Free You Have the Right to Remain Silent by Barbara Paul Page B

cooperating.”
    â€œNot this time,” Page answered, unperturbed. “Since Defense Department secrets may be compromised by these killings, we have every legal right to take the case out of your hands. But we don’t want to do it that way. We need your help, and we’re quite willing to offer the resources of the Bureau in exchange. This case has too many ramifications for either one of us to hog it.”
    Marian asked a question. “In your security checks on Universal Laser personnel, what do you look for?”
    â€œThis time, primarily for connections with individuals or groups that would benefit from acquiring Defense secrets. Terrorist groups, other governments. Armaments manufacturers.”
    â€œIndustrial espionage?”
    â€œPossibly.”
    Marian thought that over. “You’re convinced that’s what these killings are about? Laser weaponry?”
    It was Holland who answered. “They’re about dominance,” he said sharply. “Everything is always about dominance. Money and power? Means to an end.”
    Everyone except Page looked startled. Captain DiFalco said, “You care to explain that?”
    â€œI should have thought it was obvious,” Holland replied stiffly. His speech was clipped, precise, like an actor’s. “Those in possession of secret knowledge have an advantage over those who don’t. Whatever deposited four corpses in that park, you can be dead certain a power play was at the center of it.”
    DiFalco snorted. “Yah, well, that doesn’t get us very far, does it? What I want to know is, what are you doing in Washington?”
    Marian wanted to know the same thing. The FBI, Page told them, was checking every one of the Universal Laser liaison group’s contacts, whom they met with, why, for how long. They were also running “in-depth” security checks on those contacts, looking for any possibility of leaks or secrets-smuggling.
    â€œBut why kill the liaison group?” Marian asked. “What would that accomplish, to be precise?”
    â€œOh, by all means do let us be precise,” Holland said, making no attempt to soften the derision in his voice.
    Marian stared at him. This guy wasn’t out to win any popularity contests, that was sure. “Why would someone in the secrets-smuggling business want a mere liaison group dead?” she repeated.
    â€œTo shut them up?” Page suggested. “Maybe they learned something in Washington that threatened whoever is after Defense secrets.”
    Holland made a sound of exasperation. “In which case they would have passed on their information to Universal Laser immediately. Even if they forgot how to use the telephone, they’d been home for three days before they were killed.”
    Good point , Marian admitted reluctantly.
    â€œPerhaps they didn’t know they knew something,” Page said, to which Holland responded with a sarcastic laugh. “It’s just a possibility, Holland,” Page said mildly. “That’s all we have now—possibilities.” He turned back to the police. “We know the person we’re looking for doesn’t have to be government-connected. It could be someone from the personal life of any one of the liaison group, and that’s where we can save time. There’s no purpose to be served in conducting separate investigations. We’d just duplicate each other’s efforts. If there’s anything you can give us now, we’d appreciate it.”
    DiFalco cocked an eyebrow at Marian. “Why, certainly,” she said silkily, and gave them the name of Jason O’Neill’s Washington girlfriend.
    The five of them spent the next fifteen minutes talking over what had been done and what still needed to be done. They agreed to share information and work together, and the first step toward that end would be for the two FBI men to read all the police reports that had been