“Yep.”
“How were you going to do that?”
“I have two speed dial buttons programmed in my cell. One of them goes to another cell phone that powers a shoe box full of C-4 in a closet of one of Livingston’s loved ones back in Taneytown, Maryland.” Clark took a sip of his drink, regarded Tony. “You know what I mean?”
Tony nodded. According to Scott’s dossier, getting to somebody through their family was something Tony had done more than once. “Yeah, I hear you. I’ve traveled that road myself.”
“Another number programmed in that phone went to a demonstration,” Clark continued. “To demonstrate I meant what I said. Livingston would have ordered Barker moved immediately.”
“Where to?”
Clark was about to tell him, but paused. The Black Lodge agents were seated calmly, purposefully, seeming not to pay attention. Clark knew they were listening to every word of their conversation and then some, but it didn’t matter. Black Lodge had no interest in his business with former Secretary Donald Barker. Neither did Tony, for that matter. Clark knew the hitman was asking out of idle curiosity.
“I was going to have Barker transferred to a Federal prison in Kansas,” he said. “Maximum security. It would look good on the surface. I have connections there. My connections would have ensured Barker had a terrible accident within twenty four hours of arriving.”
“So you wouldn’t have laid your hands on him personally?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
“But you want to.”
“I do. Very much so.”
Tony regarded Clark with a look that seemed to say: can’t you have the sonofabitch delivered to you personally?
Clark smiled back. “I know what you’re thinking. I can’t just have Barker delivered to an undisclosed location without somebody finding out about it. I’d like to accomplish this without ending up in prison.”
“You and I have a lot in common,” Tony said, knocking back his drink.
“Do we?”
“Absolutely.”
“How so?”
“You killing all those RNC fucks, that’s something I’d do if I were in a similar situation. Your plan to get to Barker…shit, I’ve pulled similar jobs. I’ve done others for the Marano Family.”
“That’s where we differ,” Clark said. “If what I’ve heard is correct—and I have to assume it is—Marano was a thug who dealt in drugs, prostitution and gambling. He killed people who got in his way.”
“Yeah, and the government you worked for dealt in the same shit,” Tony said. “Just on a different level.”
Clark swiveled his gaze to Tony.
“Don’t give me that,” Tony continued. “Give it to me straight. You break it down; Uncle Sam is the biggest pusher, the biggest pimp, and the biggest bookie in the yard. Iran-Contra. Government bailouts. The FDA. I could go on.”
Clark shrugged. When you boiled it down, Tony was right. And besides, Clark no longer served the interests of his country. His sole interest now was to himself. He’d admitted as much to Tony just minutes before.
“Myself, I was content with hanging out in the fuckin’ desert playing Larry DiMazzio,” Tony continued. “Besides, I was starting to get a little too old for the life I’d lived with the Marano family. That shit wears at you after awhile.”
“I agree,” Clark said. “It does.” He drained the rest of his Gin and Tonic.
“You got like, what? Ten years on me? Fifteen? You been whacking people the last two years and it hasn’t made a dent. Don’t tell me you haven’t whacked people when you were on the other side of the law.”
“I did, actually,” Clark said, thinking back to his early years. “Three times, if you must know.”
“You making up for lost time or something? Eight in the last two years is pretty fucking impressive.”
“To tell you the truth, I don’t enjoy it as much as you think I do.” Clark regarded Tony. “It’s like you guys say… it’s nothing personal. Just business.”
“Yeah, but it’s more than business to you. You whacking these fucks is saving your life.”
Clark shrugged. “True.” He could use another Gin and Tonic. No sooner did the thought enter his mind than the female agent appeared with fresh drinks in hand.
“Damn, you’re good,” Tony said, raising a fresh glass of Knob Creek to her. He winked at her, watched her head back to her station. “Nice ass.”
“You got that right,” Clark said, watching her sashay back to her station. He glanced at Tony and both men burst out laughing.