“What, quality over quantity?”
“We give them our hard-earned work and they get the credit for it. How is that fair?”
“I didn’t think fairness was an issue when we’re talking about the nation’s security.”
“I don’t want to discuss this with you anymore,” she said sharply.
“All right. I was just playing devil’s advocate. It’s part of my job.”
“You can be devilish, can’t you, Harkes? You have that reputation.”
“I do what needs to be done.”
“Bunting’s wife attempted suicide. Did you know that?”
“I heard.”
“Bunting must be frantic. I can’t stand the man professionally, but I have to admit, he does care for his family.” Her tone was gleeful.
“And it also helps you,” he said.
“Exactly. It takes him off his game. He’s not thinking about Edgar Roy. Or anything else. He knows we’ve set him up to take the blame. But he can’t do anything about it. All the people who matter have been dealt with.”
“It was a good plan.”
She eyed him thoughtfully. “You know, you can relax a bit. You look like you’re about to attack someone.”
Harkes let his rock-hard body ease just a fraction.
“You’ve done excellent work, Harkes. I’ve been impressed by you from day one. I plan on using you a lot in the future.”
She crossed her legs and let her dress slip back liberally on her bare thighs as she sat back farther against the cushions.
“I appreciate that, Secretary Foster.”
“We’re off the clock, Harkes. You can call me Ellen.”
Harkes said nothing to this.
“You’ve had an interesting life, James,” she said. “That was one reason I selected you.”
“I chose the path less traveled,” Harkes said simply.
“Combat hero, field agent with a list of successes. You can shoot straight and go toe-to-toe intellectually with a Cabinet member,” she added. “As I can certainly attest.”
Harkes said nothing.
She smiled demurely. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“Should I be?”
“I guess that all depends on how you want the evening to play out.”
“Do you think that wise, ma’am?”
“I’m not old enough to be a ma’am.”
“Sorry.”
“The staff is off until tomorrow. Security detail is outside and will stay there unless I tell them otherwise. I’m a big girl. You’re a big boy.”
She stretched out one bare foot and touched his leg. “At least I
Harkes sat in silence.
“Have you ever done it with a Cabinet member?” she asked.
“No. And since most of the Cabinet are male my options are limited.”
“Well, then this is your lucky night.”
Foster rose and went to him. She bent down and kissed him on the lips. “I hope you’re impressed. I don’t do this for just anybody.” She took one more sip of her drink and then put it down. She said casually, “I’m also in the market for a new chief of my personal security detail. I think you may like the fringe benefits offered.”
“I don’t think so.”
“What?” she said, startled.
Harkes rose. “I don’t mix business with anything else. Now if there’s nothing else you need, I’ll be going.”
“Harkes!”
“You have a good night, Madame Secretary.”
Harkes walked out the front door.
CHAPTER
69
BUNTING AND PAUL FOLLOWED Sean and Michelle back to Machias. On the way Sean filled Michelle in on all that had been discussed at the restaurant. Hours later they pulled their vehicles up to the darkened cottage in the woods and cut their lights. Sean was first to notice something wrong. The door to the cottage was partially open. It was nearly four in the morning and still dark. Michelle noted the open door, too. She slipped out her gun.
Bunting, who had fallen asleep in the other car, awoke and said groggily, “Are we here?”
“Keep quiet,” warned Paul, who was driving his rental. “Something’s not right.”
When Bunting saw that all three had their weapons out he sat upright, fully awake now. “What is it?” he hissed.
“Stay here,” ordered Michelle, as she came up next to their vehicle. “And keep down.”
Paul said, “I’ll stay with Peter.”
Bunting instantly crouched down in the floorboard while Paul’s gaze swept the house and the surrounding woods.
Michelle entered through the back door and Sean the front, and they met in the middle of the one-story house. Michelle picked up the overturned chair while Sean looked at the smashed glass cabinet that had sat against a wall, and the upside-down table. Megan Riley’s legal documents were scattered across the floor.
But that was all secondary.
“Damn,” said Sean in a low voice.
Eric Dobkin lay sprawled on the floor next to the table. He was dressed in civilian clothes because he was doing them a favor. His last favor.
Michelle knelt down next to him. “Looks to be a single GSW to the chest,” she said, examining the bloody hole in the man’s shirt. She edged him over. “Slug’s still in him. No exit wound.” Michelle laid the body back down, rose, and stepped back. “I can’t believe this happened.”
“Front door’s been kicked in,” noted Sean. “And Megan is obviously not here.”
That’s when he saw it over behind the couch. Sean picked it up. It was Megan’s sweater, with blood all over it. He poked a finger through a hole in the garment. “Not a bullet. Looks like maybe a knife.”
“If she’s dead why take her body?” said Michelle.
“I don’t know. But we have to call the cops.”
“Wait.”
They looked up to see Kelly Paul and Bunting standing in the front doorway.
“We can’t wait, Kelly,” said Sean. “This guy is a state trooper. He was doing us a favor. And now he’s dead. He’s got a wife and three little kids. This is a nightmare.”
Michelle said, “And Megan has been taken too.” She looked at Sean and added bitterly, “Some guardian angels we were.”
They contacted the police. Sean and Michelle waited for them to arrive while Bunting and Paul left. It would have been far too complicated to explain the latter two’s involvement. They arranged to rendezvous later.
Before she’d departed Paul had said, “It will be coming soon.”
“How are they going to do it?” asked Sean.
“The only way they really can,” replied Paul.
“And our response will be?” asked Sean.
