The Sixth Man (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 5)

“There are two possible answers to that. Either it’s something in his personal history that we don’t know yet. A personal grudge of significant importance to justify six bodies. Or—”

“Or he wasn’t just an unimportant cog. He was a lot more. Other things being equal, I’m leaning in that direction. Like his sister says, he had uncommon intellectual gifts. That would be important to certain people, or agencies.”

“That and the time spent in D.C. make me lean the same way. Plus the fact that the FBI is all over this with unusual interest.” He dusted off his hands. “Okay, let’s make the rounds of the ME, and the office where Roy worked.”

When they came out of the barn an SUV pulled into the front yard and two men in suits got out.

One of them said, “Can I ask what you’re doing here?”

Sean gazed at him. “Right after you tell me who the hell you are.”

The men flashed badges. Quickly.

“Didn’t quite catch the name of the agency on your commission,” said Sean. “Want to try that again, slower?”

The creds didn’t come back out, but the men’s guns did. “We’re federal officers and you need to get off this property right now.”

Sean and Michelle showed their IDs, explained what they were doing there, and Sean’s earlier conversations with the local police force and the county prosecutor.

One of the men shook his head. “I don’t really care. Get out. Now.”

“We’re investigating this case for the defense. We have the right to be here.”

“All the same, you’re going to have to leave.”

“How’d you know we were here?” asked Michelle, as they headed to her truck.

“Excuse me?” said one of the men.

“There’s nobody around here. We didn’t pass one car getting here. How’d you know we were here?”

In response the man opened the door to Michelle’s truck and motioned for her to get in.

Sean and Michelle sped off down the dirt road, billowing dust behind them and into the faces of the two Feds.

“They couldn’t have known we were there, Sean. And those badges looked like the real deal even if I couldn’t see what agency they were actually with. They looked like Feds.”

He nodded. “We’re being tailed. I wonder for how long.”

“I swear there was no one following us when we went to see Kelly Paul. There’s no way I could’ve missed that. There was no cover. Absolutely none.”

“That’s the rub. There’s no cover here, either, and they still showed up.”

Michelle gazed out the window. “Satellite?”

“We’re up against the Feds here. Why not?”

“Buying satellite time is a tough step even for the Bureau.”

Sean considered this. “Those guys weren’t with the FBI. They want you to know who they are. They would’ve shoved their creds right in our faces and kept them there.”

“Damn, what have we got ourselves into?”

Sean didn’t answer her because he had nothing to say.

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