“We need to know. What we do after we know? Now that’s another question entirely and one that does not involve you.”

The man has always been subtle about putting subordinates in their place.

“So I go full-bore on this? Is that what you’re telling me, sir?”

Hayes simply nodded. It struck Knox that the former general might have suspected Knox was somehow taping this conversation.

If only I had the balls to.

Knox decided not to press the man on actually verbalizing his answer. For all he knew there was government muscle hidden on the jet somewhere who might be summoned to relieve him of his ride at nearly eight miles up if he pushed Macklin too far. Far-fetched? Perhaps. But Knox didn’t want to find out.

“Tell me how you’ll proceed.”

“I’ve got some leads I can follow up. I take it DCI is off-limits,” he said, referring to the director of Central Intelligence.

“I doubt he’d be much good to you anyway. Intelligence begins at home and his house is unfortunately empty.”

Okay, he definitely knows I’m not taping this.

“Then the FBI agents who investigated the bombing at Gray’s house. The Secret Service agent Ford. What about Triple Six?”

“What about it? Officially it never existed.”

Knox had tired of the word games. Even his natural deference to the man had its limits. “There were subtle references in the papers intimating that somebody was popping retirees from the division and that Gray was aware of it.”

“You can run that down if you want, but a dead end is what you’ll find.”

“How about the unauthorized Soviet op from decades ago?”

“History not worth repeating or dredging up. None of us would look good.”

“You’re not making this easy, General.”

A smile eased across Hayes’ face. “If it were easy why would we call you in, Knox?”

“I’m not a magician. I can’t make things just appear or disappear.”

“We have the disappearing end quite well covered. All we need to find is what we need to make vanish. How about the man Gray met with on the night his home blew up?”

“The famous film director, Oliver Stone?” Knox could not hold back his smile.

“He used to have a little tent in Lafayette Park. Was there longer than anyone else. I believe his sign read, ‘I want the truth.’”

“Looking for the truth right across from the White House? Sort of like hunting for Nazis in a synagogue. You consider him important?”

“The fact that he is no longer where he used to be, yes, I consider him important.”

“What else do you know about him?”

“Not nearly enough. That’s also why I consider him somewhat important.”

“The grave being dug up at Arlington?”

“I was actually in the office on the day Carter Gray ordered that.”

“Did he say why he wanted it done?”