The Sixth Man

CHAPTER 72

THEY DROVE to a safe house arranged by Kelly Paul.

“Everyone will be looking for my brother,” said Paul. “This place is far enough away from the action, but we still have to take maximum precautions. If they recapture Eddie, our plan won’t work.”

As he looked around the new space Sean said, “We’re all felons now. Aiding and abetting. That’s not really something we signed on for. And it sure as hell isn’t something we’re comfortable with.”

Paul turned to face him. “I understand. If you have a problem with that, you and Michelle can leave right now. No one knows you were involved in any of this. I would ask that you not turn Eddie in. If you do then it’s really over for him.”

“You think he can’t get a fair trial?” asked Sean.

“He’ll never make it to court, Sean. They’ll never let him. They broke him out of Cutter’s to kill him. If he goes back they’ll find him in his cell dead from some unknown cause. That’s just the way it’s going to happen.”

Sean glanced at Michelle.

She said, “Rock and a hard place.”

“Yeah,” he replied.

“Other things being equal, we’ve come too far on this to let it go now, Sean,” she said. “And we still don’t know who killed Bergin. I know that’s important to you.”

Sean eyed Paul, who was watching him intently.

“Okay, we’ll stay in. But we will not use force against federal agents or state law enforcement.”

“Bona fide federal agents,” said Michelle. “I already laid out a few bogus ones in Central Park and in a diner in Charlottesville.”

Sean kept staring at Paul. “Do we have an understanding?”

She nodded. “We do.”

Bunting gripped Sean by the shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We’ve got a long way to go.”

After the others retired to their rooms to get some sleep, it was just Paul and her brother left in the room.

“It’s so good to see you, Eddie,” she said. “I’ve missed you.” She paused. “I just wish it were under different circumstances.”

“I’ve missed you too, Kel. A lot.”

She looked down. “I should have come to see you a long time ago. Before all this…”

“I know you’ve been busy.”

“Not that busy.” She looked up. “I’m the reason you’re with the E-Program. I recommended you for it.”

“I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“Analyzed the situation, did you?” she said with a weak smile.

“I’m pretty good at it.”

“Bunting’s done nothing but rave about you.”

“But it’s… it’s not easy being…”

“God?”

“You understand then. It’s not a role humans, no matter how smart, are designed to play. We have doubts. We have prejudices. We make mistakes.”

“You keep a lot of people safe, Eddie.”

“I also kill a lot of people.”

“Not directly you don’t.”

“That’s simply splitting hairs.”

“What you do is try to make the world better and safer and more just. Yes, your decisions result in people dying, but only so that many, many more people can live. What’s wrong with that? What does your amazing mind tell you about that?”

“Logically, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a no-brainer. But it’s also not that easy.”

She sat back. “I know it’s not.” She gazed at him. “Do you want to continue doing it?”

“I don’t know. I need to see whether I survive this or not first.”

“Whether we survive it. You and me.”

“You and me,” he said quietly, though it was obvious her words had pleased him.

“I got you into this and it’s my job to get you out,” she said.

“My protector,” he said almost in a whisper.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you choose to continue to live at the farm after Mom died? You could have sold it and moved somewhere else.”

“It’s my home.”

“That’s not a good enough reason, Eddie. We both know that.” She paused. “I visited the place. Before you became the Analyst.”

“Where was I?”

“At work at the IRS.”

“Why did you come when I wasn’t there?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I was afraid.”

His face fell. “Afraid? To see me?”

“No, of course not. To see you in that place, I guess.”

“It was a long time ago, Kel.”

“Not long enough. Not for me. Or you.”

“You came back for me.”

She put up a hand. “I never should have left you there in the first place. I knew. I… knew. That man. That animal.”

“But he’s dead now. It’s over.”

“It’s never over, Eddie. Not for you. Not for me. We both know that. Those scars run deep. I’ve never married. Never even thought of it. Never had kids. Never wanted them. You want to know why?”

He nodded.

“Because I didn’t think I could protect them. Easy way out, really. I was a coward, Eddie, plain and simple. A coward.”

“Kel, it wasn’t your fault.”

Paul rose and paced in small circles in front of him. “Of course it was, Eddie. I abandoned you. I’ve spent my whole life making penance for it by doing very dangerous things. And it just occurred to me recently that while I was making my penance I forgot one important thing.” This all came out like a blast of pent-up air finally released.

“What was that?”

“You.” She knelt in front of him, took his hand, and squeezed it. “I forgot you, Eddie.”

“You never forgot me. You wrote. You came to see me sometimes.”

“It’s not the same. You know that.” She sat back and put a hand up to her eyes.

“Please don’t, Kel. Don’t be sad.”

She rose abruptly. “I will get you out of this, Eddie. That I promise. Even if I die in the process.”

Kelly Paul turned and walked unsteadily from the room, leaving her younger brother alone with thoughts not even his unique mind was really equipped to deal with.