“Betworth?” Logan repeated slowly. “Powers mentioned Betworth?”
“You know him?” Alex asked.
“Charles Betworth. Congressman from Texas. He's been in Congress for the last fifteen years.”
“Then he's not been very visible,” Alex said. “I don't remember ever hearing about him.”
“He prefers to work behind the scenes these days. He pushes nice noncontroversial bills on the environment and public health. He was the Democratic Party's great hope about thirteen years ago, but he got caught up in a campaign-finance scandal. It says a lot about his personal charisma that he was able to overcome the stigma and get reelected twice.” Logan's lips twisted. “But there's no way the party would ever nominate him for President with that dirty laundry in his background. I'm sure it's a bitter pill for him to swallow.”
“Bitter enough for him to engineer the incident at Arapahoe Junction?”
“Not unless it would give him something besides revenge. Betworth is consumed with ambition.”
“Not money?”
Logan shook his head. “I think that campaign scandal was more about manipulation and power plays than cash. He comes from oil money. That's how he was able to gloss over the smears at the polls.” He paused. “No, it has to be ambition.”
“To what aim?”
“I've no idea. But I guess I'd better find out.” He stood up. “I'll go to Washington and see what I can dig up. You're right, something nasty is going down.” His lips tightened. “And it makes me mad as hell that the threat is coming from our own people. It's not enough we have to worry about the nutcases from outside our borders.”
“You believe that Jurgens and some people in the CIA are involved?” Morgan asked. “I thought you'd balk at that. Alex did.”
“I believe anyone involved in a power play on this scale would have wooed law enforcement. I believe that it takes only a few key people to lead a battalion where they want them to go. It's getting the key people and controlling them. I'm very uneasy that Betworth's in the picture.”
“You seem to know a lot about him.”
“He interested me. I could tell there was a hell of a lot going on beneath that schmooze. I've seen him come into a room at a party and immediately start working at attracting everyone with whom he comes in contact. He almost hypnotizes them. It may be calculated, but it never appears that way. He's bigger than life.” He moved toward the door. “But then, so was Stalin.” He paused as he opened the door. “I brought a box of groceries and a couple blankets for you. They're over there by the window. Galen said you'd need them here.”
“Probably not for long. Powers said Z-2 was already in place. I hope to hell we can find out where it is before—” Morgan shrugged. “We've got to find it. No option.”
“I'll call when I find out something,” Logan said. “Try to keep from getting killed, Alex. It would upset Sarah.”
“God forbid we upset Sarah,” Morgan murmured.
Logan nodded. “Exactly.”
Alex followed him as he walked around the house to a beige Saturn parked in back.
“Logan.”
He paused, looking at her.
“Tell Sarah that I'm well. Tell her everything's going to turn out fine.”
“Everything's got to turn out fine. My ass is on the line.” He searched her face. “And are you well? Morgan is more of a rough diamond than I bargained for. He's treated you decently?”
She nodded. “But that's a bad analogy. There's nothing rough about him. He's pure Toledo steel.” She tried to smile. “But as long as he's in my camp I've no quarrel with that. And, yes, he's treated me decently.” She turned to go back inside. “Give my love to Sarah.”
He hesitated before he said, “I had to do it, Alex. And I'm not sorry.”
“I didn't think you would be. Just keep Sarah out of this mess.”
“It's difficult. The only way I managed to leave her at home this time was because I told her I'd let her talk to you on the phone after security makes sure the line's safe.”
“Don't have her phone me. I don't want to take the chance. Sarah mustn't be drawn into my troubles.”
“I believe that's what I said. But it didn't do me any good.” He smiled. “So I guess we'd better just get this over with in a hurry so Sarah doesn't come barging into the situation.” He got into the driver's seat and waved as he drove past her toward the road.
She shivered as she watched his taillights disappear around the curve. Logan was no friend to her, but he'd been a comforting presence nevertheless. He exuded confidence and power, and in his presence for a brief moment she'd felt safe.