“What is it?”
“London has been on the phone,” she said, letting go of my coat and taking a step back. You can always rely on Headquarters people to dampen the moment.
“And?”
“I’m sorry, David. There’s no easy way to say this. They dressed it up in a load of bullshit, but the bottom line is, London is washing their hands. As far as this current situation is concerned, you’re on your own.”
“They’re cutting me loose?”
“I’m sorry, David. I wouldn’t personally go this way, but it’s London’s call.”
“That’s ridiculous. Why?”
“This dead agent. The eyewitness. Something about some physical evidence the FBI found at your hotel.”
“That’s nothing.”
“It’s something to Washington. Whatever they found, it somehow convinced them you’ve been freelancing. They say they’re coming after you personally unless you give up your client.”
“And London? They believe that?”
“They don’t know either way.”
“So they just gave me up, anyhow?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time someone crossed the line. And Washington thinks they’ve got a traitor in the bureau, which is making them extra crazy.”
“That’s their problem. London should have stood up.”
“I’m sorry, David. I agree with you. I think they’re making a mistake. I tried to argue with them, but who am I?”
“Don’t worry about it, Tanya. It’s not your fault. You didn’t go over there and remove their backbones.”
“I still feel bad, though.”
“That’s life. Shit happens. It’s what you do about it that counts.”
“But what can you do? You didn’t kill their agent, and you don’t have a name to give them. It’s a lose-lose situation.”
“Something will come to mind.”
“Like what? If you don’t cooperate they’ll think you’re holding out on them. They’ll come after you extra hard, out of spite.”
“It won’t come to that.”
“How can you avoid it? The moment they get you in a courtroom, you’re finished. The odds are totally stacked in their favor.”
“So maybe I won’t go into a courtroom.”
“David, there’s no way to avoid it. Without London’s help you don’t have a choice. Face the facts. You’re stuck with it, so we’ll just have to think of a different approach. Something to balance the scales a little.”
“Such as?”
“This legal aid person Washington is offering? Their public defender? Forget him. Hire a better lawyer. It would be expensive, but if you worked with them to build a really strong case you could beat the FBI at their own game. And make London eat humble pie at the same time. How sweet would that be?”
“Work with a lawyer?” I said, moving over to the window. There were fewer people on the street now, and the ones that were left seemed somehow smaller and farther away. “That’s one option.”
There was a bang on the door.
“Sixty seconds,” Lavine said, from the corridor.
“His watch must be fast,” Tanya said. “Arsehole. So anyway, decision time. What are we going to tell Rosser when we go back in?”
“Tell him whatever you like,” I said, crossing to the opposite corner of the room. “But for now, do me a favor. Stay where you are.”
“David? What are you doing?”
I found a spot where I’d be concealed by the door when it opened and got into position, lying on my back with my right knee slightly bent and my arms stretched out above my head, as straight as the handcuffs would allow. Then I slowed my breathing right down and relaxed my whole body until it was perfectly still.
Lavine didn’t knock a second time, and he came into the room well before the final minute was up. He took a step toward Tanya and then stopped abruptly with one hand still holding the door. After a moment the closing mechanism pulled the handle clear of his fingertips and it swung back into place with a bang.
“Where is he?” Lavine said.
Tanya nodded in my direction. She looked nervous.
If Lavine had been sensible and headed back to the corridor for help I’d have had a problem. But he didn’t. He came over to gawp at me. People can never resist the sight of a body. I should know.
I stopped breathing altogether as Lavine approached. He stepped into the gap I’d left next to the wall, bent over me, then knelt down for a closer look. I could feel his breath on my cheek. It was damp. I guess he was worried, wondering how to explain this fiasco to Rosser.
Before he could move away I whipped my right leg up, hooked it around the back of his head and dragged him down toward me, trapping his neck between my thighs and jacking myself up into a sitting position at the same time. My arms were still above my head, and in one continuous movement I swung them over and brought them down in front of me, slamming the edges of my fists into his left temple like a pair of sledgehammers.
Tanya rushed over and stood for a moment, staring down at the pair of us entwined on the floor. She looked completely aghast. Then, without me asking, she began to haul Lavine’s slack body off my leg.
“David, what on earth do you think you’re doing?” she said. “How are we going to fix this?”
“Give me a hand,” I said. “I need his keys.”
“What’s going on inside your head? Why did you attack him? Talk about making yourself look guilty. Who’s going to believe you now?”
“Tanya-keys.”
“Things were bad enough already. Now you’ve made them a thousand times worse. Just be quiet for a minute. I need time to think.”
“We don’t have any time. I need to be out of here before they come looking for Lavine. They’ll wonder where we are.”
“You’re running away? Things are getting a bit tough, and this is how you react?”
“I’m not running away, Tanya. Never have, never will.”
“Then what are you doing? You might as well sign a confession. Do you want to die in jail?”
“Stop thinking inside the system, Tanya. I gave it a chance. It came up short. Now it’s time to take care of business for myself.”
“How?”
“Find out who’s framing me.”
“Then what? Have you thought about this at all? Have you got any idea what you’re going to do?”
“Bring them back here. Accept Rosser’s apology. Go back to work.”
“You’re taking the law into your own hands? You really think that’s the best way to go? You’ll be a fugitive. A cop killer. The FBI, NYPD, everyone you can think of will be out there, hunting you down.”
“They can try, Tanya. It’s nothing new. And who else is going to sort this crock out? Lawyers? I don’t think so. Washington? Too busy throwing me to the lions. London? Sitting back, watching. You? Running around, delivering messages?”
Tanya turned away. Her breathing sounded sharp and fast but she made no attempt to speak.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “That wasn’t fair.”
“No, it wasn’t,” she said, without moving. “I’ve been trying to help ever since I got your call.”
“I know. But if you really want to do something helpful, please, get me the damn keys.”
Tanya found them in Lavine’s pants pocket, which was the first place she looked. She pulled them out, stalled for a moment while she pretended to examine his Bart Simpson key ring, and then very hesitantly released my wrists.
“OK,” she said. “So I’m an accessory now. What else can I do?”
