The Silenced (22 page)

13

“S
he made it this far. We’ll see her again,” Meg said, pouring iced tea from a pitcher into glasses. “They always say love is the strongest and greatest emotion in the world. That it transcends time and space. She loved that little dog, and he proved he loved her. She’s stayed because of him—and I’m positive that she’ll gain strength and come back because he’s here. She’ll help us.”

He smiled, catching her hand and kissing it. “Yes, I believe she’ll come back, and yes, she loved Killer. Still loves him. It would’ve been nice if she’d already learned how to stay around long enough to tell us something.”

“We’ll have to be patient with her. What I’m afraid of is that the people like Genie—her ghost, I mean—won’t know what happened to them. Imagine this. The killer sneaks up on them, and before they can see him, he has the chloroform ready and knocks them out.”

“That’s possible, but with four victims, maybe one of them
will
know something. And tonight, we’ve seen that there’s hope of reaching at least one.”

Matt heard his phone ringing upstairs. He swore softly and set down the frying pan filled with omelets Meg had started and he had finished.

“I’ve got it.” She turned to race up the stairs. She came running back, the phone still ringing. “It’s Kat,” she said, breathless. “According to call display.”

He answered quickly, curious as to why Meg hadn’t just answered it.

“Hey, Kat, what’s up?” he asked. “Hang on. I’ll put you on speaker.”

He did, and they both heard Kat say, “The good news is that no new bodies have been pulled from any rivers. The other news is that the tongue delivered to the Walkers belonged to Cathy Crighton.”

Matt glanced at Meg. He wondered if she’d been afraid to answer the phone, afraid of what they’d find out.

“Will’s here with me,” Kat told them.

“Hey, guys,” Will greeted them.

“Anything on the surveillance videos?” Matt asked.

“Not really. Only the fact that the camera was turned off inside the house, which we knew. But whatever’s going on, we should have control of the situation. Malachi, who’s another agent, and Logan are at the house. They’ll be spelled in the morning.”

Two agents on twelve-hour shifts, neither sleeping.

“Kendra Walker seems pleased, and I’ve confirmed that the surveillance is on now. The Capitol police have a patrol car out in front and the DC police are on watch, as well. It’s about as safe as it can be.”

“I don’t think anything’s going to happen there—not tonight, anyway,” Matt said.

“I agree,” Kat added promptly.

Meg spoke up, a little tentatively. “We—we’ve made a contact. Brief, but...a contact.”

“Yeah? Tell us about it,” Kat encouraged.

Meg described the seconds-long appearance of Genie Gonzales.

“That’s great! Wonderful,” Will said.

“Next time, I guarantee she’ll have more strength,” Kat promised.

“I hope!” Meg said.

“I’ll fill in Adam and Jackson and the rest of the Krewe,” Kat told them. “We’ll say good-night now, okay?”

“Hey!” Matt said. “What about Congressman Hubbard?”

“We rushed everything, but these tests can take a while. I should know something in the morning,” Kat said.

When he’d finished the call, Matt smiled at Meg. “You could’ve just answered it.”

“But it was your phone.”

“When we’re on a case, always answer a phone. Doesn’t matter whose it is. The Krewe is a team in the deepest meaning of the word. You’re part of that team.”

She lowered her head and nodded, and he felt the heat of being with her streak through him again. She could be an absolutely wicked lover, and yet there was still a shyness about her. He recalled the affairs he’d had, some short, some only one night—and a few that had lasted several months, even close to a year. But his work had always come first. And when it came to his work, there was a lot he couldn’t share with many people—certainly not his special talent. His grandfather had once told him that things happened when they were meant to, when the time was right.

Maybe it was true. And maybe that time was now. Because they had the same talent, because they’d been thrown together on this case—because they both needed someone.

Was he enamored with the light in her eyes, her faint flush...or the way she’d stood straight up and defied—politely, mind you—a United States congressman?

“Let’s eat,” he said huskily.

They did, Killer at their feet. Meg fed him scraps of egg, which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

They talked about the case, reviewing the facts and theories. Later, they went to clean up, and somehow, she splashed soapy water on him. That demanded a turnabout—in the interests of fair play. Before either of them knew it, they were in a full-fledged water fight and then they were racing upstairs and it was a while before they slept.

This had been a long day—and a satisfying night—but he had a feeling the longest days were still before them.

