He passed his phone back. The numbers Vaill had scrawled on his card were still legible, although the ink was running. Reluctant even to consider going into the field office, Lou didn’t have a plan B. As things shook down, he didn’t have to. A second after he hit the last number, Vaill answered.

“Yeah, Vaill here.”

“It’s Lou.”

“What number is this?”

No pleasantries, no small talk. The man was all business, and totally suspicious of everything.

“I borrowed it from my cab driver. I’m on my way to you now.”

“Just stay away from the front of the building,” Vaill said. “Park across the street and a block down. Believe it or not, I was just going to call. I’ve put together a DVD like you suggested. There’s one thing I think we should go over together—it’s a DVD recording Burke sent to his wife. It’s been checked by the evidence analysts, but it may be worth looking at again.”

“Well, I’ve learned a little bit about Burke, too,” Lou said. “He just showed up in my hotel room. He used your name to get me to open the door. Then he tried to do his thing.”

“How’d you get away from him?”

“Let’s just say I got a seven from the Polish judge.”

Lou heard Vaill suck in a breath.

“You dove?”

“Cannonball. I did a six-story cannonball. I’m sore but okay. Tim, he’s got Humphrey’s notebook.”

“As long as he doesn’t have your scalp on his lodge pole. Do you need anything?”

“A change of clothes and size nine New Balances.”

“We’ll find a place to do that. Have the cab park near the Starbucks across the street. I’m going to pack up and meet you. Where are you now?” Lou got the address from the driver and relayed it back to Vaill. “Okay, I think you’re about fifteen minutes away. And, doc?”

“Yeah?”

“That puts you and me together in a unique group.”

“What group is that?”

“As far as I know, we’re the only two Alexander Burke has ever tried to kill and didn’t.”

Chapter 45

CHAPTER 45

Secrecy and discretion are more important to a tactical revolutionary movement than numbers.

—LANCASTER R. HILL, 100 Neighbors, SAWYER RIVER BOOKS, 1939, P. 156

Burke showing up at Lou’s hotel had only heightened Vaill’s paranoia and his conviction that they were dealing with a mole in the agency. Moments after Lou hung up, he had called back to move their meeting place down two blocks.