Page 186 of To Die For

“What do I need to do?” King said a few moments later.

“My, how I’ve always admired your loyalty,” noted Davenport.

Saxby said, “We need Danny Glass back safe and sound.”

“Glass? I don’t know anything—” She stopped when Saxby held up her hand.

“You lie, they’ll just fit you for a lifetime prison wardrobe and throw away the key. But if Glass is dead already, you have nothing to negotiate with.”

“He’s not… dead… yet,” said King.

“So 12/24 is stilldebriefinghim?” asked Chambers.

King hesitated and then nodded.

“So we need to get there ASAP,” said Saxby. “And you’re going to be our way in.”

King said urgently, “He’s heavily guarded. And these people are fanatics. They made me work with them. They threatened me.”

“You always did have the nicestplaymates, Anne,” commented Davenport.

“That’s part of the deal,” said Saxby. “You get us in, or no deal.”

King looked unsure for a few moments, but then a cagey expression graced her features.

“I’ll call and tell them to keep Glass alive until I get there. And I need to pick up some things I’ll need from a building behind the government center. But then I have a way to get you in.”

“I knew you would,” said Saxby.

CHAPTER

87

MERCEDES KING STEERED THE CAYENNEslowly down the road and then made the turn onto the property where Pru Jackson had seen the chopper lift off into the darkness bearing two dead bodies courtesy of Travis Devine. Two uniformed sentries held up their hands for her to stop. In addition to the main house, there were several large outbuildings, including a massive barn. Parked behind the barn were rows of military-style vehicles, in addition to a half dozen four-wheelers.

One of the sentries searched the interior while the other ran a wheeled probe under the Porsche’s chassis looking for anything that should not be there.

“All clear, Ms. King,” said the first sentry politely. “As I knew it would be.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Earl.”

She drove off and parked by the barn. She got out and put her keys in her purse.

She used a security badge to access the barn door. It slid open, its hydraulic power making a slight hissing sound.

King walked in and looked around. The main area was set up as office cubicles where dozens of people were working away on computers while several others were conversing in front of smart boards where graphs and maps were displayed. But, interestingly, the large space also held a combat ring, where a half dozen bare-chested men were engaged in training exercises. On the walls were racks of weapons. Boxes of ammo were organized behind padlocked wire mesh doors.

King said hello and nodded to a number of people as she passedby them. She reached a double door and knocked. It was opened by Nick Dawkins wearing a tailored, brown military uniform with stars on the shoulders.

“Mercedes, welcome. I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you’d still be in Seattle.”

“Thanks for letting me take your jet there. My business is all finished. And I hope you like surprises.”

“When you’re one of them, I do.”

He closed the door behind her, and she settled into a chair while he sat down behind a large desk.

He said, “Now look, I’m actually glad you’re here. We really need to get to Danny Glass. We can’t just hold his niece in perpetuity. You said you were going to be working on that?”

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