“You followed her ever since she left the Court today. I hoped, when I contacted you, it would all have been taken care of. But it’s still only her word against yours.”
“Why would she make up something like that?”
Jordan rubbed his chin. “Think about it. She was fired today. You escorted her out the door. She makes wild accusations against you; perhaps you can invent some others to bolster your position.”
“Rufus Harms is still out there. I saw him.”
Jordan’s face darkened. “Ah, the celebrated Mr. Harms.”
“He killed Frank and Vic.”
“Two fewer people to worry about, then.”
“That’s damn cold-blooded of you. You were the one who told them to kill Michael Fiske. You got all this started.”
Jordan looked thoughtful. “I still don’t know how Rufus Harms was able to identify me in that appeal. He knew all of you. I wasn’t even in the Army.”
“He didn’t ID you.”
Knight looked shocked at first; then there was a glint of hope in his eyes.
Perkins explained, “I talked to Tremaine. Rayfield lied to you. You weren’t named in the appeal. Just the four of us.”
“So I’m the only unknown.” Jordan stood up and looked at Perkins. God, that meant he still had a way out. Only one more thing, one more person to deal with, and this nightmare was over. He almost trembled at the thought of it.
“Who knows for how long. God, all this for what? We shoot the bastard up with PCP and it comes down to this.”
“You actually shot him up, Richard.”
“Don’t act high and mighty now. It was your idea to use the PCP, Mr. CIA.”
“Well, naturally — I was there conducting the testing. And listening to all of you complain about Harms. Just trying to do you a favor.” He eyed Perkins with an unnerving calmness. “I’m very anti-drug now, of course.”
“Stumping to the end? How about anti-murder? How do you feel about that, Senator?”
“I never killed anybody.”
“How about that little girl, Jordan? How about her?”
“Rufus Harms pled guilty to that crime. As far as I’m concerned, that plea hasn’t changed.”
“Well, it will soon enough if we don’t do something.”
“Are you certain you want to run?”
“I’m not hanging around for the ax to fall.”
“I suppose you’ll need money?”
Perkins nodded. “I don’t have a nice little retirement package like we put together for Vic and Frank. I have the bad habit of always living beyond my means.”
Jordan took a key from his pocket and unlocked his desk drawer. “I have some cash here. The rest will have to be by check. I can give you fifty thousand, to start.”
“That sounds good. To start.”
Jordan turned and pointed a pistol at Perkins.
“What the hell are you doing, Jordan?”
“You burst in here, clearly out of your mind, telling of these outrageous crimes you’ve committed, including kidnapping Sara Evans, for what purpose I don’t know. You threaten me. I manage to get out my gun and kill you.”
“You’re crazy. No one will believe that.”
“Oh, they will, Richard.” Jordan pulled the trigger and Perkins dropped to the floor. He heard a scream from the hallway. Jordan moved to the body, quickly searched Perkins, found his gun, placed it in the dead man’s hand and fired a shot into the wall. “It’s all right,” he called out, rising from the floor and putting the pistol down. “I’m all right.” He opened the door and froze as Rufus Harms stared back at him. Behind Rufus were Chandler, McKenna, Fiske and Sara.
Jordan finally pulled his gaze from Rufus and looked at Chandler. “Richard Perkins burst in here making wild threats. He had a gun. Fortunately I was a better shot.”
McKenna stepped forward. “Senator, you don’t remember me, do you? I mean, outside the FBI?” Jordan stared at him without recognition. McKenna edged closer to the man. “Perkins and Dellasandro didn’t remember me either. It’s been a long time and we’ve all changed a lot. Besides, everybody was pretty drunk that night. Everybody except you.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I was the guard on duty the night you and your friends came calling on Rufus at Fort Plessy. It was my first and last time pulling guard duty at the stockade. Probably why nobody remembered me.”