Conspiracy

27

The fact that Forester had a girlfriend erased some of the sympathy Lia had felt for him, even as it added more evidence to her suspicion that he hadn’t committed suicide.

“Very possibly, this woman will have additional information,” Rubens told Lia as he briefed her in his office. “Or some insight into the situation. I’d like you to speak to her and—”

“I know the drill,” she said. “You don’t have to connect the dots.”

Rubens frowned and began lecturing her on the “need for decorum” when dealing with “sister agencies.”

“Ambassador Jackson will assist you in speaking to Ms.

Rauci, and then deal with the Washington people,” said Rubens. “I’d like you to work in the field, see what you can find. If Forester was murdered, his killer may lead us back to the conspirators.”

“Peachy.”

“We want you to look for computers Forester might have used to send e-mail when he went to Pine Plains. Check the hotel where he was found. There is a business center there.” Lia found her thoughts wandering, first to the Forester family, then to Charlie Dean and what he had said about kids, then to Rubens himself.

Rubens was, by all accounts, independently wealthy. He was also consumed by his job, often working around the clock and sometimes spending several days in a row at the NSA complex. Overseeing Desk Three was just a small part of his duties. It was no wonder then that while fortyish — she had no idea what his actual age was, though she guessed he was younger than he seemed — he appeared to have no life outside of the Agency. No wife, no child.

Lia didn’t really know that, did she? He didn’t wear a wedding ring, but many men didn’t. She didn’t see any family photos on his walls, only fancy paintings.

“Excuse me a second,” she interrupted. “Do you have a child?”

Rubens, though undoubtedly used to her impertinence by now, blinked twice.

“Because I’m wondering,” continued Lia, “if you were

fighting for custody, and you didn’t get it, would it be enough to kill yourself?”

“Assuredly not. But I hardly think I am a representative sample, Lia. Keep an open mind — draw no conclusions.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know all that.”

Rubens frowned, then resumed his lecture on how to behave.