“Funny you should ask. Cliff asked if I wanted one, and I told him I trusted you.”

Alex couldn’t tell if Teren looked more amused, or shocked. “I would like permission, though, to give him a call as soon as we’re finished. He wants to get a forensic team out there as soon as possible.”

“You’re asking permission?” Teren was maneuvering the vehicle through the crowded streets with the talent of a race car driver, and had noticed David reaching quickly for his seat belt.

“Yes. This is your call, Teren. We’ll do things your way. All I ask is that you remember we all have an interest in this case.”

Teren nodded. “You’re right. Tell you what. As soon as I find what I’m looking for, I’ll let you know, and you can make your call.” She glanced at Alex again. “Deal?”

“Deal. Now, could you do me a favor?”

“What?”

“Slow down just a little before my partner has a panic attack. He doesn’t trust anyone but himself at these speeds.”

Teren looked in the mirror to see a sheepish grin on Alex’s partner. He saw her watching him, and he shrugged at her.

She slowed down. A little.

*******************************************************

It was past six o’clock when they reached the northern side of Baltimore. Teren estimated that Towson was at least another twenty minutes on the highway. They had passed the time bringing Teren up to speed on everything the task force had accomplished, and the information they had dug out of the files on the Kittredge Clothes Company.

“So, the way I see it, Kittredge is nothing more than a money laundering scheme. They’re taking in quite a bit of cash, which can’t be traced. Then they send it out to companies among the Atlantic Properties Group.”

“And you said Martin Richmond is the Chairman of Atlantic?”

“Yes. I don’t know yet if he reports to someone else, or if he’s the top of the heap. Mark and Ben are going to continue looking at the people in the chain.”

“Good work.”

David spoke up from the back seat. “Teren, excuse me, but did you know what we’d find?”

She glanced at him in the mirror. “Not really. I knew there was something strange, and I knew some of the money they took in was tainted. But I didn’t know how the scheme worked, or who was involved.”

“How did you know there was tainted money going into the company?” Alex asked.

Teren sent an amused glance toward the agent. “Sorry. I am not allowed to divulge any information based on past CIA operations.”

Alex nodded. “So, it involves the CIA? Or just information uncovered during a mission?”

“I am not allowed to —”

“Yeah, yeah. Got it.”

Teren grinned at Alex. “Sorry.”

“I know. You’re just frustrating.”

David decided to bite the bullet and jump into the conversation. “Um, I don’t mean to pry, and I don’t want you to divulge any priviledged information, but can you tell us who you think is behind the murders?”

Teren was silent so long that Alex didn’t think she was going to answer. Then Teren sighed, and looked at David’s reflection.

“The same people who were behind the death of my partner.”

“Okay.”

David looked like he wanted to ask more, but didn’t dare. Teren waited for him to say something else, and finally got exasperated when he didn’t.

“Any other questions, Agent Wu?”

David was distinctly uncomfortable, but he said, “Yeah. Just one.”

“Ask it.”

“Who killed your partner?”

Alex bit her lip, wondering how the dark woman would react. Teren stared quietly at the road for a few minutes, and then took a deep breath.

“What are you really asking, David? Do you want to know who pulled the trigger, or who set us up?”

“Well, from what I understand, it was Mather that set you up.”

“Yes. So, you’re asking who I think paid him, right?”

“Right.”

Teren nodded. “I honestly can’t say. I think it was a conspiracy, and I think it involves members of the far right in the United States. That’s all I can really tell you.”

“You can’t give us a name of any kind?”

“No.”

The only sound in the car was the soft background of classical music that came from Teren’s speakers. No one spoke until Teren pulled the car over to the curb in the middle of a small residential neighborhood.

Chapter Eleven

Teren found the house and parked across the street. She shut off the car and waited a few minutes, examining the street, and taking inventory of possible hiding places. She looked carefully at the front of the building, and thought about how they should enter. She discarded the possibility of going in through the back door, and there was no side door visible. It looked like the only options would be a window, or the front door.

“What are we waiting for?” David didn’t know why, but he was whispering.

“We’re not waiting, we’re observing.” Teren’s voice was low, just loud enough to reach their ears. “Before entering any building I always check out what’s around me, and where an ambush might come from.”

“Ambush. Right.” David nodded. “You know, Teren, Mather’s dead, and so is Wilford. Since they were killed while committing a federal crime, we don’t need any warrant, nor do we need to worry about the police if someone calls them. As federal agents we have a right to enter the home.”

Teren nodded. “Fine. Go ahead, Agent Wu. March right on up there and bust your way into the house of a man who was an experienced assassin. Someone who knew how to rig bombs to explode, guns to fire, and the classic poison darts to fly across the room. Personally, I’d be a little cautious. But if you want to take your life in your hands, go right ahead.”

Alex glanced into the back seat. David was visibly sweating.

“No, no. This is your call, Agent Mylos. We’ll do things your way.”

“Good choice.”

After another moment, Teren opened her door and climbed out. She waited for Alex and David to come around from the other side of the car. David was carrying the bag of supplies, and the camera.

“What’s that for?”

“So we can photograph the scene when we get inside.”

“Right. Is it loaded?” David shook his head. “Well, David, why don’t you give the bag to Alex, and you can load your camera while you wait here.”

“Okay, that sounds — wait a minute, why am I waiting here?”

“Because I said so.”

“No way. You two are not going in there alone.”

“Yes we are. If anything happens we’ll need you to call for backup.”

“No, uh-uh. I’m not letting —”

Teren grabbed David by his jacket and pushed him roughly against the car. She held him there, with his feet just barely on the ground, and glared at him. Her face was close enough that he could feel her breath on his cheeks.

“Listen up, you candy ass, stupid, macho shit. In the past day or so I’ve come to semi-trust Alex. I don’t trust you, at all. So if you think I’m going to let you be the one to cover my back, you can think again. Now, Alex and I are going to find a way into the house, and hopefully we won’t get killed in the process. You are going to stay here and wait for our signal. You will not move before you see the signal. And if you come into the house before we call for you, I swear to God I’ll blow your stupid macho head off. Do I make myself clear, Agent Wu?”

David nodded, and Teren dropped her hold on him. She turned away to face Alex, and David reached out to grab her shoulder.

Alex saw Teren’s eyes go absolutely cold, and wondered if she’d need that new partner after all.

“I’ll stay here, and I’ll wait for your signal. But I’m warning you, Agent Mylos. That’s my partner, and if anything happens to her, I won’t care about bombs or darts or bullets. I’ll be looking to make sure she’s alright, and if she’s not, it’ll be your ass on a slab. Even if I have to die to put it there. Do we understand each other?”

Teren looked over her shoulder at him. “Perfectly.”