The Innocent

“What else in his background?”

“It’s being emailed to you right now. Take a read. And see what hits you.”

“There has to be something there,” said Robie.

“Then find it.”

Robie’s email inbox buzzed. He hit the requisite keys and brought up the story of Leo Broome’s professional life. He read it over carefully. Then he read it again, putting in order certain elements that seemed most promising.

“What are you doing up?” he said, without looking at her.

Julie stood there in sweatpants and a long-sleeved T-shirt and looking sleepy. “How did you know I was even standing here? I made no noise.”

“Everyone makes noise regardless of what they’re doing.”

“I think you have eyes in the back of your head, Will.”

“I wish I did, actually.”

She sat in a chair across from him. “Find out anything?”

“Yes. But not much makes sense.”

“Tell me the part that does.”

“I think I was the target of the bomb, not you.”

“That’s comforting. So I only had one person trying to kill me?”

“Leo Broome works for the Department of Agriculture.”

“Any spies work there?”

“Doubtful. While lucrative, corn subsidies don’t really get bad guys all that excited.”

“So what’s the connection?”

“Might not be any. Then again, there might.”

Robie held his phone screen up. “Broome was also in the army. Gulf One.”

“So?”

“The woman and child who were killed? Her ex-husband was also found murdered. He was in the military as well. Maybe he and Broome knew each other.”

“And if they did, what would they know that would get them killed? And how does that tie into my parents being murdered?”

“I don’t know. I’m still working on the possible theories.”

“And whoever blew up the bus, you said they wanted to kill you. Why?”

“For things I can’t talk about with you.”

She sat there looking at him. Robie wasn’t sure what her next question would be, but he doubted he could answer it truthfully. He glanced around the confines of the room. For a long moment he felt acutely claustrophobic.

“What do you think they did with my parents’ bodies?”

This was not one of the questions Robie had been anticipating, but it was certainly an understandable one. He studied Julie, trying to read something deeper in her question than was probably there. She was still just a kid, despite the street cred, despite the brains. She was grieving for her parents. She wanted to know where they were. He got that.

“Probably in a place we’ll never find,” said Robie. “Remember them as you knew them. Don’t think about where they are now, okay? It won’t do you any good.”

“Easy to say.”

“Yes, it is easy to say, but I think it needed to be said.”

Robie waited for her to break down and cry. Kids were supposed to do that, or so he’d been told. He had never done it when he was a child. But his childhood had not been normal in any possible way.

But Julie did not break down. She did not sniffle. She did not cry. She glanced up at him and the look on her face was cold.

“I want to kill whoever did this.”

“The guy who did it was on that bus. He’s just ash. Stop worrying about him. He’s over.”

“I’m not talking about him and you know it.”

“Killing someone is not as simple as it sounds.”

“It would be for me.”

“You kill someone you leave a piece of you with them.”

“That sounds like a line from some stupid movie.”

“It may sound like it, but that’s exactly how you feel.”

“You know a lot about that?”

“What do you think?” he said stiffly.

She glanced away and rubbed her hands nervously together.

She said, “Could it be that this Wind guy told something to the Broomes, who told something to my parents?”

“Yes, it could. In fact, that’s my most promising line of investigation.”

“And you’re doing this part with super agent Vance?”

Robie didn’t answer her.

“So you’re not working with her on this?”

“I’m working with her on part of this.”

“Okay, I get that.”

“Do you?” Robie asked.

“I want to be part of it too.”

“You are. You’ve been helping me.”

“But I want to help more.”

“You mean you want to find the people responsible and kill them?”

“Wouldn’t you?”

“Maybe. But you have to think it through.”

“Will you help me kill them? I know you can.”

“You need to go back to bed,” he said quietly.

“The kid gets in the way, right? That’s what you’re figuring, isn’t it? Put me in that box?”

“I’m not going to be a part of putting you in any box, least of all a coffin.”

Julie visibly stiffened at this comment.

He said slowly, “What you have to get is that this is not a game, Julie. It’s not a movie, TV show, or PlayStation crap. You want to kill them. Fine, I get that. It’s natural. But you’re not a killer. You hate them, but you won’t be able to kill them when it comes to it. But keep one thing in mind.”

“What’s that?” she asked in a strained voice.

“They want you dead. And when they get the chance, they won’t hesitate for a second. You’ll be dead. And there’s no reset button to hit.”

“What if I told you I don’t care?”

“I’d say you’re young and think you’re immortal.”

“I know I’m going to die one day. The only question is when and how.”

“And the answers should be eight decades from now and peacefully in your sleep.”