Dead Aim

  “He did. Two boatloads of assholes. I electrified the fence.”

  “Electrified?”

  “I told you Phil was brilliant. The net gives off only a small charge to discourage sharks or other predators. But I can rev it up.” She grinned. “I told them Phil wasn't here and they still tried to cut the nets and come and see for themselves. After a couple of them were literally blown out of the water, they decided I was telling the truth. For a few weeks I saw someone far out to sea keeping watch on the place with binoculars, but no one lately.”

  “They could come back.”

  “Let them. As you've noticed, this island is pretty inaccessible.”

  “By sea.”

  “The island is so lush with trees and vegetation that you can't even get a helicopter down. Besides, I'd know they were coming and I have weapons. I'd be ready for them.” She peeled out over the water, toward the nets.

  Alex glanced back at Melis as she skimmed toward her house on the island. Twilight burnished the waves and bathed the woman and her light-colored boat in a golden haze. “Beautiful . . .”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “No, I mean . . . Of course she's beautiful. But the island and the sea and those dolphins. I wonder what it must be like to live on an island and be able to close everyone out as she does.”

  “She wasn't able to close us out. She had to let us in. She had to get medicine for her dolphin, so she had to use outside help for that.”

  “Because she chose to do it.”

  “But if Betworth's guys hadn't been told that Lontana shipped out in the Last Home, she'd probably have had a much more determined crew to deal with. In that case, the choice wouldn't have been hers either. The island concept is nice, but it seldom works. Civilization always interferes, emotion interferes.”

  “I'd like to try it sometime.”

  He shook his head. “You couldn't stand it. You're too involved with life. Give it a month and you'd be risking your neck on the Gaza Strip or digging through some ruin with Sarah Logan and her dog.”

  “But you could. You could stand on the outside and watch the world go by.”

  “Sure I could.” He glanced at her and his lips tightened. “We're different, Alex. That's what I've been telling you.”

  She quickly looked back at the island to mask the pain that went through her. “It must be a really strange relationship between Melis and Lontana. She seems more the protective parent than he does. He evidently leaves her out here in the middle of nowhere for months on end.”

  “I wouldn't worry about her. She's definitely no victim.”

  “I didn't say I was worried. I just don't like the idea of anyone being that isolated.” She grimaced. “We didn't find out much, did we? Except about the coal mine. How many coal mines are there in West Virginia?”

  “I don't know, but we'd better find out soon,” he said grimly.

  She felt the same sense of urgency. They seemed to be taking only the tiniest steps forward, and again she had the panicky feeling that time was running out. “It's like trying to work a picture puzzle with half the pieces missing.”

  “But we're gradually finding those pieces. We know Betworth originally hired Lontana because they thought they had a foolproof way of accomplishing their ends without being found out. But evidently there was some reason why they thought the sonic apparatus wouldn't give them the effect they wanted on the last project in Baltimore. So they brought in Morales to handle it and evidently also to give them backup plans in case Lontana's technology didn't work.”

  “And after they got what they needed, they called you to get rid of him so he couldn't talk,” Alex said. “And when Lontana took off for the high seas and ruined their nice little scenario, they had to backtrack and rely on Morales's original plans.”

  “See, we're making progress.”

  “Yeah, some progress. We don't know why, when, or where. As a journalist I was taught those questions were the essentials for any story.”

  “Well, we know who. Betworth. The rest will fall into place.”

  She hoped it would fall into place in time. “Do you think Lontana is as innocent as she claimed?”

  “Maybe. He bailed out before Arapahoe. Did he suspect? It's possible. But Betworth evidently didn't think he'd picked up enough information to be dangerous or he'd never have gotten out of Fairfax alive.” He frowned. “What I'm wondering about is Morales's involvement in this Baltimore project. It's logical that it would be Z-3. But the diagram in Morales's briefcase looked more like a skyscraper than anything to do with a seaport. And Morales dealt in drugs and arms. Betworth wouldn't have trusted him to have anything to do with this thermal-sonic apparatus. He had to have some other job to do in Baltimore.”

