little after 7:00 a.m. and immediately were hustled into an awaiting black Suburban by the FBI. As the driver pulled off of the tarmac and away from the plane, the other agent in front turned around and handed them each a tall Grand Brew Coffee and a bag full of assorted donuts.
“I love you, man,” Mac said with a tired smile. He took a long sip of coffee, sat back and exhaled.
Wire took out a bear claw and devoured it in four bites. “God, that tasted good.”
“The world is back on its axis,” Mac noted, toasting the agents in front. He could see their grins in the rearview mirror.
“What’s our first stop?” the driver asked.
“My polling place,” Mac answered. “I’ve gotta vote. We’re going to a retirement home, just south of Ford Parkway on Cleveland.”
With an FBI escort, Mac got in and out of the polling place in five minutes and they were on their way. Governor Thomson had received his vote.
Overnight, Foche was moved to a safe house northwest of Minneapolis in the town of Corcoran, an expansive rural community of farms with some small housing developments on large acreage plots.
Foche was being held in a large two-story home foreclosed on over a year ago that the FBI had quickly arranged to rent for an undetermined period of time. The large home sat two miles west of a county road on top of a hill with land cleared five hundred yards away in every direction. There were few if any trees to provide cover for an approach. In reality, there was no way to approach the house without being seen. Even with that, there were twelve men on the scene at all times. It was a safe location even if there was someone out there who didn’t buy the Foche was dead story.
The Suburban came to a rest in the circular driveway and Mac and Wire filed out of the truck and were met by a familiar face.
“Dicky Boy, how’s the wing?” Mac asked walking up to his partner and shaking his hand. “It’s really good to see you, bud.”
“You too,” Lich replied. “I’m healing up and when Riley told me you were coming back, I wanted in.” Dick turned from Mac and leered, as only he could, at Wire as she walked up in her skin tight blue jeans. “Agent Wire, it is sooooo nice to see you again.”
“Nice to see you upright, Detective.”
“Oh I’m definitely upright at the moment,” Lich replied dirtily.
“Oh God,” Mac groaned and shook his head in his hands.
Wire put her hands on her hips although she wasn’t really upset, understanding Lich for what he was—a pig.
“You have to learn not to set him up like that,” Mac counseled. “He hits the hanging curve balls out of the park every time.”
Wire took a look at Lich’s groin area, “Well he must be using a really small bat because I don’t see much of a pup tent.”
Mac roared and Lich replied with a: “touché.”
Dick led them up the steps, across the porch and into the house. Inside to the left was a small sitting room where Mac found three other friends, Riley, Rockford and a nattily attired gentleman in a thousand dollar black pinstripe suit: “Lyman Hisle as I live and breathe.”
Lyman Hisle was St. Paul’s most prominent lawyer, perhaps the best defense lawyer in the Twin Cities, a good friend of the St. Paul Police and McRyan family friend. When Mac had Riley sequester Foche away, and Foche asked for a lawyer, Mac suggested getting Lyman involved. There were two witnesses to the murders of McCormick and Montgomery. They had Foche cold. He was going away for life so Mac wasn’t worried about Lyman pulling a rabbit out of his hat and getting Foche off. Rather, Mac figured at some point they’d need Foche to talk and there was nobody better in town than Lyman to get a defendant to see the light of day.
“Lyman, I’d like to introduce Dara Wire. Ms. Wire has been working with us. She used to be a special agent with the FBI but has now graduated to a more honest living.”
“Ms. Wire,” Lyman said, shaking her hand gently with both of his. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Mr. Hisle,” Wire answered and then looked to Mac. “His daughter was the other one …”
“That’s right, Ms. Wire,” Lyman said with a grateful smile. “These men saved my daughter a couple of years ago so I am quite indebted to