“Just so you understand… you need to make every effort to take him alive… but you are authorized to use deadly force if necessary.”
Brodie nodded, wondering if he understood the subtext.
“And don’t forget that the Venezuelan government is hostile to U.S. interests.”
“Right.”
“If you get arrested… you got a problem.”
“Understood.”
“And do you understand that this assignment is voluntary?”
“I do, sir.” But Brodie also understood that Hackett’s office had secured their visas yesterday. Sometimes in the Army, volunteering was mandatory.
“You good to go?”
“Always good to go.”
“And make sure Ms. Taylor understands everything I just told you.”
“Will do.” He asked again, “Anything further?”
“No. Dismissed.”
Brodie walked away from the bar toward the double doors.
Colonel Dombroski called out, “Make me look good, Brodie.”
Well, he would find and apprehend Captain Mercer, and he’d let his boss take all the credit he wanted. But there were probably other people in the Army or the government who didn’t look forward to a soldier like Captain Kyle Mercer standing before a court-martial on trial for desertion. Bad optics. Bad publicity. Better if he stayed missing. Or turned up dead.
Brodie exited the Officers’ Club into the bright summer day.
CHAPTER 7
They drove north along I-95 in Brodie’s 2014 Chevy Impala, which was functional and boring enough to be inconspicuous, but handled well at high speeds for the moments when his job got more interesting. The trunk was full of their hastily packed luggage. The drive from Quantico to West Orange, New Jersey, was a little over five hours, and they were already about four hours in.
Taylor had changed out of her uniform into jeans and a blouse, which was a better look when interviewing a voluntary civilian witness. She pulled up the Simpson home phone number that they’d gotten from the Fort Dix CID report and called on speaker.
A woman answered, and Taylor asked, “Is this Mrs. Simpson?”
“Speaking.”
“Mrs. Simpson, this is Warrant Officer Maggie Taylor from Fort Dix.”
A pause, then, “Yes?”
“May I speak to Mr. Simpson?”
“He’s at work.”
“I’ll be at your home in about an hour, Mrs. Simpson. It would be good if he was there waiting for me.”
“Well…”
“Or I’ll go to his place of work, which may not be convenient for him.”
“I’ll call him… to come home.”