  “What?”

  He shook his head. “I don't know and he can't tell us. But maybe someone else can. Most arms dealers don't work alone. The transactions are too involved and complicated. They have partners or at least contacts.”

  “Did Morales?”

  “I didn't do an in-depth investigation of him before the hit. It was going to be a simple job. No problems.” He reached for his phone. “I told Galen to run a check on him, but it's time to let him know we might need something in a hurry.” When Galen picked up, Morgan went through everything they'd learned from Melis Nemid. “Finding that coal mine should take top priority. But I don't like that info on Morales. I didn't realize he was that much involved in the project. It could be those diagrams are just the tip of the iceberg.”

  “Then I'll see if I can find the rest of the berg.” Galen paused. “We have your transport set out of Tobago, but you don't have to come back here. You could stay out of the country. It would be safer. Or you could leave Alex down there.”

  “No way. Alex and I have just been discussing islands and the fact that Alex couldn't live on one and certainly couldn't be one. So I guess I'll go along for the ride.” He hung up and said to Alex, “Though he's right, it would be safer to stay down here in paradise. And much pleasanter than that shack in West Virginia.”

  “That wouldn't take much.”

  “But the answer's no?”

  She looked back at the island, which was almost out of sight in the distance. She was so tired of fighting, and it would be heaven to find a place like that to rest and heal. The idea was beautiful and tempting . . . and completely out of the question. “The answer's no.”

  Galen called Morgan back when they were driving down a dirt road to a private airport on the island of Tobago. “I've found Al Leary.”

  “Where is he?”

  “Guatemala City.”

  “What?”

  “He left Washington two days ago and we followed him to Guatemala City. Actually, he's in a small town south of the city. He's staying at the Rio Hotel, a Matanza hangout. One of Juan Cordoba's whores lives there, and he uses her place for his more sensitive meetings.”

  Morgan could feel Alex's gaze on him and carefully kept his face expressionless. “You're sure?”

  “No doubt about it. And I don't think Leary's down there trying to catch the bad guys. If he were, he'd be dead by now. It looks dirty to me. You're going after him?”

  “Yes.”

  “You need transport?”

  “Of course.”

  “You don't want to talk right now, do you?” Galen said. “Call me back as soon as you can. I'll have Marco Salazar pick you up at the airport in Guatemala City. He'll try to help you, but it's really going to be your show. Matanza practically owns the town.” He paused. “And Leary's being pretty brassy. He wasn't as hard to find as he should have been. Be careful.”

  “You know it.” He hung up.

  “What's happened?” Alex asked.

  “Logan is still in Washington, but hasn't found out anything. No other news.” He put his phone away. “There's the airport. I hope this wind dies down. That prop plane doesn't look like it could stand much buffeting around.”

  Don Garver, the same pilot who'd flown them
from Miami, gave them a sunny smile as he threw open the door for them to board. “Have a good trip? This one may not be so hot. It's going to be a little rough today.”

  “Should we be flying?” Alex asked.

  “Sure. I wouldn't risk that pretty neck.” He went back to the cockpit. “But I don't promise not to cause your stomach to do a few flip-flops.”

  “We'll survive.” Morgan helped Alex into the plane and settled her in her seat. “That's what seat belts are for.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Alex said. “I don't travel well in bumpy weather.”

  “I promise that you won't even feel it this time.” Morgan smiled down at her. “Trust me.”

  “That's a first.” She smiled back at him. “Lately you've been trying to convince me you can't be trusted.”

  He put his hand caressingly on the side of her neck. “No one ever said I was consistent.”

  “Good, because I do trust—” Her eyes widened. “What are—” She slumped down in the seat.

