“I take it that you’re back in charge, Walt?”

He gave me a grin that caused Hubbard to shake his head. “Orders from the White House supersede those coming from the Hoover Building.”

Hubbard said, “I’m not happy with this situation. Neither are my superiors. We’ll make our feelings known after this, but for now we’ve handed over command and control to Mr. Conrad. You have our full cooperation.” His last words were delivered with plenty of vinegar.

“How long have you been here, Walter?”

“Must have arrived before you set up out in the swamp.”

“Could have saved us the trouble if you’d thought to get in touch.”

“I was busy organizing things.” He gave us a sickly smile. “And anyway, I wanted someone out there who’d spot Rickard coming.”

“My men had that under control,” Hubbard said.

“They didn’t see us,” Rink pointed out.

Hubbard shrugged, dug his hands into his trouser pockets. “We weren’t watching for you, Rington. We’re here to catch a murderer. We can’t do that if we’re traipsing all over the Everglades playing hide-and-seek.”

“If you’d set up in the swamp you might have caught him coming in. Now you’ve lost a guy who didn’t have to die.” Hubbard closed his eyes at my words. I’d already noticed that the nearest CCTV screen showed a view of the front lawn. It was zoomed in on a body partly concealed by shrubbery. “You sacrificed that man to insure that Rickard entered this building.”

“I sacrificed no one.” Hubbard glared not at me but directly at Walter.

“It was necessary to contain the problem,” Walter said. “It also allowed Rickard a way inside without raising suspicion.”

“This a killing house, Walt?”

“Soon as you were inside, I had it locked down. I’m having the FBI people moved out. Then it’s down to you boys.”

“What about Alisha?”

Walter tapped a TV screen. On it a helmeted, black-clad figure crept along a corridor. Alert and armed, he looked like he had a firm destination in mind.

“Rickard should be with her in the next few seconds.” Walter sat back in his chair, almost as though relaxing in front of a TV to watch an afternoon matinee. “There’s no rush, Hunter. Wait and catch the show, you can always get him on his way back out.”

Chapter 44

44

“When attacking, you must be determined and forthright. Worry about the consequences and that worry will kill you. Be bold, Luc, cut down your enemies while fear for their lives give them pause.”