Wanted (FBI Heat Book 3) by Marissa Garner Page A

Diablo Beach from the counterterrorism angle, Boss?” Dillon asked.
    Rex motioned for Conrad to close the door and then spoke. “I just talked to Alan a few minutes ago. You’re not going to like the news.”

Chapter 11
    With a teaser like that, how could Dillon feel anything but apprehension? His hands curled into fists in his lap as he braced for the worst.
    “Carter took your tip about Diablo Beach to the San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force. Understandably, they want some real evidence before deciding it’s actionable intel. When he talked to Homeland Security, they have no terrorist chatter or other indications of any kind of attack or sabotage of a nuclear power plant.”
    “That’s reassuring,” Conrad chimed in sarcastically. “Anyone bother to consider that the bastards may have learned not to broadcast their plans?”
    Rex ignored him. “After Homeland, Carter went to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. They have no reports of any problems at Diablo Beach. In fact, they’re really pleased with how the shutdown and decommissioning are progressing.”
    “But that’s part of the problem. Kat…uh…Ms. MacKenzie said her boss doesn’t believe her, so her concerns have never gone beyond him,” Dillon said. “If he’s involved, he could be stonewalling.”
    “An awful big leap with no evidence,” Rex cautioned. He stroked his chin. “Carter was thorough; he didn’t stop with the NRC.”
    Dillon straightened in his chair. Tension pulled his muscles as tight as violin strings. He waited for the second shoe to drop.
    “He contacted Southern California Edison, the owner of DBNPP. They reviewed their files and found no reports of any irregularities.” Rex cleared his throat. “They also pulled up Ms. MacKenzie’s personnel files. Apparently, she’s had trouble performing her duties. Her boss has given her multiple negative performance reviews as well as actual reprimands.”
    Rex looked disappointed—in him. Dillon’s jaw clenched. Had Kat intentionally withheld information about problems with her job? “Reprimands?”
    “Yes. A couple for falling asleep on the job and another for failing to follow proper safety and operating procedures. The SCE person was surprised Ms. MacKenzie hadn’t already been fired. We may be dealing with a disgruntled employee trying to cause trouble for her employer.”
    Dillon shook his head vigorously. “I don’t believe it. Kat was always a reliable, responsible, and professional employee at Avila Canyon. Maybe her boss at DBNPP is planning to…to…” He pounded his fist on the table. “I don’t know. Maybe use his reports as leverage for…for sex.”
    Rex arched his eyebrows. “Has she filed a sexual harassment complaint against him?”
    “Um, not that I’m aware of.” Fact was, she hadn’t mentioned anything about sexual harassment. Or job harassment. He clamped his lips together. He couldn’t let his protective instinct stoke his imagination.
    She had failed to tell him the whole story, and now he’d been blindsided by his boss with this negative news. It sure didn’t help support Kat’s accusations that something was seriously wrong at Diablo Beach.
    “Moving on…with actual facts. As I said, Carter was thorough. He also contacted Avila Canyon, operated by Pacific Gas and Electric. And yes, they confirmed Ms. MacKenzie had an excellent record while working for them.” He stroked his chin again and leveled a piercing gaze at Dillon. “ But , about two years ago, she told everyone she was getting married in San Francisco and scheduled two weeks of vacation. Five days into that absence, she called her boss and said she wouldn’t be returning…ever. Never gave adequate notice. Never provided any explanation. Never came back to help train her replacement. Just poof…disappeared.”
    Dillon gulped. His neck burned—with anger or embarrassment, he wasn’t sure.
    “Anyway, while she was there, she was great. But her departure was far from