Deadly Pasts (Agent Nora Wexler Mysteries) Read online

  “I knew that guy was trouble,” Travis interjected.

  “Meron, from back in Seattle, threw me under a bus. Boffman had a shot that Meron took of Danny and me together. Don’t worry, you weren’t in the picture at all. Meron made it look like I might’ve handed over classified information that led to the breach, and because they can’t prove anything changed hands, they’re just ejecting me from the bureau.”

  “Remember what I said back in Seattle about Meron being willing to step on throats to climb the ranks?” Travis started to fume, getting that intense look on his chiseled face that could melt rocks. “I can vouch first-hand that you were straight-dealing the entire time and Danny wasn’t privy to anything requiring clearance.”

  “I don’t think that would help. This whole breach is being covered up. Boffman wouldn’t even come out and mention it to me, only saying that the threat level of the OpenSwordsed had been elevated. But he did say this is coming straight from the upper echelons of the bureau.”

  As terrible as it was to bring Travis down with this awful news, it felt good to talk about it with someone who understood.

  “But there’s got to be a way to fight this. How do they know Danny was involved? What was taken in the breach? Somebody must know more than whatever Charlotte overheard. What if we could prove that you didn’t supply any information? Picture or no, maybe they’d take you back.”

  Nora just shook her head.

  “Boffman said if I make a peep they’ll start an official investigation and find some way to punish me for it. I’m sure they’re going to be watching me to see if I contact Danny. I can’t reach out to him. I can’t even go back to the office to try to get more information. I can’t deal with being thrown out of my life so unfairly.”

  Travis put his arms around her and held her close as she broke down.

  “I’m going to look into this. Trust me. I’m not going to let this stand.”

  A clinking bottle from somewhere near the liquor store disrupted their moment. After pulling away, Nora felt a chilly breeze brush against the back of her neck.

  “Do you think we can go somewhere else?”

  “Absolutely. I can send Vanessa packing and we can head inside,” he said.

  They entered his apartment and Travis told his ex that there was a situation that needed to be handled. Vanessa took a long look at Travis as she grabbed her bag and got up from beside the dog on the couch, briefly glancing at Nora.

  “That’s the problem with going after younger girls. Every zit and broken nail has to be doted on like it’s a disaster. I’ll be back next week for Dingo,” she said, leaning in for a hug. Nora was ready to let her have it, but Travis managed to hold her back even while holding his ex.

  “She can’t be more than five years older than me, and this is not a broken nail,” Nora said through her teeth as soon as Vanessa was out the door.

  “I know that. She has an incredible knack for being irritating. You can’t let her get to you,” he said, setting his jaw and looking away. Nora had a hunch he’d been the victim of her barbs more than once.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Nora offered. Hearing him talk about how awful Vanessa was might be the perfect salve for the slights she received. Travis shook his head and seemed to snap out of the funk he was in.

  “Nah, you just have to let her go. And besides, it’s nothing compared to what’s going on with you. What are you going to do next?”

  Nora looked over at the couch with the sleeping dog curled up on the end. His chest slowly rising and falling, he looked comfy and made Nora want to put the troubles of the day behind her.

  “I don’t know, but right now I think plopping down on the couch with a drink seems by far the best course of action,” she said.

  “How about a glass of wine?” he proposed. Nora’s smile told him that he had struck the perfect solution. She slid back against the cushy suede couch and stretched her arms when an idea came to her.

  “Actually, my college friends have been hounding me to join them for a reunion weekend back in Berkeley. I guess there’s nothing stopping me from going now, even though I can’t say the prospect of telling them my life has spun off the road into a ditch seems fun. It would be nice to go back there. I remember the walk from Morrison Hall back to Southside with all of the gorgeous architecture of the campus buildings. We’d do midnight snacks at La Burrita or Asian Ghetto. It seemed like everybody was going to do something unbelievable with their lives, everybody who didn’t trip themselves up a couple months into their dream job,” she said, growing introspective and unsure if Travis could even hear her from the other room.

