Dead Aim (33 page)

Andreas stepped to the ground. "You shouldn't have come out, Shepard. There's no telling what--"

A shot.

But Andreas was still standing, Betworth realized.

Dammit, Runne had missed.

Another shot.

Andreas was falling to the ground.

Finally.

"Hit the dirt," he shouted to Shepard. "The President's down." He dove for the ground. "Keller, for God's sake, do something. The President is--"

Keller wasn't moving to help Andreas.

And Shepard wasn't moving either. The Vice President was crumpled on the ground a few feet from him. There was a small round hole in his temple.

Rage tore through him. Runne, that asshole. What fucking good did it do Betworth to kill the President if he killed Shepard too? All his plans blown by--

"Kill that son of a bitch, Danley!" he screamed. "Kill him now!"

Another shot.

Pain tore through his back.

Jesus.
He'd told Danley not to hurt him. A shoulder wound . . .

Just enough to make him a hero . . .

He felt cold. He could taste the blood in his mouth.

He was dying, he realized incredulously.

"No!"

Logan, Galen, and Keller left the helicopter at a run, but Keller was the first to reach Andreas. "Are you okay, sir? I told you this was crazy. Why didn't you let me do my job?"

"Because I'm tired of sitting in that ivory tower and relying on everyone else." Andreas got to his feet and dusted off his pants. "If I'd had more hands-on interaction before this, maybe Betworth wouldn't have been able to take out those bunkers." He looked down at Betworth and Shepard. "Dead?"

Galen was kneeling beside Betworth and checking his pulse. "As a doornail." He glanced up at the bluff. "It's a really bad angle. He made a great shot."

"I never said I wanted them dead." Andreas's lips tightened. "Get Morgan down here."

Galen stood up and flipped open his phone. "Come on down, Judd. As usual, you've taken too much on yourself." He hung up and turned to Andreas. "I can't be sure he's going to obey your orders. He may take off. He's been a scapegoat before."

"So you've told me," Andreas said. "But that doesn't mean he has the right to arbitrarily kill the Vice President of the United States." He glanced down at Shepard. "And he took him out first. If there was to be an assassination, I'd have thought Betworth would have been the primary target."

"I'm sure Morgan had a reason," Logan said. "He's not a--"

"I'm here." Morgan was coming down the trail. "Stop making excuses for me, Logan. I can talk for myself."

"Be quiet, Morgan." Alex was trailing behind him. "Let him make excuses. You can use all the help you can get."

Morgan turned to Logan. "I know she shouldn't be here. She wouldn't stay on the bluff." He stopped in front of Andreas. "Any deal we make has to include a free pass for her."

"Deal? I don't make deals, Morgan."

"The hell you don't. As President you're the consummate deal-maker."

"I ordered Galen to tell you to eliminate a possible assassin on that bluff."

"And that's exactly what Galen told me."

"You weren't told to kill Betworth and Shepard. Keller could have arrested them and brought them to trial. That's the way we do things in this country."

"But that's not what you wanted. You didn't want the American people disillusioned with their government. They've gone through enough heartache lately. It might have taken years in court to convict them, and that would have been constant salt in the wounds."

"Is that what you told him?" Andreas asked Galen.

"I might have mentioned that you were a bit unhappy with the situation."

"No, he didn't," Morgan said. "It was pure intuition on my part. Intuition is a wonderful thing. Galen told me how after you'd located the bomb, you had it disarmed and then staged a fake explosion in Shepard's office. Now, intuition made me wonder why you did that. And then Galen told me you'd placed that phony call to Shepard so that you could tape any incriminating communication between him and Betworth. Why did you want to lure Betworth here? Why not just call out the Marines and round everyone up?"

"So you're saying you killed Shepard to help me out."

"I didn't kill Shepard or Betworth." He stared directly into Andreas's eyes. "It was Runne. You'll find the bullets came from his rifle. Wonderful shooting, wasn't it?" He smiled. "I couldn't have done better myself."

"I imagine that's true," Andreas said dryly.

"Of course, it was also Runne who answered his phone when Danley called and told him he was ready to take you out. But unfortunately he killed your true-blue CIA man, Danley too. You'll find his body on the bluff. Such a shame. But what can you expect when terrorists like Matanza send in their hired guns? You were lucky Keller was able to discover the plot in time to save the day."

"And what about Runne?"

"Why, didn't Keller track up there and surprise him from behind? I don't know how else Runne could have gotten that broken neck."

Andreas's gaze shifted to Alex. "You were there?"

"I was there."

"And you concur with Morgan's statement?"

She looked at Morgan and then slowly nodded. "The bullets came from Runne's rifle."

"And the two of you were just passing by, I suppose," Andreas said sarcastically. "My God, you look like you've been through a tornado."

"I feel like it." Alex took a step closer to Morgan in silent support. "But I couldn't have gone through it with anyone I'd trust more. You can trust him too, Mr. President."

