Niceville

house. He’ll live.”
    “The matter of the blue boots. Was that useful?”
    “Not a lot. But Phil found out that there was blood at the barnwhere they were hiding. We figure one of the guys on the job was hurt.”
    “So. Inside job, you think. One man hurt. You have only to determine who among the list of possible insiders has sustained an injury.”
    “Not quite. The insider could have provided the info. That doesn’t mean he was actually on the job. Any two pros could have pulled that job.”
    “We are assuming that either one or both of them was wounded by the police in pursuit—”
    “Or the two of them had a fight.”
    “A
pistolero
disagreement?” asked Dak, who was studying Spanish as a slight diversion from the toils of international espionage.
    “They recovered several brass casings from the fire at the barn. Melted, but a lot of them.”
    “So, many rounds? And blood on the ground?”
    “Yeah. A real firefight.”
    “But no hospital calls, naturally?”
    “No. Not one.”
    “It would be useful to know the current state of the official investigation.”
    “Yeah. Fucking useful.”
    “You can accomplish this?”
    “Not easily. What about you?”
    “We could do such a thing, given time. We do not have time. Our search must become more vigorous. We have only a few hours in which to succeed. However, we have great hopes of success. May I make a prediction?”
    “Sure. Need a fortune cookie?”
    Dak presented a smile which showed no amusement of any kind, only a flicker of impatience.
    “The item was contained in a box of some sort? With identifying signs of some type?”
    “Yeah. A steel box, with a Raytheon logo.”
    “So this device would clearly signal its worth to any intelligent thief?”
    “Yeah. Sure as hell.”
    “And you would describe the people who accomplished this robbery as intelligent?”
    “Yeah,” said Deitz, grudgingly. “I would.”
    “Then our prediction is that you will shortly be contacted by the thieves, or by a representative of the thieves. The object has no value to them, and is actually a clear and present hazard to their security. The penalty for being found in possession of such a thing would be very dire, would it not?”
    “Fucking dire,” said Deitz, thinking about how much he personally would dislike thirty-to-life in Leavenworth.
    Dak inclined his head. “So. Two scenarios are likely. One, they have destroyed it, and you and I find ourselves in a difficult position. Two, they will attempt to return it in exchange for a consideration. Since you are chief of the security apparatus for the research park, their next logical step would be to contact you.”
    He held up a hand as he watched Deitz’s temper flame up again.
    “Vengeance is an indulgence, Mr. Deitz. A form of weakness, if it is allowed to derange our affairs. You must not allow this to happen. When you are contacted, you must agree to whatever terms are asked and proceed with the utmost dispatch—”
    “Terms? The terms will be damned expensive.”
    “No doubt. You are being generously recompensed for your exertions on our behalf. You will pay what is asked promptly and without—”
    “
I’ll
pay—”
    “
You
will pay, Mr. Deitz,” he said, with serene emphasis, “since the original responsibility to deliver the item to us lies with you.”
    “What if they want too much? What if they want more than you’re giving me? What if they want more than I can pay?”
    Dak made a
so-sorry-too-bad
gesture.
    “If for any reason you are unable to effect the exchange then you will be set aside and we will deal with them directly.”
    Deitz had a pretty good idea of what Dak meant by the phrase
set aside
. He had to admit that when it came to threatening somebody, Dak was a hell of a lot better at it than he was. Dak was looking at his watch and Deitz, glancing out the window, saw that they were back at the car wash. The limo rolled to a stop. Deitz popped the door, and the steamy heat of the afternoon poured inside.
    “What if they don’t contact me in time?”
    “You will of course continue to make your inquiries. As will we. Wehave some resources you do not have. We will call upon them. In the meantime, you should even now reestablish contact with all of your means of communication, at home and at your offices. It is quite possible that a contact has already been initiated. If so, act on it in a swift and certain manner. Be effective and do not give in to revenge fantasies. Your