Paradox (FBI Thriller 22)

Dr. Ellis ushered them out and snapped the curtain closed over the cubicle entrance, and they found themselves standing beside Officer Diaz.

He stood. “Is Gunny going to be all right, Ms. Saks?”

Lulie smiled at the handsome young man her counter girl Glory wanted desperately to notice her. And Leigh had wanted him to kiss her when she’d been sixteen? “Her name is no longer Gunny, Romero, it’s Leigh. That’s her real name and that’s what she wants to be called now.” Diaz cocked his head to one side, and Lulie patted his arm. “You’ll get used to calling her Leigh. She doesn’t remember anything about what happened yet, but she might soon. Please keep a close eye on her, all right?”

“I told you, no one will get past me, Ms. Saks,” Diaz said, and tried his best to look ten years older

and Rambo-tough.

There was a commotion at the large central nurses’ station, and they turned to see a tall man dressed in a bespoke light gray pinstripe suit striding toward them. Sala recognized him from a law enforcement meeting on the Hill. It was the chairman, Congressman Andrew Mellon. What was this about?

“Who is that?” Chief Masters said aloud.

Lulie said simply, “He’s Congressman Andrew Mellon. I called him, Danny. He had a right to know what happened. I admit it, I’m surprised he came, rather than sending an aide.” He was walking toward her, his eyes never leaving her face. Lulie realized it gave her a spurt of pleasure, and wasn’t that odd after so many years? It was the first time Andrew had ever come to see her in public. She walked quickly to him, and he took her hands. Everyone watched him bend his head down to speak to her.

He had a right to know what happened. What did she mean? Ty watched the tall, distinguished man with his dark gray-flecked hair take Lulie Saks in his arms and hold her close, whisper against her hair, comfort her. Then he handed her a handkerchief to wipe her eyes. She gave him an unsteady smile, took his hand, and brought him over to them.

“Andrew, I would like you to meet Leigh’s own trio of cops.” She introduced everyone. “They’re here to find out who hurt her. I guess I should introduce you as Congressman Mellon.”

Congressman Mellon raised a patrician black brow. “Andrew is fine, Lulie. Now, what are the FBI, the police chief from Willicott, and the police chief of Haggersville doing together here in the matter of a young woman struck down in an alley?”

Lulie said, “Like I was telling you, Andrew, it’s pretty complicated.”

Mellon nodded. “I was notified by our liaison of the press conference being held in Willicott, which is in my district and therefore of interest to me. I saw it. Agent Porto?”

As Sala was bringing the congressman up to date, Dr. Ellis came out of the cubicle, saw a well-dressed stranger had joined the group, and automatically nodded to him. He said to Lulie, “Ms. Saks, there is nothing significantly wrong with her neurological exam. She needs rest, which is the best thing for her right now.” He nodded to the group and walked toward the central nurses’ station.

“Sir,” Ty said to Congressman Mellon, “I recognized you, of course, since you’re our representative, but I am surprised you would actually come here in person to find out about a constituent’s medical condition.”

He gave her a charming smile, warm and inviting, showing a slightly crooked eyetooth. “Of course I’d come, Chief Christie. I’ve known Lulie and her daughter for some time. Lulie and I need to talk.”

47

* * *

ON THE ROAD TO FORT PESSEL, VIRGINIA

TUESDAY EVENING

Victor, why are we on I-95? You know I hate all this traffic, all these cars piled nearly on top of one another, all these losers trying to get home to their boring little houses to their boring little kiddies. It’s fricking rush hour, turn around and let’s go back to Washington. I want to drill that murdering Riley right between his stupid eyes.

“I told you, Lissy, I won’t let you kill him unless you tell me where your mama hid the bank money. I told you, too, it seems Riley’s gone to ground, probably Savich warned him to stay away for a while. So we’ll go to Fort Pessel first, to your mama’s house. You show me the money, and in a couple of weeks, I’ll even let you drive back to where Riley lives.”

If I tell you, you swear you’ll let me pump a couple of bullets in his brain?

“Yes.”

Victor felt the touch of her wet mouth against his cheek, the lick of her tongue. He felt a surge of lust, then a sort of familiar settling down all the way to his soul. He remembered her mama’s journal, a thin white book she’d kept hidden in a small hidey-hole behind the baseboard under her bed. He’d been watching her unawares. When she’d hidden it, he’d snuck it out and saw she’d listed all the banks the gang had robbed, the guards they’d murdered, the people they’d killed who’d interfered, the amount of money stolen from each bank, and how much she had left after paying out everyone’s shares. All of it entered in Jennifer Smiley’s spidery black handwriting. He hadn’t had time to read all of it, didn’t know if there was any clue about where she’d hidden the money. If he could get to that notebook, maybe he wouldn’t need Lissy to tell him. Then again, it was risky going back there, and maybe the FBI had already found the notebook. Still, it was a smart hiding place, so maybe not.

“Lissy, do you remember your mother’s little notebook?”

No, I didn’t even know Mama had a notebook. Why are you talking about that? You’re putting me off, aren’t you, Victor? Listen, I’m hungry, we had only a couple of tacos for lunch. When my stomach growls, it makes those awful staples pull, makes them hurt.

“I know you love Southern fried chicken and mashed potatoes, so we’ll stop and get you some.”

Forget the mashed potatoes. I want grits, Victor. I haven’t had grits in way too long. Hey, I really like the whiskers and the glasses, makes you look all badass and dangerous and smart. Turns me on. After dinner, let’s stop a little while.

Again he felt her warm breath, felt her lick his cheek.