Mountains of Dawn

"Yes. It was only a hunch. I didn't have anything else to go on, at the time." Malcolm shrugged. "Lucky hunch, too. At the beginning, I related your accident to those of another of my clients. Same explosive, same way of bundling the bars-the touch of the amateur, not the professional. Then I started to look in other directions; your business became the best candidate."

"Yes, your hunch played out nicely, especially after Duncan Ross came forward."

"Ah, yes," Malcolm said with a smile. "Duncan. If it weren't for him, we would still be wandering around in a fog. Things had gone well beyond what he would tolerate, beyond what Jack had told him at the beginning. He walked into Warner's office to make a deal. His information, as accurate as it was, was vital to our plans."

"Lucky. Yes, I was lucky," Brian said. He watched Judith, the frown deepening. "I was lucky…"

"And he's implicated this new legal adviser your partner hired six months ago. Leslie Hadson. The police have interesting documents in regard to him."

Brian turned back to Malcolm. "I never liked Hadson. He was never willing to talk to me directly. Slick, too slick."

"With this new information, the police might be authorized to interrogate him," Malcolm said. "In the meantime, you go through any documents you might have on him."

Brian nodded, watching Judith. "Why didn't you tell me about the operations, especially after you knew how I felt about Judith?"

Malcolm glanced over at the receiving line and watched Judith for a moment. "The two operations were already planned when you called me about changing Judith's assignment." He looked into Brian's eyes. "I realized how you felt about her and decided not to worry you. How could I tell you I planned to send her out on the front line, to be directly in the line of fire?"

"I'd have fought you, tooth and nail." Brian scowled. "But I'm grateful for all you've done. You saved my life. And I forgive you."

"Forgive me?"

"For risking Judith's life." He gripped Malcolm's shoulders, his hands clamped tight. "For this time only. Never again!" He shook Malcolm slightly, then let his hands drop. "Now you have to help me with my romantic life. Convince Judith to talk to me again."

Malcolm laughed and rubbed his arms. "A little setback might teach you some humility-and that's pretty good medicine for you. But you don't need my help. So far, you've done just fine on your own."