Дэвид Балдаччи - Long Road to Mercy

“Still, someone went to a lot of trouble to clean this up,” said Blum.

“I pulled both guys from the truck. When it blew Ed got hit with a piece of shrapnel in the arm. That’s why my jacket is missing. I used it to wrap his wound.” She pointed at her shirtsleeve, where there were traces of blood. “And they missed this. It’s his blood. Some got on me when I was tending his injury.”

“You said you called the police?”

Pine nodded. “And I imagine they would have gotten here at some point. But there was no way they could have gotten rid of all the evidence before then.”

“I can check on that,” said Blum. “And see what happened.” She paused as she stared around at where the attack had taken place. “You didn’t tell anyone about the imposter Ben Priest?”

Pine glanced at her. “No, I didn’t.”

“Because you felt something was out of sorts?”

“Yes.”

“Well, with choppers, body armor, and soldiers carrying assault weapons and throwing flashbangs at you I can see why.”

“This is getting weirder by the minute.”

“Oh, I always thought it was a little weird to begin with. I mean, you don’t see a dead mule with letters carved on it every day of the week.”

They had just arrived at the office and gone inside when Pine’s phone buzzed. She had charged it using Blum’s car charger. She did not look pleased at the name on the caller ID.

Blum glanced at her. “Let me guess. The chain of command is calling?”

Pine grimaced. “Yep.”

“The only question is, how high up?” said Blum.

“Looks to be pretty damn high,” said Pine grimly.

Clint Dobbs was the special agent in charge at the Phoenix Field Office. He was ultimately in charge of every FBI office in the state of Arizona and had a legion of agents under his command. But right now, it seemed, all his attention was focused on one, who held down the newest and only one-agent office in the entire state.

Atlee Pine.

“Your job as a solo agent in an RA is to do everything, Pine,” said Dobbs, his tone strident as Pine sat behind her desk listening. “But to also do everything by the book. There is no margin for error.”

“Yes, sir. I’m aware of that, sir, and I’ve done that.”

“Oh, so you’ve done that in this case?” he said skeptically.

“Yes, sir.”

“Then why do I have a family in Maryland in protective custody at your request, calling up the Bureau and demanding to know where their husband and father is? And that person just happens to be the brother of the man who recently went missing in the Grand Canyon? A case that you’re investigating? Now, I have talked to your direct superiors, and they have no record of being in the loop on any of that, Pine. So, would you like to reconsider your answer that you’ve done everything by the book on this sucker?”

“The situation demanded immediate action, sir. I didn’t have time to fill everyone in. But it was going in my next report.”

“Don’t bullshit with me. I’ve got better things to do with my time than be on a phone call with the eighth and smallest RA under my command. I expected better from you, Pine. You’ve done great things at the Agency, but crap like this can ruin a good career.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m trying to give you a friendly warning here, Pine.”

“Yes, sir. I appreciate that, sir.”

“I’m not sure you do. See, whatever you do wrong comes back to reflect negatively on me. That’s the price you pay for being an SAIC.”

“Fully understand, sir.”

“No, again, I don’t think you do, or you wouldn’t have done what you did. Do you think I’m calling you for the hell of it? I’ve actually got more important things to do. But my cell phone was ringing off the hook at five a.m. It was Washington calling. The DD himself. Hell, I guess I was surprised the director didn’t call.”

“And how is the deputy director?”

“Don’t be insubordinate, Pine. I won’t stand for that.”

“Not my intention, sir.”

“Anyway, the DD called me in a lather. I’m not sure I have hearing left in my right ear. I can’t have this, Pine. I really can’t. You get that?”

“Got it, sir.”

“And now I understand that you were involved in a car accident?”

“I was in an accident, sir. But I’m okay. Just shaken up. They released me from the hospital and I’m back at work.”

“Did you smash up your Bureau-issued vehicle?”

“No, I was in another SUV, sir.”

“And what is the status of this other vehicle?”

“It’s no longer drivable. But that’s on my dime. I have insurance. Nothing for the Bureau to worry about, sir. I was off duty.”

“Pray that I don’t find out differently.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And, Pine, take some time off. From what I understand, the missing person case is going nowhere. And you know as well as anyone that people go missing from the Grand Canyon all the time. Some get found, and sometimes their bodies get found. But I don’t believe it’s good use of your time or taxpayer dollars to be on this case. So far, all we really have is a dead mule. The locals can sort that out. So, take some time off, get your head straight, file your insurance paperwork, and stay the hell out of trouble. Am I clear?”

“Could not be clearer, sir.”

But Dobbs had already clicked off.

Pine put down the phone and looked up when someone knocked on her door.

Blum poked her head in. “Is the coast clear?”

Pine nodded. “My ass was just officially kicked all the way from Phoenix.”

“Let me guess: Clint Dobbs?” said Blum.

Pine nodded. “The one and only.”

“I worked for him once, way back, when he was fighting his way up the ladder. It was clear he wanted to be an SAIC, even back then. Some agents want to work the field. Others want to work from behind a desk. Dobbs was the latter.”

Pine remained silent.

“He was a real jerk back then. They say he’s mellowed.” Blum paused and studied Pine.

“He basically ordered me to take time off.”

“Are you?”

Pine looked at Blum. “I’m an FBI agent. I’m not supposed to work outside the lines.”

“But you’re not satisfied?”

“I was almost killed by what appeared to be my own government. The guy in charge of the National Security Branch is on the case’s email thread. My über boss just told me the DD called up and chewed him out, with the result that I’ve been told to go take a vacation.”

“So, the question is, do you work outside the lines or follow lockstep?”

Pine didn’t answer right away. When she started speaking, her words came out slowly.

“They could have easily killed me last night. I was incapacitated. But they took Ben and Ed Priest. They could have taken me, too.”

“Why do you think they didn’t?”

“You kill an FBI agent, you poke a hole in a hornet’s nest.”

Blum nodded. “I found some things out while you were on the phone with Dobbs. First, the local police received your phone call but had been called off before they got to the scene. They said it was you calling back and saying it was all a mistake.”

“What else?”

“The stretch of road you said you were on?”

“What about it?”

“I called a friend of mine who’s a state trooper. Part of his beat is that area. A buddy of his was on duty last night. He saw a road crew blocking off a section of that highway.”

“A road crew?” repeated Pine.

“Yeah. But I know for a fact they just finished repaving that road. So what would they have been working on?”

“They were working on getting Ben Priest away from me. And that would account for why I didn’t see any other cars.”