“Why DEA?”

“Because of the drug connection. We’ll need some backgrounding on the possible players behind this. I may want to tap into the CIA too—”

“Good God, why?”

“This anonymous remailer in the UK. If we can locate the guy who’s running it, we may be able to backtrack from his computer to this Snake character.”

“All right. But keep them in the dark as much as possible. What about the tier-two people? Got anybody in mind?”

“Yes, sir. Gerry Canney over at the Bureau. He helped break the Duncan Lathram case, if you remember.”

Razor allowed a chagrined smile. “How can I forget?”

“He just got moved up to a supervisory position. He’s as straight and sharp as they come. Knows how to keep his mouth shut too.”

“Perfect. Who from DEA?”

“I’ve got a few possibilities there. I was thinking of Dan Keane. He’s with the Washington office.”

“I know him. Good man.”

“Right. I’ve known him for years and can’t think of anybody who knows more about the drug trade and hates the dealers as much as Dan.”

“All right. Canney and Keane. Get them. I want to meet with them personally. I want to make it very clear that even though kidnapping is FBI business and drug dealers are DEA, you are in charge. I don’t want any interagency turf war here. I want them to hear it straight from me before I head for Bethesda.”

Decker had to admire Razor’s grasp of all the practical problems facing his mini task force. He remembered the infighting between Justice and Treasury back in 1994 when someone took a few pot shots at the White House.

The jockeying for control between the Secret Service, FBI, and ATF had been embarrassing. But with the chief laying out the chain of command at the outset. Decker was sure the operation would run smoothly.

“When are you going in?”

“This afternoon, right after I meet with your team.” He lowered his voice. “Get this done, Bob. Get it done by Tuesday. Because no matter what, that’s when I’m leaving for The Hague for the international drug conference.”

Decker swallowed. He felt as if he’d been punched.

“Three days, sir? That’s not much time. Can’t we—?”

“It’s all I can give you. I love John. He’s the best friend I’ll ever have. And I love his daughter like my own. Hell, I’m her godfather. But I’m also the guy who occupies this office. As President I can’t be influenced by terror and blackmail, and I sure as hell won’t allow some slimy drug lord to dictate U.S. government policy. I’m leaving for The Hague Tuesday, and I want to step on Air Force One knowing that Katie Vanduyne is back with her father. Am I making myself clear. Bob?”

“Perfectly, sir.”

“Then let’s get moving.”

Bob Decker’s intestines began to wind themselves into slow knots as he left the Oval Office and hurried down to W-16.

Tuesday! How the hell was he going to get this done in three days?

4

“I’ve been talking practicalities, but let me get philosophical for a moment. Can we all agree that you own your own body? That seems to me to be the cornerstone of all human rights. If we can agree on that, then where does another person get the right to dictate what substances—food, liquids, whatever—you are allowed to put into your body? This is a completely personal decision on your part. And if one person has no right to so dictate, then neither do two… or ten or a hundred or a million or a hundred million. It’s still your body. I think taking drugs is very stupid, but I also think it is a human right.”

Paulie turned down the radio volume. Had he just heard the kid giggling in the living room?

He leaned his chair back and edged his head past the jamb of the kitchen door for a peek. Some kind of weird scene in there, what with Poppy in a Minnie Mouse mask and the kid with a fake bandage on her foot, and the two of them playing Chutes and Ladders on the couch.

Paulie had retreated to the kitchen to get out of that damn Mickey Mouse mask he had to wear in front of the kid. Probably wasn’t all that necessary, seeing as the kid had already seen him as the limo driver, and he still wore the beard that would come off as soon as this was over, but why risk her getting a better look at him than absolutely necessary?

Poppy glanced up and saw him. “Wanna play?” He couldn’t see her face through the Minnie mask, but something told him she was smiling.

“Nah. Not unless you switch to poker.”

“Hey, we might,” she said. “We just might do that. We’ll let you know.”

He grinned and shook his head. Standing up to Mac yesterday had broken the ice between them. They were back to being a team again, and that felt good.

He watched them for a little while longer. Poppy was a different person when she was with that kid. Softer, bouncier, happier than she ever was with him. So what am I? he thought. Jealous? Maybe. He wasn’t exactly crazy about the idea of sharing Poppy with anyone, even for a week. But how could he be jealous of a little kid?

Besides, it was one of those girl things, the way two gals who just met somehow start sharing all these secrets about things one guy would never tell another even if he knew him for a million years.

But this looked like more than that. This seemed to go pretty deep. Well, whatever it was, it would be over in a week or so when the kid went back to her folks.

And suddenly Paulie had a bad feeling about what that scene might be like.

He waved his arm in the doorway and gave a low whistle.

When Poppy looked up, he said, “Can I see you a minute?”

Poppy nodded behind her mask, then turned to the kid. “I’ll be right back. You stay here… and don’t move any of those pieces.”

The kid giggled. “I won’t.”

Poppy stepped into the kitchen and dropped into the seat across the table from him. She pulled off her mask and wiped her face. Her cheeks were flushed with heat.

“Hot in there, ain’t it,” Paulie said.

She nodded and smiled. “It’s worth it. What’d you want to see me about?”

Paulie hesitated, not exactly sure how to say this. “It’s about you and the kid.”

“She’s got a name, you know. You can call her Katie.”

“I don’t want to call her Katie. I don’t want to know anything about her.”

“Why not? She’s a sweet kid.”

“I’m sure she is, Poppy. And you’re getting too close to her.”

“What do you mean, too close?”

Uh-oh. He could see her back getting up.

“I mean—”

“Look, Paulie, she’s a scared little girl. This has gotta be like the worst thing that’s ever happened to her. I’m trying to make it as pleasant as possible for her while she’s here. What’s wrong with that?”

“You’re getting attached.”

“So?”

“Too attached. Like you’re her mother or something.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think she has a mother.”

“That may be, but you can’t start thinking you can be her mother. You’re gonna have to say good-bye next week, or the week after at the latest.”

She leaned back and her gaze shifted down toward the table top. “I know.”

“And if you keep on like this, you’re gonna be hurting. Bad.”

“I’ll be okay.”

Paulie didn’t believe that for a minute. He had visions of Poppy crying and hanging onto the kid and not wanting to let her go, not wanting to leave her alone at the drop-off point. The snatch itself was far and away the diciest part of these gigs, but returning the package wasn’t far behind. The last thing you needed was someone going all mushy and emotional at a critical moment. And on top of all that, he didn’t want to see Poppy all torn up when this was over.

“I ain’t so sure about that.” He reached across and touched her hand. “I’m seeing someone with a broken heart when it comes time to wave bye-bye.”

She looked up and smiled.

“I’ll be all right. I just don’t want to see her scared, that’s all.” She stood and came around the table. She sat on his lap and kissed him on the mouth. “That’s for worrying about me.” Then she adjusted her Minnie Mouse mask and returned to the living room.