Killer Harvest

“We need to go.” He shook Paul’s hand once again and turned to Sylvie Nilsson. She looked much like her daughter except that her blond hair was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. She’d kept one hand on her daughter from the moment Sassa was close enough to touch.

That’s where Sassa gets her mothering instincts...from a woman who loves her unconditionally. A pang of something like envy swept through him.

Sylvie caught him staring and murmured her thanks.

Jared nodded and met Sassa’s gaze. “The agents in that SUV will be keeping an eye on things around here. You’ll be safe. I’ll be in touch.”

Understanding sparked between them. She nodded her head. “I’ll be ready.”

Relief swept through Jared and he dipped his head in recognition. Sassa was on board. Now they could get to work. He turned and walked back to his vehicle, but as he climbed in, he couldn’t get the image of the three females—mother, daughter and baby—out of his mind. What would it be like to grow up in a loving family like this one? How would it feel to have such a rich heritage? He had no idea. But he knew one thing.

That kind of goodness needed preserving and he’d do everything in his power to make sure it happened.

TWO

“Mom, you absolutely have to go.”

Her mother tugged on Keri’s foot as the baby rested in Sassa’s arms. “I feel like I’m abandoning you two in your greatest need.”

Sassa felt the same way but she wouldn’t openly admit it. After returning to her parents’ home yesterday, she’d slept for a full twenty-four hours, waking just in time to pack and leave this morning. Her mother and father were flying to Florida for the birth of her brother’s first child. They had driven into town in Sassa’s car and were waiting for their Uber ride to pick them up.

This trip had been planned for ages and Sassa absolutely refused to be responsible for changing it now. She was one-hundred-percent certain her brother had taken the job across the country to get away from her ongoing issues. Not that he didn’t love Sassa. He did. But he had a life of his own and her constant “crisis mode” life consumed everyone.

Lars and his wife, Sherry, deserved her parents’ undivided attention for this big event. And besides, the farther they were away, the safer they’d be. If she could find an excuse, she’d send Keri with them. But if she did that, her mother would suspect things weren’t as safe as Sassa had claimed.

Still, they needed to go now, before she broke down and sobbed out the truth.

She sent her dad a pleading glance. Even though her mother seemed oblivious, Dad understood her need. Putting his arm around his wife, he gently pulled her away. “We will miss our plane if we don’t get moving. The Uber we ordered is here.”

Shifting Keri, Sassa wrapped an arm around her dad’s waist. “Thanks.”

He kissed the top of her head and murmured, “I’ve got your back, Sass, always.”

Her mother threw her arms around both her and Keri for one huge hug. “Watch that tooth in the front. I think it’s ready to break through. She’s been chewing on her fist like crazy. Be careful...and listen to Agent De Luca. I think he really cares. I’ll be praying for you.”

Sassa tried to get Keri to wave to Grandma as she hurried to the waiting car. The baby turned big blue eyes toward her as if to ask “what’s going on?” but she refused to wave.

“Mommy and Grandma are trying not to cry. Someday you’ll understand.” She waved one last time then nodded at the FBI agents parked in a car across the street.

Agent Kopack’s assigned men were still watching over her. Were they there for her protection or to make sure she didn’t run? She wasn’t sure but she was thankful for their presence.

She hurried into her small Craftsman bungalow and wrinkled her nose at the musty, closed-up smell. Despite the slight odor, Sassa released a grateful sigh. Being home felt good.

Her parents had helped her purchase the tiny, renovated Craftsman cottage close to the university. Built in the twenties, the house had been restored by the previous owners and now rested in a small enclave of older houses, all restored and in pristine condition.

She loved her little home with its front porch, big windows, wood floors and stained glass in the transom above the front door. This was her safe haven, her hope...a sign that she might finally be getting her head above the waves of insecurity that had almost swamped her.

But today she couldn’t slow down long enough to enjoy being home. She hadn’t told her parents, but she was headed to the university. The sooner she got to work, the better.

Grabbing diapers from Keri’s room and fresh bottles, she stuffed them into her diaper bag just as her cell phone rang. Jared’s name flashed on the screen. Apparently he’d programmed his number into it before he’d returned it to her.

