missile guidance systems, but that was nothing like what happened after it looked like he was dealing with Iran and their uranium enrichment program.”
Computer chips again? Was that why Talbert had been sent to Tahoe?
Juliet nodded. That kind of sale would indeed cause unhappiness, even hysteria. For all the public reassurance that Iran was years away from having a bomb, everyone in the know had spasms when Iran was mentioned.
“ The CIA came to us with some convincing but circumstantial details and wanted us to look for confirmation that it was Owens who was the seller. The trail was faint, but it was there. And I almost had it. I know I did. Then, as if he knew what was happening, everything went quiet and got cleaned up. Foreign agents rolled up their tents in the night and disappeared and Owens decided he wanted to grow grapes on his wife’s farm. The whole thing stinks.”
“You suspect that he was tipped off?” Juliet asked. She refrained from rubbing her head but a headache was forming. The whole situation made for an ungainly monster with far too many limbs to grapple with effectively. Some would have to be lopped off or left to other people to subdue.
“Wouldn’t you? I mean, the man wasn’t psychic.”
Psychic? No. But he had good business instincts and it was not uncommon for predators to know when they were being stalked by something bigger than they were.
“And you think that somehow … what? That you will be able to prove he was your bad guy after all? But he’s dead now. Haven’t you heard the one about carrying rancor to the grave but no further?”
“Yeah, I heard it. And I never agreed with it. Besides, I’m not convinced that everything was really shut down. I think it maybe just relocated. Owens retired. It doesn’t mean everyone else in his organization did.”
“Do you have any proof?”
“Only gut instinct. But that’s worth something, as you know.”
Juliet chose not to go into the validity of gut feelings.
“Do you think that Owens’ death is tied to his past? That maybe someone or something caught up with him and blew his face off for unwise business practices?”
“The CIA doesn’t make unsanctioned hits,” Talbert said neutrally.
Juliet didn’t bother to snort.
“Who said anything about unsanctioned? Though I have to say that this looks amateurish to me. This wasn’t a professional hit. Too messy. An ‘accident’ would have been tidier and more the CIA’s style. I’m thinking more of a disgruntled customer anyway. Someone he failed to deliver to who might have other pressures on them. Or just be a vengeful whacknut.”
This was sound thinking, u nless the killer wanted the hit to look amateurish.
“Yeah. But I don’t think so now. There’s no hint of anyone like that being in the area. Besides, you’re not interested in this case.”
“Talbert, if you’re right about Owens being involved with Iran, you better hope I stay interested. You can’t handle this alone.”
“Who says I’m alone?” But his eyes fell. Juliet raised a brow and after a minute he went on. “Okay, I took some vacation time to do a little unofficial follow-up. But if I find anything, the cavalry will be here in a heartbeat.”
And they would. Only the cavalry would be more like the four riders of the apocalypse. Blue Period might not survive that kind of trampling.
“And you decided to seduce the wife because … good cover?”
Talbert did snort.
“ Sure. It didn’t take much effort either.” But he sounded too glib.
“Do you think she’s involved in his death?” Juliet asked.
“She’s got the nerve for it,” he admitted , no longer insisting she had an alibi. “But no. She’s kind of stupid. I like the son better. On the surface it looks like they weren’t close, but the big bust-up happened about the time that Owens retired from high tech and decided to breathe some life into his dead wife’s old vineyard by modernizing.”
“And?”
“What if
Computer chips again? Was that why Talbert had been sent to Tahoe?
Juliet nodded. That kind of sale would indeed cause unhappiness, even hysteria. For all the public reassurance that Iran was years away from having a bomb, everyone in the know had spasms when Iran was mentioned.
“ The CIA came to us with some convincing but circumstantial details and wanted us to look for confirmation that it was Owens who was the seller. The trail was faint, but it was there. And I almost had it. I know I did. Then, as if he knew what was happening, everything went quiet and got cleaned up. Foreign agents rolled up their tents in the night and disappeared and Owens decided he wanted to grow grapes on his wife’s farm. The whole thing stinks.”
“You suspect that he was tipped off?” Juliet asked. She refrained from rubbing her head but a headache was forming. The whole situation made for an ungainly monster with far too many limbs to grapple with effectively. Some would have to be lopped off or left to other people to subdue.
“Wouldn’t you? I mean, the man wasn’t psychic.”
Psychic? No. But he had good business instincts and it was not uncommon for predators to know when they were being stalked by something bigger than they were.
“And you think that somehow … what? That you will be able to prove he was your bad guy after all? But he’s dead now. Haven’t you heard the one about carrying rancor to the grave but no further?”
“Yeah, I heard it. And I never agreed with it. Besides, I’m not convinced that everything was really shut down. I think it maybe just relocated. Owens retired. It doesn’t mean everyone else in his organization did.”
“Do you have any proof?”
“Only gut instinct. But that’s worth something, as you know.”
Juliet chose not to go into the validity of gut feelings.
“Do you think that Owens’ death is tied to his past? That maybe someone or something caught up with him and blew his face off for unwise business practices?”
“The CIA doesn’t make unsanctioned hits,” Talbert said neutrally.
Juliet didn’t bother to snort.
“Who said anything about unsanctioned? Though I have to say that this looks amateurish to me. This wasn’t a professional hit. Too messy. An ‘accident’ would have been tidier and more the CIA’s style. I’m thinking more of a disgruntled customer anyway. Someone he failed to deliver to who might have other pressures on them. Or just be a vengeful whacknut.”
This was sound thinking, u nless the killer wanted the hit to look amateurish.
“Yeah. But I don’t think so now. There’s no hint of anyone like that being in the area. Besides, you’re not interested in this case.”
“Talbert, if you’re right about Owens being involved with Iran, you better hope I stay interested. You can’t handle this alone.”
“Who says I’m alone?” But his eyes fell. Juliet raised a brow and after a minute he went on. “Okay, I took some vacation time to do a little unofficial follow-up. But if I find anything, the cavalry will be here in a heartbeat.”
And they would. Only the cavalry would be more like the four riders of the apocalypse. Blue Period might not survive that kind of trampling.
“And you decided to seduce the wife because … good cover?”
Talbert did snort.
“ Sure. It didn’t take much effort either.” But he sounded too glib.
“Do you think she’s involved in his death?” Juliet asked.
“She’s got the nerve for it,” he admitted , no longer insisting she had an alibi. “But no. She’s kind of stupid. I like the son better. On the surface it looks like they weren’t close, but the big bust-up happened about the time that Owens retired from high tech and decided to breathe some life into his dead wife’s old vineyard by modernizing.”
“And?”
“What if
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