  “You won't trust me when you wake up. Sleep well.” He brushed a kiss on her forehead and turned to Garver, who was staring wide-eyed at him. “Take her to Miami and don't let her leave the plane until Galen gets there.”

  “What did you do to her? Hit her?”

  “Sort of. And she's going to be mad as hell when she wakes up. If I were you, I'd want to be out of this turbulence before I had to deal with her.” He turned and headed for the door. “Tell her it was necessary. I had no choice. Galen will explain it to her.”

  The White House

  “I have to talk to you, Mr. President,” Keller said.

  “Not now. I'm late.” Andreas moved quickly down the hall. “I was supposed to be at the dedication of that statue at the Pentagon ten min—” He stopped when he saw Keller's face. “My God, what's wrong?”

  “Plummock Falls. We believe it's . . . gone.”

  Andreas halted in his tracks. “You told me it couldn't happen again. You told me it was safe.”

  “That's what I was assured by both the FBI and the CIA.”

  “Assurances. God, I'm tired of assurances. Was anyone hurt?”

  “You'll be glad to know that, thanks to your orders, our people were not—”

  “Was anyone hurt?”

  “Unfortunately, the explosion undermined the integrity of the surrounding acreage. Thirty-four miners are buried. We don't know if there are any fatalities yet.”

  “Thirty-four—” He felt sick, and he knew that horror must be reflected on his face. He had to get to somewhere less public. He was the President. He mustn't show fear or disgust and most of all he mustn't show despair. He was the icon, the symbol. God, he was tired of that too.

  Well, too bad. It went with the territory. He drew Keller out of the corridor into the green room. “Now, tell me what the hell happened.”

  Miami, Florida

  “What happened?” Alex glared at Galen as he helped her from the plane. “And where's Morgan? I'm going to kill him.”

  “I can't say I blame you.” Galen took her duffel and led her toward a car parked beside a hangar at the private airport. “But I'm innocent. He didn't say anything to me about ditching you until it was a done deed. He called me after your plane had taken off.”

  “But you suspected, didn't you? What did you tell him when you called while we were on the way to the plane?”

  “That Al Leary was hobnobbing in Guatemala City with Cordoba, the head man of Matanza.”

  “Leary . . .” She had to think for a minute before she made the connection. “He's the CIA agent who sent Morgan to North Korea.”

  “And set up the Morales hit. Morgan asked me to locate Leary.”

  And he hadn't mentioned anything about it to her. She felt a burst of anger and frustration—and sheer terror. “He's gone after Leary, hasn't he?”

  “More than likely.”

  “You know damn well that's where he is.” Her voice was shaking. “He wants answers and he thinks Leary will give them to him. It doesn't matter that he's down there with all those crazy butchers and killers and—” She had to stop to regain her composure. “And he didn't want me with him. He thought I'd get in the way. I'm not that dense. I would never have—” She drew a deep breath. “He said he'd call me, but he's more likely to phone you. You're not going to give him a guilt trip. So you have to let me know when he contacts you. No more secrets.”

  “Okay. I'd never think of disputing a lady as angry as you are.” He opened the passenger door for her. “In the meantime, I promised Morgan I'd take you home with me until he could—”

  “No way. Your wife's pregnant. I'm not going to put any more pressure on her than she has already. You can stash me back in that shack in Prescott and I'll wait until I hear—” She broke off as Galen's phone rang.

  Morgan?

  Galen shook his head to her unspoken question as he spoke into the phone.

  The disappointment was so intense she had to turn away from Galen for a moment. What had she expected? Morgan might not even have reached Guatemala City yet.

  Galen was cursing softly and her gaze flew back to his face. Grim. Very grim.

  “What is it?” she asked as he hung up. “Your wife?”

  He nodded. “But she's fine. She just wondered if I'd heard about Plummock Falls.”

  “What?”

  “It's a coal mine south of Huntington, West Virginia. There's been a gas explosion and thirty-four miners are buried.”