“Hello?”

“Are you home?” Jared’s deep voice rumbled through the phone. Any other time she might have found it attractive...or not. She liked the sound of his voice, so she probably would have argued and used his abrupt manner to make a smart reply. But too much had happened. She took his urgency to heart.

“Yes. What’s wrong?”

“I’ll be there in five minutes.”

She hung up. Something was wrong—seriously wrong. Picking up Keri, she headed out the front door to wait for him on the porch.

He pulled the black government SUV alongside the curb in front of her house and exited. As he made his way toward her, she noted his broad shoulders again.

What was wrong with her? She went out of her way not to notice men, especially too handsome ones like her ex-husband, Erik. She suspected the officer was one of those charming guys who knew how to win a girl over. Besides, he was an unbeliever like her ex, and she wanted to be as far away from that kind of doubt as possible. These days, she coveted the comfort and companionship of people of faith.

Jared’s clouded features told her she’d been right. Something was wrong. A deep frown creased his forehead and his dark eyes seemed darker at a distance.

“What is it? What’s happened?” Neither of them had time for niceties.

He stopped in front of her and grasped her elbow almost as if to support her.

“They’ve found June Kruger, Sassa. She’s dead.”

She sagged and was thankful for his hand on her arm. Taking two steps back, she fell into her cushioned rattan chair.

“I knew it. I just knew it. Where did they find her?”

Jared bowed his head. “Floating in a canal.”

“Oh, no...no. How horrible!” She sobbed. Tears fell down her cheeks. Keri puckered and tears formed in her eyes.

Sassa sniffed and gave the little one a gentle hug. “It’s all right, baby. Mommy’s all right.”

But she wasn’t. She was miserable and frightened and of no use to her daughter.

Jared crouched in front of them. “It’s all right, precious Keri.” His use of Sam’s endearment made Sassa’s tears fall harder.

“It’s not all right! Everything is awful! What kind of animals would do that to June?”

Keri began to cry in earnest. Sassa made a sound and clutched her daughter to her chest. “I’m sorry, baby. So sorry.”

“Come on. Let’s go inside.” He helped Sassa from the chair, his arm the only thing keeping her up because her legs refused to work properly again. He led her to the sofa and eased her down, then hurried to the kitchen. Cabinet doors opened and the faucet turned on. He came back with a glass of water and a box of tissues. The house belonged to her, but she wasn’t even sure where he’d found the items. He knelt in front of her again.

Her thoughts were jumbled. Please, Lord. She didn’t even know what she was pleading for.

Her nose was running. Everything was a blur...except her crying baby. She wiped her cheeks. “I’m all right, sweetheart. See?” She smiled—a watery lift of her lips—and Keri’s whimpers eased but her poor little mouth stayed down-turned. Sassa snatched a tissue from the box and wiped Keri’s cheeks and then her own. Finally she took the glass of cold water from Jared and sipped. Keri reached for Sassa’s face, her gaze still doubtful.

“Come on, Keri, give us a smile.” Jared reached over and tickled a place under the child’s little chin. She shrugged her shoulder and the frown turned up—not much, but it was a glimmer of a smile. She studied Jared with an oh-so-serious gaze.

“That’s better. A few more minutes of those puckered lips and I’d be crying, too.”

Sassa laughed. She couldn’t help it. The image of tall, wide-shouldered Officer De Luca in tears was too much.

Keri reached for the shiny badge on his shirt and he leaned in closer. A light aftershave, faint but still there, sifted through Sassa’s stuffy nose. Pine, fresh and clean. Suddenly, Sassa was all too aware of handsome, manly Officer De Luca’s closeness.

Reaching for his badge, Keri tipped forward and fell into his arms. Sassa couldn’t help smiling at the look on Jared’s face. He caught the baby and held her up for a single, startled moment before gingerly placing her on one broad thigh. Fascinated by the bright badge on his chest, Keri ignored the big man behind it, so Sassa took the opportunity to blow her nose and pull in a deep breath. But her momentary break didn’t last long. Keri looked up at Jared, pulled wet fingers out of her mouth and reached for his dark beard. Jared caught the slimy little hand midway and awkwardly pushed the baby back into Sassa’s lap.

