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After getting over the initial shock of finding her best friend's husband on the front porch of her boyfriend's house holding a gun in his hand, Rielly had listened long enough to understand that Michael O'Rourke didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering him while they were still at Rapp's house. He had handed A
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It took a good thirty minutes for Liz to calm her down, and as far as Michael was concerned, very little useful information came out during this time. A
O'Rourke grew increasingly frustrated with the way things were going. He wanted answers, and felt he deserved them. This was, after all, something that he did not bring on himself, much as the events involving Scott Coleman and his grandfather had been something he did not bring on himself. O'Rourke paused and thought about that one for a moment. He knew he wasn't being entirely honest. If he had kept his mouth shut and not informed Scott Coleman about a certain senator's complicity in getting a dozen Navy SEALs killed, that whole problem never would have developed. He had learned a hard lesson from that one. Keep your mouth shut. Secrets are better left in the dark. In a way, this was the only thing that was keeping him from taking off the kid gloves. Maybe it was better if he didn't know what Mitch Rapp was really up to?
This line of reasoning only took the congressman so far, and then it ran into a dead end. The reality was that he was already involved, and it was not by his or his wife's choice. It was Mitch Rapp who had sent the e-mail and asked for help. They deserved a few answers. O'Rourke needed to know what he was now involved in, and if A
O'Rourke stood and walked toward the foyer. The rain was coming down in sheets. Looking back at his wife and Rielly, he said, «A
Liz O'Rourke looked up at her husband with a scowl on her face. «Michael, I think your questions can wait.»
They were going to have it out, and at this point Michael didn't care. It would be his Irish temper against her Italian temper. It had happened before, and it would happen again. They never got physical, and they always made up. Until today, the last five months had been a constant stream of «yes, dears.» This, Michael knew, was because of his wife's anointed state of pregnancy. For the most part, Liz ran the show. She was a tough-minded woman, and this, among a long list of things, was why he had married her. But just as she had her strengths, he had his, too. And he feared they were in an area where he had significantly more experience than his wife.
«Do you remember,» Michael said in a stem voice, «what happened right here in this house not so long ago?» Michael pointed at the floor. «You went to the store, and when you came back, I was gone.»
Liz O'Rourke's big brown eyes looked up at her husband, and she swallowed hard. The memory was more like a nightmare. Thanks to Michael's grandfather and Scott Coleman, her husband had come within inches of losing his life. On the night in question, Michael had been abducted from this very house and taken to the home of one of the most powerful men in Washington. He had been brutally beaten and interrogated, and if it hadn't been for the quick actions of CIA DirectorThomas Stansfield, Michael wouldn't be standing here right now.
«Liz.» Michael lowered his voice. «We have been dragged into this through no fault of our own. A certain dark chapter in our past has been dredged up and dangled in front of our faces.» He slowly shook his head. «And I honestly don't know if Scott Coleman's name was mentioned as a threat or merely an honest suggestion, but I need some answers. Can you understand that?»
Liz looked apprehensive, but she nodded. Michael walked over to the chair and sat. With hands folded and his elbows resting on his knees, he looked at A
She didn't deny nor confirm the accusation, so O'Rourke took it as a yes. «For him to send Liz that e-mail means one of three things.» Michael began ticking the options off on his fingers. «First, he's a spy for us and quite possible a former Navy SEAL.» Rielly's tear-filled eyes squinted in a questioning ma
«Second, he's a spy for someone else. Or third, he's involved in something illegal like drugs.»
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«Does he work for the CIA?»
«I don't want to talk about this.» Rielly gestured with her hands for Michael to stop.
«How about the Pentagon?» he persisted.
«Don't ask any more questions.»
«Is it the NSA?»
«Michael, no. I told you I can't talk about this.» Rielly buried her face in her hands. «Just please leave me alone.» A
Before telling her his real story, Mitch had made A
«Why don't you ask Mitch yourself?»
Michael ignored her and said, «A
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«I can't do that;' he said, firmly shaking his head. «Mitch dumped this in our laps, and in the process he has dredged up some stuff that I would really prefer be kept buried. I need to know how he knows about that stuff, and I need to know now.»