Riptide

forth.
    "They didn't even want to know anything about him. Don't they
    have to believe me now that Dick McCallum was murdered, too?"
    "One would think," Adam said, his eyes narrowed, still looking
    at the now-empty doorway. "New York's finest aren't shining in
    this particular instance. Now, not to worry, Becca."

"I think Detective Gordon needs to be pulled off this case,"
    Thomas said. "For whatever reason, she made up her mind about
    you early on and is now refusing to be objective. I'll make a
    call."
    "I want to leave this place, Adam. I want to go far away, forever."
    "I'm sorry, Becca, but there's not going to be any forever
    yet," Thomas said. "Krimakov got what he wanted. I'm out in the
    open now. The problem is that you still are, too. Now I'm going to
    make that call." Thomas walked out of the hospital room, his head
    down, deep in thought, as he pulled out his cell phone.
    The Feds arrived forty-five minutes later.
    The first man into the room came to a fast stop and stared. He
    cleared his throat. He straightened his dark blue tie. He looked as
    if he wished his wing tips were shinier. "Mr. Matlock, sir, we didn't
    know you were involved, we had no idea, didn't know she was related
    to you--"
    "No, of course you didn't, Mr. Hawley. Do come in, gentlemen,
    and meet my daughter."
    He leaned over her and lightly touched his fingertips to her
    cheek. "Becca, here are two guys who want to talk to you, not batter
    you like the NYPD detectives, just talk a bit. You tell them
    when you're tired and don't want to talk anymore, okay?"
    "Yes," she said, her voice so thin Adam swore she was fading
    away right before his eyes. If he hadn't been worried sick, Adam
    would have enjoyed watching Thomas turn his power onto the FBI
    guys, but he didn't. Now Adam wondered how Thomas knew Tel-lie
    Hawley, a longtime FBI guy who had a reputation for eating
    crooks for breakfast. He never cut anyone any slack. He was sometimes
    very scary, sometimes a rogue, admired by his contemporaries
    and occasionally distressing to his superiors.

"Hey, Adam," Hawley said. "I guess I'll find out soon enough
    why you're here. Where's Savich?"
    "He and Sherlock will be in a bit later." Adam nodded then to
    Scratch Cobb, a tough-looking little man who wore elevator shoes
    that brought him up to Adam's chin. He got his nickname years
    before, when it was said that he scratched and scratched until he
    found the answers in a high-profile case. "Scratch, good to see you
    again. How's tricks?"
    "Tricks is good, Adam. How's it going, my boy?"
    "I'm surviving." Adam took Becca's hand and lightly squeezed
    it. He leaned close and whispered in her ear, "The guy standing to
    the left has hemorrhoids. The big one with the mean eyes, Hawley,
    will want to cross the line, but he doesn't dare try it, not with your
    dad here. Actually, he has five dogs and they rule his house. Now,
    go get 'em, tiger."
    If she were a tiger, she thought, she was a very pathetic one, not
    worthy of the name, but still-- She smiled, she actually smiled.
    "Hello, gentlemen," she said, and her voice wasn't as paper-thin
    now. "You wanted to speak to me?"
    "Yes," Hawley said, stepping forward. Adam didn't move, just
    smiled a feral smile at him that could make a person's teeth fall out.
    "Adam, I'm not going to bite her. I'm a good guy. I work for
    the United States government. You don't have to stand guard."
    "I'm supposed to be protecting the lady, Tellie. The thing is, I
    screwed up, and the bad guy got her, drugged her, and dumped her
    right in front of One Police Plaza."
    Hawley nodded, then said, "Okay, so you're not going to
    budge." Hawley continued smoothly, coming one step closer,
    watching Adam from the corner of his eye. "This guy who kidnapped
    you and drugged you and put you out of his car, who is he?"

"First thing," Adam said, "is for Savich to find that apartment
    Krimakov rented. Then -we send our own people over to Crete and
    take the place apart."
    "Agreed," Thomas said. "Let's do it. Now, Becca,Tommy the Pipe,
    Chuck, and Dave will all be here to protect you until we get back."
    "No," Becca said, coming up on her elbows. "I'm coming with
    you."
    "You can barely walk," Adam said. "Lie back and calm down.
    No way our people will let him get near you again."
    "No more orders, Adam. Now, sir, there's no way you're going
    to face this alone." Becca calmly pulled the IV lines from her arms.
    She pushed back the hospital sheets and swung her legs over the
    side of