Page 18 (1/2)
THIRTY-SIX
WASHINGTON, DC
STEPHANIE WASN’T SURE SHE COULD TAKE MUCH MORE HER gaze locked onto Brent Green "Explain yourself"
"We allowed the files to be co us and ant him Or her"
"Who’s we?"
"The Justice Departation Only myself and two others know My two closest deputies, and I’d place my life in their hands"
"Liars couldn’t care less about your faith"
"Agreed But the leak isn’t in Justice It’s higher Outside the departled bait and it was taken"
She could not believe what she was hearing "And you risked Gary Malone’s life in the process"
"No one could have predicted that We had no idea anyone, other than the Israelis and the Saudis, gave a da runs straight to them, not anywhere else"
"That you know of" Her thoughts flooded with the Order of the Golden Fleece
"If I had possessed any clue that Malone’s faer, I would never have allowed the tactic to be used"
She wanted to believe that
"We actually thought Haddad’s whereabouts was a relatively har the Israelis to know Haddad was alive didn’t see in the file to indicate where he was hidden"
"Except a trail straight to Cotton"
"And we assued, Malone would knohat to do"
"He’s out, Brent," she almost shouted "He doesn’t work for us anyer, especially without their knowledge"
"We weighed those risks and decided that to find our leak, they orth taking Having the boy kidnapped changed everything I’lad Cotton was able to retrieve him"
"That’s so wonderful of you You’ll be lucky he doesn’t break your nose"
"This White House is an abohteous, corrupt pricks"
She’d never heard Green speak that way before
"They expound how Christian they are, how Aiance is only to themselves-and the dollar Decision after decision has beenbut fatten the pockets of major corporations-entities that have contributed heavily to their party cause It sickens s where policy is couched in terood for the nation I keep silent Say nothing Be a tea to allow this country to be compromised I took an oath, and unliketo me"
"So why not expose them for what they are?"
"So far I’, ial I assure you, if anyone, the president included, had crossed the line, I would have acted But no one has gone that far"
"Except the leak"
"Which is precisely why I’m so interested-a dam has to be cracked before it’ll break"
She wasn’t fooled "Let’s face it, Brent, you like being the chief law enforce if you went after one of them and failed"
Green appraised her, worry in his eyes "I like you re alive more"
She brushed away his concern "Did you find the leak?"
"I believe we-"
Cassiopeia rushed back into the kitchen "We’ve got company Two men just wheeled to the curb Suits and earpieces Secret Service"
"My detail," Green said "Coo," Cassiopeia made clear
"No," Green said "Cut me loose and I’ll handle them"
Cassiopeia headed for the back door
Stephanie made a decision, the kind she’d h she’d clearly chosen horribly throughout the day, like her daddy used to say, Right, wrong, doesn’t
"Wait"
Stephanie stepped to the counter and searched a couple of drawers, finding a knife "We’re cutting him loose" She approached Green and said, "I hope I knohat I’"
SABRE HUSTLED THROUGH THE OXFORDSHIRE WOODS TO WHERE he’d left his car Daas colish countryside Mist shrouded the fields around him, the cool air damp He was pleased with his first encounter with Cotton Malone Just enough to whet the A any paranoia Killing the men he’d hired to attack Malone had seemed a perfect introduction He would have shot all three if Malone hadn’t taken down the one
Surely Malone had searched the bodies after he left, but Sabre had made certain that not one of the men carried identification His instructions had been for them to confront Malone and pin him down But once Malone elied He wasn’t surprised Malone had proven in Copenhagen that he kne to handle himself
Thank heaven for the tape recorder in Haddad’s apartment That, combined with the inforh so he could entice Malone into his confidence All he had to do noas return to the Savoy and wait
Malone would coed from the forest and spotted his car Another vehicle was parked behind it and he saw his operative pacing
"You son of a bitch," she screamed "You killed those men"
"And the problem?"
"I hired them How many others you think I can employ if it’s knoe bloody well kill our own?"
"Who would know that? Besides you and me"
"You asshole I watched fro That’s what you intended all along"
He reached his car "You alere bright"
"Screw you, Dominick Those men were friends of mine"
Noas curious "You sleep with any of them?"
"None of your daht"
"I’h with you No more Get yourself another helper" She stormed toward her car
"Don’t think so," he called out
She whirled to face hiued before But this ti and no one was going to interfere Too one into what he’d planned He was about to double-cross one of the most powerful economic cartels on the planet Failure would co to fail There would be no trails left to him
He opened the car door and slid inside
Only Cotton Malone remained to be handled
STEPHANIE STOOD IN THE KITCHEN, CASSIOPEIA BESIDE HER, and listened as Brent Green answered the front door and spoke with the two Secret Service agents Either she’d guessed right or they’d shortly be arrested
"This is foolishness," Cassiopeia whispered
"It’s et involved"
"You’re a stubborn bitch"
"Look who’s talking You could have left I’d say you’re a bit stubborn yourself"
She listened as Green sht weather and how he’d spilled a tumbler of water on his robe She’d freed Green from the chair and watched in amusement as he’d peeled tape froht coiven to see his calander had proed froain what Green had said with genuine conviction
This friend particularly cares what happens to you
"He sells us out and we’re through," Cassiopeia whispered
"He won’t"
"What makes you so sure?"