Page 151 of The Last Kingdom

Cotton snatched the phone away.

And ended the call.

* * *

KOGER HEAVED A SIGH OF RELIEF.

He would have had a hard time explaining to Langley why a Chinese intelligence operative had been killed by a man he was not even supposed to be doing business with. That would have strained things even for him. And when one side killed someone from the other, there was usually retaliation. It may take time, but a tit for tat always came.

Across the grotto Fenn was hauling himself from the lake, soaking wet.

He assumed command. “Toni, make sure we don’t have any more company from outside. Luke, keep these three here and out of the way.” He pointed at Trinity and they walked over to Malone. “Why are you here?”

“It could be the end of the trail.”

“The deed?” the older woman asked.

Malone asked, “Who are you?”

“Trinity Dorner. Deputy National Security Adviser.”

“What’s the damn White House doing here?”

She said nothing.

Malone pointed at Koger. “You knew?”

He nodded. “Not my doin’.”

“Fox is involved?”

“The White House is involved,” he made clear. “Which happened before I was involved. I got stuck with ’em. Don’t shoot the messenger.”

“What did he promise you?”

Leave it to Maloney to cut right to the quick

“Excuse me, Mr. Malone,” Dorner said. “But I’m the ranking official here.”

“Really, now? Do you know what I think about that?”

Derrick held up a hand. “Slow down, cowboy. Trinity has been right there for us, all the way. We got here thanks in part to her. She’s not the problem.”

Malone did not seem impressed and pointed. “What wereyoupromised?”

“Not a damn thing.”

Malone glared at TOO.

“It’s true,” she said. “Nothing at all. But we still have a job to do.”

Malone stepped over and lifted a sledgehammer from the mess on the floor.

“What’s that for?” Trinity asked.

“Follow me and you’ll find out.”

Chapter 84