new out there?'
'My sixth sense is tingling,' Rodgers said. 'I need to know more about Detective Robert Howell.'
'Funny you should ask.'
'Why?' Rodgers asked.
'I happen to have his dossier on the computer,' Herbert said. 'I was looking for something in his background, something we might use to help get Darrell and Maria out of the cooler.'
'What possible tie could he have to Link or the senator?'
'Maybe he's just a senate groupie,' Herbert suggested.
'That's what Kat said,' Rodgers told him.
'But you don't believe her because?'
'She said it.'
'Great. But do you have a better reason?' Herbert asked.
'No. Like I said, just a feeling.'
'Okay,' Herbert said. He adjusted the screen so it was angled away from the sun. 'The detective is not married, he did not come from Texas, he has a record that would make Baden-Powell jealous. He served in the coast guard and '
'Not married,' Rodgers said. 'Is he divorced?'
'No.'
'Girlfriend?'
'There's nothing in the file,' Herbert said.
'Shit,' Rodgers said.
'What?' Herbert asked.
'I wonder if it could be blackmail.'
Herbert scowled. 'That's a pretty big leap.'
'I've been told I make a lot of those,' Rodgers said. 'Is there anything in the dossier that is listed as eyes only?'
'No.'
'So it may not be part of his civilian record. Can you get Howell's military records? If I go through channels, it will take days.'
'I can probably go through Andrews '
'That will take time,' Rodgers said. 'We don't have that.'
' or I can ask Matt,' Herbert replied. 'He's working on getting things running downstairs.'
'Please do,' Rodgers said. 'This is important.'
'I'm all over it, like ugly on an ape,' the intelligence chief told him. 'I'll call you back.'
'Thanks.'
Like ugly on an ape? Herbert thought as he clicked off and called downstairs to the Tank. Either he was severely overtired or the fresh air was doing funny things to his head.
