Michael’s lips thinned, but he didn’t argue further.They spent the next hour in silence.Faith kept her eyes stoically ahead and waited for her emotions to steady.They did, but she was left feeling drained.She wondered if maybe Tabitha was right.Maybe shewasmentally unfit for duty.She wanted to believe that she was just as capable as she had always been, but maybe that was wishful thinking.
On the other hand, Michael had a point.Faith knew she was acting out of fear by choosing to retire now.She also knew that eventually that fear would fade, and when it did, she would have to face the fact that she had slunk away with her tail between her legs.She'd have to face the fact that the Messenger—West's disciple, whether he knew it or not—had beaten her.
And she knew that was a fact she couldn’t face.
But did that really matter?Could she put Turk’s life—not to mention her own and the lives of everyone she cared about—at risk over her foolish pride?
Much as she might like to believe it, she wasn’t superhuman.She couldn’t live with giving up and letting the Messenger win, but she could live even less with watching Turk die for good.If she stayed the course and brought the Messenger and other killers to justice, then she would be glad for having persevered.If she stayed the course, and the Messenger came back and finished the job with Turk, she would never forgive herself.
“It comes down to faith,” Michael said.
She blinked.“What?”
"It comes down to faith, Faith," he said, smiling slightly at his pun."Seriously.I know the question you're struggling with.What's the worst possible outcome?You and Turk stay and get killed, or you leave and end up regretting how you left.But what's thebestpossible outcome?”
She sighed.“I stay, and Turk doesn’t get killed.The Messenger is brought to justice, I keep catching bad guys and no one can say they’ve beaten me.”
“Exactly.Therealquestion you should be asking is, do you have faith that the best outcome is achievable?"
Faith looked down at her hands.“I don’t know.”
Michael nodded.“Well, when you figure that out, you’ll know for sure what you need to do.And you’ll do it, no matter what I or anyone else tells you.”
They fell silent again, and Faith risked looking out of her passenger window again.The sun had shifted, and her reflection no longer stared back.Faith was grateful for that.
And the answer to that question?She’d have to wait and see.
CHAPTER FOUR
It was noon when they arrived at the dig site.Michael parked his enormous land yacht of an SUV in a dirt lot a thousand feet from the crime scene.The Delaware River flowed a hundred feet in front of the lot, and a few people fished from the bridge or watched the river flow gently southeast to its eventual end at Delaware Bay.
Faith frowned when she saw them.“Are we going to have a problem with looky-loos?”
Michael looked up at the crime scene on top of a shallow hill.“Doesn’t look like it.I don’t see anyone up there right now.If there were looky-loos, the cops must have cleared them out.”
The two agents got out of the car.Turk jumped out and barked exuberantly as he trotted to the river.Faith felt a pang as she called him back.He just wanted to play in the water.He couldn’t do that, though, because they had a job to do.See?He’d have fun if he was retired.He’d—
“Hey!One of the fishermen called.“You mind shutting your dog up?He’s scaring all the fish!”
Then again…
She lifted a hand in apology and waved Turk back to her.A female voice behind her said, “Jesus, why are there so many assholes in the world?”
Faith turned around to see a beautiful woman of around forty with auburn hair that had yet to reveal a trace of gray, hazel eyes, high cheekbones, and a slightly upturned nose that made her otherwise goddess-like face look flirty and playful.It wasn’t hard to believe that the grad student who’d found the body had a thing for her.
The beauty smiled and offered a hand.“I’m Dr.Anna Winters.Thank you guys for coming on such short notice.”
“Not a problem,” Faith replied, taking her hand.“That’s what we do.Special Agent Faith Bold.”
Michael shook her hand next.“Michael Prince.And the big guy here is Turk.”
Turk barked formally, and the fisherman called back, “Hey!Seriously!”
One of the other fishermen retorted.“Shut the hell up, Jeremy.The fish aren’t biting ‘cause you smell like a damned dumpster.”
That earned a chortle from the rest of the group and a chuckle from Faith.
“Gotta love New York, right?”Anna said.Her smile faded, and she looked up the hill.
