Free Doctor Who: Drift by Simon A. Forward

gun battles he‟d had with Morgan up there.
    That checked him. Thoughts of Morgan weren‟t going to improve his mood.
     
    „Listen, if this is something Curt‟s into, he‟s nothing to do with me, not since a long time back. He thinks he is, but that‟s his problem, none of mine.‟
    Martha was jumpy, edgy; she hardly felt the spike of caffeine as she drained her cup. The woman agent had suggested they retire here, to their cabin; the same place Amber had kicked up such a fuss that one time last summer.
     
    The man had brewed up some coffee, help her calm down, he‟d said. Some chance.
    Crazy, finding herself back here, inside. Not nearly as big as Mak‟s place, and impersonal, like any holiday shack.
    Personal touches wouldn‟t have registered with Martha anyway.
    It had to be about Curt. He didn‟t have the spine to get involved in anything serious, but he was sure stupid enough.
    And now she thought of it he‟d sounded real jittery on the phone. But the CIA? This just wasn‟t a part of her life.
    The guy was pacing around all casual. The woman sat opposite, prim with a patient smile. „I understand how difficult this must be for you, Miss Mailloux.‟
    „Please, call me Martha. You seem to know me well enough already.‟ She realised she was nodding tightly, a nervous reaction.
    „Martha,‟ the woman corrected herself genially. „But this really has to do with your daughter, and we honestly believe her involvement is purely tangential to our investigation.
    We‟d simply like to ask her a few questions concerning where she found the parachute and if she knows anything about what was attached to it.‟
    The man, Agent Theroux, had shown her the bundled chute shortly after the badge and introduction routine. He‟d demonstrated how the lines had been cut and he‟d produced the pocketknife they‟d pulled from Amber‟s hideout. Another dumb gift from Curt.
    „Excuse me for a minute, but that‟s another part I don‟t get,‟ argued Martha, aware of how hostile she sounded. „If my Amber found anything valuable attached to the damn chute, don‟t you think she might have kept that instead? I mean, what you‟re telling me is there was something other than a person on the end of that.‟
    „Sadly, ma‟am, we‟re not at liberty to say.‟ He hadn‟t given up his Southern drawl, so she‟d figured by now he wasn‟t mocking her; although that line belonged in a movie.
    The woman, Melody Quartararo, on the other hand, was hard not to like. „Martha, you‟re right. Your daughter probably only found the chute quite by accident. But I hope you understand, we have to follow up every lead and we have to make absolutely certain. This is a matter of national security.‟
    „Well, Curt always said I was a bad mother and I‟m real sorry. Agent Quartararo, but I don‟t know right now where my daughter could be. Maybe you‟d like to help me look for her.‟ She set her mug down on the table and it clunked noisily. The two agents were waiting on something more from her, a best guess perhaps. „Listen, I don‟t know. Maybe she headed into town to tell Mak about her find. Sometimes she wants to impress him.‟
    Apparently that sounded reasonable to Agent Theroux.
    „Would you like to take a drive with us, Martha? I‟m sure Amber would prefer to have her mother hold her hand while we interview her. Believe me, I know how intimidating us government types can seem.‟
    Melody laughed, a gentle echo to her partner. She was hard not to like, sure, but trust was a whole different matter.
     
    Lagoy watched Jacks grab their leader as he fell into her, and they shook their heads at the creature he had become. Mitch couldn‟t make up his mind, but Emilie was looking at Crayford like he was a lame thoroughbred.
    She didn‟t take up her rifle though, just gripped him hard and tried prying him open with a stare. „Crayford,‟ she barked, „it‟s me! Emilie! What happened up there?‟
    Crayford was on his knees,