Page 139 of To Die For

Saxby now looked truly torn. “I can’t tell you anything more. And even I don’t know it all.”

“This stinks to high heaven.”

“Are you telling me you never executed a mission you didn’t agree with or had doubts about morally? Either at DHS or the Army? You really expectmeto believethat?”

Devine sat back. Hehaddone missions he didn’t agree with, on any level. Missions that had actually used civilians as bait, or decoys. And somehaddied.

She watched him closely and seemed to read his thoughts. “It’s not easy. None of this is easy. For either of us. Or Betsy.”

“Ricketts, Washington, is the mother ship for 12/24/65. Did you know that?”

“Yes.”

“Nice if you had mentioned that before I went out there and almost got killed.”

“I’m sorry, Travis, I really am.”

“If you know it’s the mother ship, why not arrest the Kings and their minions?”

“There’s the necessary element of proof.”

“The man who tried to kill me in Seattle was one of the police officers from Ricketts. Isn’t that proof?”

“And you won’t be surprised to know that we’ve been told by Chief King that this same officer had been fired the day before the attack on you for insubordination and for theft of police property.”

“In other words, they’re disclaiming all responsibility for a rogue cop?”

“And let’s say we swoop in and take out King and his people. But what about all the others? Devine, you have to realize that this group spans the entire nation.”

“If it’s so widespread, how can you possibly catch all of them?”

“We don’t have to. We just have to catch enough of theright onesto topple the entire organization. Then the rank and file will crawl back under their rocks.”

“Until the next time, you mean?”

“Yes,” she conceded.

“So placing Betsy with me?”

“You’re actually a much better bodyguard to her than I ever would have been. That was also figured into the plan.”

“But DOJ dropped the charges. What else does Glass need?”

“The charges were dropped without prejudice, meaning DOJ can refile them.”

“He told me he was pissed that you guys forced his hand. With the charges gone, 12/24 will know he’s agreed to cooperate. You put a bull’s-eye on him and Betsy.”

“We can’t wait forever, Travis. And 12/24 is certainly not going to wait much longer. We’ve had chatter enough to show that something big is being planned. And we needed to push Glass to fish or cut bait. We need what he knows, now!”

“Seems he’s sacrificing everything for Betsy.”

“Agreed.”

“But why does a man who’s never even met his niece until now put his entire life and empire on the line for her?”

“I don’t know. I wish I did, but I don’t. Truly, I don’t. I swear.”

Devine had other issues that were also bedeviling him.

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