Page 21 of Night Fall (The Quantico Files 1)

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It took a while for Willow to fall asleep for the night, but then Nettie sat next to her bed and prayed for her. As she called upon the God she loved, she couldn’t help but think about Alex.

She’d seen the same deep-seated pain in Alex she’d observed in Willow, which in Willow’s case had apparently led to a form of mental illness. But losing both parents and living with a mentally ill aunt would be traumatic for anyone. Alex carried that emotional injury like a suit of armor. No one could get in. Nettie wished Alex realized how much alike she and Willow were.

Willow had trusted Nettie enough to share her history. Willow and Alex’s mother had been raised by parents who were absent most of the time, focused on their careers. The sisters were often left to fend for themselves, and Willow had become her younger sibling’s caregiver, doing the best she could in a role she was unsuited for. Then Alex’s mother went off on her own, leaving Willow alone in her emotionally unstable state. She eventually cut off all contact.

Nettie was certain Willow became involved in the Circle when her sister all but abandoned her. She was looking for something to belong to. She’d wanted her life to be important. Willow had no self-esteem before The Book came into her life. It made her feel special.

Willow mumbled something in her sleep, and Nettie reached over to brush her friend’s hair from her face. Even though she hadn’t reacted well to Alex’s visit, when they talked later, Willow had cried, telling Nettie she’d failed her niece. Nettie told her about the forgiveness of Christ and was able to pray with her to receive a different life full of love, hope, and grace. Finally, Willow was free of the destructive cult that had imprisoned her mind for so many years.

Nettie believed God had sent her to Willow for just that purpose. She smiled. She was content. She’d obeyed Him, and now Willow LeGrand had changed books. Her name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Tomorrow she’d call Alex and tell her it was Willow’s love for her that finally changed her life. She hoped Alex would be pleased.

She rose from the chair and tiptoed out of the room, making her way to her own bedroom. She got ready for bed and turned on the TV so she could catch her favorite show before going to sleep, but she was so tired that she began to nod off.

She heard the sound of a footstep in her room only at the last moment. By then it was too late.

Logan, Monty, and Alex had been going through the information gathered so far on Adam Walker, but they were still waiting on another copy of The Book. It was late, and they were all tired. Thankfully, a nearby table had a coffee maker. Logan wasn’t sure how many cups he’d had since they’d arrived at the CP.

Monty was out in the larger room, consulting with some of the local agents. Alex was quiet and focused. She hadn’t said much yet. Logan wanted to talk about what he’d seen so far, but he’d decided to be patient. He didn’t want to disrupt her process.

When her phone rang, they both jumped. Who would be calling her at two in the morning?

She picked it up and stared at the display. “It’s Mike,” she said. “Hey, Mike, what’s up?” She listened for a long time. Logan watched as her expression changed. “I understand,” she said, her voice low. She disconnected the call and stared at her phone as if she’d never seen it before.

“Alex, what is it?” Logan asked.

He watched as she took a deep breath and looked up to meet his gaze. Her expression had hardened. Her armor was firmly in place.

“The police got a call from Willow’s neighbor, who said she heard screams. Willow is dead. Nettie’s in serious condition. She’s in the hospital.”

The news hit Logan like a punch in the gut. Had they made a fatal mistake? Should they have put Willow’s house under surveillance? It hadn’t occurred to him that the two women would be in any real danger. The Circle sounded like a bunch of nuts, not people who would do something like this. Besides, how could anyone possibly know the FBI had The Book? Maybe this a crime that had nothing to do with the Circle.

“Willow seemed so afraid when I mentioned The Book,” Alex said. “I thought it was because she was ... well, you know ... not all there. Especially after the stroke. I never took the Circle seriously until the Train Man. I should have done something. I should have gotten them protection.”

“Listen, it never occurred to me they were vulnerable.” Logan frowned. “Besides, how would anyone know we had that book? It doesn’t make sense.”

Alex shrugged. “Maybe they told someone. A friend who wasn’t a friend. Or maybe someone saw us take it out of the house.”

“No one could know what was in that evidence bag. That can’t be it. And besides, what good would it do to kill Nettie and your aunt? Even if someone knew they’d given us that book, killing them makes no sense. They weren’t any threat.” He paused for a moment. “Could someone have been afraid Willow would reveal the names of people in the Circle?”

Alex shook her head slowly. “I don’t know. As I’ve said, no one uses their real name in the Circle. It’s not impossible, but in Willow’s current state, it’s unlikely she could have led us to anyone else. And I didn’t get the impression that Nettie had anything to do with the Circle. She hated it.” She sighed. “Giving someone else The Book is the worst sin a member of the Circle can commit, though. Willow told me that. It’s my fault. Maybe this was an act of revenge. Punishment. Why didn’t I listen? This was preventable.”

“That’s ridiculous. Of course it’s not your fault. You know better than that. The fault lies with whoever did this. If the Circle committed this crime—and we don’t know that for certain—they need to be disbanded forever. This isn’t some kind of religion. It’s a very dangerous cult.”

“I agree,” Alex said. Another long sigh escaped her lips.

At that moment, Harrison came into the room. Logan told him about Willow and Nettie.

“I want to go back there,” Alex said before Harrison could respond. “We might be able to find something to help us locate Walker.”

“Our agents at the RA can do that. The local police will be involved too,” Harrison said, frowning. “I think you can do more good here.”

Alex stood. “You don’t understand, sir. They don’t know anything about the Circle or The Book. I do. This attack has to be connected to Walker. I know we’re focusing on the virus and you have other people investigating the murders here, but they’re all connected. I’m certain of it. Besides, we can share techniques to help investigators ask the right questions of neighbors and others who might have seen something around my aunt’s house during the time of the assault.”

Harrison still looked skeptical. Logan wasn’t sure who was right, but he had to admit Alex had made a good point.