The Sixth Man (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 5)

“But that means they’re also going to come after us,” added Paul.

“And do we sit back and wait for that?” asked Sean.

“Of course not,” she answered. “Now we go on the offensive.”

“How?” asked Sean.

“I know exactly how,” said Paul. “In some ways, I think I’ve been waiting my whole life to do this.” She looked at Bunting. “What about you, Peter?”

“Oh, I feel the exact same way.”

CHAPTER

72

THEY DROVE to a safe house arranged by Kelly Paul.

“Everyone will be looking for my brother,” said Paul. “This place is far enough away from the action, but we still have to take maximum precautions. If they recapture Eddie, our plan won’t work.”

As he looked around the new space Sean said, “We’re all felons now. Aiding and abetting. That’s not really something we signed on for. And it sure as hell isn’t something we’re comfortable with.”

Paul turned to face him. “I understand. If you have a problem with that, you and Michelle can leave right now. No one knows you were involved in any of this. I would ask that you not turn Eddie in. If you do then it’s really over for him.”

“You think he can’t get a fair trial?” asked Sean.

“He’ll never make it to court, Sean. They’ll never let him. They broke him out of Cutter’s to kill him. If he goes back they’ll find him in his cell dead from some unknown cause. That’s just the way it’s going to happen.”

Sean glanced at Michelle.

She said, “Rock and a hard place.”

“Yeah,” he replied.

“Other things being equal, we’ve come too far on this to let it go now, Sean,” she said. “And we still don’t know who killed Bergin. I know that’s important to you.”

Sean eyed Paul, who was watching him intently.

“Okay, we’ll stay in. But we will not use force against federal agents or state law enforcement.”

“Bona fide federal agents,” said Michelle. “I already laid out a few bogus ones in Central Park and in a diner in Charlottesville.”

Sean kept staring at Paul. “Do we have an understanding?”

She nodded. “We do.”

Bunting gripped Sean by the shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We’ve got a long way to go.”

After the others retired to their rooms to get some sleep, it was just Paul and her brother left in the room.

“It’s so good to see you, Eddie,” she said. “I’ve missed you.” She paused. “I just wish it were under different circumstances.”

“I’ve missed you too, Kel. A lot.”

She looked down. “I should have come to see you a long time ago. Before all this…”

“I know you’ve been busy.”