Name of the Devil by Andrew Mayne Read Free Book Online Page A

he is probably the most intimidating person I know.
    He looks at my cracked phone screen as I wave it in front of my laptop camera. “You fell out of a tree?”
    â€œNo. My phone did. I made it out fine. Mostly. You get the samples I sent with the van?”
    He reaches across his desk and holds up the plastic bags I’d asked the returning Quantico crew to bring back. “You almost broke your neck for this?”
    â€œIt’s from the Hawkton crime scene.”
    â€œWhy is this here? Shouldn’t this go through the local West Virginia channels?”
    â€œWell . . . Mitchum. She doesn’t think this is important.”
    Ailes lifts the bagged mud samples up to the light and looks at them. “So you went out and collected this yourself?”
    â€œI put a piece of plastic over the rest of the print so it wouldn’t all erode away.”
    â€œAre you going to bring this to her?”
    â€œWell . . .” I hesitate. I’m not sure how to get into the frosty relationship I have with Mitchum.
    Ailes raises an eyebrow.
    I continue. “I know you’ve been working on that new biome lab project . . .”
    â€œIt’s a pilot study. We don’t even have a test case yet for admissibility. Whatever we find in here,” he points to the bags, “may not even be usable in court. We have other labs here that can try to backtrace the content of the dirt. We’ve got an excellent database for that.”
    â€œAnd they’re backed up for several weeks. This could be important.”
    â€œSo, why aren’t you taking this to Mitchum? It’s her case.” Ailes is being patient with me. Another boss would chew me out for going around the lead agent.
    I try to find the right words. “It’s not a priority for her.”
    â€œYou kids aren’t playing well together?”
    â€œNo. I’m trying. She’s just very . . . difficult.”
    â€œAre you sure it’s all her?”
    The words singe. “ Me ? I’ve done nothing but try to help her.”
    â€œBlackwood, what may seem like polite and appropriate behavior to you may come off differently to others.”
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?”
    â€œYou’re a celebrity around here. The Warlock case was all you. Of the most high-profile FBI manhunts in the past decade, you’re the one face the public remembers. While a lot of younger agents look up to you, some are bound to resent you.”
    â€œThis? Again? What for? I just did my job,” I protest, although I know his assessment harbors some truth. Part of me still thinks that pointing out the absurdity of something will make it go away.
    â€œOf course. Imagine what it’s like for Ms. Mitchum every timesomeone finds out she’s an FBI agent. Who do you think the topic shifts to? You have a very big shadow, especially among your female colleagues.”
    â€œI was only helping. Ask Knoll.”
    â€œI’m sure you were. But did you stick strictly to her instructions, or did you take ‘initiative’?”
    Our mutual respect is based in part on being straightforward with each other and admitting the truth. “I told the helicopter pilot to extend the search radius. It’s how we found the first victim.”
    â€œAnd you wonder why she doesn’t get along with you?”
    â€œI saved us hours, maybe days!”
    â€œIt’s her case. You’re there just on the ground as support and you make the big breakthrough. What do you think is going through her mind?”
    Sure, I thought she was acting a little bitchy and that ruffled me. But I was just trying to help! “I don’t want her case,” I insist. “I’m not trying to show her up. I leave the pissing matches to the boys.”
    Ailes shakes the dirt at the camera. “Really?”
    â€œI just want to get the bad guy.”
    â€œThe sheriff?”
    â€œLook at