“So do I.”
“Then don't go. The Vice President can make the trip. You know he's offered to go wherever we think there may be a threat to you.”
“And I let Shepard stand in for me at two hot spots I'd rather have handled myself.”
“But it would be perfectly logical to let him go to Arapahoe. He's already visited there once with Homeland Security, right after the break. This would just be a follow-up. You could empower him to do anything you would do.”
“We don't even know that there is a threat at Arapahoe. And I'm not going to let just the possibility that it might have been Matanza change my schedule. I've cooperated, I've given in to your restrictions more than I like, Keller. Since you have no proof, I'm going to Arapahoe Dam as planned.” He smiled as he bent over his desk. “It's your baby. Protect me. I guarantee my wife will have your head if I lose mine.”
He sighed. “I don't have the slightest doubt of that, Mr. President.”
Ben Danley got to his feet as Keller came out of Andreas's office. “No luck?”
Keller shook his head. “He's going.” He grimaced. “I might have had a leg to stand on if you and your CIA buddies hadn't sworn that Matanza had nothing to do with the dam break. Want to change your mind?”
Danley shook his head. “I have to call them the way I see them. Unless new evidence surfaces, I have to stand by my intelligence reports.”
“Well, your intelligence reports could have been a little timelier about the Mexico City bombing.”
“I don't have to take that from you, Keller,” he said coldly. “You have no idea the problems we're facing.”
“If I did, then I'd be better able to make judgment calls. Under Homeland Security we're supposed to be one big happy family.” He waved his hand as Danley opened his mouth to reply. “I don't give a damn about anything the CIA does as long as you don't get in my way.” He jerked his thumb at the door to Andreas's office. “I like that stubborn son of a bitch. I'm going to make sure he stays alive.”
“How do you expect to do that if you can't even keep him from wandering all over the country?” Danley didn't wait for a reply as he headed for the door. “If there's any change in the situation, I'll let you know.”
Danley waited until he was driving down Pennsylvania Avenue before he placed the call to Betworth. “He's going to Arapahoe. Since there's no proof of sabotage, Keller couldn't talk him out of it.”
“I didn't think he'd be able to do it,” Betworth said. “Naturally Andreas would be suspicious. I thought the seismograph report might allay some of it, but evidently . . .” He was silent a moment, thinking. “And this Alex Graham business is troubling. I believe we'll have to do some adjusting to our plans. I'll let you know.” He hung up.
Stockton, Maine
The muscles of Judd Morgan's spine tightened as he felt eyes watching him from outside the open window.
Runne?
He bent over the canvas, listening.
No, not Runne.
There wasn't enough purple in the shadow of the man's cloak. He added the smallest brush stroke before he called, “What the hell are you doing here, Galen?”
“How did you know it was me?”
He turned to face the window. “I know your footsteps.”
Galen chuckled. “And that's why you left all those fallen leaves spread on the ground in front of the window.” He hoisted himself onto the windowsill and swung his legs over. “Snap, crackle, pop. Did I crunch loud enough for you?”
“You know you did.” Sean Galen could be as quiet and lethal as a panther when he made the effort. “You sounded like a hippopotamus.”
“I thought it wise to let you know I was coming. I've seen you react to the unexpected, and Elena wants me to come back in one piece.”
“How is Elena?”
“Fine. Strong. Beautiful.”
“Lethal.”
“Only when she's betrayed. You're lucky she didn't follow you and cut your throat.”
Judd shrugged. “I did what I had to do. I tried to make sure no one was hurt.”
“And that you got away with thirty million in drug money.”
“I needed it.” He set his brush down. “Is that why you're here? You want to save Elena the trouble of getting even?”
Galen shook his head. “She wouldn't thank me for doing that. You'll be glad to know she's looking forward, not back, these days.”
“I am glad.” He smiled. “And relieved. I like Elena.” His smile faded. “And I like you, Galen. I'm sorry I had to disappoint you. You know why I had to have the money.”
“You needed bribe money to get the CIA's hit men to take the sanction off you. Dammit, I was trying to pull strings to get you clear. Why couldn't you wait?”