she dies from breast cancer.”
He paused.
Seth Frank was all attention now. “Go on.”
“Kate Whitney is devastated by her mother’s death. Her father’s betrayal
as she sees it. So devastated that she totally breaks off from him. Not
only that, she goes to law school and then goes to work as an Assistant
Commonwealth’s Attorney where she has the reputation of being one
hard-assed prosecutor, especially for property-related crime”urglary,
theft, robbery. She goes for the max on all those guys. And usually gets
it I might add.”
“Where the hell did you get all that info?”
“A few well-placed phone calls. People like to talk about other people’s
misery, it makes them feel their own life is somehow better when it
usually isn’t.”
“So where does all this family turmoil get us?”
“Seth, look at the possibilities here. This girl hates her old man.
Hates with a capital H underscored.”
“So you want to use her to get to him. If they’re estranged that badly,
how do we do it?”
“That’s the twist. By all accounts, all the hate and misery is on her
side. Not his. He loves her. Loves her more than anything else. He’s got
a goddamned shrine to her in his bedroom. I’m telling you the guy is
ripe for this.”
“If, and it’s still a big if in my mind, if she’s willing to cooperate,
how does she get in touch with him? He sure as hell isn’t going to be
hanging around his phone at home.”
“No, but I bet he checks in for messages. You should see his house. This
guy is very orderly, everything in its place, bills probably paid ahead
of time. And he’s got no idea we’re on his ass. Not yet anyway. He
probably checks his machine once or twice a day. Just in case.”
“So she leaves him a message, arranges a meeting and we nail him?”
Burton stood back up, flushed two cigarettes from his pack and flipped
one over to Frank. They both took a moment to light up.
. “Personally, that’s how I see it going down, Seth. Unless you got a
better idea.”
“We still have to convince her to do it. From what you said, & didn’t
seem too willing.”
“I think you need to talk to her. Without me there. Maybe I came down a
little too hard on her. I have a tendency to do that.”
“I’ll hit it ‘ first thing in the morning.”
Frank put on his hat and coat and then paused.
“Look, I didn’t mean to jump all over your butt, Bill.” Burton grinned.
“Sure you did. I would’ve done the same thing if I were you.”
“I appreciate the assistance.”
“Anytime.”
Seth started to walk out.
“Hey, Seth, little favor to an old-fart ex-cop.”
“What’s that?”
“Let me in on the kill. I wouldn’t mind seeing his face when the hammer
comes down.”
“You got it. I’ll call you after I talk to her. This cop’s going home to
his family. You should do the same, Bill.”
“After I finish this smoke I’m outta. here.”
Frank left. Burton sat down, slowly finished his cigarette, then drowned
it out in a half cup of coffee.
He could’ve withheld Whitney’s name from Seth Frank.
Told him there had been no match by the FBI. But that was too dangerous
a game to play. If Frank ever found out, and the detective could through
a myriad of independent channels, Burton would be stone-cold dead.
Nothing could explain that deception other than the truth, which wasn’t
an option.
Besides, Burton needed Frank to know Whitney’s identity.
The Secret Service agent’s plan all along was to have the detective hunt
the ex-con down. Find him, yes; arrest him, no.
Burton stood up, put on his coat. Luther Whitney. Wrong place, wrong
time, wrong people. Well, if it were any solace he wouldn’t see it
coming. He’d never even hear the shot.
He’d be dead before the synapses could fire the impulse to his brain.
Those were the breaks. Sometimes they went for you and sometimes against
you. Now if he could only think of a way to leave the President and his