Iris Johansen - Dead Aim

"Well, your intelligence reports could have been a little timelier about the Mexico City bombing."

"I don't have to take that from you, Keller," he said coldly.

"You have no idea the problems we're facing."

"If I did, then I'd be better able to make judgment calls.

Under Homeland Security we're supposed to be one big happy family." He waved his hand as Danley opened his mouth to reply. "I don't give a damn about anything the CIA does as long as you don't get in my way." He jerked his thumb at the door to Andreas's office. "I like that stubborn son of a bitch. I'm going to make sure he stays alive."

"How do you expect to do that if you can't even keep him from wandering all over the country?" Danley didn't wait for a reply as he headed for the door. "If there's any change in the situation, I'll let you know."

Danley waited until he was driving down Pennsylvania Avenue before he placed the call to Betworth. "He's going to Arapahoe. Since there's no proof of sabotage, Keller couldn't talk him out of it."

"I didn't think he'd be able to do it," Betworth said. "Naturally Andreas would be suspicious. I thought the seismograph report might allay some of it, but evidently…" He was silent a moment, thinking. "And this Alex Graham business is troubling. I believe we'll have to do some adjusting to our plans. I'll let you know." He hung up.

Stockton, Maine

The muscles of Judd Morgan's spine tightened as he felt eyes watching him from outside the open window.

Runne?

He bent over the canvas, listening.

No, not Runne.

There wasn't enough purple in the shadow of the man's cloak. He added the smallest brush stroke before he called, "What the hell are you doing here, Galen?"

"How did you know it was me?"

He turned to face the window. "I know your footsteps."

Galen chuckled. "And that's why you left all those fallen leaves spread on the ground in front of the window." He hoisted himself onto the windowsill and swung his legs over. "Snap, crackle, pop. Did I crunch loud enough for you?"

"You know you did." Sean Galen could be as quiet and lethal as a panther when he made the effort. "You sounded like a hippopotamus."

"I thought it wise to let you know I was coming. I've seen you react to the unexpected, and Elena wants me to come back in one piece."

"How is Elena?"

"Fine. Strong. BeautifuL" "LethaL"

"Only when she's betrayed. You're lucky she didn't follow you and cut your throat."

Judd shrugged. "I did what I had to do. I tried to make sure no one was hurt."

"And that you got away with thirty million in drug money."

"I needed it." He set his brush down. "Is that why you're here? You want to save Elena the trouble of getting even?"

Galen shook his head. "She wouldn't thank me for doing that. You'll be glad to know she's looking forward, not back, these days."

"I am glad." He smiled. "And relieved. I like Elena." His smile faded. "And I like you, Galen. I'm sorry I had to disappoint you. You know why I had to have the money."

"You needed bribe money to get the CIA's hit men to take the sanction off you. Dammit, I was trying to pull strings to get you clear. Why couldn't you wait?"

"It was taking too long. Another three months and they would have found me. They needed a scapegoat very badly, and dead meat is absolutely required in these situations."

"Well, evidently the money hasn't helped, or you wouldn't be hiding out here in the woods."

"I'm getting there. The cover-up went to the top on that North Korean sanction, and politicians have to be careful with a sudden influx of cash."

"If they don't find you before you get out from under."

Galen paused. "Like I did."

Judd smiled faintly. "But you're extraordinarily qualified in that area."

"You didn't make it easy. You've moved four times in the last month."

"How did you find me?"

"Your new obsession." Galen's gaze went to the painting on the easel. "You lived at my ranch for months. I knew you'd need paints and canvas and you particularly like the quality of the paints from that dealer in Nova Scotia."

Judd nodded approvingly. "Very good. And the next ques tion is, why have you found me?"

"I have a job for you."

Judd went still. "I take it you're not hiring me to paint Elena's portrait."

"No way."

"Then I have to refuse. I'm out of the business."

"The wages are very high."

"I don't need money, Galen."

"I don't imagine you do, after the money you took from Chavez. But you need that sanction taken off you and I know a man who can do it."

"For a price?" His lips twisted. "Who does he want taken down?"

Galen shook his head. "He wants someone kept alive." Galen dropped into a chair and stretched out his legs. "Could I have a cup of coffee from the pot on that table? It was a damn cold walk from the road."

"No one invited you to make it." Judd crossed the room, poured him a cup, and took it to him. "If your man wants to pay me to keep someone alive, then he must think it's going to be difficult to do it."

"Not easy." "Who?"

"Alex Graham." "Never heard of him."

"Her. She's a photojournalist covering the dam break at

Arapahoe Junction."

He went still. "Arapahoe Junction?"

"Even if you've been on the move you must have heard about the break."

"Oh, yes. I've heard about it. And?"

"She claims she saw someone cause a landslide on the other side of the dam."

"I thought the dam break was supposed to be an accident." "They can't find any evidence to the contrary, but the FBI isn't taking any chances. An attempt was made on Graham's life two nights ago. Her friend, Sarah Logan, was shot in stead."

His brows lifted. "Logan?"

Galen nodded. "John Logan's wife. She's going to be fine, but he's a tad upset. So upset he wants to make sure Alex Graham is nowhere near his wife until this mess is cleared up."

"The woman is a target because she's a witness? Then why don't the police or the FBI put her in a safe house?"

"She won't have it. Logan tried to persuade her, but she balked."

"Then how am I supposed to keep her safe if she insists on staying in the open?"

Galen smiled. "I've never known you to quibble when an obstacle gets in your way. You'll do whatever is necessary. I told you, Logan wants to make sure."

"And Logan is going to get this sanction taken off me?" He shook his head. "He tried to pull strings before, but he struck out."

"You didn't give him enough time. He's had the President's ear since he's been involved in Homeland Security. All you have to do is make sure Alex Graham remains safe and sound until the FBI finds out what the hell happened at Arapahoe

Dam."

"And I assume I don't get my payoff until the woman is considered out of danger?"

"That's right."

"Bullshit. If I make myself visible, I could get taken out while I'm playing bodyguard."

"Maybe you could find a way to work around it. The payoff is worth it."

Freedom. Yes, that would be worth almost any risk. He thought about it. It was tempting. Logan was an honest man and would keep his word. Judd wouldn't admit it to Galen, but his own efforts to bribe his way to safety had come to a dead end lately. But he could see any number of possible pitfalls looming in a situation that involved working in the shadow of the FBI.

Arapahoe Junction…

He shook his head. "It's not my scene. I'll work out my problems my own way."

"Look, this job's important to me. Logan is my friend. Ac tually, he called me and asked me to do it."

"Then why don't you?"

"I promised I'd stay close to home, and I don't want to worry Elena." He paused and a smile lit his face. "She's preg nant."

"Congratulations."

"We're pretty happy about it." His smile faded. "So I'm calling in debts. You could have gotten eliminated if I hadn't given you a place to hide when they put out word of the sanc tion. You owe me, Judd."