Page 51 of Special Agent Murphy

Senator Bond overcame his shocked anguish. “It’s on the calendar for the day after tomorrow.”

“Then I suspect we’ll be hearing something from the kidnappers very soon.”

“And what do you expect will happen?”

“They’ll want your assurance that you don’t intend to present the Bill for a vote, and it will falter and fade away like a lot of others.”

“But how will I know they’ll let Misti go free if I promise to follow their instructions?”

“That’s just it. You have to insist you want proof she’s alive, and you want it by speaking to her.”

“But there’s no guarantee they’ll let her go, right?”

Murphy watched the other man’s eyes, and knew he’d figured the answer out himself, he just craved reassurance. And there was no way Murphy could promise this would all end with no more lives lost.

All he said was, “I want to be notified the minute you hear anything from them. Let Agent Fowler guide you through the call. He’s one of the best and will know exactly how you should handle it. In the meantime, Agent Edwards and I are out there working the angles and doing everything we can to find her before it comes time for you to do anything too hasty.”

“You mean like canceling the presentation? What if I called a press conference and crushed the Bill right now?”

“Then they would have no need to make any deal. They could walk away, and you’d never know what happened to her. Like Agent Kale notified you earlier, they’ve already killed our only witness. They’d have no hang-ups about doing so again.”

Tears appeared in Senator Bond’s eyes and slowly trailed down his cheeks. He stared at Murphy beseechingly. “I couldn’t bear it if my beautiful baby girl died because of my insanity at believing we could overcome this evil. You must save her. I’ll give you anything…”

“We’ll do everything in our power, sir.” Murphy didn’t get choked up about much, but he did have to admit to feeling sorry for this poor, broken man. Maintaining his FBI poise helped. When he glanced at Kayti to give her the hint they were leaving, he had to look away. Her sad, globby eyes did have an effect, and his throat closed up.

He stood to leave and knew she’d gone to the Senator to give him her Kayti-style sympathy; a warm touch and a few soft-spoken words before she joined him to leave.

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