“Just one question, Mr. Richmond. Who is CJ? What’s his real name?”

Richmond shook his head. “Can’t tell you.”

“Can’t? Or won’t?”

He gave her a half smile. “I wouldn’t — even if I could.”

Teren slipped behind him and put an arm around his throat, pulling him back against her. He gasped for air as she slowly put more pressure on his windpipe.

“I don’t think he heard the question the first time, Alex. Try asking him again.”

“Who’s CJ?”

Richmond gasped, and squirmed in Teren’s grip. Finally, he sucked in all the air he could, and answered.

“I don’t know.”

“Dawkins said you did.”

“He’s wrong,” Richmond wheezed. His voice was an octave higher than normal, and very raspy. “The only one who knows CJ’s real name is Treville. He never told anyone else.”

“What can you tell me about him?”

“Nothing. I won’t tell you anything.”

Teren increased the pressure, and Alex frowned. “You could help yourself by telling us who he is.”

He managed to shake his head, struggling to breath.

Alex reached for her gun, but Ben stopped her. He looked back at Teren.

“Let him go.”

She hesitated a moment, but did so. He straightened, shaking his head, and taking huge lungfulls of air.

Then he grinned at them all, smugly. “Doesn’t matter what you say. See, all I have to do is call him, and I’m out of here.” He chuckled. “And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”

Mark moved forward to strike him, but Alex grabbed his arm. “Don’t.”

She glanced at Ben, who punched the button. They resumed their journey to the ground floor.

Alex kept her gaze on Richmond all the way down. Her mind kept going over his last statement, time and time again.

When the elevator doors opened, she stood aside as he was taken through the lobby. She and Teren trailed behind everyone.

She couldn’t get his words out of her mind.

Ben turned back to her and Teren as Richmond was being pushed into the car.

“I’m sorry, Alex. I couldn’t let you pull your gun on him.”

“I know. It’s alright, Ben.” She let her gaze drift to the ground, and ignored everyone around her.

Teren eyed her partner in concern. She looked up at Ben with worry in her eyes.

Ben saw it and grinned. “I’ve seen her like this. Means she’s got an idea, and it’s eatin’ at her. When she figures it out, she’ll let you know.”

She nodded and smiled at him, extending her hand. “Thanks, Ben. I appreciate you letting us tag along.”

“Ah, no problem.” He turned serious for a moment, and tightened his grip. “You take care of her, Mylos. You ain’t the only one who knows how to make body disappear.”

He shook her hand again, and let it go. Teren watched him climb into a car, and leave.

Alex was still staring at the ground.

“Alex?”

“Hm?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, fine. Just thinking.”

Teren waited, then finally sighed and took her partner’s arm. “Come on. You can go think in my car.”

“Right.”

Alex was still glassy eyed as they reached the small car, and she didn’t even notice when Teren pushed her into the passenger seat. She just sat there, hearing Richmond’s words over and over again.

See, all I have to do is call him, and I’m out of here.

all I have to do

call him, and I’m out of here

call him

“Holy shit, that’s it!”

Teren, who had just crawled into the driver’s side, jumped. “What?”

“Give me your cell phone.”

“What for?”

“Just give it to me!”

Teren handed it over and Alex turned it on and dialed.

“Ron? Alex Reis. You know what happened earlier, right? You know Treville is dead? Okay, listen to me. I want you to find out where all of Treville’s personal effects would be, okay? I mean, everything. From the limo, off his body, all of it, got it?”

She listened for a moment. “Fine. We’ll meet you there. Ten or fifteen minutes. Bye.”

Alex turned off the phone and looked at her partner.

“CIA building. Graves is going to meet us there. Let’s go.”

Teren started the car. “You going to tell me what’s going on?”

“Not yet. But if I’m right, Richmond just told me how to find CJ.”

Teren nodded. “Secret code that I’m not privy to?”

“No. Just a stupid boast that made me think.” She grinned at Teren. “See, it’s easier to think when you haven’t tried to use your head to play ping pong with a bullet.”

Teren frowned. “Shut up, Alex.”

It didn’t take them long to get to the offices, and Teren led Alex up through a back door to a security check point where Graves was waiting for them.

“I wasn’t sure what exactly you were looking for, Alex. I’ve been having my men go over the stuff, but they haven’t found anything. No phone numbers, no address book, no notes, nothing. What are we looking for?”

“A cell phone.”

“A cell —” he stopped and stared at her. “Yes, he had one. We found it in the back seat of the limo. Why?”

“Can I see it?”

“Sure.”

Graves led them through the checkpoint, and down into a holding area. Several agents were going over Treville’s belongings, logging them in. Graves spoke to one of them, and was handed a small black folding cellular phone.

“Here you are. Care to tell me what’s so important?”

“In a minute.” She flipped it open, and turned it on. “You see, most people have numbers that they dial over and over again.” She pressed memory and then 1. After listening for a moment, she hit disconnect. “Like your office.” She hit memory and 2, then listened again. “Oops, sorry, wrong number.” She disconnected again.

Teren folded her arms, beginning to see where Alex was going. Graves didn’t appear to be following though, and he was tapping his hand against his jaw in puzzlement.

Alex looked at him. “I think that was his home.” She hit memory and dialed a three. After another moment she disconnected, a disgusted look on her face. “Trixie’s Massage Parlour. A family establishment, I’m sure.” She dialed the fourth memory number and waited.

Teren was watching her face, and saw her eyes go wide. By the time she’d grabbed the phone from Alex, there was a beep, and she quickly disconnected. “Alex?”

“Dial it again, Ter. Memory 4.”

She did so, holding it up so both she and Graves could hear it.

They listened to the message, and then turned off the phone.

Graves nodded. “Well done, Alex.”

“Thanks.” She looked at Teren who was still gripping the phone. “We’ll need to show his picture to Dawkins and White.”

Teren nodded.

“We know who he is.”

Another nod.

“Nothing to say, Teren?”

She lifted her head. “Let’s go get the son-of-a-bitch.”

They smiled at each other.

It was barely six o’clock in the morning when the doorbell rang at Cliff Jackson’s house. He glared at his watch, then hesitated. When the bell rang again, he put his razor down with a sigh. Grabbing a towel he wiped the rest of the shaving foam from his face as he left the bathroom.

He opened the door to find Alex Reis on his door step.

“Morning, Cliff.”

“Alex. Kind of early for a social call, isn’t it?”

“Yes. This isn’t a social call.”

“What’s going on?”

“I know who the traitor is.”

His eyes widened. Then he held the screen open. “Come on in.”

She followed him into the kitchen where he poured himself a cup of coffee.

“Got a coke if you want one.”

“That’s sounds great.”

He passed her the ice cold can and then sat opposite her at the table.

“Where’s Teren?”

“She’s in the car, on the phone. She’ll be in when she’s through.”

“Ah.” He sipped his coffee. “Wanna tell me who it is?”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, I will. But first, I want to apologize.”

“For what?”

She sighed. “For not believing in you a little more. I let my fears and my exhaustion get the better of me. I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry.”