Don't Say a Word - Barbara Freethy [66]
"Your father and I saw each other when we were both on assignment, usually in another country."
"So you do work for the government?" Alex asked. "Do you happen to have any identification?"
Brady chuckled at that question. "I've got a driver's license. Will that do?" He paused and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. "You're not as trusting as your father."
"Since he's dead now, I'll take that as a compliment," Alex said sharply. There was something about Brady-maybe his smug smile, or his knowing manner, that irritated him. He took the license from Brady's hand and gave it a quick glance. The face was the same. The address was in Maryland. "You're a long way from home."
"I always am."
"What about a government ID?"
"What I do doesn't require ID. I've been on the job for thirty-seven years now. I can get you a character reference if you feel you need one."
"What exactly do you do for the government?" Julia asked.
Alex watched Daniel closely, wondering how he'd react to such a pointed question.
Daniel simply smiled and said, "That's classified, I'm afraid." He slipped his license back into his wallet, then into his pocket.
"If you can't answer that question, maybe you can answer this one," Julia continued. "Am I that girl in the photograph?"
"I can see why you might think so," Daniel replied. "But even if you believe you're that girl, you must say you're not. You must call the newspaper and tell them they're mistaken. Any other reporters you speak to must get the same comment."
"Why?" Alex asked sharply. "Why should she lie?"
"For her own safety." Daniel's expression turned somber. "The photograph revealed something that was supposed to be hidden, but your father didn't know that. He made a mistake. He paid for it."
Alex felt his heart stop. Stan had implied that his father's accident had been a result of the photograph, but he wanted to hear Daniel Brady say it. "Are you telling me my father was killed because of that picture?"
Daniel hesitated for a long moment, then said, "His accident was highly suspicious. The only reason I'm telling you that is because Charles was my friend, and you're his son, and he wouldn't want the same thing to happen to you."
"That's not good enough. Who killed my father? Who ran him off the road? Tell me, dammit." Alex took a step closer to Daniel. He wanted to grab Brady 166 Barbara Free thy by the collar and shake him until the truth came out. "I'm tired of vague innuendos. I want the facts. And I want them now."
"I've told you all I can tell you, Alex, without putting you in danger."
"To hell with that. I can take care of myself."
"And Miss DeMarco? Do you want to risk her life as well as your own?"
"I can take care of myself, too," Julia replied. She shot Alex a look that told him to keep going and not back down. He intended to do just that.
"If you won't tell me about my father's death, then tell me about the picture," Alex demanded. "What do you know about it that I don't?"
Daniel glanced around, as if he was worried about being overheard, but they'd moved a hundred yards away from the restaurant, and there was no one in this part of the parking lot. "I want to help you, Alex, but I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. I don't know if you know this, but your father saved my life once. I was a young agent. I got into some trouble in Germany. Your father came to my rescue. I owed him. And the day after that photograph was published in the magazine he contacted me. He said he was calling in my debt. He wanted me to protect you. I promised him I would."
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a grown man. Whatever promise you made ended a long time ago." "I don't think so."
"Look, Julia's picture has been printed in the newspaper. This story is coming out whether any of us want it to. If you know something, you need to tell us, so that we're not stumbling around in the dark. I think my father would appreciate the need for you to be honest with me."
Daniel thought for a moment. He looked away from them, gazing out at the ocean. Alex wondered if he was thinking about