Iris Johansen - Dead Aim

"But you could. You could stand on the outside and watch the world go by." "Sure I could." He glanced at her and his lips tightened.

"We're different, Alex. That's what I've been telling you." She quickly looked back at the island to mask the pain that went through her. "It must be a really strange relationship between Melis and Lontana. She seems more the protective parent than he does. He evidently leaves her out here in the middle of nowhere for months on end."

"I wouldn't worry about her. She's definitely no victim." "I didn't say I was worried. I just don't like the idea of any one being that isolated." She grimaced. "We didn't find out much, did we? Except about the coal mine. How many coal mines are there in West Virginia?"

"I don't know, but we'd better find out soon," he said grimly.

She felt the same sense of urgency. They seemed to be taking only the tiniest steps forward, and again she had the panicky feeling that time was running out. "It's like trying to work a picture puzzle with half the pieces missing."

"But we're gradually finding those pieces. We know Betworth origina.lly hired Lontana because they thought they had a foolproof way of accomplishing their ends without being found out. But evidently there was some reason why they thought the sonic apparatus wouldn't give them the effect they wanted on the last project in Baltimore. So they brought in Morales to handle it and evidently also to give them backup plans in case Lontana's technology didn't work."

"And after they got what they needed, they called you to get rid of him so he couldn't talk," Alex said. "And when Lontana took off for the high seas and ruined their nice little scenario, they had to backtrack and rely on Morales's original plans."

"See, we're making progress."

"Yeah, some progress. We don't know why, when, or where. As a journalist I was taught those questions were the essentials for any story."

"Well, we know who. Betworth. The rest will fall into place."

She hoped it would fall into place in time. "Do you think Lontana is as innocent as she claimed?"

"Maybe. He bailed out before Arapahoe. Did he suspect? It's possible. But Betworth evidently didn't think he'd picked up enough information to be dangerous or he'd never have gotten out of Fairfax alive." He frowned. "What I'm wondering about is Morales's involvement in this Baltimore project. It's logical that it would be Z-3. But the diagram in Morales's briefcase looked more like a skyscraper than anything to do with a seaport. And Morales dealt in drugs and arms. Betworth wouldn't have trusted him to have anything to do with this thermal-sonic apparatus. He had to have some other job to do in Baltimore."

"What?"

He shook his head. "I don't know and he can't tell us. But maybe someone else can. Most arms dealers don't work alone. The transactions are too involved and complicated. They have partners or at least contacts."

"Did Morales?"

"I didn't do an in-depth investigation of him before the hit.

It was going to be a simple job. No problems." He reached for his phone. "I told Galen to run a check on him, but it's time to let him know we might need something in a hurry." When Galen picked up, Morgan went through everything they'd learned from Melis Nemid. "Finding that coal mine should take top priority. But I don't like that info on Morales. I didn't realize he was that much involved in the project. It could be those diagrams are just the tip of the iceberg."

"Then I'll see if I can find the rest of the berg." Galen paused. "We have your transport set out of Tobago, but you don't have to come back here. You could stay out of the country. It would be safer. Or you could leave Alex down there."

"No way. Alex and I have just been discussing islands and the fact that Alex couldn't live on one and certainly couldn't be one. So I guess I'll go along for the ride." He hung up and said to Alex, "Though he's right, it would be safer to stay down here in paradise. And much pleasanter than that shack in West Virginia."

"That wouldn't take much." "But the answer's no?"

She looked back at the island, which was almost out of sight in the distance. She was so tired of fighting, and it would be heaven to find a place like that to rest and heal. The idea was beautiful and tempting… and completely out of the question. "The answer's no."

Galen called Morgan back when they were driving down a dirt road to a private airport on the island of Tobago. "I've found Al Leary."

"Where is he?"

"Guatemala City." "What?"

"He left Washington two days ago and we followed him to Guatemala City. Actually, he's in a small town south of the city. He's staying at the Rio Hotel, a Matanza hangout. One of Juan Cordoba's whores lives there, and he uses her place for his more sensitive meetings."

Morgan could feel Alex's gaze on him and carefully kept his face expressionless. "You're sure?" "No doubt about it. And I don't think Leary's down there trying to catch the bad guys. If he were, he'd be dead by now. It looks dirty to me. You're going after him?"

"Yes."

"You need transport?" "Of course."

"You don't want to talk right now, do you?" Galen said. "Call me back as soon as you can. I'll have Marco Salazar pick you up at the airport in Guatemala City. He'll try to help you, but it's really going to be your show. Matanza practically owns the town." He paused. "And Leary's being pretty brassy. He wasn't as hard to find as he should have been. Be careful."

"You know it." He hung up. "What's happened?" Alex asked.

"Logan is still in Washington, but hasn't found out anything. No other news." He put his phone away. "There's the airport. I hope this wind dies down. That prop plane doesn't look like it could stand much buffeting around."

Don Garver, the same pilot who'd flown them from Miami, gave them a sunny smile as he threw open the door for them to board. "Have a good trip? This one may not be so hot. It's going to be a little rough today."

"Should we be flying?" Alex asked.

"Sure. I wouldn't risk that pretty neck." He went back to the cockpit. "But I don't promise not to cause your stomach to do a few flip-flops."

"We'll survive." Morgan helped Alex into the plane and settled her in her seat. "That's what seat belts are for." "Speak for yourself," Alex said. "I don't travel well in bumpy weather." "I promise that you won't even feel it this time." Morgan smiled down at her. "Trust me." "That's a first." She smiled back at him. "Lately you've been trying to convince me you can't be trusted." He put his hand caressingly on the side of her neck. "No one ever said I was consistent."

"Good, because I do trust-" Her eyes widened. "What are-" She slumped down in the seat.

"You won't trust me when you wake up. Sleep well." He brushed a kiss on her forehead and turned to Garver, who was staring wide-eyed at him. "Take her to Miami and don't let her leave the plane until Galen gets there."

"What did you do to her? Hit her?"

"Sort of. And she's going to be mad as hell when she wakes up. If I were you, I'd want to be out of this turbulence before I had to deal with her." He turned and headed for the door.

"Tell her it was necessary. I had no choice. Galen will explain it to her."

The White House

"I have to talk to you, Mr. President," Keller said.

"Not now. I'm late." Andreas moved quickly down the hall.

"I was supposed to be at the dedication of that statue at the Pentagon ten min-" He stopped when he saw Keller's face. "My God, what's wrong?"

"Plummock Falls. We believe it's… gone."

Andreas halted in his tracks. "You told me it couldn't happen again. You told me it was safe."

"That's what I was assured by both the FBI and the CIA." "Assurances. God, I'm tired of assurances. Was anyone hurt?"