  Horror surged through her. “No,” she whispered.

  “That's what I said.”

  “Z-2?”

  “It could be a coincidence.”

  “I don't think so.” Thirty-four miners caught in that smothering darkness beneath the earth. “What are the chances of getting them out?”

  “It depends how unstable the mine's become and how much air is left down there.”

  “We should have been quicker. We should have been able to figure out where it was going to happen.”

  “How? You just found out about the possibility of coal mines being in the equation. Do you think you're some kind of fortune-teller?”

  “I guess not.” She felt numb. All she could think about were those men buried in that mine. “Why? Why would anyone do that?”

  Galen shook his head.

  “I have to know, Galen. You weren't at Arapahoe Junction. All those people, all those deaths. It can't keep happening. . . .” She tightened her lips to keep them from trembling. “I won't let it go on. It has to stop.”

  Galen touched her shoulder comfortingly. “Come home with me. I talked to Elena. She's good with it.”

  Alex shook her head. “I'm going to Plummock Falls.”

  “It's not a good idea. If it's sabotage, there will be all kinds of law enforcement there. And we've already established that some of those cops aren't as pure as they should be. They'll probably be expecting you.”

  “I don't care,” she said fiercely. “I'm going. Even if you have to arrange plastic surgery to keep me from being recognized. I have to be there.”

  He studied her for a moment and then nodded. “Okay. You do what I tell you and we'll find a way for you to go. I'll call Logan and tell him I may have to ask for some help on this one.” He smiled. “And we'll try to do without the plastic surgery. You can use the same disguise elements you did before. It would be a shame to take a knife to that face.”

  13

  Plummock Falls . . .

  Runne stared thoughtfully at the CNN shot of the mine. Betworth had done well. He hadn't heard one murmur of suspicion on any of the news channels. They appeared convinced it was caused by a buildup of gas in the mine. There was a bit of ranting and raving by environmental groups and union representatives, but they clearly didn't have a clue. All they could determine was that—

  The dogs!

  He sat up straight with excitement as the television camera caught a shot of the rescue workers and canine teams on the edge of the mine. That's what he'd been
waiting for. Throughout most of her adult life, Graham had worked side by side with search-and-rescue workers. Even if she only suspected that Plummock Falls was Z-2, he doubted she could resist coming to help.

  Besides, he'd made sure there was an added lure that would bring Alex Graham to the disaster site.

  “What do you mean you're at Plummock Falls?” Logan said. “For God's sake, Sarah, you're in no shape to work. Why the hell didn't you call me before you took off?”

  “I'm calling you now,” Sarah said. “And you have no room to complain about lack of communication. You still haven't told me where Alex is.”

  “She's safe.”

  “The devil she is. Look, I didn't call to argue with you. I have a job to do and it looks nasty. They won't let us near the mine shaft yet. There's too much debris and too many walls to be shored up.”

  “Then you shouldn't be near it. Your team shouldn't have asked you to come.”

  “Hey, I'm not the star here. The local Emergency Rescue Unit made a special request to headquarters to have Monty brought here.”

  “What?”

  “You know Monty's nose gets more press than any dog's in the search-and-rescue field.”

  “Yes.” But he didn't like any special requests being made. Not right now. “Look, Sarah, stay at the site. Don't be alone. Even for a minute.”

  There was a silence. “What are you saying?”

  “I'm saying I don't like either you or Monty being singled out.” He paused. “And if you get a call from Alex, don't go to meet her. She's already told me she won't be contacting you.”

  “And what if she changes her mind?”

  “Don't go to meet her.”

  “What's happening, John?”

  “I wish you'd just go home, dammit.” But she wouldn't leave and she had to be warned. “We're not sure that Plummock Falls was an accident.”

  He heard the sharp intake of her breath. “Another Arapahoe Junction?”

  “Possibly. At any rate we have to be very cautious.”

  “Those bastards.”