Page 9 of Flash Freeze

Athena scanned the room. It might have contained evidence of negligence or corruption, but she didn’t see any life-threatening hazards.

“Where are the chemicals that were in danger of exploding?” she asked.

“This way.” Bonnie led them down the hallway and around a corner to the staging area, stacked with 55-gallon drums. Fire-retardant foam clung to the barrels and pooled around their bases.

“From what I understand,” Bonnie reported, “tanker trucks, which were loaded outdoors in another part of the complex, transported most of their chemicals. But many customers order smaller batches; thus, the 55-gallon drums and the loading dock door for regular box trucks to haul.”

Subdued light poured through the rolled-up garage door at the far end of the spacious room. A couple of forklifts lazily sat askew nearby.

“Good thing you guys got the fire out before it spread in here,” said Bach, his eyes wide.

“It sure was,” Bonnie agreed.

“This doesn’t strike me as any kind of terrorism,” Athena said as she glanced around at hundreds of lethal barrels of chemicals. “If so, why not blow the giant tanks around the plant? Why not target this room itself? A generator?”

She shook her head and met Bach’s gaze. “Whoever did this,” he proposed, “either specifically wanted to take out the office, where they’d expect to find the manager and his white-collar underlings, or they just wanted to make a statement.”

“It’s possible the perpetrator didn’t know the explosive would cause so much damage to the building,” Bonnie proposed. “Why not throw a bomb through the office window if he just wanted to kill the people inside?”

“It’s fortunate there weren’t more casualties,” Athena said, though she thought any unnatural death was a tragedy. “Do you have the manager’s name and contact information?”

“I do,” Bach answered. “A Mr. Justin Booker. HPD officials told him to stay home today, lock his door, and not talk to the media. I can have him brought to the station, though. Or, your turf, if you prefer.” He tilted his head in deference to her.

Athena felt it was imperative to establish who was in charge and who held the secondary role. Yes, a joint investigation, but under her purview.

“Thank you, Detective. FBI headquarters will be more suitable for this interview, which you are welcome to sit in on.”

He let out a dry laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sure I’ll have some questions as well, Agent Bouvier.”

She pinned him with a stare frigid enough to have snuffed out yesterday’s fire. “That’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bouvier. How quickly you forget.”

“Anyway,” Bonnie said, clearly trying to tamp down the tension in the room. “I’d prefer to get you out of here before anything else collapses. Let’s exit through this loading door access and walk around the outside, shall we?”

Detective Bach smirked and extended an arm. “After you, Assistant Special Agent in Charge.”

Athena wanted to roll her eyes at him. She didn’t.

The fresh air felt good against the lining of her nose after being in such a rank, closed-in place. It was a typical winter day in Houston—damp, cloudy, with a chance of rain, and cool enough to need a light jacket. Her mohair blazer was just right.

Bonnie chattered on about the weather while Athena focused on how to approach Mr. Booker. She wanted a complete picture of him before they sat down together.

“And they’re predicting snow, can you believe it?”

“When?” Bach asked.

“Tuesday or Wednesday,” Bonnie answered. “We should be finished here before then, thank goodness.”

When they reached the parking lot, Athena turned to Bach. “Detective, let’s plan Mr. Booker’s interview for two o’clock this afternoon. I want a thorough background check on him before we start. Is that satisfactory?”

“Sure,” he answered, scratching his stubble.

I knew it had to itch, she thought with satisfaction.

“Would you like me to send agents to get him, or do you want the honors?” In the spirit of cooperation, she was willing to give him some say in the matter.

“Your house,” he answered. “He’d probably rather have dudes in suits than uniforms picking him up anyway. I don’t suppose you’d like to grab a quick lunch?” The hope in his eyes was almost endearing. Almost.

She answered with a flat stare.