“Yeah, my shoulder still remembers you.”
Burton sat down on the bed next to Jack.
Jack looked at him. “I thought I’d covered my tracks pretty good. I’m
kind of surprised you found me.”
Burton looked at the ceiling. “A little bird told us, Jack.”
Jack looked over at Collin and then back at Burton.
“Look, I’m heading out of town, and I’m not coming back. I don’t think
you guys need to add me to the body count.”
Burton eyed the bag on the bed and’then got up and slipped his gun back
in its holster. Then he grabbed Jack and flung him up against the wall.
The veteran agent left nothing unprobed by the time he had finished.
Burton spent the next ten minutes examining every inch of the room for
listening devices and other items of interest, ending his search at
Jack’s bag. He pulled out the photos and examined them.
Satisfied, Burton secreted them in his inner coat pocket and smiled at
Jack. “Excuse me, but in my line of work paranoia is part of the
mentality.” He sat back down. “I would like to know, Jack, why you sent
that photo to the President.”
Jack shrugged. “Well, since my life here happens to be over, I thought
your boss might want to contribute to my going-away fund. You could’ve
just wired the funds, like you did with Luther.”
Collin grunted, shook his head and grinned. “The world doesn’t work that
way, Jack, sorry. You should’ve found another solution to your problem.”
Jack shot back, “I guess I should’ve followed your example. Got a
problem? Just kill it.”
Collins smile evaporated.”His eyes glittered darkly at the lawyer.
Burton stood up and paced around the room. He pulled out a cigarette and
then crunched it up and put it in his pocket.
He turned to Jack and said quietly, “‘You should’ve just gotten the hell
out of town, Jack. Maybe you would’ve made it.”
“Not with you two on my butt.”
Burton shrugged. “You never know.”
“How do you know I haven’t given one of those photos to the cops?”
Burton pulled out the photos and looked down at them.
“Polaroid OneStep camera. The film comes in a standard pack of ten
shots. Whitney sent two to Russell. You sent one to the President. There
are seven left here. Sorry, Jack, nice try.”
“I could’ve just told Seth Frank what I know.”
Burton shook his head. “If you had I think my little bird would’ve told
me. But if you want to insist on the point we can just wait for the
lieutenant to show up and join the party. t, Jack burst up from the bed
and launched himself toward the door. Right as he reached it, an iron
fist slammed into his kidney. Jack crumpled to the floor. An instant
later he was hustled up and thrown back on the bed.
Jack looked up into Collins face.
“Now we’re even, Jack.”
Jack groaned and lay back on the bed, fighting the nausea the blow had
caused. He sat back up, caught his breath as the pain subsided.
When Jack finally managed to look up, his eyes found Burton’s face. Jack
shook his head, the disbelief clear on his features.
Burton eyed Jack intently and said, “What?”
“I thought you were the good guys,” Jack said quietly.
Burton said nothing for several long moments.
Collins eyes went to the floor and stayed there.
Finally Burton answered, his voice faint, as if his larynx had suddenly
collapsed. “So did I, Jack. So did I.”‘ He paused, swallowed painfully
and went on. “I didn’t ask for this problem. If Richmond could keep his
dick in his pants none of this would’ve happened. But it did. And we had
to fix it.”
Burton stood up, looked at his watch. “I’m sorry about this, Jack. I
really am. You probably think that’s laughable but it’s the way I really
feel.”
He looked at Collin and nodded. Collin motioned Jack to lie back on the
bed.
“I hope the President appreciates what you’re doing for him,” Jack said
bitterly.
Burton smiled ruefully. “Let’s just say he expects it, Jack.
Maybe they all do, in one way or another.”