Sean swung his fist and knocked Brown over a chair.
“I just returned the favor,” he said, rubbing his hand.
Brown jumped up. Sean braced for his attack when a voice froze all three of them.
“Enough!”
They turned to see Alan Grant standing by the doorway.
In his hand was a small box with a button on it. His finger was pressed on the button. With his free hand he swept open the front of his coat. Three C-4 packs were strapped to his torso.
CHAPTER
83
SEAN AND MICHELLE IMMEDIATELY MOVED away from Grant and his explosive belt, but Brown stood rooted to the spot. “What are you doing here?” he said slowly.
Grant pointed at Sean and Michelle. “Following them. Are you the one who stabbed me in the back, Curtis? Because without somebody’s help I don’t see how they could have done what they did.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alan,” replied Brown, eyeing the detonator in his hand.
Grant observed this. “Idiot switch. Fitting, actually, since I’ve learned this is what Wingo used in Afghanistan to escape. Otherwise, he would have been dead as planned and I wouldn’t be standing here now as a flesh-and-blood IED.” He eyed Brown. “Pity you didn’t have the intelligence about Wingo’s fail-safe, Curtis. But then again you’ve failed me in so many ways.”
“It doesn’t have to end like this, Grant,” said Sean.
Grant looked at him. “Nice to finally meet you face-to-face, Mr. King. We seem to communicate too much these days with texts and emails.” He paused, and his calm face finally showed a flash of anger.
“Twenty-five years. A quarter century I’ve lived with this hurt, this shame. This injustice.”
Michelle said, “But how exactly is it justice to kill a man who had nothing to do with your parents’ suicides?”
“Well, I couldn’t kill the man in office at the time could I? Because he’s already dead. So it’s symbolism that matters, Ms. Maxwell. This all began with Iran and now it will end with Iran. Or at least that was the plan. President Cole’s heroic escape with your help apparently will allow him to suffer no consequences for his actions. The guilty once more go free and brave, honest people die.”
“I was the one under the Potomac,” Michelle snapped.
He looked directly at her. “I should have thought of the oxygen tanks being used as an explosive device, but I didn’t. I commend your ingenuity.” He gave a mock bow in their direction.
“Is this how you want your family to see you go out, Grant?” asked Sean. “In a flame ball? Like a suicide bomber? You fought against those guys when you were in uniform. Now you’re taking a page from their book. Is that how you want to be remembered?”
“My options are limited.”
“I didn’t betray you, Alan,” said Brown.
“I don’t believe you. I paid you well for your services. Was it too much to offer loyalty in return?”
“I didn’t betray you,” shouted Brown.
“He’s telling the truth, Grant,” interjected Sean. “We figured it out for ourselves. Wingo followed Jenkins to Vista Trading. That’s the link to you. We knew about what happened to your mom and dad. That was public information. That gave us the motive. We tracked your lease of the satellite through a shell company. Jenkins had purchased the cabin, which we found out from his computer records. By the way, the police found a shallow grave up there with the remains of Jean Shepherd.”
“Another one who lost her way,” said Grant.
“We were on to her,” said Michelle. “That’s why she ran.”
“Then why are you here?” said Grant. “If not to hook back up with your confederate?”
“We’re here to tell him why the FBI is going to be showing up here any minute,” said Sean. “To arrest him for being a co-conspirator with you to assassinate the president.” He stared at Grant. “What, did you think I slugged him because he’s my buddy?”
Brown paled. “The FBI?”