Softly sighing, Edward nodded. “You have a point.”
“What’s the problem?” Daniel prodded again.
“General Marcus Dillinger.”
“The guy who provided Kevin Jones with the secret defense blueprint.”
“He needs to be either taken prisoner and dragged back to the US or killed. If he’s left to roam free, he’s going to sell that information. He might also take another shot at you if he thinks you know about his treason.”
“Or you.”
That was probably true, but Edward was less worried about the man’s attempts on his life, though he probably should be. The man was a two-star general with ample wartime experience. He was probably skilled in dark missions and definitely knew how to handle a gun. It was just a little surprising that his aim had been so off in the park. Edward could only assume that either his eyesight was starting to fail him, or he was sorely out of practice with a weapon.
Edward was not going to take a chance with either continuing to work in his favor.
“Do you have a preference?” Daniel asked.
“Preference?”
“Capture or death.”
Edward shook his head. “Death is easier. The CIA is very good about making up stories about what happens to people. Capture…” Edward sighed. “I worry that his lawyer might cook up some sneaky way of getting him off the hook. The fucker is guilty of treason, and he needs to fry for it.”
“We need to set a trap for him.”
Edward stared at Daniel for several seconds, trying to read his thoughts. Daniel was a kind soul and didn’t want to see anyone hurt. The guy tried to save a Russian spy. And Edward understood why. Daniel saw him as a human being first and a spy second. But if he wanted to save Marcus Dillinger, there was no sign of it on his face or in his voice.
He hated Daniel being a part of this, but if he was honest with himself, he couldn’t imagine how he was going to accomplish this alone. And Daniel was right. He did deserve to see this to the end since he’d been dragged in against his will and was risking his life in the first place.
“Yes, but the problem is that he holds all the cards. How are we going to lure him out?” Shoving one hand through his hair, Edward walked slowly away from the window to the far side of the room by the door and then turned back. “I mean, we’ve got to assume that he’s got a copy of the information that he wants to sell. He saw us meeting with the Russians, so he’s got to believe that people are still interested in his offer. He can make a deal without us.”
“We could threaten to expose him. We know his identity. We could send a message saying that we’re going to expose him to the press,” Daniel suggested.
Edward batted the idea around for a second and then shook his head. He started back the way he’d come, stopping at the window without actually looking out at the dreary day. The sun had poked out briefly, but the clouds closed in again while the wind picked up. A storm was moving in over the city.
“Why?”
“At this point, he would realize that exposure is pretty much inevitable. His name is going to get out, or the government is going to put out a hit on him to cover up this embarrassing slip.” Edward scratched his jaw, pondering what he might have been thinking if he was in the general’s shoes. “By coming to Paris, he’s already realized that he had to go for broke. He had to make the deal, rake in the big score, and then disappear from sight, living off the fortune he made in some obscure little country where no one’s ever heard of him.”
“Really? Just disappear? Does he have a wife or kids?”
“Two grown kids. Wife is deceased,” Edward said, recalling what he’d been able to quickly dig up online about the man.
“So not a big deal if he falls off the Earth and no one hears from him again, I guess.” Edward listened to Daniel sucking on his lower lip for a moment, deep in thought. He wanted to march over and suck on it for him, but that wouldn’t help solve their dilemma.
“Oh!” Daniel suddenly gasped. “What if you reach out to him and tell him that you want to take Kevin’s place in the deal? You tell him that you want half of the payout and you’ll help broker the deal.”
Edward stopped pacing and turned to face Daniel where he was still sitting on the bed. He was leaning back on his elbow, looking incredibly sexy, but his words were zinging around his brain. There was something there. At least, the beginning of something. “Why does he need me?”