Raven's Prey

things like that.”
    “But, Judd, I can’t prove a thing! That’s why I didn’t go to the authorities in the first place!”
    “We’ll let Maddock worry about proving things. Let’s go.”
    Two hours later they were in Tucson. With determined perseverance Judd pushed himself and Honor through several levels of red tape until Honor finally found herself talking to a harried-looking man in a rumpled suit and tomato-sauce stained shirt. Judd never left her side as she wearily went through her tale over and over again. She was astounded when she was informed that the Feds were more than a little interested.
    “Miss Knight, you are a godsend to a poor, struggling government employee,” the man called Craig Maddock announced at the end of the long, trying interview. “We’ve had Garrison and Prager under investigation for months. We know they’ve been arranging shipments of arms out of this country and then selling them overseas, but there were too many missing facts for us to close the net. We didn’t know about that San Diego warehouse, for example. We’ll get in touch with the local people there and tell them to have a look.”
    “Mr. Maddock, I have no idea whether or not they’re using that warehouse for anything illegal,” Honor protested quickly. “I just happened to remember hearing Nick mention it one time.” She had remembered a good many details under Maddock’s persistent, skillful questioning. “I wondered why Garrison and Prager needed a warehouse but I never bothered to question it. I guess I just assumed it had something to do with a business sideline.” Her voice trailed off weakly.
    Judd leaned forward intently. He had been sitting beside Honor for the last two hours and he could see how utterly exhausted she was. “I think you’ve gotten just about everything out of her that you’re going to get, Maddock. Let me take her someplace where she can get some rest. She’s been on the run for weeks. She’s had it.”
    Maddock nodded. “Should have come to us in the first place,” he told Honor firmly. “Could have saved yourself a lot of trouble.”
    “Yes, sir,” she said politely, and only Judd recognized the underlying mockery. Good Lord! Couldn’t she even resist baiting a government agent? But Maddock didn’t appear to notice.
    “With the information you’ve given us this afternoon we should be able to move quickly on the case. We [_can
]move quickly at times, you know,” he added wryly. “Since this office has been handling the case from the beginning, we should be able to wrap things up fairly[
_]rapidly. Thanks to the rendezvous Judd has scheduled near the New Mexican border, we even know where Garrison and, perhaps, Prager will be this evening!”
    “Come on, Honor,” Judd ordered, helping her to her feet. “We’re going to get a bite to eat and some rest.” He glanced at Maddock. “You’ll let us know when things are cleared up?”
    Maddock nodded briefly, eyeing Judd coolly. “I’ll let you know.” There was a pause as Judd walked Honor to the door, and then Craig Maddock spoke again. “You came a little close to the line on this one, didn’t you, Raven? One of these days you’re going to find yourself stepping over the edge.”
    Judd went still for an instant, his hand on the doorknob. Then he threw a derisive glance back over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Maddock’s in a level stare. When he spoke his voice was like silk. “Now, Maddock, you know I make it a policy not to ask too many embarrassing questions of my employers. Not when the money is good. Just think of all the little odd jobs I’ve done for you and your department over the years. And you never bothered to give me any more explanation beforehand than Garrison and Prager did!” He tugged Honor through the door and shut it firmly behind him. A mercenary. That was all he was even to people like Maddock, for whom he’d taken more than one risk. A damned mercenary.
    It was over within twenty-four hours. Judd and Honor spent the night in an anonymous motel room near Interstate 10. No one except Maddock knew where they were. Judd fed a very quiet Honor dinner and then took her upstairs to the room. She was asleep before he got out of the shower. For several moments he stood watching her curled body under the bedclothes and acknowledged the depth of the strange possessiveness he was feeling.
    Possessiveness as not a familiar emotion to him. What was it about tins woman that had stirred