Jerking to his feet, he wiped wet fingers on his pants. “Agent Kopack wants us over at the Kruger residence. We need to get going.”

Sassa looked like she had yesterday in San Francisco. Numb. Moving automatically. Her stunned features made Jared feel guilty, so when she lifted the baby’s bag off the couch, he took it from her and moved outside. He transferred Keri’s car seat to his SUV. Sassa’s car would probably stay parked until this was over. More than likely, Sassa would not be using it until then.

The Kruger residence wasn’t far away and would have been hard to miss even if Jared hadn’t been given the address. Black government vehicles blocked the quiet, upscale street. A group of neighbors stood outside a yellow-taped perimeter.

Sassa hopped out, pulled Keri from her car seat and slung the backpack over her shoulders. He was amazed at how quickly she had gathered herself. Still, her body seemed rigid and stiff, as if she was tensed for whatever lay ahead.

The guard at the front door stopped them until he received a signal from someone inside. When he stepped back, allowing them access, they moved into the house.

The place had been demolished. Pillows and cushions slashed open. Large lamps smashed on the ground. Every shelf, every piece of furniture, had been turned over, torn apart or destroyed.

Sassa gasped. “Oh, no.”

Jared glanced at her. She clasped Keri close and those pretty, pouty, pink lips trembled. Her armor had slipped. She looked vulnerable and close to the edge. She’d already been through so much. She didn’t need this. He wanted to reach out to her but knew she wouldn’t appreciate it. Instead, he gritted his teeth and searched the room for Kopack.

The man walked toward them, a stack of papers in his hand. Jared didn’t waste time.

“You could have given us some warning.”

Kopack sighed. “We’re just as surprised as you, De Luca. We were here two days ago, right after Dr. Kruger notified us that his wife was missing. It didn’t look like this.”

“They did this after...?”

He nodded. “Maybe last night. A neighbor thought she saw something, a flash of lights. She contacted the local police. When they arrived, things were silent. No sign of lights or intruders. We didn’t find this wreckage until this morning after the police discovered June’s body. We came back here looking for clues and found this.” He gestured to the demolished room. “It appears they were trying to open a safe. The police scared them off before they could finish. Our people just got it cracked open. These documents were inside. We’d like you to take a look, Ms. Nilsson. Maybe it’s the professor’s formula for the pathogen.”

Sassa took the papers and looked around for a place to sit. Obviously, she couldn’t hold her daughter and shift the papers. Finding no available spot, she handed Keri to Jared.

Surprised, he shifted the baby in his arms. First thing she did was reach for his badge.

Good thing to know. Babies like bright, shiny objects.

He moved her again. She weighed less than his workout bag, but she was wiggly and made him nervous. He placed his hand on her back to keep her from toppling. The action pulled her closer and a sweet, powdery scent drifted upward. Nice. Clean.

Sassa shuffled the papers. “It is some kind of formula for sure. Give me a moment.” She read silently. Jared picked his way through the debris to the safe behind the picture. Not a very discreet hiding place. Sam had been so cautious about everything else. Why would he put the formula in such a low-grade safety receptacle with an obvious location?

He studied the front of the small safe. The lock buttons were in a straight row instead of a square. Unusual. Sam must’ve paid a pretty penny for that unique setup.

Ten square blocks, zero to nine. Something about them tickled his memory. The ID bracelet! The one Sam had been so determined to give to Sassa. Did it mean something?

At that moment Keri lost interest in his badge and reached up, determined to stick her fingers in his mouth. He grasped her little hand, held it down and turned to the men in the room. “Sassa, do you have the bracelet? I think the numbers on it might be the combination.”

All the men in the room paused and stared. Kopack shook his head. “What does it matter? The safe is open.”

“Sam insisted Sassa take the bracelet with his last breath. She already knew he wanted her to have it. So why was it so important?” He shook his head. “Sam was purposeful. That bracelet meant more to him than just a keepsake. I want to know what.”

Kopack nodded. “Good idea, De Luca. Looks like you might carry your weight around here, after all.”

