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drama.
    Just how big a part Robert did not know.
    Yet.
    But he would.
    And when Barry showed his hand, Robert’s men would grab him.
    Robert Roche chuckled, then laughed aloud. “The game is almost over, Vlad. And as usual, I win!”

Four
    Barry picked up the mailgram from his post office box and waited until he was back in his truck before opening it. He knew it was from Stormy. He smiled as he read. Stormy would be landing at Memphis International Airport later on today, and would be in this area in the morning.
    Barry drove to a filling station and topped off the tank, then drove down the street to a supermarket. Sheriff Salter drove up just as he was pulling into the parking lot.
    â€œAs soon as bail was set, those two goons made one call to a Little Rock lawyer,” Don told him. “I had to cut them loose about an hour ago.”
    Barry nodded his head. “They’ll be back in New Jersey by this afternoon. They won’t be back here. You can bet on that.”
    â€œHow’d you know they’re from New Jersey? They never told me that.”
    â€œAccents. They’re from the New York/New Jersey area. I have friends from there.”
    â€œUh-huh,” Don said very drily. He knew with a cop’s instinct that Barry had been lying to him from the first moment they met. But he couldn’t prove it ... so far. Problem was, he didn’t believe Barry was a criminal. He didn’t know why he believed that, he just did.
    â€œBuy you a cup of coffee, Sheriff?” Barry asked, a sudden twinkle in his eyes. “There is something I want to talk to you about.”
    â€œSure. Nellie’s all right with you?”
    â€œIt’s close enough.” Right across the street.
    Over coffee, the sheriff asked, “What’s on your mind?”
    â€œWhen is the Speaker of the House due to arrive in town?”
    Sudden suspicion flared in Don’s eyes. “Why do you ask?”
    Barry chuckled. “Sheriff, relax. It’s just that a New York-based reporter from the Coyote Network is coming in to cover the story. As a matter of fact, she’ll be here tomorrow, for a few days’ vacation. She’ll be staying out at my place. I just want to know how much time we’ll have together before she has to go to work, that’s all.”
    â€œWhat reporter?”
    â€œStormy Knight.”
    The sheriff’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you lyin’ to me, Barry?”
    â€œNo. We’ve been seeing each other socially for about a year now. Let me check with Stormy to see if she wants company, and if it’s all right with her, why don’t you and your wife come out for supper?”
    The sheriff was incredulous. He sat for a moment, his mouth hanging open, his coffee forgotten. “I, ah ...” He shook his head. “Okay, Barry. My wife never misses a Stormy Knight report. She would love to meet her.”
    â€œI’m sure it will be all right with Stormy. Just keep all this under your hat, if you don’t mind.” He smiled. “Not that I wouldn’t like for the whole world to know.” Barry took out his wallet, removing a snapshot that Ki had taken in Idaho the past year. He held out the picture. “This is us last year.”
    The sheriff studied the picture, then looked across the table and grinned. “Well, I’ll just be damned.” He quickly revised his thinking about Barry. If he was dating a reporter of Stormy’s status, he sure as hell had nothing to hide from the law.
    Which was exactly why Barry had brought up the subject and showed him the picture.
    * * *
    â€œYou understand, then, what you are to do, Mr. Ravenna?”
    John looked at the senator’s intermediary with much the same expression he would use if gazing at a large roach. He did not reply vocally, just let his countenance speak for him.
    â€œThen I’ll be leaving,” the go-between said.
    John arched an