"He doesn't have to trust me," Morgan said. "He can reel me in any time he decides he needs a patsy. I'll make myself available." He paused. "But not Alex. You clear her and she stays clean. That's the deal."

"You don't make deals for me," Alex said. "When are you going to learn that?"

Morgan ignored her, his gaze focused on Andreas. "I think you can arrange it so that you get what you want for the country. Shepard will have died a martyr's death. The country can always use another hero. Ask Alex." He smiled crookedly. "And you can use me, if you need to do it."

"I thought you were tired of being used," Alex said. "And I'm not letting that happen to you. I don't think he will either. So shut up and let him decide."

"Thank you," Andreas said dryly. "How nice to have a choice."

Alex smiled. "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't give it to you. Right is right."

"She likes to use that phrase," Galen said. "But it's usually followed by a stubborn attack."

Andreas was silent, his gaze on her face. "It's a very good phrase." He turned to Keller. "You'd better go up to the top of the bluff again and make sure that no evidence is disturbed."

"Again?" Keller repeated.

Andreas nodded. "I have to commend you, Keller. I had no idea you were still fit enough to take down a murderer like Runne. You're quite the hero."

Keller smiled faintly. "I rose to the occasion, sir." He moved toward the path leading up to the bluff. "I'll make sure that everything is as it should be."

"I believe Morgan probably made everything tidy, but the area will receive intense scrutiny." He turned to Morgan. "And you should not be around for some time to come. Out of sight, out of mind."

Morgan nodded. "Whatever you say." He turned away and started up the path. "I left my rifle up there with Runne. I'll just go up and get it and make sure Keller has the scenario right. I'll be right back."

Alex watched him climb. He was moving quickly, his gaze on the top of the bluff.

"It's going to take a little while to clear you, Ms. Graham," Andreas said. "We have to keep the Matanza guilt story in place if we're to keep this conspiracy from the public. Betworth managed to tar you with the same brush. We'll give it a while and then discover evidence of your innocence. But we will do it."

"I don't have any doubt you will. We've already agreed right is right. So you'll clear Morgan too."

Morgan had reached the top of the bluff. He was silhouetted against the sky, and he looked lean and tough and . . . alone.

Sweet Jesus
.

"That's more difficult," Andreas said. "His past is considerably more tarnished. But we'll-- Where are you going?"

She was streaking up the path after Morgan. "He's not coming back. He lied. He's been stung too many times to believe that-- He thinks he's made a deal with you, dammit."

He was out of sight.

"Morgan, you come back," she shouted. "I'm not going to stand for this!"

She reached the top of the bluff. Keller was kneeling beside Runne, but Morgan was nowhere in sight.

"Where is he?" she asked Keller.

He nodded toward the north side of the bluff.

She ran to the edge.

No Morgan.

Her hands clenched at her sides as tears stung her eyes. "Don't you do this to me, Morgan. You son of a bitch, it's not
fair
."

No answer. No sound.

No Morgan.

EPILOGUE:

Trinidad

Her footsteps made no sound on the soft sand.

Yet she knew he was aware of her presence. He didn't look up from his canvas, but she could see the slight tension in the muscles of his back.

"You shouldn't have come, Alex."

She kept walking toward him. "How did you know it was me?"

"Your smell. I'd never forget your smell. Not if I lived to be a hundred and fifty."

"I'd never forget your smell either." She stopped beside him. "Though I might not be able to detect it from ten feet away."

"How did you find me?"

"Galen. It took him a while, but he finally located you. It would have helped if you hadn't moved around so much."

"You shouldn't have come."

"You said that before."

"It bears repeating. Andreas cleared you. Go on with your life."

"I am. I'm here."

"I may have to stay on this island for a long time. Andreas has to be very careful about trying to clear me. There might be too many questions. And we've already discussed this isn't the kind of life for you."

"No, it's not. But I don't have a choice right now. It's where you are." Her voice was shaking. "And where you are, there I'll be. Make up your mind to it. You may not love me now, but you will. I'll see to it."

He didn't look away from the painting. "That's not the problem."

She stiffened. "That's the most bullshit statement of commitment I've ever heard. I deserve better."

"I'm not committing. Go home."

"The hell I will." She took his arm and twirled him to face her. "You listen to me. I'm here, and I'm going to stay here. I'm not going away because you think I'd be better off without you. You're stuck with me. I can live on an island. I can live on the run. I can live anywhere as long as I'm with you. If I get bored here, I can always go and help Melis rescue dolphins or something. Now, put down that paintbrush and let's go find somewhere to make love. It's been too long."

He looked down at her. "You won't go away?"

"No."

"Not ever?"

"Forget it. I'm here until hell freezes over. You've had it, Morgan."

A smile lit his face as he threw his paintbrush down. His arms closed around her. "Thank God."

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