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“Well, for every rule there is an exception. In fact, I think hedidlearn about it from Brad Daniels.”
“Based on what?” she asked.
Decker pulled out Daniels’s hat and pointed to another pin on there.
Jamison examined it. “An anniversary event the Air Force held?”
“Two years ago, at Minot Air Force Base, right here in North Dakota.”
“But how can we know theybothattended, even with that pin on his hat?”
“I know they did, because it was noted in Purdy’s service record that he attended that very same event.”
“But we still can’t be sure that they met there.”
“Which is why I’m going to call the nursing home in Williston and have it out with Brad Daniels once and for all.”
“Go easy on him, Decker. He’s an old man.”
“That ‘old man’ is tougher than just about any son of a bitch I’ve ever met,” Decker groused.
“But he wouldn’t tell us anything before. Why would he now?”
He held up the hat and smiled. “Because now I’ve got a bargaining chip.”
“MR. DANIELS, IT’SAMOSDECKERwith the FBI.”
Decker held the phone away from his ear as the old man started screaming at him.
“You son of a bitch. You give me back my hat. You’re a thief!”
“So you noticed it was gone? I take it your eyesight is better than you let on.”
“If I were forty years younger, I’d kick your ass.”
“But you’re not, so let’s make a deal, Mr. Daniels. You answer my questions and I guarantee that you’ll get your hat back intact.”
“What questions?” Daniels barked. “I told you I can’t answer nothing. It’s classified. Do you know what ‘classified’ means, moron?”
“What I’m going to ask you has nothing to do with classified information. I just want to ask if you met someone at the anniversary event you attended at Minot Air Force Base.”
“How the hell did you know about that?” Daniels barked.
“You have a pin about it on your hat.”
“A hat youstole. That’s a felony.”
“At most it’s a misdemeanor. And like I said, you’ll get your hat back. I promise.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your word?”
“Because, like you, I took an oath to serve this country. And that oath means a lot to me, like it did to you.”
“Go on,” said a suddenly calmer Daniels.
“Was there someone there you met named Ben Purdy, he was a sergeant with the Air Force?”
Daniels didn’t answer right away. Finally, he said, “Is he dead, too?”
