have an affiliation with the FBI.” She was trying to hold on to her temper, but she was afraid it was a lost cause. “And I’m beginning to find it fairly incredible that someone actually thought you could command this base.”
“Oops! Easy, Kendra.” Jessie turned toward the general and said quickly, “It’s true that Kendra works closely with the FBI and definitely has qualifications they find irreplaceable. I imagine even you might have found that out if you’d done more than just scan her paperwork. She deserves your respect. It would be smart of you to show it.”
“You’re giving me orders?” A faint flush stained the general’s cheeks. “You’ll be lucky if I don’t send you out on this plane with her. I’m done with this discussion. The FBI has no jurisdiction outside the U.S. You and your colleagues were only here because someone in the Justice Department pulled strings for you.” He added, “And you’re going home for the same reason.”
Kendra stared at him. “And isn’t it odd that Lynch has so many dealings with the Justice Department?”
“I don’t find it at all unusual. I hear he has influence in a number of quarters.”
“Give it up, Kendra,” Jessie murmured.
“The hell I will.” She had to make one more try. “Give me time to figure this out, General. I just need another few days. There must be a mistake.”
“Figure it out stateside. Our planes run back and forth every day, Dr. Michaels.”
Kendra glanced up to the plane’s forward door, where a young soldier was looking expectantly at her. She shook her head and muttered a curse beneath her breath. “I can’t believe this is really happening.”
“Believe it,” the general said. “And accept the United States Army’s wishes for a safe flight home.” His smile was both snide and dismissive.
Kendra wanted to turn and run, but she knew that would only result in a pair of handcuffs and a trip to the stockade.
Shit.
General Kotcheff impatiently motioned toward the plane. “Dr. Michaels, you can get on this aircraft under your own power, or four MPs will pick you up and place you aboard.”
Jessie instinctively took a protective step closer to Kendra. “They’re not fooling around. I know you’re pissed off, but try to hold it together.”
“I am.” She watched as her duffel was loaded into the plane’s cargo hold. “Not easy.”
Jessie shook her head. “I’m sorry, Kendra.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s Lynch’s. Even if we’d come up with nothing, I wanted to see this through to the end. I hate it that I almost had them.” She added fiercely, “But don’t you give up on it, Jessie. I gave Lynch the key to finding those documents. You get it from him and go after those bastards.”
“You know I will.”
Yes, Kendra knew that Jessie was as dedicated and passionate as she was about arresting the crooks who had not only cheated soldiers who’d given their lives and service here in Afghanistan but had actually condoned murder. The knowledge didn’t help; Kendra still wanted to be here with Jessie when she brought them down. “Yeah, just do it soon. Tell Lynch that I didn’t go through what I did last night to have him take his own sweet time about doing a search.”
“I’ll tell him. Do you have any other message for him?”
“Flip him off for me. Both hands.”
Jessie chuckled. “I can do that.”
“On second thought, no. No message. Tell him to not try and get in touch with me.”
Jessie’s smile faded. “Kendra…” She shook her head. “That’s not going to fly. We both know it.”
“I’m serious. I’ll reach out when and if I’m ready. Until then, I don’t want to hear from him.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Dr. Michaels.” General Kotcheff gestured to the plane, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
“I’m going, dammit.” Kendra threw her arms around Jessie. “Stay safe, okay?”
“Absolutely.”
Kendra pulled away, turned, and gave a curt nod to General Kotcheff. She started toward the plane. But he was still smirking. It was just too much to bear. She suddenly whirled back to face him. “What an asshole bully you are. I can tell you’re enjoying this. Do you know how much I hate bullies? I’ve known so many people like you.”
“You know nothing about me, Dr. Michaels,” he said coldly.
“Don’t I?” She slowly stepped back toward the general and looked him up and down. “I know you’ve been spending a lot of time at Kolula Pushta Road lately.”
Kotcheff blinked. “Who told you that?”
“No one. I’m only going by what I see despite the fact