The Sixth Man

CHAPTER 49

“WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO HERE?” asked Sean, as they sat in the small apartment.

“Not clear,” said Paul.

“Bunting had no incentive to frame your brother.”

“No. But that’s not the same for Bergin or Dukes,” she replied. “Bergin’s death delays the trial. Dukes might’ve screwed up somehow and made the wrong people nervous.”

“Granted, those are motives to kill. Although with your brother unfit to stand trial, killing his defense lawyer probably wasn’t absolutely necessary.”

“If it was even fifty percent necessary they would do it. And they might have been afraid Bergin would find something out.”

“Bergin was my friend,” said Sean.

“He was my friend, too. I’m sorry I ever got him involved in this.”

Sean’s phone rang. He answered. “Michelle. What? What’s wrong? Slow down. Okay, okay. Murdock?” He listened in silence for about sixty seconds. “I’m on my way. Be there as soon as I can.”

He clicked off and looked at Paul.

She said, “Murdock’s dead, isn’t he?”

“How did you know?”

“I wondered who Bunting was talking to so animatedly back there.”

“You think he ordered the hit on Murdock while we were watching him? While he was out walking with his wife and kids?”

“I didn’t say that. But Bunting is never off the clock, Sean. So you’re going back to Maine?”

“I have to. And Michelle told me something else.”

“What?”

“She went to do a recon on Cutter’s.”

“And?”

“And she swears someone else was watching the place too, just like she was.”

Paul’s nostrils flared. She seemed to be searching the air for a scent to go after. “I think I’ll join you up in Maine. Just give me a few minutes to pack.”

Five minutes later she was ready to go.

They cabbed to a car-rental place, got a four-door Chevy, and headed north out of Manhattan. At this time of night the traffic was fairly light, even for the city that never sleeps. They reached Boston in the wee hours and checked into a motel on the outskirts of the city because neither one of them could keep their eyes open. They got up at eight the next morning after four hours of sleep. That afternoon, several cups of coffee and two fast-food meals later, they pulled into Machias.

They had phoned when they got close and Michelle met them outside of the inn.

When Sean saw the bandage around her arm he gaped. “Did you get shot too?”

“Not really.”

“How could you not really be shot?”

“It was the slug that killed Murdock. It’s a scratch.”

Sean hugged her and Michelle felt his arms trembling.

She said softly, “I’m okay, Sean, really.” But she squeezed him tightly back.

“We’re not splitting up again. Every time we do something bad happens.”

Michelle looked up at Kelly Paul. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“I didn’t expect to be here.”

They went inside where Mrs. Burke had clearly been fussing over Michelle. She checked her bandage and brought her another cup of coffee before leaving them alone. Megan was sitting in the front parlor, a cup of tea cradled in her lap.

“People keep dying,” Megan said in a faraway voice.

They all looked at her but said nothing.

Megan turned to Paul. “You’re not going to pull a knife on me again, are you?”

“Not unless you give me reason to, no.”

Megan shuddered and fell silent.

“Tell us everything you remember about last night, Michelle,” said Sean.

She did, interrupted only by questions posed by Sean or Paul.

“So Murdock knew or had discovered the existence of the E-Program?” said Sean.

“Well, he got cut off by the shot, but I think so. And he talked about certain people in D.C. who might have a reason to want to harm Edgar Roy.”

“By framing him?” asked Sean.

“Well, considering he could get the death penalty if convicted, yeah.”

Sean looked at Megan. “What’s the status on the case?”

“I’ve been drafting motions but I need you to look them over.”

“Okay. Have you heard anything from the prosecutor on the case? Any notice from the court?”

Megan shook her head. “There’s no one left at Mr. Bergin’s office. But I’ve been checking e-mail and voice messages. The case is technically in legal limbo because of Roy’s mental condition. But the court ordered periodic evaluations done on him to see if he’s mentally competent to stand trial. One of those is coming up soon.”

Sean glanced at Paul. “How would you like to see your brother?”

She turned to him. “When?” she said slowly.

“How about now?”