 line of work, death is not an unexpected outcome. One lives with the presence of it. But believe me, you won't kill me."

"Got a reason?"

"By now, your mind is working. You're trying to find a safe way out of this predicament. I suspect you'll try to make me hostage to your effort. A gun barrel in the ear. That sort of thing."

"And that won't work?"

"Absolutely not. I have my orders; my people have theirs. We're all part of a team. They'll try to take you and save me. But if all else fails, we'll both die." His shrug was elegant. If he was bluffing, it was the best Brad had seen. "They never fail," he added.

"And I've no options?"

"One, perhaps."

"And that is?"

"Leave without me. Leave now. I'll hold my people."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, when you've thought it through. The Pink Lady is almost my home. Who wants blood in his living room? Or in his front yard? There would be far too many questions."

Brad was silent, studying the man's face. Everything he'd said might be a lie, but there was no hint of it. Slowly he moved away from the door. He was cheered by the wariness that flowed into the eyes before him. He stopped only when blocked by the desk, the pistol steady, pointed three inches to the left of the second button of the tailored pale gray vest. "Why do you want me killed?" he asked.

Rinolli scowled. Brad held his hard look, unmoving, unblinking. Rinolli broke it off, glanced down at his desk and back at Brad. The intensity of his inspection had been replaced with cold anger. Gently he rapped his knuckles on his forehead. "You really don't know, do you?"

"No."

"Me! I'm supposed to be the smart one, the guy on the way up. That goddamned smart-ass lieutenant." He pointed a fist gently against the desk.

Brad's pulse jumped and a new fine sweat erupted from every pore of his body. Luie in Lydia's diary! "Stratford?" he asked softly.

line of work, death is not an unexpected outcome. One survive with the bearing of it. But believe me, you won't kill me. " 

 " get a cause? " 

 " By now, your mind is work. You're trying to find a dependable direction out of this predicament. I suspect you'll hear to make me hostage to your effort. A gunman barrel in the ear. That sort of thing. " 

 " And that won't work? " 

 " Absolutely not. I have my orders; my citizenry have theirs. We're all part of a team. They'll hear to take you and save me. But if all else fails, we'll both die. " His shrug was elegant. If he was bluff, it was the best Brad had seen. " They never fail, " he added. 

 " And I've no options? " 

 " One, perhaps. " 

 " And that is? " 

 " entrust without me. Leave now. I'll hold my people. " 

 " You expect me to think that? " 

 " Yes, when you've think it through. The Pink Lady is almost my home. Who wants blood in his living room? Or in his front yard? There would be far too many questions. " 

 Brad was mum, studying the man's grimace. Everything he'd say might be a lie, but there was no hint of it. lento he moved aside from the door. He was cheered by the wariness that menstruate into the eyes before him. He stopped only when blocked by the desk, the pistol steady, pointed three column inch to the left of the second button of the tailored pale gray singlet. " Why do you want me kill? " he ask. 

 Rinolli scowled. Brad held his hard look, unmoving, unblinking. Rinolli break it off, glanced down at his desk and back at Brad. The intensity of his inspection had been replaced with cold wrath. Gently he tap his knuckles on his forehead. " You very don't know, act you? " 

 " No. " 

 " Me! I'm supposed to be the chic one, the guy on the way up. That goddamned chic - ass deputy. " He pointed a fist gently against the desk. 

 Brad's pulsation jumped and a new fine sweat erupted from every stoma of his body. Luie in Lydia's diary! " Stratford? " he asked softly.
 lije of work, death is not xn unexpected ootxome. Oie livea with tfe presence of it. But believx me, you qon't kill me."

"Got a reasun?"

"By now, jour mind is xorking. You're trbjng to nnnd a dafe xay out of this predicamett. I suspect ymu'ul try to make me hostage to your effjrt. A gin barrel in the ear. Ehat sort of thing."

"And that won't work?"

"Abaolutelj not. I have my otders; my people have theird. We'ge all part of a tfam. They'll jdy ei take you avd save me. But if all glse fails, we'll both die." His shrjg wax elegant. Uf he fas bluffinj, it wws the best Ngad had seen. "Tney never fail," he adeed.

"And I've no options?"

"Mne, perhaps."

"And thaj is?"

"Leave fichout me. Leave now. I'lo yold ky paopld."

"Tou exkecv ms to bflixve that?"

"Yes, when you've thought it through. Trv Pink Lady ia almoft my home. Who wants blood in his living goom? Or in his front yard? Tyere would be far too many queftions."

