The Eleventh Commandment

‘Yes, he was.’

‘Do you have enough proof to convince the Congressional Select Committees on Intelligence?’

‘No, I don’t. Almost all the evidence I have would be thrown out as circumstantial. But when it’s all put together, there are far too many coincidences for my liking.’

‘For example?’

‘The agent who I suspect pulled the trigger was sacked shortly after the President saw Dexter in the Oval Office and demanded to know who was responsible for Guzman’s assassination.’

‘Not even admissible as evidence.’

‘Perhaps not. But the same agent was about to take up a new appointment with Washington Provident as head of their kidnap and ransom department when suddenly, without any explanation, the job offer was withdrawn.’

‘A second coincidence.’

‘There’s a third. Three days later, Gutenburg met the agent in question on a park bench in Lafayette Square.’

‘Why would they want to take him back?’

‘To carry out a one-off assignment.’

‘Do we have any idea what that assignment is?’

‘No. But don’t be surprised if it takes him a long way from Washington.’

‘Have you any way of finding out where?’

‘Not at the moment. Even his wife doesn’t know.’

‘OK, let’s look at it from their point of view,’ said Lloyd. ‘What do you think Dexter will be doing right now to make sure her ass is covered?’

‘Before I could begin to answer that I’d need to know the outcome of her last meeting with the President,’ said Jackson.

‘He gave her and Gutenburg twenty-eight days to prove that the Agency wasn’t involved in the assassination of Guzman, and to provide cast-iron proof of who did kill him. He also left them in no doubt that if they fail, he’ll demand their resignations and release all the evidence in his possession to the Washington Post.’

There was a long silence before Jackson said, ‘That means the agent in question has less than a month to live.’

‘She’d never eliminate one of her own people,’ said Lloyd in disbelief.

‘Don’t forget that he’s an NOC. The section of the CIA he works for doesn’t even exist officially, Mr Lloyd.’

‘This guy’s a good friend of yours, isn’t he?’ said Lloyd.

‘Yes,’ replied Jackson quietly.

‘Then you’d better make sure he stays alive.’

‘Good afternoon, Director. It’s Connor Fitzgerald.’

‘Good afternoon, Connor. How nice to hear from you,’ Dexter said in a warmer tone than the one she had adopted at their previous meeting.

‘The Deputy Director asked me to call you once I’d come to a decision on the matter he and I discussed on Monday.’

‘Yes,’ said Dexter, reverting to her normal clipped style.

‘I’m willing to take the assignment.’

‘I’m glad to hear that.’