Six Seconds

74

Aboard the papal helicopter, over Montana

As the papal squadron of helicopters pounded east over the Great Plains, Walker’s stomach roiled with dread.

In the wake of the latest situation reports, he feared he’d missed a key piece of data, something that could link the fragments of intelligence that were causing mounting concern in the White House.

Was a threat emerging?

As the world rushed beneath him in a patchwork of cattle ranches, wheat and barley fields, Walker racked his brain.

But it was futile.

The answer he sought was lost out there in the neverending grassland.

As they neared Cold Butte, he glanced at the pope and his advisors looking down from their windows.

Mile after mile, traffic was gridlocked.

Walker caught a glimpse of smoke billowing from a fire and the flashing lights of emergency vehicles. Looked like a serious wreck due west of the town, maybe twenty miles.

Walker checked his BlackBerry. Montana Highway Patrol had just sent a preliminary report. Two fatalities. No IDs confirmed. Vehicle a rental. Investigation con tinues. MHP also reported a noninjury collision be tween a charter bus and RV. Walker had holstered his BlackBerry when it vibrated with a new message, a supplemental to the double fatal, addressed only to Walker.

The MHP note came with urgency, saying RCMP Corporal Graham needed to speak with Walker.

Graham?

Walker took a second to recall their meeting in his office.

The note said Graham needed to talk about his case.

That would be the Ray Tarver matter, Walker re membered. He’d had the Intelligence Division look into it, albeit grudgingly. They’d found nothing to support Tarver’s grand conspiracy.

Walker had given Graham a hard time in D.C., so he’d give him a call. Give him one minute of his time.

Walker reached for his phone and dialed Graham’s cell-phone number but couldn’t get through.

He’d try again later.