Michael McGarrity - Under the color of law

"What are you doing?" Sara asked.

Heartsick, Kerney shook his head.

"I don't know." He felt deflated, angry, helpless. He kicked a piece of the shattered laptop away, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

"It's over. It ends right here."

He pulled out his cell phone.

"I'm calling it in. Bobby, Apple white, Perry-the whole stinking mess."

Sara stepped up to Kerney and gripped his arm to stop him.

"Lets think this through."

Kerney didn't want to hear it.

"We're outgunned, outmanned, and outmaneuvered."

"We've got company," Sara said.

He looked over his shoulder and tensed. Two men in camouflage fatigues came out of the woods carrying assault rifles. They crossed the road in a disciplined, perfect tandem, weapons at the ready.

Sara reached into her pocket and wrapped her hand around the 38.

Kerney judged the distance to the nearest cover, snaked his hand inside his jacket, and grasped the semiautomatic.

One of the men called out, "Chief Kerney, Colonel Brannon, step away from each other and put your hands in the air where we can see them.

Chief Kerney, slowly turn to face me. Do it now."

"What do you think?" Kerney whispered.

"We better do as they say," she whispered back.

"Do it now!" the man ordered.

"I'm sorry I got you into this," Kerney said as he turned and clasped his hands at the back of his neck.

Sara took her empty hands out of her pockets.

"Let's see what these gentlemen want before you start apologizing."

Ingram flew over the westbound convoy on the Interstate. A troop transport, two flatbeds, an ambulance, a container truck, and a big-rig tow-truck were moving in close formation, led by a Hummer with flashing lights.

Ingram waited for his orders to come in by encrypted radio relay. If the removal sanction remained in effect, could he do it? Instructions came through to contain and suppress if possible. Ingram looked out the cockpit window and smiled.

In his headset Ingram caught chopper traffic as the two Special Ops teams arrived at the scene and blocked the highway. He listened to pilots bark off-load orders as team members dropped into intercept positions at the few dirt roads that fed onto the highway.

On approach he had the pilot make a run down the five-mile containment area. They flew over the mountain pass roadblock, over Kerney and Sara Brannon under guard next to the Bronco, past the line of special-ops airmen guarding side roads, past Charlie Perry in the shot-up car, and on to the western roadblock.

Ingram ordered his chopper back to the Bronco. The pilot put the bird down on the highway. Ingram walked through deep snow to Kerney and Sara Brannon. Both were cuffed, hands at their backs. He had the cuffs removed and sent the guards out of earshot.

He looked at them for a long minute before speaking. Kerney's jaw muscles were torqued together. Sara Brannon's eyes questioned him, but she gave no sign of recognition.

"Shouldn't you be on your way back to Fort Leavenworth, Colonel?" Ingram asked.

"I was just leaving," Sara replied.

"That may still be possible," Ingram said. A cold wind blew against his neck. He turned up his collar.

"But first, tell me what you know."

"I know one of my officers has just been murdered," Kerney replied sharply.

"Make this easy on yourself, Chief," Ingram said wearily.

"I'll ask the questions. How did you ID me?"

Kerney stared hard at Ingram before replying.

"You were named as the source who confirmed that Applewhite'was FBI."

"Who passed on the information to you?"

"A friend of mine."

"Does he have a name?" Ingram asked sharply.

"Chief Baca of the state police."

"Did Chief Baca assist you in any other way?"

"No."

Ingram took in the answer without comment and glanced at the Bronco.

"Why did you put a tail on Agent Applewhite?"

"Last night I discovered who you and Applewhite really are," Kerney said.

"Once I knew she was operating covertly, I decided to have her watched."

"You suspected her?"

"Get real, Ingram," Kerney snapped.

"The woman just tried to murder us, and I've got a dead officer your people killed inside the Bronco. Of course I suspected her."

Ingram stuffed his cold hands into his coat pockets.

"Why did you visit Proctor Straley?"

"I wanted to find out if Applewhite had any connection to the Gatlin killing."

"And?" Ingram asked.

"Straley had no information. He accepts what he's been told."

"Who else besides Detective Sloan was helping you?"

Either Ingram didn't have a clue that he and Charlie Perry had also been under surveillance, or he was trying to give Kerney an out.

"Nobody," Kerney said.

Ingram nodded as though Kerney had given the right answer.

"Are you willing to walk away from this and not look back?"

"What will it take for us to do that?" Sara asked.

"All that you know about SWAMI can never be revealed, discussed, or made public.

The same applies to your investigation into the Terrell-Mitchell homicides. You will state this in writing and sign a binding, confidential document. Should you choose to go public on either of these matters, you will both be arrested and charged with the illegal possession of government secrets and obstructing a federal investigation. At the very least it will end both of your careers."

"What else?" Kerney asked.

"You must turn over all information gathered during your probe, and stop any further investigation into the death of Randall Stew art. You will acknowledge as accurate and conclusive the FBI findings of the Phyllis Terrell homicide investigation."

Kerney eyed the Bronco.

"How do you propose to make Bobby Sloan's murder go away?"

"Let's say that you asked Detective Sloan to meet with you in Ramah to participate in the Proctor Straley interview. Bad weather delayed his travel and an accident occurred involving a military munitions vehicle.

Unfortunately, the detective was killed in the collision."

"You can make that scenario happen?" Kerney asked.

"In a very short time it will happen."

"What about Applewhite and Perry?" Kerney asked.

"They were never here," Ingram replied.

"What if we don't agree to your terms?" Sara asked.

"The scenario regarding Detective Sloan's death is flexible, Colonel,"

Ingram said.

"Two more victims can easily be added, if necessary."

"Even if we walk now," Sara said, "what assurance do we have that your decision won't be overturned by a higher command authority?"

Ingram smiled thinly.

"I believe you've been given some cause to trust me in this matter, Colonel."

"I have," Sara said, "but it's not you I'm worried about."

"Any further contemplated action will be based on my debriefing. I doubt you'll have any reason to worry."

"That's good enough for me," Sara said.

Ingram gave Sara a brief smile and turned to Kerney.

"Do we have an agreement?"

Kerney nodded stiffly.

"Very well." Ingram switched his gaze back to Sara.

"A word of caution, Colonel.

When you return to Fort Leavenworth be very careful about what you do and say."

He motioned to the guards, who came forward and escorted Kerney and Sara to his helicopter. He heard the distant sound of the convoy on the road and walked to meet the lead vehicle. The Hummer stopped. He gave the officer his instructions, climbed into the chopper, and told the pilot to head for Santa Fe.

Kerney and Sara read and signed the binding agreement while Ingram looked on. At his cottage Kerney helped Ingram carry case material and evidence to his car. He watched Ingram arrange boxes neatly inside the trunk, and wondered why the rear license-plate lights were broken. He handed Ingram the last box filled with Father Mitchell's videotapes.