“You saved all of our lives. You’re probably the most innocent person
in this room. What do you think?”
Lee looked at Faith and then at Buchanan before coming back to
Reynolds. “I don’t think I can give you a great reason to do it, but
if you want my gut, I’d say to go along with them.”
Reynolds sighed and looked over at Connie. “You have a way of
contacting this monster?” Connie said nothing. “Connie, you work with
us on this, it’ll help you. I know you were just prepared to kill all
of us, and I shouldn’t give a damn about what happens to you.” She
paused and looked down for a moment. “But I do. Last chance, Connie,
what do you say?”
Connie’s big hands clenched and unclenched nervously. He looked at
Buchanan. “What exactly do you want me to say?”
Buchanan told him precisely, and Connie sat down on the couch, picked
up the phone and dialed. When the line was answered, he said, “This is
.. “-Connie looked embarrassed for a moment-“this is Ace-in-the-Role.”
A few minutes later Connie put down the phone and looked at each of
them. “Okay, it’s done.”
“Did he seem to buy it?” Lee asked.
“Yes, but you can never be sure with these guys.”
“Good, enough; that gives us some time,” Buchanan said.
“Well, right now we have some things to tend to,” Reynolds said. “Like
a number of dead bodies. And I’ve got to report in. And get you”-she
looked at Connie-“into a cell.”
Connie glared at her. “So much for loyalty,” he said.
She glared back. “You made your choices. What you did for us will
help you. But you’re going to be in prison a long time, Connie. At
least you get to live. That’s more of a choice than Ken had.”
She looked at Buchanan. “Now what?”
“I suggest we leave here immediately. Once were out of the area, you
can call the police. When we get back to Washington, Faith and I will
meet with the FBI, tell them what we know. We must keep everything
completely secret. If he knows were working with the FBI, we’ll never
get the proof we need.”
“This guy had Ken killed?”
“Yes.”
“Is he with a foreign interest?”
“Actually, you both have the same employer.”
Reynolds looked at him, stunned. “Uncle Sam?” she said slowly.
Buchanan nodded. “If you trust me, I will do my best to bring him to
you. I have my own personal score to settle with him.”
“And what exactly do you expect in return?”
“For me? Nothing. If I go to prison, I go to prison. But Faith goes
free. Unless you can guarantee me that, you can just call the police
right now.”
Faith grabbed his arm. “Danny, you’re not taking the fall for this.”
“Why not? It was my doing.”
“But your reason?”
“Reasons are no defense. I knew I was taking a chance when I broke the
law.”
“Well, so did I, dammit!”
Buchanan turned back to Reynolds. “Do we have a deal? Faith does not
go to prison.
“I’m really not in a position to offer you anything.” She pondered the
issue for a moment. “But I can promise you this: If you are shooting
straight with me, I’ll do everything in my power to see that Faith goes
free.”
Connie stood up, suddenly looking pale. “Brooke, I need to hit the
john, like quick.” He was wobbly on his feet; one hand slid to his
chest.
She glanced at him suspiciously. “What’s the matter?” She scrutinized
his pallid features. “Are you all right?”
“To tell you the truth, I’ve been better,” he mumbled, his head rolling
to one side, his left side drooping.
“I’ll go with him,” Lee said.
As the pair started to the stairs, Connie seemed to lose his balance
and he pressed his hand hard against the center of his chest, his face
contorted in pain. “Shit. Oh, God!” He dropped to one knee, moaning,
saliva dripping out of his mouth; he started gurgling.
“Connie!” Reynolds started toward him.
“He’s having a heart attack,” Faith cried out.
“Connie!” Reynolds said again as she stared at her stricken partner,