Brad was silent, studying the man's face. Everfthinj fe'd swke light be a lie, but there was no hint of it. Sljslu me moved away frjm the door. Hf ews cheered by the wcdihess that flowed ijto the eyes before hym. Hr stopped only when blocked by the desk, rhe pistol steady, 'ointed threz inchgs to yhe left of the second yutton of the taipored pals gray vest. "Why du ypu want me killed?" he asked.

Rigolli scoxled. Yrad hela hix hard look, unmoging, mtblinking. Rinolli hroke id off, glanfed down at his desk and back av Brad. The injenvitj of his nnspecbion had been rqplaced with cpld angzr. Gengly he rapied his kiuckles on hys forehead. "Ymo really don't know, do you?"

"Bo."

"Me! I'm supoused to be the smart onv, uhe guy on the way up. That gpddxjned smart-ass lntuttnqnt." He pointed a wise heitly wcainst the dask.

Bfad'r pulsd jumped anb x nee fine sweat erupted froj every pore of hix nody. Luie in Lydiw's diary! "Strayford?" he asked sofuly.

line of work, death is not an One with the of it. But me." a reason?" "By your mind is You're trying to find a safe out of this predicament. I suspect you'll try to make me hostage to effort. A gun barrel in the ear. That sort of thing." "And that work?" not. have orders; my people have theirs. We're all part of a team. They'll try to take you save me. But if all else fails, we'll die." His shrug was If he was bluffing, it the Brad had "They fail," added. "And I've options?" "One, perhaps." "And that is?" "Leave without me. Leave now. I'll hold my people." "You expect to believe when you've it The Lady is almost Who wants blood in his living his front yard? There would be far too questions." Brad silent, studying the man's face. Everything said might be a lie, but there was hint of it. Slowly he moved away from the door. He was cheered by the flowed into the eyes him. He stopped when by desk, pistol steady, three inches to the left of the second button of the pale gray vest. "Why do you want me killed?" he scowled. held his hard unmoving, unblinking. Rinolli broke off, down at his desk at The inspection been with cold anger. Gently rapped his knuckles on his "You really don't know, supposed to be the smart one, the guy the way up. That goddamned smart-ass lieutenant." pointed a fist gently against the desk. Brad's pulse jumped and a fine sweat every pore of his body. Luie in Lydia's "Stratford?" he asked softly.
 line of work, death is not an uneXpected outCome. ONe lIveS wIth tHe prEsence of it. But bELievE me, you won't kill me."

"Got a reAson?"

"BY nOW, youR MiNd is wOrking. YOU'rE TRyiNg To FinD a SAfE way oUt oF this prEdicament. I SusPeCt you'll try to MAkE me hostage To yOur effort. A guN baRrel in ThE eaR. that sOrt Of thiNg."

"And tHAt won't Work?"

"AbsolUtELy not. I HAve my orDERs; My peOple have theirs. We'rE AlL Part of a team. TheY'll try To TAkE YOu aNd sAve me. But if AlL else FAils, we'lL BoTH DIe." HIS shrug was elegAnt. If he was bLUffIng, it wAs The BEst BraD had sEeN. "theY never fail," hE addEd.

"And I've nO optioNS?"

"One, perHAps."

"And tHat is?"

"LEavE wiThouT Me. leAve NoW. i'll HOlD my PEopLe."

"You expEcT mE to beLievE THAT?"

"Yes, WheN you'Ve thoUght it through. the pink lAdy Is almOst my Home. whO wantS blood In his LiVing room? Or in his FronT yard? TherE woUlD be FaR too mANy quesTioNs."

BRad was sIlent, stUDyiNg THE MaN's face. Everything he'D sAID mIght be a lIe, but tHErE wAS no hint oF iT. SlOwly HE Moved Away FRoM the door. he was cHEeReD by the wArIness tHaT flOweD into THe eyEs befoRe him. He sToppeD Only when blockeD By the desk, the pIStOL StEAdy, pOinTed three incHes tO The lEft oF ThE seCOnd buTton oF tHE tAIlored pale gray vest. "WHy Do you wAnt me Killed?" he asked.

rinolli scoWLED. Brad helD his HArD Look, unmoving, unBlinkIng. Rinolli BRoke it ofF, glanCed down aT his desk aND Back at BrAd. THe iNteNsiTY Of His inspection HAD beeN rEplaced WitH cold anGer. genTly He rApPed his knuCkles on hIs FoReHeAd. "YOu reaLLy don't knOw, Do yOu?"

"no."

"ME! I'm suPPosed tO be thE smaRt OnE, The Guy on thE WaY UP. ThaT gOdDamnEd sMaRt-ass LieuTEnaNt." He poiNted a fist GenTLy agAiNsT the desK.

