David Baldacci - The Last Mile

“That’s great news,” said Jamison.

“The bad news is it looks like to compensate for that they’re going to fight tooth and nail against the lawsuit I filed for damages from the attack on you at the prison.”

“Not surprising,” said Decker. “It’s their way to try to save face.”

Bogart said, “Decker has filled us in on Roy Mars meeting with Melvin, and the fact that he’s not Melvin’s father. And while I believe there’s a connection with the ‘Three Musketeers’ and all this, including Davenport’s disappearance, without strong evidence my hands are tied.”

Decker leaned forward. “Roy more or less affirmed our theory of the case. That he was on the run after falling out with his racist buddies. But he has the evidence against them. That was in the safety deposit box. That evidence will topple some pretty powerful men for crimes they committed five decades ago.”

“Did he say who these men were?” asked Oliver. “You mentioned the police chief.”

“Yes, he did. Our job now is to find Roy and get that evidence.”

“Decker, that’s what we’ve been trying to do,” said an exasperated Jamison.

“I know, Alex. I just feel like our chances are better now.”

“Why?”

“We might have an ace in the hole.”

“Can you explain that?” asked Milligan.

“Melvin and I went exploring. And we found something that might prove to be the thing that busts this whole case wide open.”

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Decker,” exclaimed Jamison.

“It proves that a swap did indeed take place.”

“A swap?” said Milligan.

“Right.”

“What does that mean exactly?”

“It means in this case one person swapped for another.” He pulled something from his pocket. “And here’s the proof.” He turned the copy of the photo around for all to see.

A chair was knocked over and feet rushed toward the door.

The locked door.

Mary Oliver turned back around to look at all of them, her face contorted into an ugly mass.

“You son of a bitch!” she screamed at Decker. Then she launched herself at him, but Bogart caught her by the arm and flung her back against the wall.

Milligan and Jamison looked bewildered.

“What is going on?” asked Milligan.

Decker looked at the picture he held. “This is a photo of Cain chief of police Roger McClellan.” He paused. “And Mary Oliver.”

Bogart righted the overturned chair and pointed at her. “Sit.”

Oliver barked, “You can’t order me around. I want out of here now. This is false imprisonment.”

Jamison said, “But that’s you in the picture. With McClellan!”

“So what? Is there a law against having your picture taken?” She whirled around at Bogart. “If you don’t let me out of here right now, I’m going to file such a massive lawsuit against the Bureau that your next posting will be at the unemployment office.”

“I don’t think so,” said Decker. “As I explained to Agent Bogart before, you will be arrested and charged in the abduction of Lisa Davenport.”

“Davenport? Are you nuts? You have no evidence at all tying me to that crime.”

“She would have opened her door that late at night only to someone she knew. The crime scene was rigged to let us think a terrific fight had ensued. It hadn’t.”

“And why don’t you tell me the motivation I would have to kidnap her?”

“The swap . With Davenport gone you volunteered to help us in the investigation. You played the heartfelt comrade wonderfully, even throwing in a dash of self-guilt. But with Davenport gone you were right in the middle of the investigation. You fed the results of all of our efforts to McClellan, who probably had men in Texas. When we were planning to visit Melvin’s home you grabbed your phone. You said you were responding to a text from your friend in Texas having to do with Melvin’s lawsuit. But the thing was, I was sitting next to you and I never heard the phone ring, buzz, or vibrate. You just used that as an excuse to warn your colleagues what we were going to do so they could get there first and search the place. Later, I’m sure you texted them again and told them about the hiding place in the garage that Melvin told us about. That’s why it already had been searched when we got there.”

Milligan said angrily, “And then they tried to kill us!”

“You’re nuts. I don’t even know McClellan. That photo was from some event. Lots of photos were taken.”

“Let’s cut to the chase, Oliver,” said Decker. “You didn’t just happen to decide to take up Melvin’s case. You were ordered to do so.”

Mars looked at her. “All those questions about my family, my father, or at least who I thought was my father. You were pumping me for information before they were going to execute me. You were trying to see if I knew where the stuff from the safe deposit box was.”

“I worked my ass off for you.”

Bogart said, “After Decker showed me the photo earlier, I did some digging. Your legal work was merely perfunctory. And when Melvin was rearrested, it was Decker who saved him in court, not you. And I also checked on the ‘lawsuit’ you filed against the state of Texas on Melvin’s behalf. Never happened.”

“I guess being a disciple of a racist like McClellan, you couldn’t bring yourself to actually help a black guy,” noted Decker. “But all that’s beside the point. We have you for the kidnapping. That’s twenty to life in a federal pen. And if Davenport’s dead, you could be looking at the death penalty.”

“You have no proof! And the lawsuit in Texas? It’s not like I’m being paid by this guy,” she added, hooking a thumb at Mars. “It was probably a filing error. I’ll be sure to rectify it,” she added with a smirk.

Decker looked at Bogart. “She needs more persuading.”

“We got a search warrant on your phone and online accounts.”

“Based on what?” screamed Oliver.

“Based on the fact that you are a close confidante of a principal player in our investigation. Coincidences that large don’t exist. The judge issuing the warrant agreed with our logic.”

Decker said, “And there are four lengthy emails between you and McClellan. You were keeping him posted about our investigation. That right there is obstruction. There’s also a text where you use the initials LD and ask for the status of the person.” Decker leaned forward. “Now, if you still don’t think we have a case against you, get up and try to walk out of here.”

“I want a lawyer.”

“You haven’t been charged yet,” said Bogart. “So you’re not entitled to one.”

Oliver gazed around at the others before dropping into her chair and glaring at Decker. “What the hell do you want?”

“I want Lisa Davenport back safe and sound. You help us do that, and also help us nail McClellan and his buddies, then I think the DOJ will cut you a nice deal.”

Oliver said nothing.

Decker leaned forward more. “Is Lisa Davenport still alive?”

Oliver said nothing.

Decker abruptly stood. “Okay, Agent Bogart, I say charge her and arrest her. We’ll nail the Musketeers without her help and they all go to prison for life or get the needle, including her.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” said Bogart, who nodded at Milligan.

Milligan gripped Oliver’s arm. “Please stand.”

When she didn’t respond he jerked her to her feet. “Mary Oliver, you are under arrest for—”

“Wait, wait,” she said, her breath accelerating.

They all looked at her expectantly.

“I... I don’t know if she’s still alive.”

“Then I suggest you find out,” said Bogart. “And then tell us where she is.”