that connection. “Sidney, we both saw a video of your husband
passing information to a group of men in a warehouse in Seattle on the
day of the plane crash. If he wasn’t giving them information
on the
CyberCom deal, then what the hell was it?”
Sidney shook in frustration. “I don’t know! I do know that
when
Brophy was cut out of the final rounds of the deal, they tried
to
blackmail me for it. I pretended to go along. My actual plan
was to
go to the authorities. But then we got in the limo.” Sidney
shuddered. “You know the rest.”
Sawyer stabbed a hand into his pocket and pulled out a
cigarette.
He cradled the phone under his chin while he lit up. “You
find out
anything else?”
“I spoke with Jason’s secretary, Kay Vincent. She said the
other
major project Jason was working on other than CyberCom was an
integration of Triton’s backup files.”
“Tape backups? Is that important?” Sawyer asked.
“I don’t know, but Kay also told me that Triton had delivered
financial records to CyberCom. On the very day of the plane crash.”
Sidney sounded exasperated.
“So what’s unusual about that? They’re involved in
a deal.”
Nathan Gamble because he didn’t want to turn those very same records
over to CyberCom.”
Sawyer rubbed at his forehead. “That doesn’t make any sense. Do you
think Gamble knew the records were turned over?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I can’t be sure about that.” Sidney paused.
The damp cold was starting ro become painful. “In fact, I thought the
CyberCom deal might blow up because of Gamble’s refusal.”
“Well, I can tell you for a fact that it didn’t. I attended the press
conference today announcing the deal. Gamble was smiling like the
Cheshire cat.”
“Well, with CyberCom in the fold I can understand him being very happy.”
“Can’t say the same for Quentin Rowe.”
“They certainly are an odd pair.”
“Right. Like AL Capone and Gandhi.”
Sidney breathed deeply into the receiver but said nothing.
“Sidney, I know you’re not going to like this, but I’m going to say it
anyway. You’d be a lot better off if you came in. We can protect you.”
“You mean imprison me, don’t you?” she said, a bitter edge in her voice.
“Sidney, I know you didn’t kill anyone.”
“Can you prove it?”
“I think I can.”
“You think ? I’m sorry, Lee. I really appreciate the vote of
confidence, but I’m afraid that’s not quite good enough. I know how the
evidence stacks up. And the public’s perception of things. They’d
throw away the key.”
“You could really be in danger out there.” Sawyer slowly fingered the
FBI shield pinned to his belt. “Listen, tell me where you are and I’ll
come. No one else. Not my partner, nobody, just me. To get you, they
go through me first. Then, meanwhile, we can try to figure this thing
out together.”
“Lee, you’re an FBI agent. There’s a warrant for my arrest. It’s your
official duty to take me into custody the moment you lay eyes nn mo (‘in
tnn n( that you’ve already red for me once.”
Sawyer swallowed with difficulty. In his mind a pair of captivating
emerald eyes blended together into the light of a train bearing right
down on him. “Then let’s just call it part of my unofficial duty.”
“And if it’s found out, your career is over. On top of it, you could go
to prison.”
‘Tin a big boy, I’ll take my chances about that. I give you my word
it’ll just be me coming.” His voice trembled with suppressed excitement.
Sidney could not speak. “Sidney, I’m shooting straight with you. I…
I really want you to be okay, all right?”
There was a catch in Sidney’s throat. “! believe you, Lee. And I
can’t tell you how much that means to me. But I’m not going to let you
throw your life away either. I’m not having that on my conscience too.”
“Sidney–”
“I have to go now, Lee.”
“Wait! Don’t.”
“I’ll try to call back.”
“When?”
Sidney stared straight ahead through the windshield, her face suddenly
rigid, her eyes widening. “I’m… I’m not sure,” she said vaguely.