Who do you think he was, Mr. Gerard? she asked.
The silhouette at the window shrugged. It makes no difference now. Hes dead. Everyone on that plane is dead.
Maybe not all of them. My father
Your father has not been seen in twenty years. And if I were you, I would leave well enough alone.
But if hes alive
If hes alive, he may not wish to be found. Gerard turned and looked at her, his expression hidden against the backglow of the window. A man with a price on his head has good reason to stay dead.
Chapter Five
You mean no one has told you about the bounty?
Bounty for what?
For the arrest of Friar Tuck.
She fell instantly still. An image took shape in her mind: words typed on a file folder. Operation Friar Tuck. Declassified. She turned to Guy. You know what hes talking about, dont you. Whos Friar Tuck?
Guys expression was unreadable, as if a mask had fallen over his face. Its nothing but a story.
But you had his file in your room.
Its just a nickname for a renegade pilot. A legend
Not just a legend, insisted Gerard. He was a real man, a traitor. Intelligence does not offer two-million-dollar bounties for mere legends.
Willys gaze shot back to Guy. She wondered how he had the nervethe gallto meet her eyes. You knew, she thought. You bastard. All the time, you knew. Rage had tightened her throat almost beyond speech.
She barely managed to force out her next question, which she directed at Alain Gerard. You think thisthis renegade pilot is my father?
Intelligence thought so.
Based on what evidence? That he could fly planes? The fact that hes not here to defend himself?
Based on the timing, the circumstances. In July 1970, William Maitland vanished from the face of the earth. In August of the same year, we heard the first reports of a foreign pilot flying for the enemy. Running weapons and gold.
But there were hundreds of foreign pilots in Laos! Friar Tuck could have been a Frenchman, a Russian, a
This much we did knowhe was American.
She raised her chin. Youre saying my father was a traitor.
I am telling you this only because its something you should know. If hes alive, this is the reason he may not want to be found. You think you are on some sort of rescue mission, Miss Maitland, but you may be sadly mistaken. Your father could go home to a jail cell.
In the silence that followed, she turned her gaze to Guy. He still hadnt said a word; that alone proved his guilt. Who do you work for? she wondered. The CIA? The Ariel Group? Or your lying, miserable self?
She couldnt stand the sight of him. Even being in the same room with him made her recoil in disgust.
She rose. Thank you, Mr. Gerard. Youve told me things I needed to hear. Things I didnt expect.
Then you agree its best you drop the matter?
I dont agree. You think my fathers a traitor. Obviously youre not the only one who thinks so. But youre all wrong.
And how will you prove it? Gerard snorted. Tell me, Miss Maitland, how will you perform this grand miracle after twenty years?
She didnt have an answer. The truth was, she didnt know what her next move would be. All she knew was that she would have to do it alone.
Her spine was ramrod straight as she followed Gerard back down the hall. The whole time, she was intensely aware of Guy moving right behind her. I knew I couldnt
trust him, she thought. From the very beginning I knew it.
No one said a word until they reached the front door. There Gerard paused. Quietly he said, Mr. Barnard? You will relay a message to Toby Wolff?
Guy nodded. Certainly. Whats the message?
Tell him he has just called in his last chip. Gerard opened the front door. Outside, the sunshine was blinding. There will be no more from me.
SHE MADE IT SCARCELY FIVE steps before her rage burst through.
You lied to me. You scum, you were using me!
The look on his face was the only answer Willy needed. It was written there clearly; the acknowledgment, the guilt.
You knew about Friar Tuck. About the bounty. You werent after just any live one, were you? You were after a particular manmy father!
Guy gave a shrug as though, now that the truth was out, it hardly mattered.
How was this deal with me supposed to work? she pressed on. Tell me, Im curious. Were you going to turn him in the instant we found himand my part of the deal be damned? Or were you going to humor me awhile, give me a chance to get my father home, let him step off the plane and onto American soil before you had him arrested? What was the plan, Guy? What was it?
There was no plan.
Come on. A man like you always has a plan.
He looked tired. Defeated. There was no plan.
She stared straight up at him, her fists clenching, unclenching. I bet you had plans for that two million dollars. I bet you knew exactly how you were going to spend it. Every penny. And all you had to do was put my father away. You bastard. She should have slugged him right then and there. Instead, she walked away.
Sure, I could use two million bucks! he yelled. I could use a lot of things! But I didnt want to use you!
She kept walking. It took him only a few quick strides to catch up to her.