“I sure did, Martin. They wanted to hit you because there wasn’t enough hard evidence. You burned some good people, and still I kept you alive.”
“Well, Paul, you’re a fuckin’ saint And I appreciate it. You hadn’t kept me alive, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
“I wouldn’t have let anyone hurt your family.”
“Hmmm. When you getting in?”
“Soon as I can get the wheels on the ground. Will you let them go if I come out there?”
“I’ll be here. You think you can find the way, or should I turn Woody into a candle to light your way?”
“Stay put, I’ll find you.”
“By the way, tell your pals not to get too close, or something unfortunate might happen. Might get a case of premature eruption.”
The radio went dead and Paul handed it to Thorne. He looked at Ted and Brooks, the two SWAT-team members. They had grease smeared over their features.
“Look,” Paul said, “there’s no sense putting any more people than we have to on board. I’ll go on alone-I’m the one he wants.”
Thorne said, “He’ll kill them anyway, in front of you. You’re the one with no business going. You limp, you never could fight or shoot worth beans, you’re half-blind, and you might have a seizure and flop all over the place pissin’ yourself. I’m the one should go.”
Paul laughed bitterly. “Okay, I see your point.” Paul was relieved they hadn’t taken the out he had offered.
“Sir,” Brooks said, “we’re the best. I’m not bragging, just stating fact. We’ll get them off the boat alive if they can be got off alive. The way I see it, there’s two bad guys and they’re professionals. Four of us will be about even odds. Less and…”
Paul thought over what the young man had said. “First thing we do is make for the forward berth while we cover the rear and cockpit. If possible, we extricate them before we confront Martin or Steiner. The woman and child go off into the drink at once. No talking or anything. On the deck, into the vests, and they go straight into the water. One of you, the closest to them, will accompany them. No matter what’s happening. Fast and smooth. That’s the straightest order I’ll ever give. If they spot us, we have to keep them pinned and without firing blind. God knows where the bomb is or where the family will be.”
Paul looked at the two policemen. He fought seeing the faces of Hill and Barnett. “When the family is in the water and Woody is located, you guys get off, because he’ll blow the boat rather than be taken. Thorne and I will stay behind until Martin and Steiner are neutralized, or until the thing is ended. Whatever happens to us, those two do not get away. Promise me that.”
Ted nodded. “We’re square on that. That asshole killed a bunch of my friends tonight. He’s toast.”
“But one of you get the family on this boat and back to the dock first. That’s an order.”
“What about Reid?” Thorne asked bitterly. “I’m sorry I didn’t check him closer.”
Paul ignored Thorne’s apology. “Most likely he and Woody are dead.”
“What Martin said is true? About Reid’s being a plant?”
“George Spivey’s been under cover waiting for Martin to show here for over a year. Somebody who knew that told me when I was in D.C.”
“A year.” Thorne’s face reflected the seriousness of what Paul had said. “Someone knew about Martin and what he was doing over a year ago? He said it was T.C.?”
Paul nodded, his lips tight together. “It’s hearsay, at best. But, yes, I believe him. I don’t think he’s lying.”
“That means T.C. knew he’d be coming for Laura and your kids a year ago. Knew it. Hard to believe a man could be that cold. Might be Martin said it just to fix T. C?”
Paul didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “Doesn’t alter anything for us now.”
Thorne sat. “Before Doris and Rainey’s kids were… And you didn’t say anything?” Thorne said, stunned. “You knew Reid was a plant and you didn’t tell us? When did you find out?”
“I swore not to tell anyone as part of the deal for the other information we got. I only knew that someone was in place in the field waiting for Martin. I didn’t figure out Reid was Spivey until just now. In case we failed, it was still the best chance to get Martin and save them.”
“Who told you if it wasn’t T. C? Who else knew?”
Paul shook his head. He didn’t want to put the spotlight on Tod Peoples. “It doesn’t matter, Thorne.”
“You didn’t think we could take him?” Thorne sounded hurt.
“Woody Poole was my insurance policy. I never thought he’d show here before he met Eve. I was way off.”
“Woody’s another dark angel.”
Paul nodded. “I think so. Someone from one of the other agencies, most likely CIA, wanted him included. He was pushed on me. I was only sure the team that’s in Miami could take him. I didn’t look far enough ahead.”
Thorne grew silent for a minute as he assimilated the new information.
“We don’t have anything to trade him? Maybe we could turn his friend Steiner with the right offer.” Thorne said.
“No negotiating,” Paul said. “We’re going to kill them.” He turned to the two policemen. “You know who the friendlies are on board?”
Nods from the SWAT-team members.
“Get a clean shot on anyone else, take it and make sure they don’t get up again. We’ll take the pilot out first, and silently as possible. That’ll leave either Martin or his accomplice below.”
Paul checked his gear and secured the forty-five he’d carried throughout his professional career. The cane stayed loaded. Walking without it would be difficult, but he had to refrain from using it on the deck and alerting the men inside.
The navigator turned around. “The Mae Wests-each is fitted with a beacon on it that we’ll pick up. They inflate as soon as they’re immersed or by pulling the strings. We’ll be on the sailboat’s stern in ten minutes. You’ll need to get out on the bow. We’ll hold it as steady as we can.” Paul nodded and selected four of the inflatable Mae Wests.
He opened the rough sketch of the Shadowfax Thorne had drawn. He studied it. Going in would probably be suicide. Two detonators, a split second to trigger them. Martin would do it, would die himself, before he’d risk failing. Would the other man? Probably.
Five minutes later the four were wearing assault-style hoods. Paul turned to the pilot, whose face was demonically lit by the orange glare of the dials.
“I’ve got solo body-heat silhouette on the stern. Either the boy or someone seated,” the navigator said as he inspected the red-orange form on the deck. The sailboat was a light-blue outline against a darker blue.
Paul thought about it for a second. Reb? Martin’s friend Steiner, watching for us?
“Get us in close. When we get my family overboard, I don’t want them wet good before they’re in this boat. We’re your second priority, but stay well back from the boat after you drop us. Do not approach the vessel under any circumstances once the family is aboard. No closer to the Shadowfax than two hundred meters until I have the bomb disarmed and Martin neutralized.”
The pilot nodded. The four men went out the forward hatch and stood at the railing. There was a platform at the front that could be raised several feet to allow occupants of the Cheetah to board a larger vessel. The men wore Kevlar vests and goggles to protect their eyes from the rain-the speed of the boat drove the rain against them like BBs.
“Good luck,” Paul said.
“Later,” Thorne said. He smiled at Paul, and in that second Paul was swept with a feeling of loss and remorse. They would not all see dry land again. Maybe none of them would.
“If Reid is alive… if you get to Reid, and I don’t, find out who sent him,” Paul said. “And make sure people know.”
Thorne nodded.
The Cheetah swung in from the east and pulled behind the sailboat. Ted held the figure on the deck in his binoculars as they swung in while Brooks kept his MP-5 trained on it. If it was Steiner or Martin, they would be full
