Double Jeopardy

29

12:22 P.M.

HENDERSON WAS ENRAGED. “YOU did what?”

“I organized a recovery team to bring Byrne in,” Janicek said, folding his hands calmly in his lap.

“Without my authorization?”

“You weren’t around,” Janicek said, with barely a hint of derision.

“You knew I’d be back.”

“We couldn’t wait. The man was desperate. Claimed his life was in danger. We had to hurry.”

“Goddamn it, your haste got an agent killed!”

Janicek examined his fingernails. “We had no reason to believe Byrne was armed or dangerous.”

“Well, you should’ve, Janicek. You should’ve planned for every contingency.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I tried to act according to regulation. But the first thing I knew, Byrne was shooting at us and poor Mooney was dead.”

Henderson threw his coat bitterly on the floor. He was a big barrel-chested man with rugged features, now contorted by his anger and frustration. “Did he say whether he’d looked at the list?”

“He claimed he hadn’t.”

“Which doesn’t tell us a damn thing.” Henderson pounded his fists together. “I can’t believe that list got out in the first place. Have you tracked down the leak yet, Holt?”

Holt stepped forward. “I have compiled and committed to memory the names of all the people who had access, sir.”

“And what is your conclusion?”

“That would be premature. Any number of agents could have obtained clearance. Any of us could have.”

“Thank you very goddamn much, Mr. Holt. Tell me something I don’t know!”

“Sir,” Holt said, “I’m formally requesting authorization to interview every agent on our special team. Separately. See what they have to say for themselves. See if they have any knowledge they shouldn’t.”

“We can’t do that,” Henderson said. “Among other reasons, we don’t have time. We have to recover that list before it’s sold or made public.”

“With all due respect, sir, that won’t be easy,” Janicek said. “Byrne is a cold-blooded killer.”

“Are you sure? It just doesn’t make any goddamn sense.”

“I told you what happened,” Janicek said. “What other explanation can there be? Simpson, Mooney, and I arrived at the appointed place. When I demanded the list, Byrne opened fire and shot Mooney. He would’ve killed us all if he’d had the chance.”

“But why?”

“Apparently he plans to keep the list,” Janicek replied. “Maybe Moroconi was acting for Byrne when he acquired it. Maybe they’re in it together. We’ve checked Byrne out. He’s not a wealthy man.”

Henderson pressed his knuckles together. It still didn’t add up. He’d already checked with Simpson, though, and he had confirmed Janicek’s story in every detail.

“Well, what the hell are we going to do?” Henderson asked, his teeth clenched.

“I don’t see that we have a great deal of choice,” Janicek said. “Damage control is our first priority. If it’s possible to preserve the integrity of the list, we have to do it. And that means we have to get Byrne. Immediately. Before he’s found by someone else. We’re not the only group in town chasing him, you know.”

Henderson’s eyebrows shot up. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Moroconi’s old business acquaintances.”

“They’re after Byrne, too?”

“There’s no other explanation for what happened at the West End. The initial target was Moroconi. But Byrne’s got the hot potato now, so they’ll want him. And frankly, if they find him first, there won’t be enough left for us to scrape up with a pizza knife.”

“And they’ll have every name on the list,” Henderson said solemnly.

Janicek nodded in quiet agreement. “Names and addresses.”

There was a long silence during which all three of them thought the same thought. It was Holt who said it first. “We have to find Byrne before they do, sir. And if we have to kill him, then we have to kill him. In all likelihood, we will.”