The Innocent (Will Robie 1)

Robie moved down a short hallway and stopped. In front of him was a wall of firepower that he had drawn on in the past to accomplish his work. It included pistols, rifles, shotguns, and even a surface-to-air missile launcher. It seemed James Bondish, but was actually just the typical stock-in-trade for people in Robie’s field. He took down what he thought he might need and stacked it against one wall.

He opened a drawer of a workbench and pocketed a couple of electronic transmitters. He spent another ten minutes picking out various other items that might come in handy and packed everything up in a large duffel bag. He carried it up the steps, closed the hatch, spread the straw back over it, and put the duffel in the trunk of the Audi.

Five minutes later he was speeding back east. He checked in at an extended-stay motel and unloaded his equipment. He changed clothes and called Julie. Robie had left her in the care of Vance and the FBI. Vance had only told her superiors that Julie was a possible witness and needed protection. Two agents from out of town had been called in to assist with the protection detail. Right now Robie didn’t really trust anyone in D.C.

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Julie sounded excited. “I got an idea. I called the Broomes on the phone you gave me. And I got a text back,” she said. “They want to meet.”

“You know it’s probably not the Broomes, right?” said Robie in a calming tone. “They could have had the Broomes’ phone, and when they got your call, they just texted back to your number. If it were the Broomes they probably would have simply called.”

“Do you always have to be a downer?” asked Julie.

“Where and when?”

She told him.

“Can you come and pick me up?” she asked.

“Julie, you’re not going anywhere near that place.”

He could almost see her face falling across the digital ether.

“What?”

“This is most likely a setup. You’re not going. I’ll handle it.”

“But we’re a team. You said so.”

“I’m not putting you in any more danger than you already are. I’ll handle it and then report back to you.”

“That sucks.”

“I’m sure from your point of view it does suck, but it’s the smart thing to do.”

“I can take care of myself, Will.”

“Under most circumstances I would agree with that. This is not one of those circumstances.”

“Thanks for nothing.”

“You’re welcome.”

But she had already clicked off.

Robie put the phone back into his pocket and mentally prepared for the upcoming meeting. At some point whoever was behind this would no longer be interested in keeping him alive. He wondered if that time was about to come.

He gunned up and slipped a few other items into his jacket pocket, then called Vance and filled her in.

“I’ll come with you,” she said.

“You sure?” he asked.

“Don’t ask me again, Robie. Because my answer might just change.”

CHAPTER

69

THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Memorial’s official opening had been delayed because of a hurricane that had exhibited incredibly bad timing as it swept up the East Coast. But now the memorial was open. The centerpiece was the Stone of Hope, a thirty-foot-high statue of Dr. King, comprised of 159 granite blocks fashioned to look like a single chunk of stone. Its official address was 1964 Independence Avenue, after the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The memorial was roughly equidistant between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, and sited along the “line of leadership” between the other two memorials. It was adjacent to the FDR Memorial and was the only memorial on the National Mall dedicated to a person of color, and a non-president.

Robie knew all of this and had even attended the opening ceremony for the memorial. But tonight he was only interested in survival.

He spoke quietly into his headset as he eyed the memorial. “You in place?”

Vance’s voice came into his ear. “Roger that.”

“See anyone?”

“No.”

Robie kept moving and kept looking. He had on night-vision goggles, but they couldn’t see what wasn’t there.

“Julie?”

The voice was to his left, near the memorial.

It was a man. Robie tightened the grip on his pistol and spoke into his headset again. “Did you hear that?”

Vance said, “Yes, but I don’t have a visual on the source yet.”

A second later Robie did.

The man stepped clear of the memorial. In the wash of moonlight and with the aid of his special goggles Robie could see that it was indeed Leo Broome. He recognized him from a photo he had seen in the man’s apartment.

Vance’s voice came into his ear. “Is that Broome?”

“Yes, sit tight and cover my back.”

Robie moved forward until he was within ten feet of the other man.

“Mr. Broome?”

The man immediately ducked back behind the memorial.

“Mr. Broome?” Robie said again.

“Where’s Julie?” Broome said.

“We didn’t let her come,” called out Robie. “We thought it might be an ambush.”

“Well, that’s exactly what I’m thinking,” said Broome. “Just so you know, I’ve got a gun and I know how to aim and hit what I’m aiming at.”

Vance spoke up. “Mr. Broome, I’m Special Agent Vance with the FBI. We just want to talk to you.”

“You saying it doesn’t mean you are with the FBI.”

Vance came out into the open and held her weapon up and her shield out. “I am with the FBI, Mr. Broome. We just want to talk. To try and find out what’s going on here.”

“And the other guy?” said Broome. “What about him?”

Robie said, “I know that Julie’s parents are dead, Mr. Broome. I’ve been trying to help her find their killers.”

“Curtis and Sara are dead?”

“So are Rick Wind and his ex-wife. Both murdered.”

Broome appeared around the edge of the memorial. “We’ve got to put a stop to all this.”

“Couldn’t agree with you more,” said Vance. “And with your help maybe we can. But first we need to get you to a safe location. And your wife too.”

“That won’t be happening.”

“Did they get to your wife?” asked Robie.

“Yes. She’s dead.”

Robie said quickly, “Were you with her when it happened?”

“Yes, I barely got out in—”

Robie was running full tilt toward Broome. “Get down, now. Down!”

But he knew he was already too late.

He heard the crack of the shot. Broome whipped around and then fell where he had stood. He hit the dirt hard, twitched once as his heart gave a final pump, and then lay still.

Robie reached him, ducked down, and surveyed the area. The shot had come from the left. He called this out to Vance, who was already on her phone.