Vanish: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

into seclusion. We’re talking about a guy just like the Unabomber, who withdrew from society and nursed oddball grudges. With Roke, it was all about government conspiracies, delusions of persecution. This is a very bitter man who believes his government has misused him. He’s written so many letters to the FBI about his theories that they have a special file on him.” Silver reached for a folder on the coffee table and handed it to Gabriel. “A sample of his writing. It’s a letter he sent to them in June, 2004.”
    Gabriel opened the folder and read the letter.
    . . . I’ve provided you with case after case of documented heart attacks that were secretly induced by PRC-25 mixed with burning tobacco. The combination, as our Defense Department well knows, results in a deadly nerve gas. Scores of veterans have been murdered this way, so the Veterans Administration can save millions of dollars in health care costs. Is there no one at the FBI who cares?
    “That’s just one of dozens of nutty letters he wrote to the Bureau, to his Congressmen, to newspapers and TV stations. The
Washington Post
got so much of his paranoid crap, they just toss out anything with his name on it. As you can see from that sample, the man is intelligent. He is verbal. And he’s utterly convinced that the government is evil.”
    “Why isn’t he under psychiatric care?”
    “He doesn’t believe he’s crazy. Even though everyone else can see he’s clearly around the bend.”
    “Terrorists wouldn’t recruit a psychotic.”
    “They might if he’s useful.”
    “You can’t control them. You can’t predict what they’ll do.”
    “But you
can
incite them to violence. You can reinforce their beliefs that their own government is against them. And you can use their skills. Roke may be paranoid, but he also knows his explosives. This is an embittered loner with military training. The perfect terrorist recruit, Agent Dean. Until we have evidence to the contrary, we have to assume that this situation has national security implications. We don’t think Boston PD is up to handling this on their own.”
    “So that’s why John Barsanti is here.”
    “Who?” Silver looked bewildered.
    “Agent Barsanti from the FBI’s deputy director’s office. The Bureau doesn’t normally send someone straight from Washington when there’s a local field office to call on.”
    “I wasn’t aware the FBI had stepped in,” said Silver. An admission that startled Gabriel. The DNI’s office wielded authority over the FBI; Silver should certainly have known about Barsanti’s involvement.
    “The FBI won’t be handling the rescue,” said Silver. “We’ve authorized a special antiterrorist unit from the Strategic Support Branch to come in.”
    Gabriel stared at him. “You’re bringing in a team from the Pentagon? A military operation on US soil?”
    Senator Conway interjected: “I know it sounds illegal, Agent Dean. But there’s a recent directive called JCS Conplan 0300-97. It authorizes the Pentagon to employ antiterrorist military units within our borders when the situation calls for it. It’s so new, most of the public doesn’t even know about it.”
    “And you think this is a
good
idea?”
    “Frankly?” The senator sighed. “It scares the hell out of me. But the directive is on the books. The military
can
come in.”
    “For good reason,” said Silver. “In case you haven’t noticed, our country is under attack. This is our chance to take out this nest before it can launch a strike. Before more people are endangered. In the larger scheme of things, this could prove to be a lucky accident.”
    “Lucky?”
    Too late, Silver registered his own insensitivity. He held up his hand in apology. “I’m sorry, that was a terrible thing for me to say. I’m so focused on my mission, I sometimes get a case of tunnel vision.”
    “It may also be limiting your view of the situation.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You look at this siege and automatically you think terrorism.”
    “I have to consider it.
They
forced us to adopt this attitude. Remember that.”
    “To the exclusion of all other possibilities?”
    “Of course not. It’s perfectly possible we’re just dealing with a pair of crazies. Two people who are trying to avoid capture after shooting that police officer in New Haven. We’ve considered that explanation.”
    “Yet you focus only on terrorism.”
    “Mr. Wynne wouldn’t have it any other way. As director of National