“I’ve arranged a phone call with Director Lansing tomorrow.”

She stared, her mind working. “May I ask why?”

“This whole thing reeks of my father’s involvement. I asked Harv to call Frank Ortega and verify my suspicion. Ortega confirmed it. When we first met with him, Ortega told us Director Lansing knew of our involvement before the raid. He said he’d never do something like that behind Lansing’s back. Lansing then told Ortega he didn’t want to know about it, kind of a don’t-ask, don’t-tell thing, but Lansing didn’t say no. I think Ortega called in a major favor to involve us. He knew we were a covert-ops team, knew how we did things. I think he wanted his grandson found at any cost.”

“What do you hope to accomplish by talking with Lansing?”

“Holly, I’ve known Harv through life and death. I’ve never seen him like this before. It’s tearing him up. He needs closure too, maybe more than he’s willing to admit to me or himself. What they did to James Ortega and now to two more of your people… It can’t go unanswered.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I want a green light to pursue the Bridgestones.”

She shook her head. “Lansing will never agree to it.”

“I’ll give him our word we won’t kill them or seriously hurt anyone in the process. Obviously, we’re aware the FBI needs them alive for questioning. You’ve seen us in action.”

“It’s what I haven’t seen that concerns me.”

He looked down, didn’t respond.

She reached across the table and touched his hand. “That wasn’t fair to you, I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

“It was honest.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“We’ve done some horrible things, Harv and I. I’ve always felt what we did was justified in the name of national security even though this little voice in the back of my head sometimes said otherwise. The night we accepted this assignment, Mrs. Ortega said something to me, something that rang true. She told me life is never as simple as a book of rules. She also told me she didn’t see the world through rose-colored glasses.”

“I don’t either.”

“I’m not suggesting you do. I’m just saying there’s more at stake than justice for James Ortega and your two techs. You don’t know how long those guys have been peddling Semtex. The FBI and ATF need to find out who’s been buying it and try to recover as much as it can.”