creature comforts like toilet paper and napkins were not among them.
He exited the bathroom and saw the King leaning against the wall with his arms folded. Using just his back and shoulder muscles, he pushed himself off the wall and quickly approached Cain. “Lots to discuss. Walk with me.”
Chapter 21
Cain and LeRoy walked through the government hall toward the exit, busting through the double doors and outside to the parking lot. It was still drizzling, so they remained under the overhang. LeRoy pulled out a pack of Kool cigarettes and offered Cain one.
“No, thanks. I thought you quit—isn’t that why you vape with that purple thing now?”
“I’m not a quitter! I just can’t smoke these in the office.”
Cain scoffed. “You know vaping ain’t allowed in the government building, either, right?”
“Cain, the day I take policy advice from you is the day I’ll turn in my badge and gun.”
Cain handed LeRoy a matchbook from his pocket. It was the one he had taken from the British pub.
LeRoy studied the matchbook. “Ain’t that some shit. Don’t try to rope me into this boondoggle.”
“You already are.”
“Touché,” LeRoy replied, and then lit his cigarette. He took a deep drag. He slowly exhaled puffs of smoke into the air. Cain could smell the menthol. “Look,” LeRoy said, “the SAC called me into his office a little while ago. He wants me to ask if you’d be interested in something.”
“Why wouldn’t the SAC just ask me, then?”
“He thinks you and I get along well.”
“We do—for the most part,” Cain replied.
“He knows that you and I see eye to eye on most things with the Service. That’s why he reached out to me. He was hoping I could”—LeRoy paused—“convince you, was the actual word he used.”
“I’m listening,” Cain said, eager to hear what LeRoy was going to say next.
“The SAC wants this to be over as quickly as possible.”
“Me, too,” Cain replied. “The SAC and I have that in common.”
“He’s getting a lot of heat from the director, because now the director’s job is on thin ice.”
“So, what’s the SAC proposing?”
“He’d like for you to wear a wire and get confessions from the other agents.”
“Absolutely not,” Cain protested. “I’m not a rat.”
“Relax,” LeRoy said. He took another drag from his cigarette. “I told him you’d never go for that. But I came up with a solution.”
“It can’t be any worse than his solution.” Cain’s anger was palpable.
“I told the SAC that you knew only about Jackson’s affair. Let’s concentrate on that one. You are in a unique position to help the Service get rid of him.”
“By get rid of, you mean fire.”
“Yeah. Tom Jackson’s an asshole. The world’s full of ’em. He’ll be right at home in the private sector.”
“Firing Tomcat is your job, not mine. All you have to do is make him take the same poly you made me take today.”
“We did,” LeRoy said, and turned his head away—toward the parking lot.
“Aaaand?” Cain dragged out the question. “And?” he repeated when he didn’t get an immediate response. “For Christ’s sake, what are you not telling me?”
“He passed it.”
“Bullshit.”
“It’s true. I saw the report.”
“The final report, maybe, but not the results.”
“I’ll deny this if I’m ever asked.” LeRoy pointed his cigarette at Cain’s face to emphasize the importance of what he was about to say. “This is just between you and me. But the report showed what he purported—that he had consensual sex with a woman and never paid her.”
“What about adultery?”
“It’s not a crime. The Service will just handle that with an administrative infraction.”
“It’s like I’m living in a twilight zone.”
“I hear you. That’s why I think there is more to it.”
“Like what? Of course there is more to it.”
“Cynthia was busy polygraphing other agents, so he ended up with a different examiner. They had worked some missions before, several years ago. Jackson might’ve had some dirt on him.”
Cain shook his head in bewilderment. “Unbelievable. I swear, Tomcat has nine fuckin’ lives.”
“And you have one. Remember that.” The King flicked his cigarette into a nearby water puddle. He watched the water extinguish the ashes and then opened the door to walk back into the building.
“Oh,” he said, turning back. “One last thing. The SAC wants to see you in his office at zero eight three zero tomorrow.”
“That can’t be good,” Cain replied.
“You know the SAC’s reputation: he’s a hard-ass with a vindictive streak. Make sure to have a solution, since you didn’t like mine or his.”
Chapter 22
Cain retrieved his personal cell from his suit pocket.