Page 50

CHAPTER 50

A FEW MINUTES AFTER GLASS HAD left, someone knocked on Devine’s door.

“Who is it?”

“Braddock.”

He opened the door and said, “Detective Braddock, long time no see.”

“You’re a fast healer.”

“Lucky for me.”

Devine sat on the bed and Braddock in the one chair.

“Let me guess, your men followed Glass and his goons here and you came along to see if I was still in one piece?”

“So what did he want with you?”

Devine explained what had happened in court.

Braddock shook his head. “So he gets off on the RICO charges and you get stuck with the girl and Glass is pissed?”

“There are other forces at work here,” said Devine. “Glass has heat coming his way. He’s apparently in bed with our government against a mutual adversary, and I’m not sure how this is all going to play out.”

“You’re DHS, so you should have some idea. And if that ‘adversary’ is here in Seattle looking to bury Glass, I need to know.”

“I’m not in the loop with stuff like that, Detective, sorry.”

“Then you need to get in the loop, Devine. For all I know, terrorists are descending on the Pacific Northwest even as we speak.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Then tell me this: When will you take guardianship of Betsy Odom?”

“Tomorrow.” If I’m still alive , he thought.

“I can provide you some protection.”

“I was thinking about moving her out of Seattle. Too many people here and I won’t see it coming until it’s too late.”

“Where are you planning to take her?”

“Need to know, Detective.”

Braddock sat back, looking miffed, but clearly understanding Devine’s caution.

“Okay. FYI, that print on the shell casing that Beth took?”

“Did you get a hit?”

“What we got was a notice of restricted access on a database that reeks of federal involvement.”

“Translation?”

“We think one of the boys who took you was working for your side.” Braddock cocked his head. “You don’t look surprised.”

“I would have been, but now that I know how the sides are lining up on this sucker, all the surprise has been drilled right out of me. Anything on Mercedes King’s prints?”

“Funny you should mention that. I just got the report. Not even Beth has seen it yet.”

“And?”

“Restricted database again.”

“The one that reeked of federal involvement?”

“Not the same one as the shell casing print. This one, from what I was told, is even more restricted.”

“So she might have been a fed at some point?” said Devine.

“Maybe. I don’t even know if that’s her real name or not.”

“Any way to find out how Ricketts affords all that expensive police equipment, and a government building that looks like it cost more than the tax base of the entire county?”

“Full disclosure, I made those same inquiries before and got zip for my troubles.”

“Why were you inquiring about that?”

“I’m part of the police force. I hear rumors. I see what parts of the state get what, and so do my superiors. So we know all about the fancy rides they have and that government building. But I heard that not even the officials in Olympia know where those funds actually came from.”

“And they never asked?”

“They asked, so I heard. And then they stopped asking.”

“Any reason why?”

“It might be that they got shut down.”

“Is Ricketts controlled by organized crime or foreign terrorists?” Devine said this in jest, but Braddock looked deadly serious.

“Or maybe it’s our own government,” said the detective.