Free Removal by Peter Murphy Page B

chair, and closed her eyes. Gary Mills opened the door.
    ‘Oh, there you are, Linda. There was a call for you. Sounded urgent.’
    He handed Linda a note.
    ‘Thanks, Gary.’
    ‘The Boss has quite a way with the press, doesn’t he?’
    ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
    Gary grinned maliciously and left the office.
    Linda recognized the number instantly. It was Kelly Smith’s direct line at the Hoover Building. She dialed it absent-mindedly.
    ‘Kelly?’
    ‘Oh. Hi Linda, thanks for calling back so quickly.’
    ‘Sure. What’s up?’
    There was a pause.
    ‘Linda, I need you to take a look at a piece of evidence for me, and see if you can identify it.’
    ‘Evidence? What kind of evidence?’
    ‘I can’t go into it over the phone.’
    ‘What makes you think I can help?’
    ‘I’m sorry, Linda. I wish I could tell you more.’
    ‘This is on one of your cases?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘I didn’t know I had any information on an FBI case.’
    ‘You may not. But I need you to try.’
    ‘OK,’ Linda said slowly. ‘Can’t you at least give me a clue?’
    ‘No. I’m sorry, Linda. It’s something I have to keep the lid on for now. Also, I’m afraid it won’t wait. When can you get away?’
    ‘Today?’ Linda asked in astonishment.
    ‘Today or this evening.’
    ‘I guess I could leave about six. Will that do?’
    ‘I’ll pick you up at your place at seven. Thanks, Linda.’
    Kelly hung up.
    ‘You’re welcome, I’m sure,’ Linda said into the dial tone. Her queasiness was getting worse, and she gulped the hot coffee, hoping it might somehow calm her down and make her feel better.
    Then, just when she had concluded that her day could not get any worse, Bob called.

10
    ‘H E ACTUALLY HAD the nerve to tell me I should wish him and his new bimbo well, let bygones be bygones. Jesus, where do men get that kind of crap? I mean, we’re not even divorced yet, for Christ’s sake.’
    Linda was sprawling dejectedly in the passenger seat of Kelly’s car, as they made their way through the tail end of the evening rush hour to the Headquarters of the Washington D.C. Police Department. Kelly had made an appointment with Lieutenant Jeff Morris and, feeling pretty sure that the situation was about to take a turn for the worse, she was in no mood for casual conversation. Linda had done most of the talking during the drive.
    ‘It’s almost as though we were never married at all,’ she continued. ‘Four years of my life just erased. He takes a fancy to some new woman and turns me off like a faucet. Why is this happening to me, Kelly? Am I a bad person? Do I have that kind of effect on people?’
    Kelly made an effort.
    ‘No, of course not. He’s just behaving like your typical asshole. I thought he was talking about getting back together?’
    ‘He was. He’ll call and say ‘let’s talk’, we’ll have a drink, and I could swear he’s ready to move back in. Then he’ll call again, say he’s not sure, could we think about it for a while. Then it’s all off again. He’s driving me nuts, Kelly. Every time he calls, I believe him. Even today, I thought it was just possible that he might… oh, what the hell.’
    ‘It doesn’t sound like he’s too attached to the bimbo,’ Kelly offered. ‘Maybe he’s not sure what he wants. If it’s any comfort, I bet he will probably dump her before long.’
    ‘I don’t care. Oh God, yes I do. That’s the trouble.’
    Kelly reached out, took her friend’s hand and squeezed hard.
    ‘You deserve better. Just hang in there, Linda. The right guy is out there just waiting for you to find him.’
    ‘He may have some time to wait. Bob may be able to change partners just like that, but I can’t. I’m not available.’
    ‘Well, if I were you,’ Kelly said, ‘I would work on becoming available.’
    ‘I’ll get started on it right now,’ Linda replied.
    They exchanged smiles. Linda turned to look out of the side window of the car, contemplating the people they