Wading Into War: A Benjamin Wade Mystery by Scott Dennis Parker Page B

found the documents. Good for you. Did
better than any of us. What tipped you off to the location?”
    I nodded to my friend. “I remembered when Mr. Gardner here, reporter
extraordinaire, was working on a story exposing the malfeasance of one of the
big fisheries down in Galveston. He had some toughs after him, so he mailed
books stolen from their offices to his desk at the newsroom. That made sure the
evidence was taken care of, and, if the bad guys stole anything, they would be
committing a felony.”
    Donnelly raised an eyebrow. “Nice.” He chin-nodded at Gardner. “How’s the
arm?”
    “It’ll heal,” Gardner said. “What about the evidence in my briefcase?”
    Donnelly held the bag aloft. “This yours? Nice case.” He patted it with a
hand. “You can have the case back, but we’re confiscating the evidence.”
    “What? You can’t do that. Do you know what’s in there?”
    “Yes I do, and yes we can,” Donnelly said. “National security.”
    At that reference, Burman glanced at the Army major. “Really?”
    Donnelly inclined his head. “Yes, sir. And the U.S. government is very
appreciative of all the help you offered on this case.” He turned and faced the
police captain. “But we’re also going to ask you to forget what you’ve seen
here tonight.”
    “I’m not sure what I’ve seen tonight,” Burman said. “All I know is I have
two dead bodies and no suspect.” He shot an accusing finger at me. “I had one,
but because of your testimony, I no longer have him.”
    I frowned. “Testimony?”
    Donnelly said, “Yes. It seems someone else fired the gun that killed
those two people.” He indicated Dietrich. “This man right here.”
    Again, my cool demeanor faded as I gaped at Donnelly. “What?”
    Gardner figured it out faster than I did.”Close your mouth, Wade. You’ll
catch flies.” He turned his attention to Donnelly. “It’s all part of the plan.
The Army is covering up what’s in those files. I read most of it. I saw the
photos. I know what’s in there. I can still publish something. I read
enough to make a damn fine story, get the facts out there.”
    Dietrich merely fumed.
    Donnelly considered Gardner’s words for a moment. Then, he whispered
something in the ear of one of his men, who quickly sliced through the crowd
and went inside the news building.
    Remembering I had a case to clear, I said, “Can I at least ask you something,
Gordon? Or you, Donnelly?”
    I took their silence as consent. “In your reading of that material, is
there any mention of Miss Saxton’s brother? She hired me to find out
information about his whereabouts. That’s what got me into this mess.”
    Donnelly merely pursed his lips, raising his eyebrows at Gardner. “Well?”
    Gardner looked to Donnelly, then to me, and then back to Donnelly. “Is
his name ‘Samuel Saxton’?”
    “Yeah.”
    Gardner shook his head. “The notes in the files indicate he was arrested
earlier this year. There are subsequent notes that say he was killed trying to
escape from one of those camps.” He looked at me. “Samuel Saxton is dead.”

Chapter
Seventeen
     
    I nodded. “Thanks.” I started thinking about
where Lillian might be, so I could give her the news. I wondered how she’d take
the news or, perhaps, if she already knew.
    Donnelly’s man returned along with an older gentleman. The way he was
dressed just screamed newspaperman.
    Gardner knew him instantly. “Mr. Levitz, sir. What are you doing here?”
    Levitz scowled at the ordered chaos around the news building. “Trying to
figure out how long I have to hold the presses so I can get this damn story.
Who wanted to see me?”
    “That would be me, Mr. Levitz,” Donnelly said. “You’re one of the
editors?”
    “I am.”
    “Good. I have something to say to you.” The two of them moved off by
themselves. They talked.
    Dietrich scuffed pebbles my way. “You have guts, Mr. Wade. I’ll give you
that. It seems Miss Saxton chose well when she