  She had no doubt that her friends would hit the ceiling if she were to suddenly say she could make it, but practical concerns about getting a quick plane ticket across the country started to creep into her thoughts. Suddenly Travis appeared with a smile and a pair of wine glasses. It looked like Pinot Grigio, and the way it sparkled in the light made it appear good enough to swallow in one gulp.

  “I’ll tell you, if I found out I had even one day off, let alone a permanent leave, the first thing I would do is call my friends and plan a trip out to the woods,” he said, settling in next to her. Nora took a sip and then cupped the glass in her hands.

  “I don’t know. Maybe there’s been some kind of misunderstanding, or something will change tomorrow and Boffman will want me back. Hasn’t it occurred to them that instead of throwing me out I could help?”

  Travis chuckled and set the glass on the coffee table next to the magazines. Their hips were touching. He leaned back against the upholstery and spread his arms against the back of the couch.

  “You should do it. If I know Boffman, once he does something like this there’s no going back. He carves his decisions in stone. This could be your chance to get out, blow off some steam, and get your head together to decide what your next move is,” he said.

  Nora nodded reluctantly while her eyes drifted over his physique. It went to her head faster than the alcohol and made her think of a couple of moves.

  “I think I will, if just to see the look on the faces of Stephanie and Caroline when I suddenly show up. But there’s one question left,” she said, shifting to face him.

  “What’s that?”

  “Are you going to be able to deal with me being gone for the weekend?” she asked. A smile broke on his lips and he chuckled.

  “I’ll miss seeing you, but I think I’ll manage,” he said. It was a fair enough response since they didn’t usually see each other every day anyway.

  “Maybe I can find a way to make it tougher on you,” she said.

  She ran her hand through his dark hair, pausing on his cheek as she leaned in closer. Their eyes met a moment before their lips did, and instantly the touch and smell of him were making her warm. More of this was exactly what she needed.

  “I think leaving this weekend is pretty unnecessary,” he said once they parted.

  “I figured as much, but you’ll manage,” she said, leaning back in.

  Their kisses became deeper, but a knock at the door jolted them apart.

  “That’s probably the pizza,” Travis said.

  “Why don’t you let me get it?” Nora tore herself off the couch and shuffled to the door, hoping that fishing some bills out wouldn’t take more than a second. The pizza might be perfect for the appetite they were about to work up. Nora opened the door to find Vanessa standing there with her hands in her jacket pockets and a long look on her face. Stunned, Nora didn’t know what to say.

  “My car won’t start,” Vanessa said sheepishly.

  “What’s the problem?” Travis said, suddenly behind Nora. Vanessa sighed and brushed her hair back.

  “The car is leaking…‌something…‌everywhere. It won’t start and it’s too late for anybody to look at it. Do you mind if I crash here and get it towed in the morning?” she asked.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Nora said. She hadn’t seen the car or the leak, but ev
en if the parking lot was soaked in fluid Nora had a hunch this wasn’t an unlucky accident.

  “I’ll get a light and take a look. Maybe it’s not that bad. But if I can’t get it, you can stay over,” he said. Every word stung Nora. The entire evening was going down the drain. More than likely she wouldn’t want to hang around with Vanessa and would end up falling asleep in her own place after eating cereal and watching cartoons.

  Vanessa perked up, flashing her perfectly white teeth.

  “Thank you so much. You’re a lifesaver, Travis. Where would I be without you?” she gushed.

  How about anywhere but here? Nora thought.

  CHAPTER 3

  FLIGHT 7812

  NEW YORK TO SAN FRANCISCO

  During her flight cross-country, Nora innocently texted her friends on her new phone about the imminent get-together she couldn’t attend, all the while smirking to herself that she’d be there with them before the day was over. It had been three long years since she’d seen her college besties Stephanie Chittenden and Caroline Devonshire, and just the thought of being around them again unlocked a flood of memories from the old days. Most of the memories were pure bliss, and Nora still considered them the happiest years of her life, except for one glaring outlier that couldn’t be escaped.

