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“He's asking to speak to me?” Maggie said, sitting up off the salon bench and turning off the TV.
“That's what Peter says, and the police are treating the request as if you were his lawyer.”
“Well, good for them.”
“So, we've got one hell of an opportunity here.” Rachael sat down at the galley table across from Maggie.
“We certainly do...” Maggie stroked her chin.
“I told Peter to contact Kid Galahad. Work out some sort of pass,”
“Kid Galahad?” Maggie chuckled.
“Yeah – to let you go ashore for a few hours to deal with Horus.”
“He'd never agree to that.”
“He might. I told Peter that you'd get a confession out of Horus. One they could use.”
“Yes, I would.”
“I don't know if it will hold water later, but you've already set the precedent that you're a foreign national. Maybe that dodge will work again?”
“Perhaps.” Maggie was visibly concentrating. “God bless the great nation of Liberia.”
“And once onshore -” Rachael's phone in her pocket rang. She jumped, dug it out and answered it. “Hello? Yes. Yes, Special Agent Galahad.” Rachael winked at Maggie. “Yes, she's right here.” Rachael held out the phone.
Maggie took it and held it to her ear. “Special Agent.”
“Ms. Straight. It's good to speak to you again,” Galahad began. “I believe you're aware that your fellow Rafter, Eugine Meyer, has been arrested by the Seattle Police.”
“Horus?” Maggie prodded. She couldn't resist.
“Yes, aka Horus the... Brontosaurus...” Galahad almost choked. “The charges against him are very serious. He was found in possession of a stolen weapon, and in the abode of a prominent official.”
“Ah,” Maggie feigned ignorance. “This is why you left the deck of the Kalakala in such a rush? I thought we were just about to discover some common ground.”
“Yes,” Galahad said flatly. “Anyway, it appears that Mr. Meyer has designated you as his legal counsel.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, and pursuant to his sixth amendment rights -”
“Special Agent, are you asking for my help?” Maggie interrupted.
“Yes, Ms. Straight. The case against Mr. Meyer is airtight, but as you may know, here in the United States we have something called the Rule of Law.”
Maggie could almost hear the agent smiling on the other end of the phone.
“Well, Special Agent, as you may also be aware, there a certain tax implications if anyone, such as myself, should set foot on US soil...”
“We are all aware of your interpretation of the US Tax Code. But, should your credentials as a peace officer for the sovereign state of Liberia prove to be genuine, we believe it will be possible to extend to you a visitor's visa for a maximum period of twenty-four hours.”
Maggie didn't answer.
“Ms. Straight? Are you still there?” she forced Galahad to ask.
“Thank you,” Maggie finally replied. “And I hope that I will be able to help you out in whatever capacity I can. But there is something I will need in exchange, Special Agent, for my assistance in dealing with Mr. Brontosaurus.”
“What?” Rachael asked. She was only hearing half of the conversation, but it was the interesting half.
“What?” Galahad parroted.
“I'll need five minutes with the good Senator,” Maggie said coolly.
“What?” Rachael almost fell off the galley bench.
“WHAT?” Galahad exploded at the other end of the line.
Maggie hung up and handed the phone back to Rachael.
“Are you insane?” Rachael asked, slack-jawed, taking the phone automatically.
“It doesn't add up, Rachael,” Maggie said.
“What doesn't?”
“Horus.”
“He tried to kill the Senator!” Rachael said, pulling at her hair.
“Exactly.” Maggie climbed to her feet and stretched. Standing, her head almost reached the ceiling of the Soft Cell's cabin. “If Horus killed Meerkat, which would have made perfect sense, and fled to the dryland. Why show up on Senator Hadian's doorstep with a gun?”
“'Cause he's an idiot?” Rachael volunteered.
“Well, of course, but an idiot showing every symptom of someone looking for revenge. If Meerkat was having an affair with the Senator, at least if Horus believed that Meerkat was having an affair with the Senator, then his actions make perfect sense. Horus jumped to the same conclusion you and I both jumped to. Pregnant Meerkat, high-profile, conservative US Senator, equals murder.”
“Then...” Rachael leaned back. “Then Horus didn't kill Meerkat?”
“If he did, then why try kill Hadian?”
“Oh my God.” It hit Rachael: half of everything she thought she knew, she didn't.
“And if Horus didn't kill Meerkat, who did?” Maggie asked, dropping back down onto the salon bench. And as if on cue, Rachael's phone rang again.
“Hello?” Rachael asked quickly. She held it out for Maggie. It was Kid Galahad again.
“Special Agent?” Maggie said into the phone.
“An interview with the Senator is out of the question,” Galahad said flatly.
“Nevertheless.” Maggie left it at that.
“But I can give you five minutes with his aide.”
“I'm going to hang up on you again, Special Agent,” Maggie warned.
“Ms. Straight,” Galahad shot rapidly. “Ms. Straight. There's no way in hell -”
“Let me ask you the question that you asked me a few hours ago: aren't we all here to investigate a murder?”
“The Senator has nothing -”
“The Senator is currently my number one suspect in the death of Joanna Church, Special Agent. How can you honestly expect me not to interview him? You're a law enforcement officer, would you give a suspect a pass in an investigation of his nature simply because of his position?”
“No, but -”
“But nothing. Five minutes, Special Agent, that's all I ask. And we can put an end to all of this speculation. Need I remind you that I'm sitting here aboard ship, across from a breathtaking member of the news media. Who, if I found myself with no other outlet for my musing, I might confide to my speculations...”
“Ms. Straight...”
“Call me when you have the interview set up,” Maggie said and hung up the phone. She handed it back to Rachael with a grin.
“That was evil,” Rachael teased.
“Perhaps, but it's the best chance we have to save the Raft.”
“By attacking Senator Hadian?”
“A good offense is the best defense, they say.” Maggie leaned back on her bench and picked up the TV remote.
“They also say look before you leap,” Rachael countered. Maggie switched on the television.