Vaill pried the curtains apart. Bright sunlight hit him like a straight-on jab. He squinted against the glare and the renewed throbbing, and sucked down three extra-strength Tylenols without any water. In passing, he considered reporting his suspicions to Internal Affairs. But if the leaker turned out to be someone high up the food chain, they’d probably get Vaill kicked off the investigation within hours, if not out of the agency altogether. For the moment at least, he decided that his best chance to avenge Maria would be to operate in the shadows while keeping his mistrust for the FBI a secret.

“So,” McCall was saying, “how about letting Welcome fester a bit longer in jail and come check out Miller’s apartment with me?”

There were rules for how long Welcome could be detained without due process, but like anything pertaining to terrorism, those rules could be bent or even broken. Still, McCall had unknowingly brought up yet another consideration. If One Hundred Neighbors wanted Humphrey dead or captured, it was reasonable to assume they could be targeting Lou Welcome as well. Those two men were more than passing acquaintances. Since he no longer trusted the FBI, Vaill knew he alone had to protect Welcome, at least until he got more facts.

“I’m getting another call, Chuck,” Vaill lied. “Hang on the line a second.”

Vaill cupped the phone and counted slowly to twenty. Maria often complimented his ability to think creatively. Exhausted as he was, he at least had not lost a step in that regard.

“Chuck, are you still there?” he asked finally.

“I’m here.”

“That was Welcome. Apparently he’s got more information to share about the Neighbors, and he wants to cut a deal. But for whatever reason he says he’ll only talk to me, and he won’t do it there. I’m going to go and get him.”

“Then what are you going to do?” McCall asked. “You need help?”

“Not as long as there are handcuffs in the world. I’ll take him into protective custody and just learn what he has to say.”

It was a good lie because McCall would have no reason to bring it to Snyder’s attention … unless the two of them were connected in other ways.

“Okay,” McCall said. “I’ll be at Miller’s. Call or meet me there after.”

He gave Vaill the address.

“Sounds good. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Vaill showered quickly and got dressed, thinking that if McCall turned out to be the mole, he’d have no problem shooting to kill.

Chapter 39

CHAPTER 39

Where there is no entitlement, there is no iniquity.

—LANCASTER R. HILL, 100 Neighbors, SAWYER RIVER BOOKS, 1939, P. 12