“Do you want my coldly reasoned analysis?” Fisher took her silence as
assent. “You’ve got all these nameless but very powerful people, many
of whom may have things lined up in the future or currently have nice
post-public service careers. What’s so unusual about that? It happens
all the time. They get on the phone, have lunches, whisper in ears,
call in some favors. That’s America. So where are we?”
“This is more than that, Paul. A lot more.”
“Are you saying you can trace the actual illegal activity, how the
legislation was manipulated?”
“Not exactly.”
“”Not exactly’ is right. It’s really like trying to prove a
negative.”
Reynolds knew he was right on that point. How did you prove someone
didn’t do something? Many of the tools Buchanan’s people would have
used to further his agenda were probably tools every politician used,
legitimately. They were talking motivation here. why somebody was
doing something, not how they were doing it. The why was illegal, the
how wasn’t. Like a basketball player not trying his best because he’d
been paid off.
“Is Buchanan a director in these unknown firms where the former,
unknown politicians get jobs? A stockholder? Did he put up the money?
Does he have any ongoing business with any of them?”
“You sound like a defense lawyer,” she said hotly.
“That’s exactly my intent. Because those are the sort of questions
you’ll need answers for.”
“We have not been able to uncover evidence directly tying Buchanan to
any of it.”
“Then what are you basing your conclusion on? What’s your evidence
that there is a connection at all?”
Reynolds started to speak and then stopped. Her face flushed and in
her agitation she broke in half the pencil she was holding.
“Let me answer that for you,” said Fisher. “Faith Lockhart, your
missing witness.”
“We’ll find her, Paul. And then were back in business.”
“And if you don’t find her? What then?”
“We’ll find another way.”
“Can you determine the identities of the bribed officials
independently?”
Reynolds desperately wanted to say yes to that question, but she
couldn’t. Buchanan had been in Washington for decades. He’d probably
had dealings with just about every politician and bureaucrat in the
city. It would be impossible to narrow down the list without
Lockhart.
“Anything’s possible,” she said gamely.
He shook his head. “Actually, it’s not, Brooke.”
Reynolds erupted. “Buchanan and his cronies have broken the law.
Doesn’t that count for anything?”
“In a court of law it counts for zero without proof,” he shot back.
She slammed her fist down on the desk. “I damn well refuse to believe
that. Besides, the evidence is there; we just have to keep digging.”
“You see, that’s the problem. It would be one thing if you could do it
in complete secrecy. But an investigation of this magnitude, with the
sort of important targets were talking about, can never remain
completely secret. And now we have a homicide investigation to deal
with as well.”
“Meaning there will be leaks,” Reynolds said, wondering if Fisher
suspected that those leaks might have already occurred.
“Meaning that when you go after important people, you better be damn
sure of your case before any leaks do occur. You can’t target people
like that unless you’re loaded for bear. Right now, your gun’s empty
and I’m not sure where you go to reload. It pretty much says in the
Bureau manual, you can’t hunt down public officials based on rumor and
innuendo.”
She looked at him coolly when he finished saying this. “Okay, Paul,
would you like to tell me exactly what it is you want me to do?”
“The Violent Crime Unit will keep you informed on its investigation.
You have to find Lockhart. Since the two cases are inextricably
connected, I suggest cooperation.”
“I can’t tell them anything about our investigation.”
“I’m not asking you to. Just work with them to help clear Newman’s
murder. And find Lockhart.”
“And beyond that? If we can’t find her? What happens to my
investigation?”
“I don’t know, Brooke. The tea leaves are very hard to read right
now.”
Reynolds stood and looked out the window. Thick, dark clouds had
turned day almost into night. She could see both her reflection and