“What the hell — ” he started to say until he saw the machine gun pointed at him and fell silent.
“Who are you?” Rayfield demanded.
“I was about to ask you that question. I’m here for a meeting with Sam Rider. I’ve been waiting ten minutes already and he hasn’t bothered to show up.”
Rayfield edged closer. “You’re a client of his?”
Fiske nodded. “Flew in from Washington this evening on a chartered plane. The meeting’s been planned for several weeks now.”
“Little late for a meeting, isn’t it?” Tremaine’s eyes bored into Fiske.
“I have a very busy schedule. This was the only time I could meet.” He looked at both men sternly. “And why is the Army bursting in here with machine guns in the first place?”
Tremaine’s face flushed angrily, but Rayfield assumed a more diplomatic tone. “It’s not our business, Mr — ”
Fiske started to say his real last name, but then decided not to. Rufus had known these men by name. That meant these men were somehow involved with whatever had happened to Rufus. If that was true, they might have killed Mike.
“Michaels, John Michaels. I run a real estate development company and Rider is my land-use attorney.”
“Well, you’re going to have to get another lawyer,” Rayfield said.
“I’m happy with Sam’s work.”
“That’s not the point. The point is Rider’s dead. He committed suicide. Killed his wife and then himself.”
Fiske stood up, trying to make his expression as horrified as possible. It wasn’t too hard, given the fact that he was trying to scam two armed men, with two more armed men in the adjoining room. If he failed, he would be the first casualty, if Josh Harms had anything to say about it.
“What the hell are you talking about? I spoke with him recently. He seemed fine.”
“That’s all well and good, but the fact is he’s dead,” Rayfield said.
Fiske sat down abruptly, looking numbly at the files in front of him. “I can’t believe it,” he said, slowly shaking his head. “I feel like an idiot. Sitting in the man’s office waiting to hold a meeting. But I didn’t know. No one told me. The door to his office was unlocked. Christ!” He pushed the files away, then looked up sharply. “So what are you two doing here? Why is the Army involved?”
Tremaine and Rayfield exchanged glances. “There’s been an escape from the military prison nearby.”
“Good Lord, you think whoever escaped is around here?”
“Don’t know. Fact is, Rider was the escapee’s lawyer. We thought he might hit this place for some cash or something. Who knows, the prisoner might have murdered Rider, for all we know.”
“But you said it was a suicide.”
“That’s what the police think. That’s why we’re here. To look around, catch the guy if he’s here.”
Fiske watched with a sinking heart as Tremaine headed to the bathroom door.
“Susan, can you please come out here?” Fiske called in a loud voice.
Tremaine stared hard at Fiske as they all heard the toilet flush. And then the door opened partially and Sara came out, trying her best to look astonished. She did a pretty good job, Fiske thought, probably because she too was scared shitless.
“John, what’s going on?”
“I told these gentlemen about our meeting with Sam Rider. You’re not going to believe this, but he’s dead.”
“Oh, my God.”
“Susan is my assistant.” She nodded at both men.
“I didn’t get your names,” Fiske said.
“That’s right,” Tremaine shot back.
Fiske hurriedly continued: “These men are from the Army. They’re looking for an escaped prisoner. They think the person might have had something to do with Sam’s death.”
“Oh, my God. John, let’s just get back on the plane and get out of here.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Tremaine said. “We can search the place a lot faster with you two out of the way.” He once again looked over at the bathroom door. Holding his gun with one hand, he reached out to push the door all the way open.
“Well, I can tell you there’s no one hiding in there,” she said with as straight a face as she could.