Fuse of Armageddon (58 page)

“Roz,” Quinn said, “I want to hear it from you. I trusted you. We were friends.”

“Motivation? It wasn’t money. But Safady needed to believe it, and I wasn’t going to throw it away as he paid me. For me, it’s never changed. Protect America.”

Rossett had one rope left to untie before the Hobie would drift off. “Remember Rumsfeld? Drain the swamp. That was motivation for all of us. To start the kind of war we can win.”

“No matter the cost in lives,” Kate said bitterly. “You used people like pawns. Threw them away.”

“You
are
naive,” Rossett told her. “It’s going there one way or another. Eventually a Davy Crockett is going to make it out there. Terrorists don’t even have to worry about smuggling it onto American soil. If not, a suitcase bomb from Russia through one of our ports. Iran’s got money, and Iran hates us. It’s going to happen. This way, we’ve got the best chance of winning.”

Rossett untied the last rope and held it in his hand. Now the Hobie was free to go.

“Rossett,” Quinn said, “the American government is willing to hide you where you can’t be found.”

“Really.” There was no inflection in Rossett’s voice.

“There’s a soldier,” Quinn said, “hardly more than a kid. Joe Patterson. Thought his wife was dead, but Del Saxon lied to him about that. He’s given the feds enough to unravel the Freedom Crusaders network. Feds delivered on a witness protection promise to unite the kid with his wife and new baby. They’re probably living somewhere in Utah, their biggest worry whether they’re going to run out of diapers.”

“The kid only knows about the Freedom Crusaders. Not the real players. I do. They’re in the same government you think wants to hide me.”

“Had to let you know the offer was there,” Quinn said. “And Kate’s good. It wouldn’t hurt to try to make it to the airport.”

“I don’t think so,” Rossett said. “I’m not Cohen. I made promises to protect my sources. Win or lose, I keep those promises.”

Kate asked, “What are you going to do? Sail away into the sunset?”

“If you let me.” Rossett slapped the rope against his open palm.

“Have a pistol on that little sailboat?” Quinn asked.

“Nope. Never needed one here.”

Quinn reached into his back pocket. “Take this. An IDF special. Hamer says if you want to end it on your terms, call him when you’re ready. Just press the Send key.” He handed Rossett a cell phone.

Rossett took it. No more words. He threw the rope down, and stepped onto the Hobie. Once he pushed off, Rossett began to raise one of the sails. The gap between the Hobie and the wharf widened to ten yards.

“That’s it?” Kate said. “He’s gone.”

“You’re good,” Quinn said. “But you’re up against Mossad, IDF, and CIA, plus all the players who know he’s the only person who can link them to all this. Rossett knows nobody in the world is good enough now that he’s been found.”

“So he gets a few hours’ sailing before he gives himself up?”

“Kate,” Quinn said gently, “he’s not coming off the water again.”

“But . . .”

“The cell phone is loaded with C-4. An IDF special. Rossett knows that too. Hamer’s giving him the choice. End it now, or run and wonder every minute when it’s coming.”

Kate paused. “Hamer gave you this chance. To let you hand Rossett the phone.”

“For all he did wrong, Roz honored his code.” Quinn tried to smile but couldn’t quite manage it. Too much sadness in his eyes.

“You knew he’d take the phone.”

“Rule one in negotiating: understand your opponent.”

“Yeah,” Kate said. “I’d almost forgotten. Rule one.”

They stood there for a minute in silence. Like an ordinary tourist couple. Rossett was a hundred yards out now. Full sail.

“You all right?” Kate asked. She stepped closer to Quinn.

“Not really.”

“In a couple of hours, we’ll be back at the airport, headed different directions on different flights.”

Quinn watched Rossett, the wind sending the Hobie out to the open waters. Alone.

Kate touched Quinn’s cheek gently. She faced him squarely, put her arms around his shoulders, stood on her toes, and kissed his chin. Then she stepped back. “I won’t apologize. I’ve wanted to do that for a while. Unless you want to miss your flight and walk the beach, I’m thinking that was my only chance.”

Quinn studied Kate, who was waiting for a reaction, nibbling her lower lip. He was tired of being alone. He glanced back at the disappearing Hobie, thinking that this was over, that he’d never forget the past, but maybe, finally, he could leave it there and begin to think about the future. It was hard to forget how good it had felt over the Mediterranean, when the little girl had those trusting arms around his neck.

“You asked if I was all right,” he said, turning away from that one last look at Rossett. Sunshine felt good on his shoulders. “Some hurt never leaves, but it’s better than it has been for a long time.”

Quinn took Kate’s hands; he drew her forward and kissed her forehead with the same softness as she’d kissed his chin. He’d spent enough time alone. “It would be nice to walk the beach.”

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