  “Can I have some water, please?” a young woman from across the aisle asked a stewardess, with the faintest Spanish accent. Nora glanced over casually and then did a double take at her light coffee-colored skin, tiny nose, and black hair that fanned out in wings over her shoulders. It took Nora a second to catch her breath and calm down. Minute differences in the stewardesses eyes, chin, and lips separated her from the face Nora could never forget.

  Nora reveled in a few more texts to lock in the diversion before setting off in a rental car to take the I-80 across the Bay Bridge to Berkeley.

  “Where are you two going out to tonight? I wish I could be there so bad,” she wrote.

  She didn’t need to ask twice to find out the two of them would be wrapping up their first day together at the Hoi Polloi Brewpub, an unsurprising yet welcome choice. Nora put the car in drive and took off, sure she’d make it around 9 p.m., early enough to have a sober conversation with them.

  The Hoi Polloi had excellent house beers, a relaxed atmosphere that made it perfect for mingling, and a never ending stream of offbeat musicians. But what gave it an air of refinement and respectability was that it was about twenty blocks from campus. Seniors who had their own transportation were more likely to be found there than anyone else, but between the four of them they always managed to scrounge up cab fare. Now Caroline lived within walking distance of that part of Alcatraz Avenue and probably spent more time at Hoi Polloi than most of the staff, if Nora had to guess.

  She’d probably have to get in line behind a few handsome suitors before she could talk to either of them, but once she got their attention it was going to be like the stars aligning.

  West coast traffic left something to be desired and resulted in an arrival that was later than planned, but before she knew it, Nora was getting carded at the entrance and catching glances from guys around the TV screen playing a football game. It was almost like she’d been transported back in time to college. When she saw the lights from the bar reflecting against Stephanie’s frizzy blond hair and Caroline’s dimples, she was more convinced than ever that this surprise would be remembered for years.

  “Can I get a rum and Coke…‌hold the rum,” Steph ordered from the strapping bartender with the gorgeous smile.

  “Did I just hear Stephanie Chittenden order a drink with no alcohol?” Nora gasped. When the pair of them turned from the bar to look at her, their eyes must’ve tripled in size, but it was Nora who was in for the biggest shock. Stephanie’s midsection swung around to reveal a jaw-dropping baby bump.

  “What are you doing here?” Caroline shouted, racing in to wrap Nora in a hug. Steph moved much more slowly.

  “Forget about me. Steph, are you smuggling a watermelon in there?” Nora asked. Stephanie laughed and put a hand over her stomach.

  “It feels like either that or a bowling ball,” she said.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Nora asked, reaching over to wrap an arm around her friend’s neck.

  “She didn’t even tell me until a couple of days ago. I know. It’s completely ridiculous,” Caroline added. Although Steph might’ve had the most pronounced changes, Caroline looked a little different as well. She’d grown out her brown hair, wore glasses, and had traded the jean skirts for slacks and a dress shirt. It fit with what Nora would’ve expected from the university’s newest admissions officer, but Nora couldn’t believe Caroline had actually made the leap until she could see it for herself.

  They took seats at an empty table, all of them smiling from ear to ear.

  “But how did this happen?” Nora asked, desperate to get the full story about the pregnancy.

  “Didn’t your parents tell you anything about how babies are made?” Steph asked, nudging Caroline.

  “No, really though. I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone,” Nora went on.

  “Yeah, it was a surprise for me too, but honestly a lot has changed in my life in the past year. I’ve got a steady job in Boulder working in a contractor’s office. The guy I’m seeing is a chemist working with a pharmaceutical company. We just decided we both wanted it and having a wedding first was going to take too long, so now we’ve got two big events to plan for,” she said.

  “So you’re engaged too?” Caroline asked, leaning in.

