“Copy.”
“This was not part of our mission briefing.”
“No, it was not.”
Dombroski continued, “If there is a connection between Crenshaw’s murder and Captain Mercer, the Intel folks at the embassy in Caracas are aware of this, and they are now wondering what you’ve been wondering—why is Mercer in Venezuela?”
Brodie didn’t respond. Taylor had told him he was being paranoid about this case, but now Dombroski was feeding his suspicions.
Dombroski asked, “Was Worley pumping you for information about your assignment?”
“A little. We told him only what he needed to know. Have you dealt with him before?”
“No. He got in touch with me when I reached out to the military attaché office in the Caracas embassy. But I’d bet money on him being DCS.”
DCS stood for Defense Clandestine Service, the human espionage arm of the Defense Intelligence Agency. The Pentagon’s spooks. Brodie said, “Could be.”
“What was your impression of him?”
“Burned-out. Slovenly. Dumb as a fox.”
“Sounds like a DCS guy. Keep an eye on him.”
“Right. Let’s return to Robert Crenshaw. What was he doing in Peshawar?”
“I don’t know. But tracking and killing Taliban is the local sport.”
“Right. And that was Mercer’s job in Afghanistan.”
Dombroski didn’t reply. Then he said, “This case may be more complex than it appears.”
“It always was.”
Again, no reply. Then, “It sounds like you’ve got a good lead. Follow it where it takes you. Chances are this Crenshaw information won’t play a role in that. But I wanted you to be aware that our friends in the Caracas embassy might have more interest in this case than they’re letting on.”
Brodie thought about everything that Dombroski had said. Nothing pissed him off more than someone else deciding what he did and didn’tneed to know. But at least Dombroski was giving him something—off the record. Brodie asked, “As long as we’re outing spies, any news on my partner?”
“That was just gossip.”
Brodie did not reply.
“What do you think?”
Brodie thought back to their drinks in the hotel bar. There was something off. But nothing to go on. He said, “I trust her.”
“Good.”
“Anything else, Colonel?”
“Just learned my ex-wife remarried.”
“Congratulations.”
“I found out on Facebook. New guy’s fatter than me. I wonder if it’ll last.”
“Is he rich?”
“He’s a retired cop, into local politics.”
