Clear and present danger - Tom Clancy [274]
"We don't know. We are just interviewing those who were present when it happened."
"I understand, then, that you do not contemplate charging my clients with anything having to do with this regrettable incident?
"Not at this time, counselor," the senior detective said.
"Very well, I want that on the record. Also, for the record, my clients have no knowledge that is pertinent to your investigation. Finally, and this too, is for the record, you will not question my clients except in my presence."
"Yes, sir."
"Thank you. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to confer with my clients in private."
That conference lasted for about fifteen minutes, after which the attorney knew what had taken place. Which is to say he didn't "know" in the metaphysical or legal sense, or in any way that had anything to do with legal ethics - but he knew. Under the Canons of Ethics, of course, he could not act on his speculation without betraying his oath as an officer of the court. And so he did what he could do. He filed a new discovery motion on his clients' murder case. By the end of the day he would have added proof of what he did not know.
"Good morning, Judge," Ryan said.
" 'Morning, Jack. This'll have to be fast. I'm going out of town in a few minutes."
"Sir, if somebody asks me what the hell's going on in Colombia, what do I tell 'em?"
"We have kept you out of this one, haven't we?" Moore said.
"Yes, sir, you have."
"I have orders to do that. You can guess where the orders come from. What I can tell you is, the Agency hasn't blown anybody up, okay? We do have an op running down there, but we haven't planted any car bombs."
"That's good to know, Judge. I really didn't think that we were in the car-bomb business," Ryan said as casually as he could. Oh, shit! The Judge, too? "So, if I get a call from The Hill, I tell them that, right?"
Moore smiled as he rose. "You're going to have to get used to dealing with them, Jack. It's not easy, and it's often not fun, but I think you'll find that they do business - better than Fowler and his people do, from what I heard this morning."
"It could have gone better, sir," Ryan admitted. "I understand the Admiral handled the last one. I suppose I ought to have spoken more with him before I flew out."
"We don't expect you to be perfect, Jack."
"Thank you, sir."
"And I have to catch a flight out to California."
"Safe trip, Judge," Ryan said as he walked out of the room. Jack entered his office and closed the door before he let his face slip out of neutral.
"Oh, my God," he breathed to himself. If it had been a simple, straight lie from Judge Moore, it would have been easier to take. But it hadn't been. The lie had been carefully crafted, and must have been planned, must have been rehearsed. We haven't planted any car bombs.
No, you let the Navy drop them for you.
Okay, Jack. Now what the hell do you do?
He didn't know, but he had all day to worry about it.
Whatever lingering doubts they might have had were eliminated by Monday's dawn. The people who'd come into the hills hadn't left. They had spent all night at a base camp of their own, just a few klicks to the south, and Chavez could hear them blundering around now. He'd even heard a single shot, but whatever it had been aimed at wasn't a member of his squad. Maybe a deer, or whatever, maybe a guy slipped and let one go by mistake. It was ominous enough all by itself.
The squad was tucked into a tight defensive position. The cover and concealment were good, as were the fire lanes, but best of all their position was unobvious. They'd refilled their canteens on the way and were far from a water source; anyone hunting soldiers would look for the reverse. They'd also look for a spot on higher ground, but this one was almost as good. The uphill side was dense with trees and could not be approached quietly. The reverse slope was treacherous, and other paths to the overlook point could