  “Not exactly. We’ve talked it all out and we have a plan, but it’s not like I have a ring on my finger yet. Maybe it sounds a little weird, like we’re putting the cart before the horse or something, but our future together is secure and we’re just going to let nature take its course on this one,” Steph said. It wasn’t what Nora would’ve wanted for herself, but Steph seemed happy.

  “Wow, well that sounds really great,” Nora said. Caroline nodded in agreement.

  “I know you might remember me as that fickle girl who you used to let cheat off you in Sociology, and I was always dragging you out or doing crazy stuff, but I really think I needed to get that out of my system before I could start feeling like an adult, you know? Nora, you were always the smart, driven one, I was usually bouncing off the walls or at best scrambling to do things at the last second, Caroline was the nurturer, and then Maria…”

  They glanced at the empty fourth chair. Maria had been the charmer, seemingly omnipresent on campus. The only thing stronger than her penchant for remembering countless people’s names was her ability to connect on the deepest level with whomever happened to be around. Beautiful and shapely, she had a magnetic presence. About half the campus turned out for the candlelight vigil in her honor.

  They were on their third round of drinks when Caroline turned the spotlight on Nora.

  “Don’t think I’m letting you off the hook so easily, Nora Wexler, Miss-Conjures-Herself-Out-Of-Thin-Air. What’s the story behind your sudden appearance? I thought you’d be buried in FBI work until you retire,” Caroline said. The questions were posed warmly enough, but it still put Nora on the spot. Caroline was in her work clothes, Steph was halfway to the delivery room and had her life together, and Nora was the one whose life was upside down.

  If it were anyone else she might’ve tried to gloss over the situation, but these were her best friends and her trust in them was bone deep. She didn’t need to hide from them.

  “To be perfectly honest, I’m on the outs right now. My last day was Wednesday and as far as I know I’ll never be welcomed back there again. I bought the ticket here last minute and practically had to give a kidney for it, but I figured coming here would help me get over it.”

  “Nora!” her friends cooed in unison. “What happened?”

  She sighed. Telling them she’d lost her job was one thing, but telling them why was something else altogether.

  “It’s a sticky situation and I
really can’t get into it with anyone, which is a horrible punishment in itself, but suffice it to say that there was a bad turn of events and I ended up getting lumped in with the problem and tossed out,” she said.

  Stephanie always wore her heart on her sleeve, but the pregnancy seemed to dial up her emotions even more. Her blue eyes welled up and she struggled to hold back.

  “But getting into the FBI was your whole thing. You’d talk about it all the time, so much so that even I had trouble not getting tired of it. I don’t know if this is the right thing to say, because it must be completely devastating, but it looks like you’re taking it well,” Steph said, mustering a faint smile.

  Nora glanced down at her hands in her lap. Was she?

  “I don’t know. I feel terrible about it because there’s so much more I know I could do. I’d just gotten started, you know? I have the training. But it’s not like it’s the only thing I could do with my life. I like drawing sometimes. I keep up with trends on the Internet. Speaking in front of crowds can be fun. Somebody might need a spokesperson.”

  The longer she talked, the more Nora noticed Caroline’s disappointed expression. It was clear that doodling or blogging or whatever just didn’t fit her idea of what Nora could do with her potential. It hurt to be failing. Nora blanched away.

  “I know it’s not good, but I’m only in my mid-twenties. I’ll figure something out and find a way to get back on track. It’s kind of funny when you think about it. Both of you are completely put together and doing so well, and I’m the one wondering about the next time I’ll see a paycheck. A lot has changed since I was prodding Steph to do her homework and making sure Caroline got out of bed on time for class,” Nora said, hoping some more wistfulness would trump the sour feeling gumming up her insides.

  Steph shook her head.

  “It’s exciting and it might sound good, but my life is really no better than yours,” she said. “I worry myself sick that I’m not going to be a good mother, that I’ll forget to do something or have a moment of obliviousness that’ll hurt her. And deep down I’m afraid I will end up raising her alone.”