Dixon snorted, “That was Mac’s idea, I guess. He insisted Foche’s deal include every single body he and this man named Kristoff ever dropped. Mac and Wire are closing cases left and right, not only here in the States, but around the world.”
“So where are they now?” Sally asked. “Are they coming here?”
Governor Thomson looked at his watch. “I think their FBI jet landed in Tampa Bay a few minutes ago,” the governor answered. “They’re going to get Pope.”
“And we’re going to party,” Dixon said with a smile, looking at a text on his cell phone. “Because, Governor, the networks are getting ready to declare you the next president of the United States.”
* * *
The television played inside his office, FOX News declaring Governor Thomson the winner in state after state. The election was moments from being called.
Pope was sitting on his balcony having a post dinner drink when the call came in. He looked at the display on the satellite phone and momentarily questioned whether to take the call. Pope punched the button and said, “Why are you calling me?”
“Foche is alive and gave McRyan and Wire everything on you. Kristoff was shot by your man but the police in turn shot that man and got a dying declaration from Kristoff that you were ‘the Bishop.’ They have the dying declaration on video and Foche confirmed everything. They’re coming for you right now.”
* * *
The FBI set up three blocks away. In addition to the eight agents now watching the house on all four sides, Mac and Wire were meeting up with another twenty agents, as well as four officers from the Clearwater Police Department. The reconnoiter of the mansion revealed a two-man security detail with two house staff inside. The two men on the security detail were strapped with nines but otherwise wouldn’t be a problem, not with twenty agents coming on the property en masse. The FBI’s Local Agent-in-Charge was named McHugh and he didn’t plan anything fancy.
“Ms. Wire, do you have the warrant?”
“Right here.”
“All right then,” McHugh said. “We’ll go up to the gate, present the warrant and get on the property.”
Mac and Wire jumped into a sedan with McHugh and another agent and they drove the three blocks to Pope’s Clearwater estate.
* * *
Pope watched the motorcade come down the street, with police units blocking the road in both directions. He walked across the hall to the back of the house and noticed the Coast Guard cutter sitting off the shoreline.
* * *
The warrant was given to the security guard at the property gate. He read the warrant and opened the gate. McHugh’s driver charged up to the front of the house. Mac and Wire burst out of the backseat of the sedan and followed McHugh who pushed right in the front door. “Christian Pope,” McHugh bellowed. “It’s the FBI, we have a warrant for your arrest.”
A gunshot came from the second story.
“Ah shit,” Mac growled as he jumped up the stairs two at a time, his Sig Sauer drawn. At the top of the steps, Mac turned right down a long hallway, carefully working his way down the hall, Wire right behind him. They found Pope in the last room on the left, sitting in a chair, a revolver sitting on the floor, a gun shot through his mouth and out the back of his head and blood splattered over the glass windows looking out to the Gulf of Mexico.
Mac holstered his gun as he looked at the wound.
In the corner, the television was on the FOX News Channel. Vice President Wellesley was speaking to his supporters, conceding the election to Governor Thomson.
Mac looked away from the television and back to his partner.
Wire, her eyes moist, disgustedly stuffed the warrant into Pope’s dress shirt pocket and muttered, “You got off easy.”
* * *
Within a half hour, an FBI forensics team took over the crime scene and was collecting evidence, not that there was much to take. Pope committed suicide.
Mac didn’t feel any great joy as he watched Governor Thomson accept his victory. A good man had won and Mac hoped he would be a good president. However, as he watched the governor give his victory speech with the excitement of the crowd oozing through the television, he couldn’t help but feel let down.
After expending so much for the last week, to not have the satisfaction of slapping the cuffs on Pope left him feeling unsatisfied. Pope wouldn’t be made to answer for