The comment struck deep but Jared refused to react. Everywhere he went he had to prove himself. Did he wear a sign on his forehead that read Lost Cause Who Doesn’t Even Know His Own Father? His past seemed to be something other men could smell—and it followed him everywhere he went. All he’d ever wanted was to prove his grandfather’s faith in him, to be worthy of the kindness the officer of his youth had showed him. If he could do that, maybe he’d finally earn his wife’s respect. Maybe...

He pushed the thought away. He’d refused to respond to Kopack’s remark, but he didn’t miss the slight frown that creased Sassa’s brow. Apparently, she didn’t like Kopack’s dig, either.

Was Sassy Sassa about to defend Jared? The thought made him smile. That big chip on her shoulder might come in handy sometimes.

The smile faded when Kopack turned to Sassa. “Do you know the number, Miss Nilsson?”

“No, but I have the bracelet.” Reaching into the pocket of her jeans, she pulled out the large, man’s bracelet. Her hand looked delicate and fragile against the heavy, bulky links. She handed the object to Kopack. He carried it to the technician who had opened the safe. The drilled-out lock sat inside the open door. The man reconnected the wires from the loose lock to the back of the safe door then punched in the numbers.

No sound. No click. Nothing.

He punched the numbers one more time then shook his head. “It’s not the code for this safe.”

“You’re sure it’s not just damaged?” Kopack asked.

“Definitely. Something would have registered if it was the right code.”

Hope faded in Jared. Well, it was a good idea.

Sassa lifted the papers. “I’m afraid this destruction was all for nothing. These files are research for Xylella, but it’s our initial work. We were trying to find a cure for X when we created the new pathogen. I don’t know why Sam felt the need to lock these papers up. They’re public knowledge. They’ve already been published.”

Kopack nodded. “It seems he put all of his important papers in the safe. We found these, too.” He handed her a manila envelope.

“What’s this?”

“It’s Dr. Kruger’s will. On the envelope is the name and number of his attorney and...the executor of his estate. You.”

Sassa frowned and her voice dropped a notch. “Sam had everything in order. Do you think he expected to die?”

Kopack agreed. “It seems he was prepared for all possibilities...except how far the Knights were willing to go to obtain the information. None of us imagined they’d make such a public move and murder him in front of witnesses.”

Jared clamped down on the words I believed it and I warned you. Instead he said, “The important thing to remember is they have gone public. They’ll never be able to go back underground. This is their last gambit, a suicidal bid for their group. We can’t underestimate them again. They won’t stop until they’ve introduced that pathogen into the world.”

And Sassa Nilsson is our only hope for stopping it.

He didn’t say the words out loud, but it was apparent that same thought was on the mind of everyone in the room...except Sassa. She seemed focused elsewhere. He could almost see the wheels churning behind her unfocused gaze.

Keri chose that moment to reach for his mouth again. Jared grabbed her tiny hand and looked down into big, beautiful, blue eyes, just like her mother’s. The beginnings of a smile tickled the corners of her baby-doll lips, also like Sassa’s. He couldn’t imagine Nikolai Chekhov getting his hands on the helpless little bundle in his arms...or her mother. Sassa might have some prickly edges but she didn’t deserve what that madman would dish out.

Jared halted the scenarios his imagination created before they could take shape. But a new and fierce determination to stop Chekhov and his organization took root within him.

“Wait a minute!” Sassa glanced around, a hopeful glint in her gaze. “If Sam had sent these documents to his lawyer, is it possible he sent him the formula, too?”

“We thought of that and we’ve contacted his lawyer. He’s en route to his office now. In the meantime, we need to double your guard.”

“My guard? Why?”

Jared took a deep breath. “It’s been a crazy week for you, Sassa. You haven’t really had time to put two and two together.”

“Two and two about what?”

He glanced at Kopack then back to the intense question in Sassa’s blue eyes. “You heard what he said. The Kruger residence was in perfect condition when they searched it at the beginning of the week. Last night someone trashed it. Think about it, Sassa. The Black Knights already had Sam’s computer. So what were they looking for when they trashed the house?”

Her blue eyes widened. “The formula wasn’t on his computer.”

“Exactly.”

