friend’s voice. “About my documents .. . I should prepare to leave the
country as soon as possible.”
“That won’t be necessary, Bob,” Royce said. “And frankly, despite your
constant outbursts to the contrary, until you screwed everything up, we
had quite a good working relationship with the FBI. Cooperation is the
key these days. Turf battles make losers of everyone. You made us
into dinosaurs and you’re dragging us down into the mud with you.”
Thornhill gave him an exasperated look and then glanced at Winslow.
“Phil, I don’t have time for this. You deal with him.”
Winslow coughed nervously. “I’m afraid he’s right, Bob.”
Thornhill froze for a moment and then looked around the table before
settling back on Winslow. “Phil, I want my documents and my cover, and
I want them right now.”
Winslow looked at Royce and gave a slight nod of the head.
Aaron Royce rose from his chair. He didn’t smile; he showed no signs
of triumph. Just as he had been trained.
“Bob,” he said, “there’s been a change in plan. We won’t be needing
your assistance in this matter any further.”
Thornhill’s face flushed with anger. “What the hell are you talking
about? I’m running this operation. And I want Buchanan and Adams
dead. Now!”
“There will be no more killing,” Winslow said fiercely. “No more
killing of innocent people,” he added quietly.
He stood. “I’m sorry, Bob. I truly am.”
Thornhill stared at him, the first tremors of the truth hitting him.
Phil Winslow had been his classmate at Yale, his fraternity brother.
The two men were members of Skull & Bones. Winslow had been his best
man. They’d been lifelong friends. Lifelong.
“Phil?” Thornhill said cautiously.
Winslow motioned to the other men, who rose too. They all headed for
the elevator.
“Phil?” Thornhill said again, his mouth going dry.
When the group reached the elevator, Winslow looked back. “We can’t
let this matter go any further. We can’t let it go to trial. And we
can’t let you steal away. They’ll never stop looking for you. We need
closure, Bob.”
Thornhill half rose from his chair. “Then we can fake my death. My
suicide.”
“I’m sorry, Bob. We need complete and honest closure.”
“Phil!” Thornhill screamed out. “Please!”
When all the men were inside the elevator, Winslow looked at his friend
one last time. “Sacrifices are sometimes necessary, Bob. You know
that better than anyone. For the good of the country.”
The elevator doors closed.
CHAPTER 58
Lee CAREFULLY HELD THE BASKET OF FLOWERS in both hands as he walked
down the hospital corridor. Once she’d regained enough strength, Faith
had been transferred to a hospital outside of Richmond, Virginia. There
she was listed under an alias, though, and an armed guard was stationed
outside her room at all times. The hospital was considered far enough
away from Washington to maintain absolute secrecy on her whereabouts,
yet near enough for Brooke Reynolds to keep a close watch on her.
This was the first time Lee had been allowed in to see her, despite his
frantic pleas to Reynolds. At least she was alive. And getting better
every day, he had been told.
Thus he was very surprised when he approached her room and there was no
guard outside. He knocked on the door, waited, then pushed it open.
The room was empty, the bed stripped. He walked around the room in a
daze for a few seconds and then ran back out into the hallway where he
nearly collided with a nurse. He grabbed the woman’s arm.
“The patient in 212? Where is she?” he asked.
The nurse glanced at the empty room and then back at him, her
expression a sad one. “Are you family?”
“Yes,” he lied.
She looked at the flowers and her expression grew even more distressed.
“Didn’t anyone call you?”
“Call me? About what?”
“She passed away last night.”
Lee’s face paled. “Passed away,” he said numbly. “But she was Out of
danger. She was going to make it. What the hell are you talking
about–passing away?”
“Please, sir, there are other patients here.” She took his arm and
steered him away from the room. “I don’t know the exact details. I