Blood Trust - Eric van Lustbader [135]
“You took quite a beating.”
“I gave as good as I got.”
“Better, I’d say. Much better. You’ll be ready to roll in a couple of hours. Just a few more tests—”
“Fuck the tests, I don’t need tests. How long have I been out?”
“A couple of hours, more or less.”
“Jesus. Any word yet on the cause of Naomi Wilde’s death?”
His smile quickly faded. “On that score, I’m afraid I have some bad news. The bodies of Wilde, McKinsey, and the unknown vic have been taken from us.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
Fraine sighed. “Nona, I think you know.”
“The Feds.”
He nodded. “A whole platoon of them appeared at the island and commandeered the crime scene. Our people were summarily dismissed.”
“So we have nothing?”
“Less than nothing.” Fraine couldn’t meet her fiery gaze. “I’ve been given orders to forget the incident ever happened.”
“Forget? How can I forget—?”
“Nona, I’m very sorry.” Fraine shook his head. “As of now, you’re on leave.”
“What? You mean I’m relieved of duty?”
“I mean you haven’t taken a vacation in, what?”
“How about never.”
“Okay, then.” He brightened. “No time like the present.”
“This is total bullshit,” she said.
“This is my decision, and it stands.”
She sat up straighter. “How could you?”
“Nona, I want you out of harm’s way. Now. Before something really bad happens.” His eyes met hers at last. “I chose column A. Was I wrong?”
She was so angry sparks should have been shooting out of her eyes. “Alan, this blows.”
“I hear you.”
“Scylla and Charybdis.”
He cocked his head. “This is what comes of being so well read in a dumbed-down world.”
“Trapped between two monsters. There is no good choice.”
He shrugged. “Life works that way sometimes.”
“Tell that to Naomi Wilde.” Her voice had turned savage. “Who’s going to be her advocate? Who’s going to speak up for what was done to her now that it’s going to be swept under the carpet?”
Fraine leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Nona, listen to me. I understand what you’re feeling—”
“How can you?” She looked away for a moment. “Sorry. It’s unfair to snap at you.”
“Nothing about this situation is fair.” He lowered his voice. “There are some very big fish involved in this mess. The best thing for you now is to disappear, at least until it blows over.”
“Yeah, I could go to Sicily like Michael Corleone.”
“I’m deadly serious. Nona, you’ve got to forget about Naomi Wilde. You got the guy that killed her. Leave it at that.”
She looked at him for a long time. She hated the sickly sweet medicinal smell of hospitals. She couldn’t wait to get out of here. At last, she nodded. “Okay, okay. You’ve gotten through to me. I’ll take that long-delayed vacation.”
“Thank God.”
She lay back and closed her eyes. “Maybe I’ll head down to New Orleans, see some old friends.”
“Sounds good.”
At that moment, two federal suits entered the room. One was Midwestern blond, the other dark-haired, old-school Ivy League.
“Chief Detective Nona Heroe?” Ivy League said.
She opened her eyes. “Who wants to know?”
They both revealed their IDs. They were DoD, not to be trifled with. Fraine rose and immediately realized the gravity of the situation.
“This can wait until Chief Heroe has fully recovered.”
Blondie nailed him with a glare. “For our purposes, Chief Heroe is fully recovered.”
Ivy League brushed past Fraine. “Chief Detective Heroe, you are formally charged with the capital offense of the willful murder of a federal agent. You are hereby directed to come with us immediately.”
“But—” Fraine began.
Blondie swung on him. “One more word and you go, too.”
“No buts,” Ivy League said to Heroe. “No ifs, no ands. Get up now or I do it for you.”
Heroe rolled out of the bed, gathered up her clothes, and went into the bathroom. As she dressed, she fished out her cell and sent the following text message to Jack: MIDDLE BAY BANCORP. Hurriedly, she continued drawing on her clothes. She was just about to step into her shoes when a rude knocking rattled the door.
“Let’s go.” She heard Ivy League’s voice. He sounded