She gave a brief shake of her head. “I knew that. If I’d thought about it, I knew it. I put his conference notes on that computer myself. It was a simple little thing. If there’d been a locked file or something unusual on it, I would have seen.”

“Obviously, Sam hid the formula someplace else.”

“But where? It’s not in the lab. I know every inch of that place. I’d know if it was hidden there. It wasn’t in Sam’s safe or anyplace here in the house. Where could it be?”

“We don’t know and neither do the Black Knights.”

She frowned, and Jared sighed. Her brain was on overload because her normally sharp mind was taking a long time to pull the pieces together.

He hated to do it, but he had to speed up the process. She needed to be aware.

“That means, Sassa, you are the only living link to the formula’s location. You’re also the only one who has a chance of repeating the formula or creating a cure. I’m afraid you just became number one on the Black Knights’ Most Wanted list. Kopack needs to double your protection and I won’t be leaving your side.”

Jared suggested she might want to go home, but Sassa insisted on going straight to the lab. Her decision seemed to please him and he smiled. A good smile. White teeth against his dark beard. Strong and sincere. He’d given her a slightly sarcastic grin on the car trip home, but this was different. This smile was real—the first she’d seen on him—and a little thrill speared through her whole being. She’d brought one bright spot into his day. That was a good thing. They’d no doubt have too few of those in the time ahead.

They were dropping Keri off at the campus child-care center when one of the FBI agents assigned to watch Sassa planted himself in a corner of the playroom. Sassa sent a worried glance in Jared’s direction.

“It’s just a precaution I suggested and since I’ll be by your side, we can afford to leave one of your guards here. Kopack agreed.”

Still...

Sassa sent one last, worried glance toward her daughter before Jared ushered her out the door for the walk across campus.

When she finally stepped through the door of the lab, Sam’s three assistants, Matt, Libby and Jacki, stopped what they were doing and turned to her.

Okay. Another hurdle. She was in charge now. They waited.

She took a breath.

“Thank you all for being here. I think you’re aware of what’s happening.”

Matt, the oldest of the lab assistants, nodded. “The FBI has been here setting up equipment since yesterday.” He nodded at Sam’s glass-enclosed office. “The IT guy is in there now.”

Stalling for time, Sassa nodded, slipped her lab coat off the hanger near the door and put it on. Then she ran her favorite citrus-flavored lip balm over her lips. Only then did she meet the steady gaze of her fellow workers. She hesitated, trying to decide what to tell them. Fortunately, she had Sam’s lead to follow. That meant nothing but the truth. “I think we all know Dean Trujillo is not a fan of Sam’s program. Now that he’s gone, our jobs here are most likely in jeopardy. I want to give you warning...in case we’re not successful in recreating the pathogen.”

“We will be.” Matt spoke before she could go on. “You’ll find a way. We know you will.”

Their confidence warmed Sassa. She didn’t know what to say, how to express her appreciation. She looked up. Jared, arms folded over his chest, leaned against the doorjamb of Sam’s office. A satisfied smile floated over his lips. That little half smile vote of confidence did funny things to her stomach—made it flip—and brought a flush to her cheeks.

Exactly the kind of response she didn’t need to have to Mr. Jared De Luca but...the fate of the world was sitting on her shoulders. She needed all the help she could get.

She allowed herself that little moment of pleasure. Told herself it would be just one. Later, she’d put Jared’s smile and his confidence in the box where they belonged—with all the other good-looking, charming unbelievers in the world. But right now, his faith in her gave her strength.

She nodded at her fellow workers. “Let’s get to work then...for Sam.”

“For Sam,” they repeated.

“I’ll need all of your notes and lab assignments from the days before the accident. Anything that might jog our memories or point us in the right direction. I want to make sure we all observed the same things and, also, to make sure I didn’t miss some small detail.”

They returned to their desks and Sassa headed to Sam’s office. Jared was blocking the door and didn’t move. She looked up. A wry smile played around his lips, surprisingly full ones for a man. She shouldn’t notice things like that. Couldn’t afford to notice them. Sassa ducked her head as if to push her way through, but he didn’t move. And she didn’t dare step any closer. He smelled too good. Like fresh pines. Because he refused to move, she was forced to look up.