Split Second

"He won a libel settlement," said the director. "And it was for a nice chunk of change. And I couldn't blame the guy, for all the shit they were saying about him. It's not like he was some screwup. He'd won just about every award the Service has to give. He'd been wounded twice in the line of fire."

"Fine, he was a good agent. Good agents turn bad sometimes. But as for the money, he mixes the settlement money in with the money he was paid, and who's to know the difference? Have you audited his finances?"

The director sat back, not looking too confident now.

"And how exactly does this play out with the Bruno kidnapping?" asked the FBI agent. "Aren't you saying they're connected?"

"Well, for that matter," said Parks, "how does it tie into my guy Howard Jennings?"

"Let's not overcomplicate things. There may be no connection at all," said the FBI agent. "We might have three separate cases: Ritter, Bruno and your WITSEC murder."

"All I know is that King and Maxwell keep turning up in the middle of it all," said the director. "Look at it this way: eight yearsago King either messed up or turned traitor, and we lost a presidential candidate. Now Maxwell screws up and the exact same result happens."

"Not exactly the same," Parks pointed out. "Ritter was shot on the spot, Bruno was kidnapped."

The director sat forward in his chair. "Well, the purpose of this hastily formed task force is to figure out this mess as quickly as possible and hope and pray it doesn't become some enormous scandal. And you, Parks, you're already in the loop with them, so just keep doing what you're doing."

"The other variable is Joan Dillinger," said Parks. "I can't read that woman."

The director smiled. "You're not the first person to say that."

"No, it's more than that. I had a recent conversation with her, and she was saying some strange things. Like she owed Sean King. For what, she wouldn't say. But she was working real hard to convince me he was innocent."

"Well, not so unusual-they were colleagues."

"Right, and maybe something more. And they were both on the Clyde Ritter detail, weren't they?" said Parks, letting the question hang out there.

The director's brow was now very furrowed. "Joan Dillinger was one of the best agents we've ever had."

"Right, and now she's with some big-shot private firm. And she's investigating the kidnapping of John Bruno, and if she finds him, I bet the lady gets an enormous payday. And I found out she's asked King to help her in the investigation, and I doubt he's doing it for free." He paused and then added, "Of course, it's easy to find someone if you already know where he is."

"Meaning what?" said the director sharply. "That two former Secret Service agents kidnapped a presidential candidate and are now looking to be paid a fortune to recover him?"

"Yeah, meaning that," said Parks bluntly. "I'm assuming I'm nothere to sugarcoat things and tell you what you want to hear. I'm not real good at that. I can send you another marshal who can if you want."

"And you think Howard Jennings was killed by King?" said the director angrily.

"I really don't know. What I do know is, King's gun matched and he was in the vicinity with no real alibi."

"Pretty stupid for a man plotting murder."

"Or pretty smart, because maybe a judge and a jury thinks the same thing and believes he was set up."

"And the motive for killing Jennings?"

"Well, if King and Dillinger plotted to kidnap Bruno, and Jennings stumbled on that plot while working for King, I think that might be a motive for murder."

The men were all silent for a few minutes until the director broke the quiet with a long sigh. "Well, we have them all on our radar now. King, Maxwell and Dillinger-a most unlikely triumvirate when you think about it. Get back out in the field and keep us informed."

Parks looked around at them. "All right, but don't expect results overnight. And don't expect only the results you may want."

"Right now," said the director, "I think we're just waiting for the other shoe to drop." As Parks turned to leave, the director added, "Marshal, when that other shoe does drop, just make sure you're not under it."

In the parking garage Parks saw the woman getting into her vehicle.

"Agent Maxwell," he said. Michelle stepped back out of her truck. "I hear you're taking some much-needed vacation."

She looked at him strangely, and then realization spread across her features. "Did you have something to do with that?"

"Where are you headed? Wrightsburg?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"How's your neck?"

"Fine. I'll be able to scream in no time. You didn't answer my question. Are you the reason they let me walk?"

"Maybe, though I feel more like a pawn than a full-fledged reason. If you're going to Wrightsburg, I'd like to hitch a ride."

"Why?"

"You're a smart lady, I think you know the answer to that."

As they climbed into her truck, Parks said, "It looks like you and Sean King have really struck up a friendship."

"I like him and respect him."

"Almost got you killed, though."