* * *

Matt was already up and out of the room when Meg woke. She showered quickly, relieved that her things—her clothes and toiletries—were in the house.

Downstairs, a cup of coffee was waiting for her. Matt was on the phone, as he often was, and she assumed he was speaking to a member of the Krewe, but she sipped her coffee until he’d finished his call.

“Good morning.” He grinned as he put down his cell. “The day’s starting early. We’ve got a meeting at Congressman Walker’s office on Rayburn,” he told her. “Jackson will be there, along with other members of the Krewe, not all of whom you’ve met. Capitol police will be there, too, as well as people from other security forces. We’ll drive to Gettysburg right after.”

“Can we stop by the house first?” she asked.

“We can, but why?”

“I don’t think we should take Killer to the meeting.”

“Good point. Sure.”

Long as she had known Lara, Meg had never really familiarized herself with a congressman’s routine. She’d had no idea until she arrived just how big the man’s staff was.

The office was frantically busy. She met a number of tech staff, more advisers, although she didn’t entirely understand what all of them did. Approximately half the twenty people would go on to Gettysburg, but only Walker’s personal retinue and security would be at the house he’d rented; the others would be nearby. During the meeting, they discussed the open-air speech, determined where various people would be stationed during that speech and who would be responsible for the safety of whom. She was specifically assigned to Kendra Walker and to Congressman Hubbard’s widow. She’d be onstage with them during the speech—basically ready to throw herself on Kendra Walker should any trouble arise.

Once the meeting broke up, most of the protective officers left and the staff returned to their jobs.

The Krewe retired to Ellery Manheim’s office. There, the group—which included Jackson, Angela, Will, Kat, Malachi, Logan Raintree and the artist Jane Everett—agreed that Logan and Jane would back up Meg.

“Personally, I think he should cancel the speech,” Ellery Manheim said.

“That’s crazy,” Joe Brighton argued. “You have to think about the ramifications. Right now, his appearance before the public is more important than ever.”

“And I’ll never let anything happen to Walker,” Nathan Oliver said, nodding toward the Krewe members. “We have the elite among us, not to mention scores of other security people.”

Ellery Manheim shook his head and absently opened one of his desk drawers.

Meg happened to be standing almost behind the desk, which gave her a perfect view into the drawer. She saw something there that made her gasp.

At first, she didn’t even know what it was. A lump of some kind, a red lump that resembled a badly cut piece of meat at the butcher’s. Chills shot through her. The object was just lying there between a calculator and a box of paper clips.

“Mr. Manheim!” she said, shocked by the hard note of authority in her voice. “What is that in your desk drawer?”

Her question quickly brought others in the room around.

Manheim stared down at it, first with bewilderment and then with shock. “I—I don’t know! I have no idea, it wasn’t there earlier! I swear, I... It can’t be!”

Matt moved forward. “I think this meeting is over. Kat, will you get Dr. Wong and a photographer brought in, please? We’re going to need everything documented before this is removed. Mr. Manheim, we’ll need to speak with you at our offices.”

“What?” Manheim said. “Oh, no. No, this was planted. I didn’t put that there. I’ve never seen it before... Good God, I’m a neat freak and practically a germophobe! I didn’t... I’d never... I’d...” His voice trailed off. Shoulders slumped, he said, “I’m happy to speak with you wherever you like.”

Less than an hour later, Meg stood outside an interrogation room with Adam, Jackson and Kat, plus Carl Hunter of the DC police, as well as members of the Capitol force. Matt Bosworth was questioning Ellery Manheim.

A search warrant had immediately been requested and signed; other members of the Krewe and police were at the Walker residence, searching Manheim’s rooms in the house. Manheim also kept an apartment in Arlington. That, too, was being searched.

Meg wondered, watching the man, if Manheim was telling the truth. He kept running his fingers through his wavy dark hair and shaking his head.

“Congressman Walker finds a tongue on his doorstep and we’re all rushing around to make sure that he’s not upset and that poor Kendra is sedated!” he said. “I’m attacked in the same way—and I’m under arrest!”

“You’re not under arrest,” Matt said calmly. “You’re in here so we can talk to you privately.” He paused, letting his words sink in, then asked, “Who had access to your desk?”

“The entire staff! And Congressman Walker takes appointments. Someone could’ve wandered around the place. I just know I didn’t do it!”

