“They’ve got a safe house we can use. I think, under the circumstances, it’s best to keep her there.”

She shook her head. “I don’t like that plan.”

He dismissed her comment. “You see, that’s why I don’t have to ask whether you like it or not. I’m the lieutenant. You’re not.”

“But if we keep her hidden, then—”

“Then he can’t find her.”

“If he can’t find her, then we have no chance to find him,” she countered.

“From what she told us, she only wanted to shadow you for seven or eight days. If we don’t find him before she leaves town…well, then it’s out of our hands.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “So we’re just going to cut her loose, knowing she’s got this guy—now a rapist—after her?”

“What are we going to do, Harper? Force her to stay here until we catch the guy? You’ve got a serial rapist that you’ve been working for six months. You think Danielle Stevens is going to give us that kind of time?”

“But, sir, if he leaves town with her, then we have no chance to solve the rape from yesterday,” Reid interjected.

“I know that. So it looks like you’ve got a week to find the guy.” He pointed at Harper. “And you’ve got a week to babysit at an FBI safe house.”

“But Lieutenant—”

“It’s not up for discussion, Detective.” He looked past them toward his closed door, then back at her. “I’ve got orders too.”

She shook her head, amazed by their decision. “So they’d rather she leave town—and take our rapist with her—than chance having something happen to her here. They don’t care if something happens to her on her way back home…or in LA.”

“It’s not my call, Harper.”

“So why not tell her to leave now? Why give her the week?” Reid asked.

“Because they want to save face,” Harper answered, knowing it was the truth. “We’re trying to find the guy. We’re at least keeping her safe. Not our fault that she has to leave. Not on our conscience if something happens to her outside of our jurisdiction,” she said sarcastically. “Shame that poor woman got raped and all, but I guess we’re not going to solve that one.”

“Look, I know this seems like we’re bailing on this, but we’re not. What other choice do we have?”

“We do like I wanted to in the first place. Make her accessible to him.”

“And what if he grabs her? Kills her, for God’s sake? Then what? Are you going to stand up to the national media and explain how we used her as bait?” he asked loudly.

“He doesn’t want to kill her. At least, not yet.”