Hell's Corner

CHAPTER 57

They followed Carmen down the hall. They immediately noticed that the home had been cleaned and the stench of rotting food was gone. When they entered the small living room, they saw furniture and a large flat-screen television that had not been there previously.

“What happened?” asked Chapman, looking around.

Carmen smiled sadly. “When people saw on the TV what happened to Uncle Freddy, they come and they help me. Clean my house, buy me things. They are very kind.”

“What people?” asked Stone.

“People from the TV station.”

“The TV station?” asked Stone.

“Well, they say people donate money. People on the street. And they give me many things.” She pointed to the TV. “Like that. Uncle Freddy would have liked that TV very much. He liked to watch football. Not your kind.”

“Not mine either. You mean soccer,” said Chapman.

“Yes, that is what I mean. And they clean my house and now someone come every day to check on me.” She tapped her braces on the floor. “They say they will also help with my medical bills. And buy me a new pair of these.”

“That’s terrific, Carmen,” said Chapman.

“Would you like something to drink?” she asked. “I have many things now to drink,” she added proudly.

They declined and Stone said, “Will you stay here, then?”

Carmen sat down and they did too.

“I do not know. I have to think. They have a service for Uncle Freddy. I must go to that. Your president, he will be there. And my president too. From Mexico. Though I don’t like him very much. But I will still go. Then I will decide what to do.” She looked around at her new possessions. “I like this place very much. And my new things. Very much.”

“So maybe you’ll stay?” said Stone.

“It is possible, yes.” She fell silent for a moment. “I can go back to school. In Mexico I worked in a doctor’s office. I know computers. My English is good. I can type and file things. I can get a job. I can have friends.”

“You can do all those things,” said Stone encouragingly.

“My family thinks I should come home. They say I do not live in a nice area.”

“But you have to think about what you want. It’s your life to lead,” said Chapman. “And you can always move from here to another place.”

She looked uncertain. “And I can take my new things?”

“Absolutely,” said Stone. “I’ll even come and help you.”

“You will do this for me?” she said, looking at him in wonder.

“Yes.”

“You are strange government people.”

Chapman glanced at Stone. “Yes, I guess we are,” she said.

Promising to return to check on her, they left.

“Where did you come from?” Stone asked as they walked down the street.

“I followed you. Bloody difficult in heels, let me tell you. You walk very fast.”

“Why did you follow me?”

“Because you were right. And I wanted to tell you so.”

“So the truth this time?”

She stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Riley Weaver and Sir James are working together.” She took a breath and said, “God, I can’t believe I’m telling you this. I’ve broken just about every professional rule MI6 has.”

“That’s all right. Most agencies have too many rules.”

“Bloody easy for you to say,” she replied irritably.

“Why are they working together? To what purpose?”

“It wasn’t Sir James’s idea, that I know.”

“So he was persuaded?”

“As Sir James said, your president and our prime minister get along rather well. And America is the superpower. Everyone else just follows its lead.”

“So why keep it from me?”

“Weaver is afraid of you. That’s quite clear from what I’ve seen and heard.”

Stone thought, If he knows what I did to his predecessor, I would be afraid of me too.

“What exactly is your role in all of this?”

“I’ve been tasked to investigate and solve this crime.”

“Even though your prime minister was clearly not the target? Does MI6 have that much free time on its hands to allow one of their best agents to stay over here and assist us in our criminal investigations?”

She said nothing, just studied the pavement.

Stone turned away. “Don’t bother following me this time.”

She grabbed his arm. “All right, all right.”

He turned back, looked at her expectantly.

“I’ve also been tasked to watch you.”

“MI6 tasked by the American government to watch me?” he said skeptically.

“The world has gotten a lot more complicated, Oliver. Assets are not what they used to be, even for you Americans. Global cooperation, that’s the ticket these days. We do favors for the Yanks and they reciprocate. It’s not well-known of course, all hush-hush, but it does happen.”

He cocked his head. “Watch me why? Do they think I’m involved in what happened?”

“No. But Weaver has some other agenda in mind.”

“Has he shared it with McElroy?”

“I don’t believe so, at least not completely. But Sir James’s hands are tied.” She stared at him pensively. “What’s in your background that could have prompted this level of attention?”

“I have three decades’ worth of answers and not nearly enough time to explain them even if I were so inclined, which I’m not.”

“If you tell me what’s going on, maybe I can help.”

“You? The person who’s been tasked to spy on me?”

“I thought we were partners on this thing.”

“We are, but only on this thing. Nothing else.”

“So who’s withholding information now?” she said sharply.

“You were withholding things related to the here and now. I’ve never asked about your past missions. And I expect the same courtesy from you.”

“So where does that leave us?” asked Chapman quietly.

“Back where we started,” Stone said sharply. “And let’s leave it that way.”