“Mr. Manheim, you have access to the black sedans at Congressman Walker’s house.”

“Oh, no, you’re not going to get me on that! Half this city has access to a black sedan! God, it doesn’t matter. I’m ruined. But I didn’t do this!”

“You have to understand, Mr. Manheim. A young woman is missing, four women have been brutally murdered and a tongue was left at a home where you frequently spend time. And now...one’s been found in your desk drawer.”

“Yes! And like I said, it was obviously planted there! This could be a conspiracy. Someone wants to bring the congressman down. And they’re trying to make it look like he’s involved—or his staff is—in these awful murders.”

“They’re doing a good job,” Matt pointed out.

“This is ridiculous! I never killed anyone. I love Congressman Walker and I loved Congressman Hubbard and...and I sure as hell have no interest in killing women or cutting them up. I love women—in the right way! And you have nothing on me—well, except a tongue in my desk drawer. But I didn’t put it there! Oh, and you’ve got a fingerprint on the box the tongue came in, but hey! I took the box from Kendra when she started to scream!”

“Mr. Manheim, where is Lara Mayhew?”

“I don’t know! We were at a meeting and she left angry. She quit! She quit—and she walked out. Oh, God! I don’t believe this!”

Meg turned when the door opened and Logan Raintree entered the room, motioning to Jackson, who went out and through the door to the interrogation room.

He leaned over the table and said, “Two more tongues have been discovered at your personal residence, Mr. Manheim.”

Manheim stared at Jackson in what looked like total disbelief. “No! No! I didn’t commit these murders. I’m being framed for all this!”

“In your desk, Mr. Manheim, and in the drawer of a bedside table at your private residence. How did the tongues get there? Don’t you lock your doors, Mr. Manheim? If so, how did someone else do this?”

Manheim was suddenly angry. “Why ask me? You’re the FBI. You know how to break in anywhere!”

Jackson stood back. “Mr. Manheim, you’re under arrest.”

* * *

They had their man, or so it appeared, but Matt didn’t believe they did. While Manheim was being processed, he and Meg went to speak with Congressman Walker. Kendra was with her husband at his office, and while Walker seemed to be devastated, Kendra’s demeanor was one of relief.

“We finally know. We know the truth,” she said grimly. “I’m horrified that this came so close to us and that such a terrible man had our trust. Oh, God! We slept in that house with him there. My grandchildren were around him. But now...now we have to move on. This is going to hurt Ian badly, but...but at least we know the truth. We don’t have to be afraid anymore. It’s going to be all right.”

“It will never be all right, Kendra,” Walker said. “I’m going to resign.”

“You’re not going to resign. You can rise to become the greatest president this nation has seen since Lincoln. If you resign, you’re giving in! The other day you said you refused to do that. I know I’ve wanted you out of public service at times, but I also know it’s where you should be. You can’t resign. You’d be handing the opposition exactly what they want. Manheim wasn’t working alone, and we may never find out what really happened, but...he was a...a spy in your office, secretly working for one of your enemies,” she said wildly. “Someone on the far right or the far left. You can’t let them win!” Kendra told him. She nodded at the two agents. “We’re having a press conference in ten minutes. You’re welcome to be there. We can thank you publicly for your good work.”

“We prefer staying behind the scenes, Mrs. Walker,” Matt said. He found it interesting that Walker and his wife had apparently reversed their positions; now
he
was talking about resigning, and she was urging him not to. Curiouser and curiouser, as
Alice in Wonderland
said.

He saw that Meg was trying hard to contain herself—and then, apparently, she couldn’t. She moved forward slightly, looking taller, almost regal in her dignity.

“Congressman Walker, there’s still a missing woman out there. And she disappeared after being in your office. What happened that night? Why did Lara Mayhew leave? Why did she quit?”

Walker looked like a beaten man. He shook his head. “I loved Garth Hubbard,” he said quietly. “But we disagreed on a few fundamental issues. He was the one with the power—the chance. So I went along with him. It was that simple. When he died, I changed the platform. Lara Mayhew couldn’t accept the changes I wanted to make. She said I’d made certain bills so convoluted that no one knew what they were anymore and wouldn’t vote for them. She begged me to keep my promise. I told her I
was
keeping my promise—to myself. That was it.”