Mystery: Family Ties: Mystery and Suspense (11 page)

Gabriel laughed softly and kissed her on the top of the head. “So, are you saying that I’m Prince Charming?”

“Yes, you don’t believe me, but you will if you look at it as I do,” Asa said seriously.

“You most certainly know how to turn things around so that they work for you,” he wormed his hand around her and let it lie on her stomach. “But, I very much doubt it that the rest of the women will agree with your description of the prince.”

“Oh, but we women are very practical,” Asa disagreed with him. “We all know that the perfect Prince Charming is different for each one of us.”

The rest of the night, Asa and Gabriel talked a lot, laughing at each other's jokes and using every possible opportunity to touch and kiss. They talked a lot, but still managed to avoid everything related to the outside world. Gabriel told her about his dreams to change his life and become a better person, while Asa confided in him that she missed her family and wanted everything to be as before. They continued to sit on the comfortable bed, changing their position from time to time and kissing with renewed candor.

Gabriel left the hotel room in the early hours of the morning, leaving Asa asleep in the bed.

Asa woke up in the morning and immediately turned around to find her bed empty and cold. She felt disappointed, but quickly let the feeling go, especially when she saw that there was a message waiting for her on her phone. Gabriel had left her a sweet message about seeing her later that same day and Asa smiled the whole time she washed, dressed and ran down the stairs.

The world looked amazing to her that morning and Asa smiled at the people she met at the diner and then on the way to the office. She reported to the FBI field office just in time, but was surprised to find it almost deserted. Agent Gibson’s office was empty and most of the desks were also missing their occupants. The woman on the front desk was busy talking on the phone with someone, who sounded like one of those fanatics, who saw something bad in everything, so Asa went to look for someone else to talk to. Ann was sitting behind her desk and going through some paperwork, but as soon as she saw Asa, she jumped up and gestured her to follow her into the empty office of Gibson.

“Where is everyone?” Asa asked when Ann closed the door behind her. “Is something going on?”

“You have no idea,” Ann said excited. “Agent Gibson went to the airport, because some high level agent from Salt Lake City is coming to town.” Ann said in a loud whisper. “One of the analysts told me that it had to do with your case. According to him, the bosses weren’t happy with how the case had been handled and are coming down here to shake things up.”

“Do you know who is coming?” Asa asked, already suspecting, who it might be.

“I am not sure, but it must be someone big, because Gibson almost ran to meet him,” Ann commented. “I thought that he called you, by the way?”

“No, but it is okay, we will see who it is shortly,” Asa tried to hide her displeasure and worry about the situation. With a final thank you, she walked out of the FBI office, just in time to see agent Todd Gibson’s truck pulling up in front of it. Beside him in the truck was sitting the Deputy Director Jennifer Shepherd looking very
business-like and probably coming here to oversee the investigation and to keep a closer eye on her.

“Shit,” Asa muttered and waited for them to climb down from the car and come closer. The Deputy Director spotted her almost immediately, while Gibson took his time closing the car and shutting down windows.

“Agent Clark,” the Deputy Director greeted her.

“Deputy Director,” Asa answered and stepped aside, so that the other woman could walk inside. Clark spared a last glance to Gibson telling him silently what she thought about him talking behind her back and followed Shepherd inside.

The Deputy Director had already walked into Gibson’s office and was sitting behind his desk, when Clark, followed closely by Gibson entered the room and closed the door. Shepherd looked at them both and nodded to them to sit down.

“So, what can you tell me about this case of ours, which seems to be in a ditch right now?” She asked no one of particular.

“I am sure that agent Gibson has been keeping you well informed, sir,” Asa said bitterly, already knowing that Gibson has been keeping a close eye on her already.

“That is part of your work, Agent Clark. You are supposed to report to your supervisors. But, let’s let that slide and tell me about the case.”

Asa cleared her throat and for a few moments she stood silent. “I have been following the steps of agents Smith and Holliday and during the last few days I visited most of the farms in the area and talked with the owners. Most of them confirmed that they had been visited by the two agents, while others say that they have never come to their farm or ranch.”

“What information were you able to gather?” The Deputy Director asked again.

“There is a pattern in what the two agents had been doing,” Agent Clark explained. “But, I am still unsure what it is. However, it seems that they have been visiting certain places, while avoiding others. I am not sure which of them were those under suspicion – the ones they visited or the ones they didn’t.”

“In other words, you don’t have anything solid?” Shepherd asked coldly. “Is there something else you can add?”

“I have found a lead based on the soil samples we recovered from the automobile pedals,” Agent Gibson quickly stepped in. “I have been going around and taking soil
samples. According to the lab, the closest sample of dirt to that particular soil type is found near the Kimble ranch.”

Asa Clark visibly cringed at the mentioning of the Kimble’s name and looked sharply at Gibson. Shepherd, however, was looking at her expectantly and just shook her head at the shocked expression in Asa’s eyes.

“What else Agent Gibson?” Shepherd asked the man and silently ordered Asa to keep silent.

“Agent Clark has been spending some quality time with one of the Kimble brothers,” Gibson said carefully, showing that he was feeling uncomfortable with the whole situation.

“Okay, I heard enough, Agent Clark, you will stop seeing the man immediately and will take a harder look at that family and their doing. Agent Gibson, you will help her and will report to me about every step the two of you take. Now, agent Gibson, will you excuse us? I need to talk to Agent Clark in private.”

Gibson exited his own office without another word and Asa was left to face the Deputy Director alone. Shepherd didn’t speak for a long moment, watching Asa wiggle on her chair and looking uncomfortable.

“How did that happen, Clark?” She asked directly.

