As he passed through the door into the room, Laura was able to see past him. She could see Amy, sitting on the floor and seemingly engaged in a game of something with Agent Jones. The smile on the little girl's face dropped away completely as she looked up and saw her father, and Laura saw the exact moment that happiness changed into fear.
Anyone in the room would have seen it. There was no mistaking it. Amy was terrified, and no matter how much bluster he brought to the table, Governor Fallow was never going to be able to deny that.
Amy looked up at her father, and then behind him to where Laura was standing in the corridor, watching. She shook her head rapidly, shuffling away across the carpet. “She said I didn't need to go home ever again. She said I could go somewhere safe instead,” she said, her voice coming out as a pleading whine to the room in general. When she looked up at her father’s face again, she froze in fear, seeing something there that paralyzed her.
Laura could only see the back of Governor Fallow’s neck. But that was enough. She saw it turning redder, deepening in color, as his anger rose. “Amy, don't be so ridiculous,” he said, his voice coming out sharp and loud. “Come with me this instant. We're going home. This silliness has to stop.”
Amy shook her head again, shuffling back further. She backed into Agent Jones, who had been sitting on the floor with her. The fatherly agent instinctively put out a hand to steady her, supporting her shoulder. “Don't make me go,” she whined, tears spilling quickly down her cheeks. She looked up at Laura, and Laura felt her heart breaking. This little girl had trusted her. This little girl had heard her say that everything was going to be alright, and now here was her father ready to take her away again.
“This is ludicrous,” Governor Fallow said, turning around and snapping fire at Laura. “It's this woman's fault. This woman right here! She has poisoned my own daughter against me!”
“Governor Fallow,” Director Grenford said quietly, his voice even and subtle. “If your daughter does not want to go with you, perhaps we should make a different arrangement.”
“What arrangement?” Fallow asked, his tone derisive.
“Protective custody,” Grenford replied. “Unofficial, for the time being. I’m sure you don’t want all of the media attention that would come with an official ruling.”
At first, Fallow opened his mouth to argue. Laura saw it, saw how the thoughts flashed across his face in quick succession. First, that this man was being insufferably impertinent. That he, Fallow, should simply take his daughter and be done with it, and not let any man tell him what he could or could not do. Straight after that, right on the heels, was the realization that all of this was making him look terrible. Laura could almost see poll numbers flashing up before his eyes. She saw the way that anger made him grit his teeth, his eyes flashing. She saw the moment he came to his decision.
He turned on his heel, striding down the corridor past them all as if they were nothing more than an inconvenience to him. “Fine,” he threw over his shoulder. “Have it your
way. I agree to your terms, insulting as they are. But this isn’t over.”
Laura could only gape at his back, watching him disappear down the hall. He had come alone, and he left alone, no one making any attempt to follow him. Director Grenford waited until he was gone and then turned to Laura with an expression that she could only describe as smugly satisfied.
“Well, Agent Frost,” he said. “Are you satisfied now?”
Laura weighed her reply. She couldn't say that justice had been done. Not completely. Governor Fallow should have been rotting away in a police cell, awaiting trial, but at least Amy was safe now. She was out of his hands.
For now.
“Do you think he will keep up his end of the agreement?” she asked, looking into Director Grenford’s eyes. She wanted to know what he really thought. She didn't want to miss the truth, if he ever allowed such a thing to show on his face.
“Leave it to us now,” he said, instead of answering the question. “There are specialists who can look after Amy, make sure that she gets somewhere safe. We will keep her out of her father's hands. A little paperwork is all that is needed to follow up on this, and then we can be sure that he won't be able to get his hands on her again. Not without going through all of us.”
So, Laura thought to herself privately, the answer was no. He didn't believe that it was over. He didn't believe that Governor Fallow would keep his promise. But what mattered now was making sure that Amy was far enough away so he couldn’t get his hands on her even if he tried – and that she would be safe in the meantime. Safe, happy, and healthy.
“Promise me that she’ll go somewhere good,” Laura said. “Somewhere where she’s really looked after, not a crappy foster home. She deserves that.”
“I give you my word,” Director Grenford said, nodding solemnly. “I can see how much this means to you. I assure you; I’m taking it as seriously as you are. Amy will be looked after.”
“Alright,” Laura said, the word hanging heavy in her ears. She knew that, in some kind of way, everyone was waiting on her agreement. They didn’t want her to kick up a fuss and upset the apple cart again. Her approval of the plan meant that it was going to go ahead, out of her hands and without her further involvement.
But if that was what it took to make sure that Amy was safe, that was what she needed to do.
“Alright, Amy,” Director Grenford said, putting on a falsely bright voice for the little girl. In any other circumstance, Laura would have had to stifle a laugh. The cold, powerful, manipulative Director of the FBI, brought to lightness and cheer to impress a child. It was the first time she’d ever had a glimpse of what she realized must be the family man he was at home. “It’s time for you to see your new home now. We’re going to go and talk to a wonderful lady that I know in Child and Family Services, and she’s going to make sure you’re happy and safe tonight. How does that sound?”
Amy looked up at Laura with doubt and confusion. “Aren’t I going home with you?” she asked.
Laura’s heart clenched so hard in her chest it almost stopped. She bit her own lip, hard, curling her fingernails into her palm to keep herself from crying. “No, sweetie, it’s better if you go somewhere else,” she said. “I’m not at home all the time – remember, we talked about how my job is to save lots of little girls and boys? And big ones, too?”
“But I want to stay with you,” Amy said, tears spilling down her cheeks again for the second time in as many minutes. She got up and ran headlong towards Laura, wrapping her tiny arms around her legs, holding her in place. Laura felt her sobbing, heard it like a wrench that just kept tearing at her heart over and over again.
“I’m so sorry, sweetie,” she said, hugging Amy back as best she could. In spite of herself, tears began to fall down her own face, and she didn’t want to let go for long enough to wipe them away. “It’s just not allowed.”
“But why?” Amy whined, her mouth open and upturned, her eyes half-shut with crying as she tilted her head to look up at Laura. “I’ll be really, really good!”
Laura closed her eyes tight, holding Amy as close as she could. This was the last time, she knew. She had to make it count. She had to put as much love into this one hug as Amy would need to get her through the next weeks and months before she began to settle again.