“No. This afternoon, when your daughter punched a nun, I thought I saw someone as ill, mentally, as it was possible to get. But then I met DiBennedetti, feeding on revenge, consumed by his fear of death—by comparison, Maryellen is only a victim. And compared to you, DiBennedetti, as evil as he is, is only a dabbler. Do you really want to talk about stolen lives? Your wife, sons, your daughter! You sacrificed all those lives for your own!”

“All right. That’s it,” Brennan said. He slumped down into the wheelchair. “I’ve had enough of you. You get the fuck out!”

Devlin went to the door and opened it. John was on the other side, listening to a hand-held radio. He whispered, “Eileen,” and gave a thumbs-up sign.

Devlin grinned. “Come on in.” To Brennan, he said, “Jim, be sensible. We’ve got what DiBennedetti told me about you and the Ippolitos. Women working in Jack’s campaign headquarters can testify that they never handled any files on me, and one will say that Jack knew nothing about those files. Then there’s what you said here about using Buddy Monahan to obtain information on me. You can insist that you didn’t plant the evidence, but that doesn’t mean a jury will believe you. You had it wrong when you threw John out because you thought he was wearing a wire.” Devlin tapped his own lapel. “It’s right here. Everything you said is on tape out on the police launch.”

Brennan pounded the arm of the wheelchair. “I knew that! Do you think I was born yesterday? Whether you think so or not, you’re going to have a tough time in court. You,” Brennan said to John, “go see if my wife wants another drink. She’s in the tall chair.”

John eyed Devlin. Obviously Brennan wanted John out of there, if only for one more moment. At the door, John said, “Frank, let me give you the details about that telephone number he gave you. It’s a hotel room out by the airport, just as we thought. We’ll have Eileen in a few minutes.”

Brennan smirked and looked at Devlin as John closed the door behind him. “All’s well that ends well, eh? You’ve got your little girlfriend back, what more do you care about? I suppose I owe you an apology or congratulations, maybe both. You really are a changed man. I wouldn’t have said it was possible. I’m still not completely convinced here.” He tapped his heart. “Excuse me, that’s where you have a transmitter.”

He was up to something, all right. What was the word the captain had used? Playful. Devlin detached the bug from his jacket. “I don’t think we need it anymore.”

Brennan saw through the ruse. The transmitter remained operational. He was still smiling when John slid the glass door open again. Brennan turned to him.