“I met him in a bar, before I was even aware of how the ranchers could be connected to the case,” she answered honestly. “And now…”

“What now?” Shepherd looked angry, the warning clear in her stance.

“Now, I will keep my distance,” Asa answered what the Deputy Director was expecting her to say.

“Fine, now go back to work…”

At the same time outside the FBI office, David Kimble watched Todd Gibson leave the building and walk back to his truck. David had already witnessed the arrival of the man together with a woman and their short conversation with Asa Clark. The girl his brother was falling in love with had acted as if she was someone of importance and by the looks of it, Todd Gibson was taking orders from her.

David Kimble had come to town for supplies and it was by chance that he passed in front of the FBI office and recognized Asa Clark. Feeling betrayed and mostly angry, the man climbed back into his truck and headed towards his ranch. There were things he needed to do and preparations to make.

Back at the Kimble ranch, Gabriel was working in the barn while Jane prepared the lunch. David arrived just in time to see how his brother was looking at the horizon, obviously dreaming about something. The older brother could imagine about who Gabriel was dreaming about and that only made him angrier.

“Gabriel,” he called from the veranda. “Could you come in? I need to talk to you.”

Gabriel walked back to the house quickly, thinking that it must be something important for his brother to call him so urgently. He was still smiling, when he stepped inside the kitchen, where his brother and Jane were sitting on the table.

“What it is?” Gabriel asked, looking from one to the other. “Did something happened in town?”

“Sit down, Gabriel, we need to talk,” David used his father tone of voice and pointed at the seat that was putting Gabriel in front of both of them.

“Why do I feel as if I am being judged?” The young man tried to joke.

“Listen, we think you should stop seeing that Clark woman,” Jane spoke before her husband and then went silent.

“Gabriel,” David started again. “Asa is not the one for you. We have been watching her closely and now we know for sure that she is an FBI agent.”

“So what?” Gabriel asked defensively. “Is it a crime to be an FBI agent?”

Gabriel realized that they were confronting him about his latest relationship and that was making him angry. He loved and respected his brother, but not even David had the authority to tell him who he was going to date. On the other hand, he also felt betrayed. Asa had been obviously using him to get closer to the locals, successfully hiding her real profession. Gabriel thought about the fact and realized that Asa never actually told him what she was working on, but he had also never asked her directly about it.

“So, you followed around my girlfriend?” Gabriel asked them a bit surprised. “Were you worried about me?”

“You know how I feel, how we feel about the government and its cronies, Gabriel,” David answered him. “An FBI agent has no place at our table or in our lives. You should stop seeing her immediately.”

“I will stop seeing her, but not because of the reasons you just listed,” the younger of the two brothers said. “I will stop seeing her, because she wasn’t honest with me and there is nothing that I hate more than someone lying to me, even by omission.”

“That is good, that is very good for you, Gabriel,” Jane smiled at him and took his hand in hers. “From the first moment I saw her, I knew that there was something fishy about her. Don’t let women like Asa make you think that you should leave the people who love you and have cared for you, your whole life. We are your family and we would take care of you always.”

“Thank you, I know that Jane,” Gabriel answered her sadly.

David watched him carefully and noticed how his brother fought the tears back. “I have a big job for you and I need you to focus on it.”

“What is it?”

“I have to go away for a while and I need you to take care of the ranch for me, until I come back,” David said gravely. “This is very important to all of us, that is why I want you to focus on our family and on the ranch, leaving everything else behind.”

“You are leaving and expect me to take care of everything by myself?” Gabriel asked incredulous.

“Yes.”

“But, where are you going? Is there some problem? You know that you can tell me everything, right?” Gabriel asked urgently.

“No, no, everything is okay,” David smiled reassuringly. “I just need to do something and will be away for a while, that is all.”

“But…” Gabriel tried again.

“Please, Gabriel, just trust me on this? I cannot tell you anything more for now, just that I will be on a cattle run up in the mountains.” David pleaded with him, while Jane nodded encouragingly. “You just promise me that you will take care of Grandpa Joe.”

Gabriel had a lot of other questions to ask, but the look on David’s face told him that his brother wasn’t going to talk any further about the subject. “Okay, I will take care of Grandpa, of the ranch and of whatever else you need me, but just promise me that everything is going to be okay?”

“Everything is going to be okay, Gabriel,” David assured him. “Now, is the dinner ready, Jane?” He changed the subject and Gabriel went to look for Grandpa Joe. Asa and what he felt for her still on his mind. Gabriel did his best to forget about her, but it was too soon and too fast to forget someone so spectacular as Asa Clark.

The next day, agent Todd Gibson and agent Asa Clark made their way to the Kimble ranch in force. The orders had been clear and Asa hadn’t wasted any more time in considering her personal feelings. Gabriel had been a beautiful dream, but if the man turned out to be a criminal, Asa was going to put him behind bars and never think about him again. During the drive to the Kimble ranch, she had lost herself in thoughts about the man and the few hours they had spent together.

Thankfully, Gibson had given her the time to rethink the whole situation and had spoken only once to warn her against getting involved with people she knows nothing about. “I thought that I made it clear that you should keep your thoughts to yourself?” She had answered and Gibson had kept quiet after that.

They arrived at the ranch mid-morning and Grandpa Joe greeted them in his customary way with his rifle. “Stop where you are, turn around and leave my property,” the old man had shouted, pointing the old rifle at them.

Asa Clark recognized the threat and acted quickly. She climbed out of the car and with raised hands approached the porch. “Grandpa Joe,” she called at him. “This is me, Asa. I came here with Gabriel. Don’t you remember me?”

“Asa?” the old man repeated. “The Salish girl? Yes, I remember. What do you want?”