Part 8 (2/2)

”No.”

”Does the FBI know you're here?”

”Yes.”

”Are you working alone?”

”That depends.”

”On what?”

”Your willingness to share information with me,” I said. ”For starters, what has your investigation uncovered so far? Any suspects? Results of the autopsy?”

Eldridge tapped his cigarillo into a large conch sh.e.l.l on his desk that was doubling as an ashtray. He had a decision to make.

On the one hand, I could be a help to him and his investigation. It's not likely he had anyone with my background and experience working under him. On the other hand, we'd only just met. I could be cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs for all he really knew. Oh, and did my boss happen to mention I was seeing a shrink, Commissioner?

Eldridge held my stare for a moment before glancing over at the two men sitting against the wall. It was the first time he'd even acknowledged their presence.

Maybe it was the look he gave them, or maybe it was the plan all along, but the two men suddenly stood up and exited the room as if they were double-parked outside.

I now had Eldridge all to myself.

Or maybe it was the other way around.

Chapter 13

I WATCHED AS Eldridge took another puff of his cigarillo, the smoke leaving his lips in a perfect thin line.

”Agent O'Hara, when you arrived here, what did you see outside my office?” he asked.

”A horde of reporters from all over the world,” I answered. ”Even the Middle East.”

”And how did they look?”

”Hungry,” I said. ”Like a pack of wolves that hadn't been fed enough for the past forty-eight hours. I've seen that look before.”

He smiled. ”Yes, exactly. So please don't take this personally when I tell you I can't divulge any details of the investigation. If for no other reason than I'd like to think I've learned from other people's mistakes.”

Right away, I understood what he was talking about: Aruba.

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