The Tower A Novel (Sanctus)

17





Shepherd drove through the barrier and back into Quantico a little after midnight, just as the storm was finally blowing itself

out. Franklin had been on the phone most of the way. He’d called O’Halloran first to give him a pared down headline account of

what they’d discovered at Marshall, then spent the rest of the time liaising with the tech guys who had finished processing

Kinderman’s office and were now heading back. Shepherd drove squinting through the spray and the darkness, trying to glean what

he could from Franklin’s half of the conversations and wondering what would happen when they got back to base.

The van was already parked up by the laboratories when Shepherd pulled up next to it and shut off the engine.

‘Thank you, driver,’ Franklin said. ‘That will be all.’ He slid out of his seat and was already halfway to the entrance before

Shepherd managed to fumble his own door open.

‘What do I do now?’ he called after him.

Franklin didn’t look back. ‘I want your report on my desk by 0800. After that you’re free to return to your training.’

Shepherd got a sinking feeling in his guts. He had suffered Franklin’s disdain all the way through the few short hours he’d been

on this investigation that he hadn’t wanted to be assigned to in the first place, but now, as it was about to be taken away from

him … he desperately wanted to remain part of it.

He took a step forward, aware that Franklin was about to walk through the door. ‘Maybe I should take a look at Dr Kinderman’s

hard drive.’ Franklin stopped but didn’t turn round. ‘I can help sort through the data. Sift through the emails and the

technical stuff to look for anything unusual. It’s bound to be full of astronomical terms and acronyms that could easily confuse

someone unfamiliar with the jargon.’

Franklin grabbed the handle, pulled open the door and stepped through without saying a word.

Shepherd watched it slowly swing shut: closing on his last chance. He was about to turn and walk back to the dorms when Franklin

reappeared round the edge of the door. ‘Report on my desk by 0800, Agent Shepherd,’ he said. ‘Until then your time is your own.

So if you’d rather spend it staring at a computer screen than getting some shut-eye then maybe there’s hope for you yet.’ Then

he shot him the smile and was gone.