She rounded on Rudkowski, then looked at Locke and Menundez.
Locke cleared his throat. “He, uh, had us convinced, too. Until Rudkowski told us different.”
Rudkowski said, “I assumed you knew, Mrs. Ford. Which is why I came down so hard on you. I thought you’d gone along with him, never mind that he’s a criminal. Most women do.”
“‘Criminal’ is a pretty harsh word,” Locke said.
“How about lawbreaker?” Rudkowski said. “Use whatever word you like. They all mean the same thing. He commits crimes. And since he’s a repeat offender, and has already served time for the same offense, he won’t get off so lightly this time. I’m going for the maximum sentence.”
To Drex, it seemed an eternity that Talia stared at Rudkowski, unmoving, before she came slowly around to him. The instant she looked into his face, she saw the truth engraved there. Her disillusionment caused his heart to contract.
Speaking low, he said, “Five years ago, I served eight months of a two-year sentence in federal prison for impersonating an FBI agent. Mike and Gif got off on probation.”
She placed her hand at the base of her throat, which already showed a bruise Jasper had inflicted. Drex knew he was bruising her almost as deeply now.
“He’s run a great con,” Rudkowski said.
Giving no regard to him, Drex said, “I used the badge, played the part, but never for self gain. Only as a means to capture Weston Graham.”
In a faint voice, she said, “You never were with the FBI?”
“Mike and Gif were until…” He hitched his chin toward Rudkowski. “They were with the bureau when I went to them and sought their help.”
“Because they were corruptible,” Rudkowski said.
“Because of their particular skills,” Drex said. “They assisted me—”
“Covertly and illegally.”
“—because they believed in what I was doing. After my release from prison, they left the bureau and started working with me.”
“As accomplices,” Rudkowski said. “And by the way, the FBI was happy to be rid of them.”
“Why don’t you shut the fuck up?” Menundez muttered.
Talia seemed unaware of them. Her wounded gaze remained on Drex. “Is the doctorate another fake?”
“No.”
“Then why didn’t you just use it and join the FBI?”
“Because I didn’t want to be fettered by procedure and bureaucracy.”
“It was easier just to act the part?” she said.
“Not easier. More efficacious.”
“Efficacious.” She gave a bitter laugh. “Good word. A writer’s word. You certainly had gullible me fooled. Drex the writer. Drex the federal agent. Drex the good guy,” she finished huskily.
“I’m the same man, Talia.”
“The same con man,” Rudkowski said. “Let’s go.”
The stoic stranger, whom Drex took to be another agent, nudged him forward. He went without protest, but as he came even with Talia, he stopped. “Talia—”
“Anything you have to say, I don’t want to hear. I’m not listening to any more of your lies,” she said and turned her back to him.
Epilogue