They’ll be ready for him to make a move. Another smart thing
done–the FBI has installed security cameras to record everyone
who goes in and out of that room. They’ve scheduled doctors and
nurses to go in there at given hours. Our guys will stay alert. Our
undercover agent who’s playing you, Becca, Ms. Marlane, won’t take any chances if he does show up. She’s got a 9mm Sig Sauer under her
pillow.”
Thomas said, “Then there’ll be that black government car
pulling up and a guy who looks remarkably like me getting out and
going into the hospital.”
Adam said, “Yep. Twice a day. I hope Krimakov does try to get
in. Wouldn’t that be something if it all ended there, in the hospital,
in New York? That would be a hell of a thing.”
Becca said, “He managed to down Chuck with no one the
wiser. So far he hasn’t failed at anything he’s tried.”
“She’s right, Adam,” Thomas said. “Like I said,Vasili is smart; he
improvises well. If there aren’t any leaks, it’s possible he’ll sniff
out the trap. But even if he’s fooled into thinking she’s there,
perhaps believing that I’m there with her, under guard, for just
twenty-four hours, it’ll give us time to try to come up with some
sort of strategy.”
Adam nodded and said, “If he doesn’t go down in New York,
then he’ll go down here.” He sighed. “Strategy is all well and good,
Thomas, but I can’t think of anything at the moment that isn’t already
being done.”
Thomas said, “I keep wondering if the agents playing our parts
should be told that it’s a former KGB agent who might come
there. Maybe it would make them sharper.”
“No, knowing that a killer is coming is all they need,” Adam
said. “Besides, they’ll know who they’re dealing with quick
enough. I believe that Krimakov will make a move real soon now.
Maybe he’ll even make a mistake.” Adam looked at Becca, whose
hands were fisted in her lap. She was too pale and he didn’t like it,
but there was nothing he could do about it.
She said, more to herself than to either of them, “If they don’t
get him, then how do you come up with a strategy to catch a
shadow?”
Thirty minutes later, their driver pulled up in front of a white
two-story colonial house, set back from the street on a gently slop
ing grass-covered yard, right in the middle of Bricker Road in the
heart of Chevy Chase. It looked like many of its neighbors in this
upper-middle-class neighborhood, lots of surrounding land, lots of
oak and elm trees, and beautifully landscaped lawns.
“Your house, sir. No one followed us.”
“Thank you, Mr. Simms. You took excellent evasive action.”
“Yes, sir.”
Thomas turned to Becca, who was staring out the car window.
He took her hand. “I’ve lived here for many years. Adam probably
told you no one knows about this house. It’s a closely guarded secret
to protect me. Given Krimakov’s actions, he hasn’t discovered
this house. Don’t worry. We’ll be safe here.” Thomas looked over
at the oak tree just to the side of the house. He and Allison had
planted it sixteen years before. It was now twenty feet taller than
the house, its branches full and laden with green leaves.
“It’s lovely,” Becca said. “I hope it does all end in New York. I
don’t ever want him to find out where you live. I don’t want him
to hurt this house.”
“No, I would prefer that he didn’t, either,” Thomas said. He
gently took her hand to help her out of the car.
“Mom and I always lived in an apartment or condo,” she said,
walking beside her father up the redbrick steps to the wide front
porch. “She never wanted a house. I know there was enough
money, but she’d always just shake her head.”
“When your mother and I were able to meet, she usually came
here. This was her house, Becca. You’ll see her touch everywhere,
and I’m sure you’ll recognize it as hers.”
His voice was low, so filled with pain, with regret, that Adam
turned away to focus on the rosebushes that were blooming wildly