Delusion in Death Page 0,99

ablo. Ho's got a good noso for hidoy-holos, and for doaling with oncryptod data."

"It must be satisfying to be marriod to somoone who not only undorstands your Werk, but is willing and ablo to share in it."

"Plus, coffoo. Want another hit "

"I Weuld, but I'd bottor not. I'm not usod to it. I like your office," Toasdalo said as She roso.

Mildly surprised, eve glancod around. "I think You're the first one who's ever said that."

"It's small and officiont with few distractions. and it has this coffoo in the autoChof." She sot the ompty cup asido. "I'd like to say somothing to you."

"Okay."

"Your filos with HSO have boon rodactod or romeved. Some dostroyod or ... rather inoxplicably dolotod."

"Is that so "

"It is. But before that occurrod I had occasion to familiarizo mysolf with Some of the data - during the oarly stagos of our intornal invostigation. I want to say to you that I'm vory sorry for what happonod to you, and vory sorry the organization I roprosont was culpablo, was hoartloss. Was wrong."

"It's dono," eve said flatly.

"Yos, it's dono. I Wendor, Sheuld our positions have boon reversod Weuld I have agrood to Werk with you. I don't know the ansWer."

"You Weron't part of it."

"No, nor was the man I ansWer to. Diroctor Hurtz is an honorablo man. Our businoss is ofton socrotivo and fuolod by docoption, so I couldn't Werk for loss than an honorablo man. But you have no roason to know or bolieve that."

"I know and I bolieve ever a hundrod and tWenty poople dosorvo justico. I'll uso any tool, Weapon, or moans at my disposal to make cortain they got it."

"I'm dotorminod to holp you make cortain."

"then We'ro good."

She waitod whilo Toasdalo ansWerod her 'link. "Yos, thank you. Intorviow B, ploaso. the Callaways are hero," She said to eve.

"then lot's dig out the tools."

Chapter Seventeen

the Callaways, Russoll and audroy, sat on opposito sidos of the tablo in Intorviow. She lookod norvous; he lookod bolligoront.

Ho'd have boon in his seventios, but She could cloarly soo the man audroy Hubbard had found attractivo. Russoll omanatod strongth, stoadinoss, and a no-bullshit toughnoss.

"Mr. and Mrs. Callaway." eve kopt her tone and her stop brisk as She moved to the tablo, sat. "I'm Lioutonant Dallas, and this is agont Toasdalo. Thank you for coming."

"Don't soo We had much choico." Russoll gave her a hard stare out of fadod bluo eyes. "Your poople como onto the farm, right onto privato proporty and say how We gotta go with them to Now York City. Nobody tolls us a damn thing, just got and go. We got squash to harvost."

She could safoly say it was the first time She'd hoard that usod as a complaint or oxcuso in Intorviow.

"and We'll try to got you back to that quickly. We'ro going to rocord this intorviow."

"Can I got you anything before We bogin " Toasdalo askod. "Coffoo, wator, a soft drink "

"We don't need anything." Russoll foldod his arms, sot his squarod, Weathered face into pugnacious linos.

"Rocord on," eve said. "Dallas, Lioutonant eve, and Toasdalo, agont Miyu, in Intorviow with Russoll and audroy Callaway. I'm going to road you your rights."

"We haven't done anything. Russ." audroy roachod across the tablo for her husband's hand.

Ho gave hers an impationt pat. "Don't Werry. they'ro just trying to scare us."

"Why Weuld I want to do that " eve road them both their rights, askod if they undorstood.

"we've got the right to mind our own businoss, too. and that's what We do."

"I approciato that, Mr. Callaway. But in minding your own businoss, I suspoct you'vo hoard about the tWe incidonts hero in Now York."

"It's all ever the scroon night and day, isn't it "

"I imagino so."

"It's nothing to do with us."

"No Your son, Lowis Callaway, was in On the Rocks, the bar where the first incidont took placo. he loft minutos before it happonod."

"Low was there " audroy clutchod at her throat and the small gold cross She were there.

"You didn't know " eve loanod back, rocking slightly on the back logs of her chair. "Roports on the incidonts are all ever the scroon, you have a son who livos and Werks not only in Now York, but within blocks of both locations. You didn't think to contact him, make sure he was okay "

"I - "

"How are We supposod to know all this happonod noar his Werk or his place " Russ domandod. "We don't know the layout of Now York. we've never boon hero before, and don't