Free Duplicity by Vicki Hinze

idea their own military is testing chemicals on them.” Seeing confusion flicker through her eyes, he raked an impatient hand through his yellow-streaked hair. “You obviously don’t get it.”
    Wanting to snarl, she forced herself to smile. “Enlighten me.”
    “Chemicals, counselor. They don’t dissipate, or stay where you put them. They’re airborne. And what hits the ground lingers for a couple of years. How many, depends on the type of chemical. The wind was blowing southeast that day. Do you have a clue what lies southeast of Area Fourteen?”
    “No, I don’t.” God, but it grated at her to have to admit that.
    “Base housing,” Burke said from between his teeth. “You do know what base housing is, right? It’s where the families of military personnel live. Many soldiers, their spouses and children. Do you get it now, counselor?”
    If she believed any of this, that statement would have had impact. She’d be shivering with terror. Instead she felt enormously relieved that all of this was a lie. A chilling one, true. But then a lie meant to save a man from the death penalty would have to be chilling and terrifying, wouldn’t it? “Why did you threaten two of the men on Alpha team?”
    “I didn’t.”
    “Investigators say you did. That you killed them and sacrificed the other two men.” , “They lied.” Cold rage shone in Burke’s eyes. “Or someone lied to them.”
    “It’s always someone else’s fault.”
    “Only when that’s the way it is, counselor.” He grunted. “You still don’t believe me.”
    “No, I don’t.” She admired his tenacity. “But I will check for points of verification in your story. You mentioned several possibilities. The radio message-”
    “You won’t find it.”
    “If it exists, I’ll find it.
    Burke countered. “I radioed in on a secure channel.”
    “During an exercise,” she added emphatically. “All transmissions are recorded during exercises-for strategical studies.” She finally lifted her pen. “I’ll also check for requisitions on the chemical alarm and gear.”
    “Environmental won’t have them,” Adam warned her.
    She frowned. “They will, if they exist. General Nestler requires them to be filed on all chemical or biological resources. Base wide. Nothing moves without the paper.”
    Adam wasn’t appeased. Irritated, he rocked back, crossed his chest with his arms, and tensed his muscles until they strained the seams of his sleeves. “Environmental will not have the requisitions,” he repeated firmly.
    The temptation to shout nearly choked her. “If they exist, they will have them, Burke.”
    “Damn it, woman. Think!” Adam balled his fist, pounded the heel of his hand against the back of the chair. The metal dented. “Only amateurs leave trails.”
    Afraid of provoking another violent reaction from him, she sat quietly and watched him.
    Anger ebbed from his expression, and he lowered his voice. “Hackett has more years in the intelligence community than you and I together have in the service. He’s got more clout than anyone on base, except General Nestler. And Nestler stays too immersed in getting his pet project contracted and funded to-”
    “What pet project?” Tracy interrupted.
    Adam scowled at her for being inept and uninformed. “Project Duplicity,” he said. “Now can we get back to the point?”
    “Which is?”
    It took every ounce of control he could summon to not bellow. “Keener, you’re a real piece of work.”
    “So I’ve been told.” She didn’t look at all offended. “Your point?”
    He propped his hands on the table, stretching the chain between the cuffs tight, and then leaned toward her. “Let me lay this out for you in simple, easy-to-comprehend terms. You dig too deeply, you’re going to ruffle feathers. You ruffle too many feathers, and you’re going to wind up short a defendant.”
    “Exactly what are you saying, Burke?”
    “I’m saying, within forty-eight hours of you nosing around