The naked edge

18

The door led to an office that was bare except for a metal table and chair. Two FBI agents joined the group. In the cramped quarters, everyone remained standing.

Although Rutherford shut the door, Mosely still had to raise his voice to be heard above the noise outside. "You were seen entering all four hotels."

"Of course," Jamie said. "We visited trade ministers in those hotels, trying to persuade them to cancel the conference. We identified ourselves to security personnel."

"Someone went to the bottom of the elevator shafts and put smoke bombs in them," Mosely told her. "Someone went to the roofs, opened the air-condition vents, and put tear-gas grenades inside. Spray paint disabled the lenses on the security cameras in those areas."

"That makes sense," Jamie concluded. "That's the way I'd have done it."

"Which begs the question," Mosely said.

"Wait a minute. Are you suggesting I did it?" Jamie sounded indignant.

Cavanaugh looked at Rutherford. "What's going on here, John?"

"Sorry. I'm afraid it's out of my hands."

William stepped forward. "Before this conversation goes any further, are you arresting my clients for what happened at those hotels?"

"Counselor-" Mosely put rancor into the title. "-I invited you to listen, but I don't believe you're licensed to practice law in the state of Louisiana."

"That doesn't mean I can't act as a concerned knowledgeable friend." William pulled out his cell phone. "But if you want to put this on an absolutely legal basis, I'll make a call to my good friend, Lester Beauchamp. He and I went to Harvard together. He's also my brother-in-law and the former assistant attorney general for the state of Louisiana, not to mention the most respected defense attorney in New Orleans. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to represent my clients."

"Let's be clear, counselor. Are you advising your 'friends' not to answer my questions?"

"If you're arresting them, I'm advising you to read them their rights."

"We don't have anything to hide," Jamie insisted.

"A man and a woman matching your description were seen in the area of the elevator shafts and the roofs just before the incidents happened," Mosely said. "Your height, your build, your clothes."

"Where are your witnesses?" William challenged.

"They worked the night shift at the various hotels."

"That doesn't answer the question. The witnesses are where? My friends are more than willing to stand in a lineup and be identified-or not be identified, which is what's going to happen."

Mosely's gaze almost faltered. "We haven't been able to contact them this morning."

"Perhaps because they're drug addicts semiconscious from illegal substances," William continued. "Until you find these so-called witnesses and prove their reliability, these accusations are hearsay and possibly slander."

"I was speaking with the Japanese trade minister when the smoke and the tear gas went off in his hotel," Cavanaugh said. "How could I have been in two places at one time?"

"Did I neglect to mention that the detonation devices were on timers?" Mosely asked.

"And where are we supposed to have gotten all that stuff?"

"Your file emphasizes how resourceful you are. You have an obsession with being close to what you call 'bug-out bags' that have all sorts of equipment in them. Your wife carries a specialty knife that has numerous tools in the handle. She wouldn't have had any trouble opening the air-conditioning ducts. For all I know, your corporate jet is loaded with other equipment you needed."

"Then search the jet," Cavanaugh told him.

"But not before you get a warrant," William pointed out.

Mosely's eyes flared. "You present yourselves as such ethical people, so concerned about protecting your clients. You claim you're the edge between right and wrong. Then you show how irresponsible you are by putting all those trade ministers at risk. Thanks to your stunt, one of them broke his leg. Another had a heart attack. Two cars rammed into emergency vehicles speeding toward the hotels."

"Was anybody killed?"

"No, but that doesn't mean what you did is right!"

Cavanaugh looked at Rutherford. "Make him understand, John. Whoever's responsible saved a lot of lives. Now that the conference has been postponed, Carl will need to change his plans. Meanwhile, we've got time to catch him."

Mosely's pallor mutated to a fiery red. "You think you deserve a medal? Well, I think you took a privilege the Bureau gave you and abused it. You're a guest here! A civilian. You don't have any authority, but you decided you were running this operation, breaking God knows how many laws. If it's up to me, you'll go to prison."

"Thank heaven, it isn't up to you," William said. "After I talk to Lester Beauchamp, I'll phone the district attorney and-"

The door opened. Everyone turned toward an agent.

"There's been a new development," the uneasy man told them.

"Don't tell me the riots have already started," Mosely said.

"Fifteen minutes ago, a man and a woman were caught trying to put tear gas into the conference center's air-conditioning ducts."

"What?"

"And smoke bombs in the elevator shafts."

Mosely groaned.

"Do the suspects look like these two?" William asked the agent in the doorway.

"Yeah, in a way. Sort of. They're white and more or less the same age."

"You're not deceiving me," Mosely told Cavanaugh and Jamie. "Those are copycats."

"Without talking to the suspects, how can you be sure?" William asked.

"Because, unlike your friends, they don't have the skills to manage that kind of sabotage. Because the man and woman today got caught."

"An interesting distinction but without legal merit. If you're not going to arrest my friends, I trust you have no objection to allowing them to go about their business."

"Not here. They don't have any business in this area."

"Uh, sir," Rutherford said.

Mosely stared. "Yes, Executive Assistant Rutherford?" He emphasized "Assistant," reminding Rutherford of who had the greater authority.

"If I could make a suggestion."

"By all means." Mosely clearly wished that Rutherford had kept quiet. "Everyone knows I'm always open to constructive ideas."

"I think it might not be a bad idea to let them stay. Cavanaugh understands Duran's personality better than anyone. As events develop, he might be able to predict what Duran will do. Plus, Cavanaugh's the only person here who can identify him."

Mosely continued staring.

"We need to seem to use every available resource," Rutherford said. "Otherwise, in an inquiry, there might be questions."

Mosely's narrow gaze pivoted toward Cavanaugh and Jamie. To Rutherford, he said, "This time, keep them under control." He yanked open the door and entered the communications room, followed by the agents.

Except Rutherford.

As the noise from out there filled the small area, Cavanaugh said, "Thanks, John."

"I feel my job dangling in the wind."

"I owe you. I'm sure it wasn't easy disagreeing with him."

Rutherford looked pained. "Please, remember what he warned you about. You're civilians. Don't make me sorry I trust you."

Cavanaugh solemnly followed him into the communications room.