Page 146 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

“Our house.” She repeated. “I left for work the next day. For BlackWater HQ. I got there just after seven then I and Thomas one of our junior agents went to verify a witness statement in Camden. On the way back we heard what had happened on the radio.”

“Verifying witness statements sounds pretty junior for an SIC to do.” Andy stated.

She shrugged. “I like field work. I’m not the kind of person that wants to sit behind a desk while everyone beneath me does all the evidence collecting. And besides there wasn’t much else to do that day besides paperwork. Verifying statements is a great form of procrastination.”

He smirked. “No one likes paperwork.” He said before glancing at her crutches.

“What did you do to your leg? Did you injure it in the blast?”

“No, I got to the scene long after the bombs went off. I got shot ten months ago. It’s all part of this case though.”

Andy frowned. “You got shot in the leg?”

“Yes. They missed my femoral artery by millimetres. My muscle is damaged and it’s taking a while to heal. I ran a couple of streets to the scene after I heard what had happened on the radio. I guess that pushed it over the edge.”

“Right.” Andy replied before looking at Brandon. “I appreciate she is sitting right here next to you but do you have any doubts, any reason to believe Maddie is involved?” He asked.

“No. I know she’s not.”

Andy grunted.

“Can I point something out as an outsider?” Carlton said.

“Go ahead.” Cole said before anyone else could.

“From what I know of the case, they started off stealing secrets, stealing highly classified documents. They fitted Maddie up when they thought we might be getting close to them but now they’ve suddenly switched to being terrorists? To blowing things up?” He shook his head. “It doesn’t quite tally.”

“I agree.” Maddie said. “Burke said to me it wasn’t just a criminal organisation or one country behind this, that it was more complex, less black and white.”

“Who is Burke?” Andy asked.

“The man who shot me.” Maddie replied. “He worked for whoever is behind this. He set me up.”

“And where is he?” Andy asked looking more at Brandon for the answer.

“He’s dead. We shot him.”

“Right. Would’ve been useful to interrogate him, to have found out what he knew….” Andy stated.

“He had a gun pointed at Maddie. He’d already shot her once. We weren’t going to take the risk.” Cole said.

“Fair enough.” Andy replied. “If you can get me clearance I would like to see the file. See the case. I don’t expect anyone else from my side to be allowed access but if I can take a consultative approach, be the liaison between BlackWater and Counter Terrorism…”

“How do we know you’re not involved?” Maddie asked and everyone glanced at her.

“Why would I be?”

She shrugged. “There have been enough inside people already. It’d be mighty convenient for you to come along and offer a helping hand just as things heat up…”

He smirked. “It’s a logical thought.” He admitted. “I’m not working for ‘them’ whoever they are but I guess that’s what I’d say if I was.”

“Let’s do our checks and go from there.” Brandon said and Maddie nodded like she even had a say in any of this.

“Can we go back to ours?” She asked Cole.

He sighed shaking his head.

“Why not? Surely the police are done searching it?”

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