Free Dead Aim by Iris Johansen

can ID that fireman. He's the key to finding Graham." He flipped open his phone. "I'm going to get a hell of a lot of heat from Betworth about this, and you can bet I'm not going to take it alone."
    Decker belligerently lifted his chin. "I'm not worried about Betworth."
    "No?" Powers dialed Betworth's number. "And what about Runne?" He nodded as he saw the change of expression on Decker's face. "Different story, isn't it? You're scared shitless of Runne."
    "I'm not scared. He's just . . . weird."
    "Well, Betworth might decide to turn him loose on you, so I wouldn't get too cocky." Betworth answered the phone, and Powers deliberately made his tone cheerful. "Good news, we're on our way to finding Graham."
    Idiots!
    Charles Betworth muttered a curse as he hung up the phone.
    Arapahoe Dam had been a nightmare from the beginning. It had not accomplished its principal aim, and the cleanup was proving to be a complete debacle. Powers was supposed to be a competent professional, but Betworth had seen no sign of it during these last weeks. It was time he made the move that he'd wanted to avoid.
    He quickly dialed Danley. "I need you to meet me tonight. We have to do something about that situation we discussed. I'm afraid we're going to have to escalate our time frame and go to Plan B."
    "Is that wise?"
    He smothered his irritation. Danley had been skittish for the last two weeks and Betworth had had to keep the bastard calm. "I don't believe we have a choice. Boldness sometimes carries the day. As long as you and Jurgens give the correct orders and make damn sure they're carried out, we'll be fine. We'll discuss it tonight." He hung up. Boldness would have to carry the day in this case. No reason why it wouldn't work. All the preparations had been made. Of course, he'd have to call Guatemala City and make sure Cordoba--
    A discreet knock on the door before it opened. "I'm sorry to disturb you, sir."
    He glanced up to see Hannah Carter, his secretary, standing tentatively in the doorway. "What is it?"
    "You have an appointment at the White House in ten minutes. You're meeting with the Vice President and the Secretary of the Interior. I was afraid you'd forgot--"
    "I did." He forced a smile as he rose to his feet. "But I can always count on you to save my ass, Hannah."
    "I'll call the Vice President's secretary and tell her you were held up by the environmental people." Hannah smiled back at him. "He's been having real trouble for the past two months getting them to okay that bill approving massive shoring up of our infrastructure."
    "Brilliant. You should be doing this job, not me. I'm on my way."
    She flushed with pleasure, as he'd known she would. It was always worthwhile to devote a few minutes a day to making the people around you feel important. Spreading honey was the best way to maintain control. Hannah had been working for him for ten years, and he couldn't hope to have a more devoted employee. Honey usually worked with Danley too. He'd drawn him in with praise and compliments and then slammed the door once he committed himself.
    But honey was not the method he'd use on Powers if he didn't stop making mistakes.
    He might have to send Runne out there to do a little prodding. If he could locate the arrogant bastard. Runne hadn't answered his phone for two days, and even when he did deign to communicate it was questionable that he'd agree to do what Betworth ordered. If he weren't so useful, Betworth would tell Powers to get rid of him and get someone else for the job.
    No, Runne was perfect. He'd chosen him for that very volatility and fanaticism. Betworth could handle him until the job was done. There was no need to dispose of him, as long as Runne remained obsessed with the hunt.
    .
    Stockton, Maine
    The house appeared empty.
    But Morgan was clever. It could be a trap.
    Runne moved swiftly, silently over the autumn leaves spread on the ground before the window. He'd already disabled the alarm system, and it took only a moment