laps. We’ve had people watching her ever since this started. But the fact is, looks like she’s running in some pretty heavy company.” Wales gave Broker a very direct look. “Wouldn’t you say?”
“I just got here,” Broker said, as he dropped into the chair.
“Your kid got very strangely abandoned in my town and suddenly I got sheriffs coming out of my ears. Gets a guy to thinking. So I took a flyer, had the county attorney call somebody he knows who works in the Minnesota AG’s office,” Wales said.
“Who?” Uh-oh.
“Tim Downs. My guy met him at a seminar at the University of Minnesota. I believe you’re acquainted.”
Shit. “Sure. Downs and I worked in St. Paul together some years back. We were never what you’d call close.”
Wales tugged an earlobe. “Right. Downs had a knack for Internal Affairs and you had a knack for undercover. Not exactly compatible assignments. And, well, Downs did go to law school…”
They let it cook between them for a few seconds and then Wales resumed: “Downs says some people back in your state think you’re one of the bad guys. Eight years back you dropped out of police work, showed up in Vietnam. The story goes you dug up a shitload of lost gold bullion. To hear Downs’ version, you’re a cross between a mercenary and a pirate.” He paused. “You want some water or something? You don’t look so hot.”
Broker held up his hand. “Infection.”
“Uh-huh. So—are you some kind of freelance pirate, or what?”
Broker defaulted to his basic operating persona. He maintained strict eye contact and kept his voice flat and steady. “Wales, I own this little resort up on Lake Superior. We got pretty good walleye and lake trout fishing if you’re ever up that way.”
“Yep. Downs told us. He also told us you’re married to Nina Pryce, a gal in the Army who’s stirred up enough controversy that Downs says she got her name in Newsweek a couple times. Saturday, I got Nina Pryce showing up in my county. Sunday, I got you.”
Broker watched Wales furrow his forehead, the sheriff thinking he might try to stare Broker down. Wales decided not to and nodded. “Okay?” He opened his large hands in a reasonable gesture. Broker noticed he wore a copper bracelet around his right wrist. “I’ll make this simple. The federal undercover population of my county has just shot up considerably in the last two days. All I want to know is—are you part of the problem or part of the solution?”
Broker was exhausted from the drive, his hand hurt, his head hurt. All the unflappable reflexes he’d cultivated over the years failed him utterly. He was an angry dad whose kid had been deserted.Fuck a bunch of feds. “Goddamn bitch,” he muttered. “All I know is, I came to get my kid,” Broker said hotly.
Wales sensed a chink in Broker’s surface and his demeanor toughened perceptibly. “You and your wife are broke up, right?”
“What are you getting at?”
“Well, just what is it that your wife does in the Army?”
“Last I heard she was in Italy.” Broker hoped that was general enough. Goddamn you, Nina, I’m going to wring your neck.
Wales squinted at Broker. “She’s a long way from Italy now.”
“Guess so. We’ve been out of touch.”
Wales leaned back and steepled his fingers. He stared briefly at a county road map that hung on the wall. “How do I say this?”
“Try straight ahead.”
“Straight ahead it is. Nina showed up with this Jane lady and they put considerable effort into looking, ah, like they were involved together.”
“Say again?” Broker came forward slightly in his chair.
“Traveling as, ah, a quarreling couple,” Wales said.
Broker stared at him.
“Actually, we don’t have a whole lot of experience with this sort of thing out here…” Wales talking slower now, deadpan, drawing it out and studying Broker’s feverish face for a reaction.
“C’mon, Wales. You don’t strike me as a guy who talks sideways,”
“I just got here,” Broker said, as he dropped into the chair.
“Your kid got very strangely abandoned in my town and suddenly I got sheriffs coming out of my ears. Gets a guy to thinking. So I took a flyer, had the county attorney call somebody he knows who works in the Minnesota AG’s office,” Wales said.
“Who?” Uh-oh.
“Tim Downs. My guy met him at a seminar at the University of Minnesota. I believe you’re acquainted.”
Shit. “Sure. Downs and I worked in St. Paul together some years back. We were never what you’d call close.”
Wales tugged an earlobe. “Right. Downs had a knack for Internal Affairs and you had a knack for undercover. Not exactly compatible assignments. And, well, Downs did go to law school…”
They let it cook between them for a few seconds and then Wales resumed: “Downs says some people back in your state think you’re one of the bad guys. Eight years back you dropped out of police work, showed up in Vietnam. The story goes you dug up a shitload of lost gold bullion. To hear Downs’ version, you’re a cross between a mercenary and a pirate.” He paused. “You want some water or something? You don’t look so hot.”
Broker held up his hand. “Infection.”
“Uh-huh. So—are you some kind of freelance pirate, or what?”
Broker defaulted to his basic operating persona. He maintained strict eye contact and kept his voice flat and steady. “Wales, I own this little resort up on Lake Superior. We got pretty good walleye and lake trout fishing if you’re ever up that way.”
“Yep. Downs told us. He also told us you’re married to Nina Pryce, a gal in the Army who’s stirred up enough controversy that Downs says she got her name in Newsweek a couple times. Saturday, I got Nina Pryce showing up in my county. Sunday, I got you.”
Broker watched Wales furrow his forehead, the sheriff thinking he might try to stare Broker down. Wales decided not to and nodded. “Okay?” He opened his large hands in a reasonable gesture. Broker noticed he wore a copper bracelet around his right wrist. “I’ll make this simple. The federal undercover population of my county has just shot up considerably in the last two days. All I want to know is—are you part of the problem or part of the solution?”
Broker was exhausted from the drive, his hand hurt, his head hurt. All the unflappable reflexes he’d cultivated over the years failed him utterly. He was an angry dad whose kid had been deserted.Fuck a bunch of feds. “Goddamn bitch,” he muttered. “All I know is, I came to get my kid,” Broker said hotly.
Wales sensed a chink in Broker’s surface and his demeanor toughened perceptibly. “You and your wife are broke up, right?”
“What are you getting at?”
“Well, just what is it that your wife does in the Army?”
“Last I heard she was in Italy.” Broker hoped that was general enough. Goddamn you, Nina, I’m going to wring your neck.
Wales squinted at Broker. “She’s a long way from Italy now.”
“Guess so. We’ve been out of touch.”
Wales leaned back and steepled his fingers. He stared briefly at a county road map that hung on the wall. “How do I say this?”
“Try straight ahead.”
“Straight ahead it is. Nina showed up with this Jane lady and they put considerable effort into looking, ah, like they were involved together.”
“Say again?” Broker came forward slightly in his chair.
“Traveling as, ah, a quarreling couple,” Wales said.
Broker stared at him.
“Actually, we don’t have a whole lot of experience with this sort of thing out here…” Wales talking slower now, deadpan, drawing it out and studying Broker’s feverish face for a reaction.
“C’mon, Wales. You don’t strike me as a guy who talks sideways,”
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