True Blue - By David Baldacci Page 0,134

at the restaurant recognized him,” said Roy.

Beth looked puzzled. “I’ve got a contact who thinks Meldon was killed by domestic terrorists.”

Roy shook his head. “We think he was killed because someone saw him having dinner with Diane. The lady knew something and they were afraid she’d told Meldon. The guy was a federal prosecutor after all.”

Mace added, “And they didn’t wait long. Dinner on Friday night and Diane killed right after. Meldon never made it past the weekend. Watkins is probably dead too. That’s why I need to clean myself up and head to Newark in a few hours.”

“What’s in Newark?”

Mace explained about the law firm that had represented Tolliver in her divorce.

“And I’ve got the presentment this morning,” added Roy. “But after that I’m going over to DLT and see what I can find out.”

“And what would you have me do?” asked Beth.

Mace said, “Hopefully, you’ll find Ned.”

“His prints are probably all over the front lobby. We can run them through the databases.” She stood. “If I let you do this,” she began, staring dead at her sister, “you are to report in regularly and you are not to go into any dangerous situation without backup. No more fourth floors, you got that?”

“Loud and clear. I don’t think I can ever even own a refrigerator again.”

Roy said anxiously, “So are we good to go?”

Beth glared at him. “Yes, but we go by my playbook, not yours.”

CHAPTER 101

JARVIS BURNS sat in his cluttered row house in southeast Washington near the Capitol rubbing his forehead. Three Advils had not done the trick, but he had a bottle of Dewar’s in his drawer that might. He looked up at the man who sat across from him. Ned Armstrong. Real name Daniel Tyson. He’d worked for Burns for ten years and had never failed him. And yet the only reason he had not sent Mary Bard for a final meeting with Tyson was the fact that the man had followed Burns’s order to the letter.

Put her in the fridge alive.

“A bullet to the head would be better,” Tyson had told him at the time.

And he’d been right, of course. But Burns wanted the woman to suffer. He wanted her to wake up and see the hopelessness of her situation with warmth and air only a few inches away. It had been a mistake, a rare occurrence for him, but still a mistake.

“You said she went to the microwave and saw that it was broken?” Burns asked.

“She never said anything, but that seemed to be what she was thinking. So she might know I was lying about that. And if they know Tolliver was dead on Friday, they’d know I lied about that too.”

“And you didn’t hear who Perry was talking to or what she said while on the fourth floor?”

“I was waiting on the other side of the door. I just heard mumbles.”

“We can check her cell phone records. Probably either her sister or Roy Kingman. If the former, the concern is vast. If the latter, it might be manageable.”

“But they took her to the hospital, sir. And Beth Perry was there. She might’ve talked about what she knows.”

“She may know about the subterfuge regarding Tolliver’s death. And the fact that you might be involved somehow. If you disappear then they might think you did it acting alone, and then tried to cover it up.”

“Perhaps,” said Tyson, as he shifted his bulk in the chair. “But they went to the restaurant where Tolliver ate on Friday. If they put two and two together?”

“I am fully aware of the ramifications of that potential development, Tyson. No solution is perfect. We are clearly in damage control territory. We knew something like this might happen. That was why we had you stationed there as the security guard. Gave us eyes and ears on the ground and complete access to the building. It also allowed us the intelligence about the old soldier sneaking in.”

“He makes the perfect patsy.”

“Maybe not so perfect now. They must’ve figured out that the sperm was planted, and that he is not nearly smart enough to pull this off. That was always a risk.”

“But unfortunately my own cover is probably blown.”

“You’re on the next agency flight to Riyadh. You’ll spend two years there to let things quiet down before reassignment. I strongly suggest you lose about eighty pounds and have facial reconstructive surgery by approved agency surgical personnel. I’ll provide full paper coverage for you. We may be able to convince them that