d of his
had built up a shield we simply couldn't get through. He had plans for
making himself president, you know--and all the terrifying
potentialities of an embryonic Hitler." She grimaced. "We don't like
being forced to kill," she said, "but sometimes we've got to."

Malone thought of his own .44 Magnum, and the times he had used it,
and nodded very slowly.

"There are still a couple of questions, though," he said. "For
instance, there's that trip to Russia. Why _did_ you make it? Was it
your father?"

"Of course it was," Lou said. "We had to get him back in and make sure
he was safe."

"You mean that Vasili Garbitsch is a PSR member?" Malone said,
stunned.

"Well, really," Lou said. "Did you think my father would really be a
spy? We had to get him back to Russia; he was needed for work in the
Kremlin. That's why we nudged Boyd into making the arrest."

"And the others?" Malone said. "Brubitsch and Borbitsch?"

"Real spies," Lou said. "Bad ones, but real. Any more questions?"

"Some," Malone said. "Were you kidding about that drink in Moscow?"

She shook her head. "I wish I had been," she said. "But I was
concentrating on Petkoff, who didn't know a thing about the drugged
drink. I didn't catch anything else until after I'd swallowed it. And
then it was too late."

"Good old Petkoff," Malone said. "Always helpful. But he was right
about one thing, anyway."

"What?" Lou said.

"The FBI," Malone said. "He told us it was a secret police
organization. And, by God, in a way it is!"

Lou grinned. Malone started to laugh outright. They found themselves
very close and the laughter stopped, and there was some more time
without words. When Malone broke free, he had a suddenly sobered
expression on his face.

"Hey," he said. "What about Tom Boyd? He knows a lot but he hasn't got
any talents, as far as I know, and--"

"He'll be all right," Lou said. "Andrew and the others have thought of
that."

"But he knows an awful lot about the evidence I dug up."

"Andrew will give him a cover-up explanation they're working out," Lou
said. "That will convince Boyd there's nothing more to worry about. Of
course, we may have to change his mind about a few things, but we can
do that, probably through you, since you know him best. There's
nothing for you to worry over, Ken. Nothing at all."

"Good," Malone said. He leaned over and kissed her. "Because I'm not
in the least worried."

Lou sighed deeply, looking off into