Alien in the House

Chapter 94



SPUN AROUND to see Buchanan there. Didn’t think about it, just gave him a big hug. “You’re okay!”

He laughed and hugged me back. “Yes, I am. And now the rumor mill has a great story, too. Can’t wait for your husband’s reaction to this.”

“He’s a little busy right now.”

“And you’re not enjoying Baby Chief’s party. I know I’ve missed a lot.” His eyes narrowed. “Doctor Hernandez explained that I’ve lost thirty minutes. He’s briefed me somewhat, but I know there’s more going on than I know about.”

“Where’s Colonel Hamlin?”

He shook his head. “I remember that I left the Embassy with him because he had proof of the whole Mastermind idea somewhere. If his intel was good, I was going to hide him. If it wasn’t, I was going to arrest or kill him.”

“And?”

“That’s it. So I figure we got hit pretty close to when we left the Embassy. We were in my car. I don’t know that it’s been recovered.”

“Yet another problem for another day.” Considered what else we could do. Besides give up and just become like everyone else here and not even care when people dropped dead next to us if that meant we could make a political “in”. “What’s wrong with this picture?” I asked aloud.

I’d meant my current situation, but Buchanan didn’t take it that way. He scanned the room. “Nathalie Brewer—first impression would be that you should be worried that she’s after your husband. Closer look says that she’s emotionally upset and using him as a shield, and that he’s aware of this and okay with it. Which I assume means you’re okay with it.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty accurate. What else is wrong?”

He scanned some more. “The Secretary of Transportation isn’t being gregarious. It’s clear he hates being here, and he hates everyone who’s associated with the A-Cs in any way. He’s barely able to hide it, which is a change from a few months ago, when he didn’t appear to know you all existed.”

“Or that he was sleeping with an android. What else?”

Buchanan looked at the group around Cliff and Chuckie. “It’s a Washington Wife class reunion here, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, well, other than the ones who are dead. But I know what you mean.” Couldn’t wait to tell Buchanan that I was about to make a deal with Joker Jaws and Pepé Le Pew. That would be more pleasant than telling Jeff or my mother, though.

He cocked his head. “Is one of those women Lydia Montgomery?”

“Yes.”

“Doctor Hernandez said Eugene killed someone and then was killed by an assassin. She’s not acting like anyone near her has had so much as a hangnail.”

“She’s spent every night since his death with Gadoire, too. Supposedly because she couldn’t be left alone.” And Clarence said that “she” had used the easy resource at hand, and since it had worked the boss might be impressed, but only because the others had failed so badly.

The Dingo had told me to figure out who benefited from Eugene’s being arrested for murder. But maybe the proper question was who benefited if Pia Ryan was out of the Apprentice Wannabe Race. Or perhaps, the answer to all my questions was going to boil down to the same person.

“Malcolm, are you really a hundred percent?”

“Other than those missing thirty minutes and all the time I was asleep, yes.”

“Great. I need you to get a search warrant, as fast as possible. Call the K-9 guys, and take them with you.”

“Where are we going?”

“To the murderer’s house.”