Dead Watch (2006) by Sandford John

Author:Sandford, John [John, Sandford,]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-01-12T18:32:23.640000+00:00

Chapter 12

ON THE WAY BACK in the plane, Jake tried to work through what he knew: that Lincoln Bowe had been dying, and that Bowe had known about a scandal, a package, that would unseat the vice president of the United States, and, if delivered at the right time, probably the president as well.

They did not fit together. He kept trying to find a way, and not until they were coming into National, the Washington Monument glowing white out the right-side window, did one answer occur to him.

He resisted the idea. Struggled again to find a logic that would put all the pieces together but Occam's razor kept jumping up at him: the simplest answer is probably the right one.

And the simplest answer was very simple indeed: they weren't related at all.

JAKE GOT OUT of the cab at Madison's a little after midnight. The front-porch light was burning, and Madison opened the door as he climbed the stairs.

What happened? she asked. Come in ... You look exhausted.

I'm fairly well kicked, Jake admitted. The days are getting long.

They drifted toward the front room. Tell me, she said.

I'll tell you, but you can't ever admit knowing, all right? It could put you in legal jeopardy. If you have to perjure yourself, and say you didn't know, that's what you do, Jake said.

What happened?

Rosenquist didn't want to talk. I faked a Russian roulette thing, using a pistol of your husband's. I pointed it at Rosenquist's head and pulled the trigger. That's a felony, aggravated assault. But he started talking. I hinted that I was from some political group, maybe even an intelligence organization. I told him I didn't know you.

Jeez, Jake. She was standing close to him, and put her hand on his elbow.

We had to know,Jake said. Here's the thing: he told me that your husband had brain cancer. He was terminal. Rosenquist said there was no chance he'd make it. When he died, he was already showing functional problems, both physically and mentally. That explains the press reports that he'd been drunk in public. That he seemed to be on the edge of control ... He was medicated. I think he killed himself had himself killed and tried to hang it on Goodman.

Her hands had gone to her cheeks. My God. But .. . his head?

He might not have known the details, might not have worked through the logic of it. On the other hand, maybe he did. They couldn't leave the head. They had to know that it would be destroyed, completely, or an autopsy would have shown the tumor. Best way to get rid of it would be ... to get rid of it.

That's unbelievable. She was pale as a ghost.

You don't believe it?

No, I sort of do but I can't see anybody planning that. It's too cold.

I was told by somebody who knew him that Lincoln had a mean streak ... a mean streak can mean a coldness. Maybe he could do it.

She walked away from him, both hands on top of her head, as if trying to contain her thoughts.

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