‘Never mind,’ Twill replied, grinning. ‘Sure I do. I never know when they might decide to come back and finish the job. I’ve got sources that keep me in the loop.’

‘I was wondering if you’d heard any rumors about the Alliance targeting Diane Fairmont,’ Cab said. He swatted away a particularly voracious fly. The heat was concentrated inside the grassy marsh, and he felt the sun cooking his long nose.

‘Can’t say as I have,’ Twill told him.

‘Nothing at all?’ Cab asked.

‘You sound like you were expecting a different answer.’

‘I was.’

‘Well, something like that would be kept way under wraps. Just because it hasn’t hit my ears doesn’t mean it’s not happening. What are you thinking? The Alliance got rid of Birch, so now that Diane is in the race, why not get rid of her, too? Kind of a revenge thing?’

‘Something like that.’

Twill rubbed the scar on his chin. He sucked on the joint, looking relaxed. ‘What makes you so sure they got rid of Birch?’

Cab was surprised. ‘You don’t think the Alliance was involved? That’s not what you said back then.’

‘Oh, I was on a rampage about hate groups in those days. Still am. People don’t take these domestic terrorists seriously, but they’re plenty dangerous. The Islamists don’t have a monopoly on crazy. Ten years ago, you had politicians like Chuck Warren coddling these boys and calling them patriots. I held his feet to the fire over that, and it cost him the election.’

‘So what am I missing?’ Cab asked. ‘The Alliance had a major grudge against Birch over his political policies. They came after you for writing about them. Why do you now think Hamilton Brock may be innocent?’

‘I never said innocent. Him and his crowd, they’re bad, bad boys. Did one of them also put on a hood and shoot up the Bok? The FBI says yes. Me, well, I’m not so sure anymore.’

‘What changed?’

Twill sighed and flicked the joint in the water. ‘Let’s say I know there’s a difference between assassination and murder,’ he replied.

Cab listened to the insects chattering. He began to understand why Twill preferred to talk in a place that was sheltered from electronic spies. ‘Are you saying that you think the motive wasn’t political?’

‘I’m saying that whoever pulled the trigger knew the hammer was going to fall on the Alliance. Maybe it was those boys, maybe it wasn’t. Honestly, I don’t really care either way. You won’t find me shedding any tears over Ham Brock taking the fall.’

‘Except something must have put the idea in your head.’

Twill yanked his tank top over his baseball cap. ‘Shit, it’s hot. Ain’t you roasting in that suit? Why do you wear something like that in Florida?’

‘That’s who I am,’ Cab said.