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Chapters (50)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. TITLE PAGE
  3. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  4. DEDICATION
  5. CONTENTS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“This is Virginia, son—this is hunt country. Turkey, fox, deer, black bear—we hunt it all here.”

“Insects kill only for food or defense. It’s something I’ve never understood about our species. You’re shooting birds just for target practice— wouldn’t a clay pigeon work just as well?”

“Wouldn’t be the same.”

“Why not?”

“A target’s too predictable—you just load and fire. But you never know what a living thing will do next.”

“No,” Nick said. “You don’t.”

Braden looked at him. “A forensic entomologist—what is that, exactly?”

“We study necrophilous insects—insects that consume bodies after they die.”

“Sounds disgusting.”

“It’s a necessary part of nature—it keeps the fields from piling up with dead birds.”

Braden extended his hand and Nick took it. “You just dropped in on a U.S. senator unannounced—not many men can say that. Don’t make it a habit, son—I made an exception for you.”

“Why did you?”

“Because I want your people to know that I’m behind them. I want this thing resolved too—as soon as possible. Now get back to work.”

14

14

“Mrs. Braden? Am I interrupting?”

Victoria Braden looked up from her desk. “You must be Dr. Polchak— Johnny called and told me you were coming.” She rose and met Nick halfway across the room. Nick glanced around her office. It was smaller than her husband’s and clearly more functional; there were far more books and papers and fewer stuffed bears.

“Please,” she said, gesturing to a seat and then returning to her own. Nick watched her as she walked. She was easily the most beautiful woman Nick had ever seen: tall, poised, and every bit as stunning as her photographs—a quality few people possess. He shook his head—it was like visiting the Homo sapiens exhibit at some museum. The Bradens seemed to be perfect specimens of the human species; in fact, everything about this place was perfect—the perfect woman and her perfect husband in the perfect home. Definitely the deep end of the gene pool, he thought, and he suddenly felt strangely self-conscious.

They both sat down and looked at each other. Victoria smiled and waited. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” Nick said.

“Well—thank you. You’re very kind.”

“Why do you suppose people get flustered in the presence of beauty?”

Victoria blinked. “Is that what you came here to ask me?”

“No, but you seem like a good person to ask.”

She paused. “I’ve never really thought about it before. I suppose it’s because beauty is desirable—to be close to beauty is to be close to something you want. When you want something badly but can’t have it, you get flustered.”