After the press conference was over, Mace, Beth, and Roy climbed into a government sedan and headed to a meeting that they really would rather have avoided. On the way over, they discussed what had happened.
“So the Captain is really going to be taken care of?” asked Mace.
Roy nodded. “The VA guy said he would take it as his personal mission to get him the care he needs. And I’m going to be checking. But I did tell them to order a truckload of Twinkies.”
“God, Mona was pissed,” said Mace. “You really think they’ll nail her this time?”
Beth replied, “All I know is when I showed the affidavits to the DOJ lawyer he screamed out, ‘Thank you, Jesus.’”
“And Psycho?” asked Roy.
“Signed, sealed, and delivered. When his gang saw the surveillance video from the security camera in the train station parking lot they rolled on him. They should be able to put him away for a long time.”
“And Alisha, Tyler, and Darren?”
Mace answered. “Alisha’s enrolled in a GED program. Tyler’s being seen by a specialist from Johns Hopkins, and Mr. Razor is going back to school too. He apparently graduated from high school but never bothered to pick up his diploma. He’s going the community college route for now. He’ll probably be running the world in about ten years.”
“So are you still going to be working for Altman?” Roy asked.
“Hey, I made a deal. I’m not going back on it. What about you? You could go back to Shilling.”
“Haven’t made up my mind yet. But they did drop the lawsuit against me.”
“How’s the wound?”
“Won’t be playing ball anytime soon.”
“I know, I’ll take you on in HORSE, one-handed style.”
“You’re on.”
The smiles faded from both their faces as the car slowed. They looked out the window as they stopped at the armed gate. The driver flashed his creds and they headed on.
“So what do you think is going to happen in there,” Roy said, indicating the two-story building they were heading to. It was set on a multi-acre college-style campus.
Beth spoke up. “I always expect the worst. And today I think I’ll be justified.”
CHAPTER 113
BETH’S GLOCK had been confiscated at the door. Mace could tell that her sister was not happy about that just by the way her right fingers continued to flick at the empty space there. An armed escort led them down a long hallway where every single door was closed and also had a security lock. No open-style cubicle system here, thought Mace.
They were led into a spacious office with the typical wall of photos and shelves of awards and memorabilia that a high-rising public servant invariably collected. The Director of Central Intelligence, or DCI, was there along with a gent in uniform from the Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, someone from NSA, and a fourth gentleman that Mace had seen on TV recently and knew was very high up at the White House. There was no one else present.
“I thought Steve Lanier from the FBI would be here,” commented Beth.
“No, he won’t,” said the DCI bluntly. “But I want to thank each of you for agreeing to come today,” he added in a more gracious tone.
“We really didn’t have a choice. And we’re all here for the same reason,” said Beth. “We want information.”
“Well, I’m here to provide it, as much as I can.”
Beth sighed and sat back, her face showing her displeasure at this disclaimer.
“Under normal circumstances your sister and Mr. Kingman would not even be allowed to know the location of this building, much less be here. Even you, as police chief, would not be allowed in.”
“These are not normal circumstances,” said Mace.
“Truly not,” agreed the DCI while the NSA rep nodded.
“Well then, what can you tell us?” asked Beth. “What happened to Donnelly and Burns?”
“Removed from their posts, of course.”
“Removed from their posts?” said Mace, half coming out of her chair. “What, do they get early retirement and a gold watch too?”
“It doesn’t quite work that way in the intelligence field, Ms. Perry.”
“Will they be prosecuted?” asked Roy.
“That is not possible,” said the fellow from the White House.
“The hell it isn’t,” snapped Beth. “They masterminded the murder of at least five American citizens and did their best to make it seven.”
“And in the process let a military veteran take the fall for it,” added Roy heatedly.
The DCI put up his hands in mock surrender. “Their acts were heinous. I am in total agreement with that.”