Simple Genius

and finally a call to Champ Pollion, who came out to settle the dispute.

When Champ first saw Michelle, the brilliant physicist was instantly reduced to a puppy begging for attention.

“Yes, of course you can stay,” Champ said, stammering slightly as he held out his hand to Michelle.

Sean said, “Maybe we can grab some chow in the dining room while we discuss the case.”

“Fine,” Michelle said, her gaze on Champ. “Thank you, Mr. Pollion.”

“Please, call me Champ.”

“I’m sure you live up to your name,” she said.

As they drove off Sean glanced back at Champ and saw his look of longing at Michelle.

In your freaking dreams, pal.

The dining room was mostly empty at this hour, but true to its 24/7 policy, the Babbage Town chefs were on duty and in a matter of fifteen minutes they had hot food and coffee in front of them.

Sean filled Michelle in on everything, including the attempt on his life, his theory on Rivest’s murder, and his brief conversation with Valerie Messaline. In turn, Michelle brought him up to date on what she’d found out from her friend at the National Intelligence Center.

“I heard a plane landing around two A.M. my first night here. A big one. I wondered why I couldn’t see any running lights.” “My contact at NIC also told me that Ian Whitfield is a man not to be crossed.”

“Trust me I’d already gotten that impression,” Sean said.

“So you’re partnering with this Sheriff Hayes?”

Sean stirred some sugar into his coffee. “It seemed like a good way to keep in the loop.”

“And little Joanie is okay with that?”

“Little Joanie doesn’t know, because I haven’t been returning her calls.”

“I knew I loved you.”

“Hold your accolades; I’m going to have to fill her in at some point.”

“And this Hayes guy? Is he okay?”

“Solid guy, if excitable. He doesn’t think I should be going anywhere near Whitfield’s wife.”

“Well neither do I.”

“If Monk was killed by the folks at Camp Peary, she may be the only way we can find out about it.”

“From the way you said he blew off the little missus tonight, I doubt Whitfield is giving his wife a daily briefing.”

“She might have learned something anyway. The lady isn’t stupid and she’s not happy with her hubby right now.”

“Okay, let’s say Whitfield had Monk Turing killed. Why?” “Something he saw? These secret flights maybe? There’s something weird going on over there for damn sure. Somebody took a shot at me. And say what you will about the CIA, they don’t usually go out of their way to kill American citizens for no reason.”

“He might’ve seen someone tortured. Or even killed,” Michelle added.

“People are assuming that Turing climbed the fence and then died right there. But what if he went a lot farther than that? In fact what if he was trying to get back out of Camp Peary when he was killed?”

“But you said all evidence pointed to suicide.”

“Come on, the CIA can’t rig a murder to look like suicide?”

“Sean, why would Monk Turing be sneaking over there in the first place?”

“According to Whitfield, to kill himself to either make the CIA look bad or die in a blaze of media glory.”

“But you don’t buy that.”

“No, but maybe he saw the flights coming in and being a curious genius he decided to check it out?”

“This genius couldn’t figure out that doing something like that was tantamount to suicide?” she said skeptically.

“So maybe there was another reason he was going there. But there’s another possibility. He might be spying on this place and selling its secret to the highest bidder. Rivest apparently thought there were spies here. And Turing did leave the country.”

“That doesn’t explain how he ended up dead on CIA property. And maybe Turing isn’t spying on this place.”

“What do you mean?” Sean said curiously.

“I mean, what is it they really do here at Babbage Town? Play with numbers and little computers, or so they say?” She lowered her voice. “So how do you know this place isn’t really a spy ring? Right across the river is a super-secret CIA facility. Maybe all the scientific mumbo-jumbo is just that, crap to cover up their real work: espionage against this country.”

Sean smiled. “That’s a brilliant theory. I knew I missed you for a good reason.”

“That’s why they call it a partnership.”

“But if this place is a spy ring, why call us in?”

“Rivest called us in. Maybe he wasn’t in on the espionage. But he did say the owners were having second thoughts.”

“When I screw up the courage to talk to Joan, I’ll ask her for a rundown on some of these things. I especially want a more detailed background check on Champ, Alicia and Monk Turing.”

“So quantum computers, you said?”

“Len Rivest said it was worth countries going to war for.”

“So you think Rivest’s death is connected to Monk’s?”

“If not, at least to Babbage Town. He was going to tell me all about the place. Then he goes to take a bath and gets murdered in the tub.”

“But the FBI still thinks it was an accident?”

“Ventris is the guy in charge. I don’t know what he thinks. He made it very clear that I was a bug to be crushed if I got in his way.”

“It’s late. Why don’t we get moved into our new home?”

Sean grabbed his bag and they headed over to the bungalow. There were no lights on inside.

“They must be asleep.” Sean unlocked the door with the key Alicia had given him and led Michelle inside. He turned on the foyer light and said, “I’m bunking in one of the bedrooms at the top of the stairs. There’s an empty one across from me. I’ll explain things to Alicia in the morning.”

He studied her without seeming to do so. “So you’re doing okay?” he said quietly.

“Actually, better than okay. I have to admit, the R amp;R was good for me.”

“And the weird stuff you mentioned going on at the psych hospital? Anything come out of that?” he asked casually, already knowing the answer.

“Nothing worth mentioning,” she lied. “I have to tell you, your buddy Horatio was a big disappointment. After asking me a bunch of irrelevant and insulting questions he took off, haven’t seen the little shit since.”

“Really? That’s surprising.” Sean elected not to tell her that the “little shit” would be here in a matter of hours.

“Okay, point me in the direction of my bed. I’m about ready to collapse,” she said.

In the next moment Michelle pulled her gun and pointed it at the sounds that came rushing at them out of the darkness.

CHAPTER 42

SEAN GRABBED HOLD OF MICHELLE’S ARM and said, “Viggie? Viggie is that you?”

The sounds became clearer now. It was someone whimpering.

Sean led the way into the next room and found a light switch.Viggie was huddled in a chair against the wall. She was dressed in her pajamas and her hair was down around her shoulders. It made her look older than did the pigtails. Her eyes were red from crying and the expression on her face was that of a person who hurt everywhere.