were securely back in their black SUV. She grabbed her cell phone and hit the speed dial to call Joe. “Pick up, pick up…Shit!” The call rang into voicemail.

  “Joe, it’s me…She was here. Gorgeous, blue eyes, brunette…

  Call me.” She snapped the phone closed. “Not like it matters, huh, Snickers? Gal that looks like that’s got to be seeing someone, right?” Snickers just looked at her like she was nuts and wagged his tail.

  • 51 •

  • 52 •

  On DangerOus grOunD

  Chapter eight

  Terri stared out the window of the truck while Bobby drove back toward Harrisonburg. He was quiet, but Terri knew better. She could tell from the look on his face. The next move was hers. “Okay, Bobby, what’s on your mind?”

  “I was just thinking about Dr. Rosenberg.”

  Terri was confused. “Yeah, I remember. Small, kind of jumpy. I was there.” The confusion remained. “I feel like she didn’t give us very much, but I think there’s something that she’s not telling us. What about her?”

  He stared back at Terri with an expression that led her to believe she was missing something important. “Kind of jumpy? She looked positively terrified.”

  “Jumpy, terrified, whatever.” Terri waved it off and opened the cap on a bottle of water. “I’m sure some of it had to do with finding out about her coworkers that way, but there was something else. Not sure what—”

  Bobby stared back and interrupted. “Not sure what besides how hard she was cruising you.”

  “Cruising me?” Terri sputtered and choked on her water.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Bobby stared at Terri like she was insane. “Girl, you must be blind!”

  • 53 •

  D.L. Line

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You can’t really mean you didn’t notice her checking you out.”

  Terri continued to stare at him, idly wondering if he might just sprout another head. She really hadn’t noticed anything except for how nervous Dr. Rosenberg was acting. “No, Bobby, I didn’t. I think you’re delusional.”

  Bobby looked annoyed and waved her off. “Okay, time to profile. Here’s how I see it.” Terri sat back in her seat and prepared for the ritual listening.

  Bobby took on his best professorial manner, ticking off items on his fingers for emphasis. “One, I know you saw her flinch when you took off your shades. Right?”

  She nodded in agreement, a little afraid to encourage him.

  “Check. That was weird.”

  “Check.” Bobby continued, raising a second finger to punctuate his list. “Two, she kept talking to you and never once made eye contact with me. And every time you looked back at her, she got really interested in her coffee.”

  Yes, that was true, too, albeit a little strange, so she nodded. “Check. Heavily into stirring. Gotcha.” She laughed a little at the absurdity and continued to look at him, still a little puzzled. He was serious, so she motioned for him to continue.

  “Okay, three. She didn’t have to put that business in about hitting on other people’s girlfriends, but she did. She made sure that we knew she was queer. I think that was intentional, and most likely for your benefit. Certainly not for mine.”

  Desperately wanting to argue, but noting that he was correct again, she agreed, reluctantly. “Check, again. Selfouting behaviors.” As much as she really didn’t want to know what was coming next, she encouraged him to continue, feeling a little as if she was watching a train wreck. “Go on.”

  • 54 •

  On DangerOus grOunD

  He obliged, again ticking off the point with his fingers.

  “Four, I know I saw her cruising your tits at least once—”

  “Hey,” she interrupted, starting to get defensive. “She was definitely not ‘cruising my tits,’ as you so eloquently put it. That’s just your horny guy spin on the situation.”

  He smiled back. “Well, granted, that may be true, but she was definitely looking at you. Besides, my particular horny guy spin on anything never includes the cruising of tits. Not my thing. Besides, there’s more.”

  “More?” She was beginning to get exasperated with him. Bobby pressed on. “Five, she shook your hand for at least twice as long as she shook mine.”

  She smiled, finally being offered something to refute.

  “I think she was afraid of you. You’re kind of imposing, you know.”

  He nodded in agreement. “I know that, but the handshaking thing was still there. She digs you, Terri, and you’re just all about the case.”

  She was quickly becoming aware of the fact that all of his observations had been correct so far. “Well, that is why we’re here,” she said in an attempt to steer the conversation back to firmer ground.

  “Sweetie, I know why we’re here. I think you should call her back and let her know that we’re pretty sure she’s got nothing to worry about. Also, if she really is withholding, you might find out what’s going on better without me. I think you were right about her being afraid of me.”

  Terri allowed her memory to wander back to the quirky professor, with her coffee stirring and her sweet little dog.

