The Lincoln Myth(121)
“The penalty for lying is severe,” Salazar said. “It always has been.”
“I’m not lying,” Stephanie said. “In fact, I’m the only one telling the truth. Senator Rowan still has not told you where the document is located. He can’t, because he doesn’t know. I’m the only one who knows. The idea was to get you here, so I could deal with you. He was a party to that.”
“Deal with me?” Salazar asked.
She leveled her gaze. “The penalty for killing my agent is severe, too.”
“Brigham Young made a mistake trusting the federal government,” Rowan said. “Lincoln was truly different, but the presidents who came after him were not. They were all snakes. This woman is just like them, Josepe. I’ve never trusted the government. You know that.”
“Reveal the document,” Salazar said.
Stephanie heard a new resolve in the voice.
A test?
“FEDERAL AGENTS,” MALONE CALLED OUT, KEEPING HIMSELF and Luke concealed in the passageway. “It’s over, Salazar. You’re finished.”
He peered past the tunnel’s edge and saw the Spaniard react, lunging toward Stephanie, wrapping an arm around her neck, jamming the gun into her jugular.
“Come out,” Salazar screamed.
He motioned and Luke led the way.
They both held Berettas, their arms in the air, weapons clearly visible. He was hoping Salazar was not thinking clearly and the obvious would be enough.
“Toss those guns into the water,” Salazar demanded.
They hesitated a moment, then obeyed.
“Is that all of you?”
“Just us two amigos,” Luke said. “But that ought to be plenty.”
He nearly smiled. Had to love that cocksure can-do.
He kept Luke ahead of him, the gun in sight, only a foot or so away. He caught Stephanie’s gaze and tried to register what she was thinking. He glanced at Cassiopeia, who stared at him with vacant eyes. Nothing about this had gone right, as far as she was concerned.
“I should have shot you in Salzburg,” Salazar said to him. “When I had the chance.”
“Who stopped you?” Stephanie asked.
Salazar said nothing.
Stephanie pointed at Cassiopeia. “She did.”
CASSIOPEIA KNEW ENOUGH ABOUT COTTON TO REALIZE THAT he hadn’t appeared without a fail-safe. Both he and the younger man, the same one from Iowa, had too freely relinquished their weapons. They could have just as easily kept themselves hidden and attacked at will. Instead, now they stood with their hands in the air, vulnerable.
Or were they?
“Josepe, please, I beg you,” she said. “Lay down your gun. Don’t do this.”
“Do you know Malone?”
She nodded.
“Are you … involved with him?”
She hesitated, but there was no way out.
Another nod.
“You lied to me about everything,” he yelled. “You’ve not experienced any reawakening. The words of the prophet haven’t moved you. You mock all that is holy.”
“You’re not the man I once knew.”
“I’m exactly the same man. I was then, and am now, a devout follower of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Heavenly Father has sent the prophet to me. He is here now, watching all of you. He is my guidance. He never lies.”
“It’s not real,” she told him.
The gun shifted among them all, staying aimed, a shaking finger on the trigger. She knew Josepe was an expert marksman, but his mind was wavering.
“Brother Salazar,” Rowan said. “I’m leaving. I will no longer be a part of this.”
“See. He leaves you to do the dirty work,” Stephanie said. “That way he can deny any involvement. Ask the vision if that’s what he wants this apostle to do.”
Josepe’s gaze darted toward the statue, where he stared for a moment.
“Do you really see him?” Cassiopeia asked.
He nodded. “A wondrous sight.”
“Josepe,” Rowan said, his voice filled with pity.
“See what he thinks of you,” Cotton said. “He allowed you to kill that agent in Denmark. Fine by him, as long as it’s you pulling the trigger. Now he doesn’t care what you do to us, just so long as he’s not a part of it.”
Rowan turned and started to walk away.
“Stop,” Josepe screamed.
The senator hesitated, turned his head, and said, “And what will you do? Shoot me? I’m a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. You profess so much obedience. So I assume that means something to you.”
“He’s abandoning you,” Stephanie said. “Leaving you to us. But you can’t kill us all—not before we get you. Do you really think I brought only two agents?”