from Washington.”
“Did it work?” Augie nodded his head and puffed on his pipe. Michael asked, “The
CIA assassinated two elected officials in an allied country?”
“Yes. Michael, you have to understand things were a lot different back then. The stakes were considerably higher than they are today, and the spying business was a far deadlier game.” Michael shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not into revisionism, and I’m not in much of a position to judge you.” Augie rubbed the end of his pipe with his thumb. “Do you understand why I told you that story?”
“I think so.”
“What would your reaction be if I told you I think I know who might be behind the assassinations of Olson and Turnquist?” Michael shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I would be very interested to hear what you have to say.”
“The man that came up with the idea to use the OAS as a cover went on to head the
Black Operations Directorate of the CIA from the mid-sixties until just several years ago.
Have you ever heard of Arthur Higgins?” Michael frowned and said, “Yes… I thought he was retired.”
“Forced out would be a more precise term.”
“Why?”
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“There are a lot of reasons, but the short version is that he and Director Stansfield had some issues.” Michael looked at Seamus and then back at Augie. “Where are you going with this?”
“I think Arthur is behind the assassinations of Turnquist and Olson.”
“I hope you’re basing this on more than the story you just told me.”
“Oh, I am. There’s a lot more.” Michael’s chin dropped down into his chest, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. Without looking up, he asked, “What’s the motive for Higgins to kill Turnquist and Erik?”
“I’m not sure about Turnquist, but Arthur had a personal score to settle with Olson.”
“What score?” Michael looked up. “Arthur was next in line for the top job at the CIA
when Director Carlyle stepped down four years ago.
Everybody thought the job was Arthur’s, including me. That was until your old boss stepped in.”
“Erik?”
“Yep. You must remember, when all of this happened, you were on Olson’s staff.”
“Of course I do, but I don’t remember Higgins’s name being mentioned.
All I remember is the President nominating Stansfield and that he was confirmed with bipartisan support.” Augie grinned. “Stansfield was the only person nominated because your boss, Chairman Olson, went to the President and told him if Arthur’s name was sent to the Intelligence Committee, he would do everything in his power to block the nomination.
Olson told the President if the nomination was lucky enough to get out of his committee and make it to the Senate floor for a vote, he would resign his chairmanship in protest.” Augie pointed the end of his pipe at Michael.
“Rather than risk the embarrassment, the President nominated Stansfield, and Arthur missed his chance at the one job he had worked his entire life to get.” Michael frowned.
“You think he would kill Erik over that?”
“You’ve never met Arthur, have you?”
“No.”
“He’s the most evil son of a bitch I’ve ever known.” Michael skeptically shook his head. “I’m having a hard time buying this.”
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“Michael, it runs much deeper than what I’ve told you. For over thirty years Arthur ran the most secretive part of the Agency. He answered to no one. Directors came and went and not one of them dared cross him.
Arthur always hid behind internal-secrecy rules and a need-to-know basis. In the early years he received a blank check for his operations, but then, when the House and the Senate implemented oversight committees, he was left with the option of telling them what he was doing or having his funding cut. Arthur was not involved in the type of things he could talk about in public. He didn’t even tell people in the Agency what he was up to, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to walk into a committee room and explain himself to a roomful of men who were about as good at keeping secrets as a gossip columnist.
Over the years his funding shrank significantly, but his operating budget continued to grow. He started to finance his operations through various illegal endeavors.”
“Why didn’t someone reel him in?” asked Seamus.
“Senator Olson did.”
“I can’t believe I never heard any of this from Erik.”
“Your boss was a very reasonable man, and he understood the value of the Agency.
He was a realist, and he knew that going after Arthur through hearings or an investigation would do more harm