  “Yeah, I guess she was kind of cute. Maybe I could do that.”

  “Fuckin’ A right you could do that. Then you can ask her out to dinner, and take her into town for a little naked hoteltrashing.”

  • 55 •

  D.L. Line

  “God, Bobby, you’re such a pig, but, at least you’re consistent.” She let him stew on that for a moment. “I don’t think so. She’s work, Bobby, and you know how I feel about that. It’s just not a good idea. And I still think that there’s something she’s not telling us.”

  He shook his head and stared back at her, a little deflated.

  “Okay, you know what’s best for you. But I still think you’re missing the boat here.”

  “Well, maybe, but it’s better that way. No complications and no one gets hurt.” Terri mustered up a smile. “Besides, naked hotel-trashing is your specialty, not mine.”

  v

  Jen paced around her house. She was agitated. She had freaked and not told the FBI about Brad. “What the fuck was I thinking?” she talked to herself, pacing and fuming. Remote in hand, she scanned the channel guide looking for something mind-numbing that might keep her occupied long enough to calm down and figure out what to do.

  Michigan. Jen hadn’t thought about the events from Michigan in a long time. “And now they’re back with a vengeance. Shit.” Jen was seriously agitated.

  She needed to call Joe. On the first attempt, she got his voicemail. “Joe, dude…it’s me. You know—Jen.” She rolled her eyes. “Never mind. Call me. Bye.” She snapped her phone closed.

  Before she ever got it back in her pocket, the phone started to vibrate. Caller ID showed her that it was Joe.

  “Joe, I’m so glad you called. She was here. You know—

  my fantasy lesbian that’s supposed to fall from the sky. Well, I don’t know for sure that she’s queer, but come on. Joe—”

  • 56 •

  On DangerOus grOunD

  “Jen, calm down. Tell me the whole story, this time from the beginning,” said Joe.

  “Terri. Her name was Terri. You should see her. She’s a cop.”

  Joe sounded hesitant. “Um, Jen, honey, why was there a cop at your house?”

  “Oh, that. Actually there were two of them, the FBI that is, and they had some questions about some people who do that same consulting thing that I do. You know, up there in Northern Virginia?”

  “Yeah, Jen, I know.” Joe was starting to sound impatient.

  “What happened?”

  “Okay. From the beginning.” Jen flopped down on the leather sofa. �
�I got a phone call from the feds yesterday, they came out to talk to me today.”

  Jen could hear the anticipation in Joe’s voice. “Well, did you hit on her?”

  “No. Duh, she was all about the work. Besides, she was here with this huge guy. I was afraid he’d, like, judo chop me or something.”

  “I don’t think they really do that, do they?”

  “No, probably not, but he was pretty intimidating. Anyway, I guess there’s something going on with NoVaGenEx. Some employees have been killed, and the feds are trying to find a connection. They asked me all those questions you hear on TV. Do you have any enemies? Anyone you pissed off in your past? All that kind of stuff.”

  “The big question, Jen. Did you tell them about that hacker guy from Michigan? You know, the one from that weird computer shop.”

  Brad. There he was again. She stopped. Flashes of memory of a very naïve college student who thought she had the world

  • 57 •

  D.L. Line

  by the tail popped into her head along with the results of some of the stupid decisions she had made while she was still that kid. She shook them off. “No. I mean, he was just a jerk who hit on me. I didn’t even know what he was up to. It wasn’t that big a deal, anyway. Besides, he’s still in prison for, like, five more years. You think I should have told them about him?”

  “Yes, you spaz, you should have. I know you’d like to forget about the whole incident, but he wasn’t just a jerk who hit on you. He was your hacker buddy and you’re the reason the cops even found him. You also testified against him, and he got put away for a long time, but not forever. You didn’t see the way he looked at you when they took him out of the courtroom. He was creepy, and you don’t know for sure that he’s still in the big house.”

  “What?” She paused, trying to process exactly what he had just said. “Joe, did you just say big house?”

  “Yeah, too many gangster movies. But anyway, you need to tell them about him. What if he’s out and still pissed off or something? This could be bad, Jen, very bad.”

  “That’s not going to happen. It’s so clichéd. Besides, you’ve seen Fatal Attraction too many times. Ms. All-bigand-bad-and-buttoned-up just distracted me and I wanted to be all, you know, cool. Not like she looked twice at me anyhow. I could call her. They said that they’d still be in town for a while.”