King and Maxwell (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 6)

“The betting here is running about nine to one against him,” said Cole frankly. “Personally, I don’t know. He was vetted for the mission. Outscored everyone else. Patriotism above reproach, all that. But the proof is in the pudding. The money is gone. The freedom fighters are dead. And the longer Wingo stays away, the more we’re going to assume he’s against us. Just human nature.”

“He might be afraid to come in,” said Michelle. “He might believe he was set up and doesn’t know who to trust.”

“Has he made contact with anyone at DoD?” asked Sean.

“His field superior, Colonel South.”

“And what did he tell South?” asked Michelle.

“He told South that he was set up. That someone ostensibly from the CIA met him at the rendezvous spot, told him the mission had been changed, and demanded the money. At gunpoint.”

“Was the person from the CIA?” asked Sean.

“Not that we’ve been able to discover. Wingo was attached to DIA. And while DIA has been working more closely with CIA, they were not in this instance. The loop was small and closed: DIA and me. And while it’s true that Langley is always demanding more budget dollars, I can’t believe they would resort to stealing from Peter to pay Paul in order to get it,” Cole added dryly.

“Did Wingo give any indication to South where he might go or what he might do?” asked Michelle.

“Apparently, he wants to prove his innocence. Where that takes him I don’t know.”

“I guess that partly depends on who set him up,” reasoned Sean.

“If someone set him up,” amended Cole. “We only have his word for that. And I’m still missing a billion euros.”

“And euros were used for an additional layer of cover,” said Michelle.

“Ben Franklins might have been a little too obvious. And there was a very practical reason. A billion bucks in hundred-dollar bills, which is the largest denomination we use, would have weighed a lot more than forty-eight hundred pounds.”

“Which brings us back to what you want us to do,” said Sean.

“You have Tyler Wingo’s loyalties by all accounts. We believe that his father will try to contact him again. They’ll want to meet. We need to be there when they do.”

“So you want us to deliver Sam Wingo to you, using his son to do it?” said Michelle.

“That’s basically the plan, yes. I’ve been told the boy will say nothing to my people. You’re the only ones he trusts.”

“And if we betray that trust?” said Michelle, her voice rising just enough for the two Secret Service agents to draw a step closer to them.

“Better than betraying your country,” pointed out Cole.

“Was Jean Wingo part of this?” asked Sean.

Cole nodded but tacked nothing on in speech.

“She’s disappeared.”

“We know that.”

“But she didn’t come in to you?” asked Sean. Cole shook his head. “So she might have another partner in this deal.”

“Like Sam Wingo?” shot back Cole.

“I didn’t say that.”

“No, I did. So, will you help me?”

Michelle looked at Sean and Sean looked at her.

He said, “We need to talk about this.”