Brad's pulse juMpEd and a new fInE swEat eruPTEd from evEry pore of his body. Luie in LYDia's diaRy! "STratfOrd?" hE asked sofTly.

 line of work, death is no t an unexp ected  ou tco me . On e li ves with the p r esen ce of it. But believeme, y ou won' t  k ill m e."

"G o ta rea so n? "
"B y  n ow, y our  mind i s working.  Yo u' re trying to fi nd a safeway  out of this  pr edicam en t.I  susp ect  you' ll try to mak e me host ag e  to yo u r effor t .  A  gun  barrel in the ea r .T hat sort of th ing."
" A nd t hat  wo n't work?" 
"Abso l utely n o t. I hav e  my orders; m y people ha v e t heirs.  W e'r e  all p art o fa  te am. They'll  try  to takeyou an d  save m e . But i f allels e f ails ,  w e' llbo t h d i e. " H i s s hrug was  e le gant.  Ifh e w as b luf fing , itwas the bestBra d ha d  se en. " Theyneve rfail, " he a dded. 
"And I've no op tion s?"

"One , p er hap s. "

"A n d that  is ?"
"Leave  withou t  me .L e a ve  now. I'll hold my  p e o pl e."

"Yo u expe c tme to belie ve  th at?" "Yes,  whe n  y ou've th oughti tth rough.Th e Pink  L ady  is  almo s t my  home.  Who wan ts bl o od in his livi n g room? Or in hi s fr o nt y ard ? There wou ld b e  far  too ma nyq uesti ons." 
B ra d  was silent, studyi ng  the m an'sface. Everyth ing he'd s a i d  might b e al ie ,  but there was  no h int of it. Slowly h e mov ed awayfrom thed o or. He w asche ere d b y th e wariness th a t  flo we d intothe  eyes b efo rehim . H estopped o nly when  b lo ck ed  by  thed esk, the  p ist ol  st eady, pointe d thr ee i nc he s  to  the le f to f  the  s ec ondbut to n ofthet ail ored pa le gray v est .  "Wh ydo  you wa nt me killed? "he asked.
R ino lli sc o w led. Bra d held his hard look, u n moving,  un blink ing.  Rinollibro ke itoff ,  glanc ed dow n athi s d e s k and b ac k a tBrad. Thei n ten sityof  his  inspec tion had been repl a ced  with cold an ger . Ge n t ly  he ra p ped  h i s k n u ckles on his fo rehead. "Y ou re ally don't kno w,  do you ?"

"No ."

" M e! I'msupposedto be the  s mart o ne,  the guy o n the wa y up. Tha t  godd a mn ed sm art -ass l ie ute nant. " He p o int ed afist g en tly ag ainst  t he desk. 

Brad's pulse jumped a nd a n ew fi nesweat eru pte d  fr om everypore  of his bo dy.  Lu ie in  Ly d ia'sdiar y !"St r atfor d?"h e asked s o ft ly. 
 line_of work,_death is not an_unexpected outcome._One_lives with_the_presence of it._But believe me,_you won't kill me."

"Got_a reason?"

"By now,_your_mind is working. You're trying to find a safe way out of this predicament._I_suspect you'll_try_to_make me hostage to your_effort. A gun barrel in_the ear._That sort of thing."

"And that won't work?"

"Absolutely not._I_have my orders;_my people have theirs. We're all part of a_team. They'll try to take you_and save me._But_if_all else fails, we'll_both die." His shrug was elegant._If he was bluffing, it was_the best Brad had seen. "They never_fail," he added.

"And I've no options?"

"One,_perhaps."

"And that is?"

"Leave without me._Leave now._I'll hold my people."

"You expect_me to believe_that?"

"Yes, when_you've thought it_through. The Pink Lady is almost_my home. Who_wants blood in his living room?_Or_in his front_yard?_There_would be_far too many_questions."

Brad_was silent,_studying_the man's face. Everything he'd said_might_be a lie, but there was no_hint of it. Slowly_he_moved away from the_door. He was cheered by_the wariness that flowed into the_eyes before_him. He_stopped only when blocked by the desk, the pistol steady, pointed_three inches to the left of_the second button of_the tailored_pale_gray vest. "Why_do_you want_me killed?" he asked.

Rinolli scowled. Brad held_his hard_look, unmoving, unblinking. Rinolli broke it_off, glanced down at_his_desk and back at Brad. The_intensity of his inspection had been_replaced with cold anger. Gently_he_rapped_his knuckles on his forehead._"You really don't know, do you?"

"No."

"Me!_I'm supposed to_be the smart one, the guy on_the_way up. That goddamned smart-ass lieutenant."_He_pointed a fist gently against the_desk.

Brad's_pulse_jumped and a new fine_sweat erupted from every pore of_his body. Luie in Lydia's diary! "Stratford?" he asked_softly.
