Kill Zone Read Online Free

they’ll die there because there’s no capital punishment in this state and rehabilitation is a joke. Rape-murderers, parricides—two of them stuck up a Stop ‘n’ Go in Ypsilanti, herded the employees into the back room, and shot them all in the head. They made off with forty-two dollars and change.”
    â€œConnection?”
    â€œThe computer says no. From the gut?” Chilson nodded. “They don’t want us to give in. They chose a demand they know we’ll never meet so they can commit mass suicide on the six o’clock news and take along as many of the rotten fucking pig bourgeoisie vacationers as they can.”
    â€œSounds farfetched.”
    â€œFive years ago it would have been. Jonesville changed all the rules. This bunch wasted one of their own just by way of demonstration.”
    â€œWho are they?”
    â€œThe honcho calls himself Don, but go feed that into your Apple and see what comes out. It’s probably phony anyway. Anonymity may be the best weapon they have.” Burlingame made a face and set the pipe in the ashtray. “What’s the Secret Service want with this, anyway? Isn’t protecting the President enough any more?”
    Chilson scratched his chin, then drew himself upright in his chair.
    â€œThis will have to be C and D, Red. Strictly need-to-know.”
    â€œBill, we’ve called each other by our first names how long now?”
    â€œLong enough that if the squirts up top found out, they’d have us playing checkers in the park by payday.” The Secret Service man grinned quickly. “Okay. Clarence Turnbull. Know the name?”
    â€œSomething in government.”
    â€œAnd you a federal man. Well, they had to prod me too when I heard about it. Turnbull’s the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. He has a daughter named Carol attending the University of Michigan. She’s engaged to marry an intern at the hospital there.”
    Burlingame said, “I hope this conversation isn’t heading where I know damn well it’s heading.”
    â€œShe called her father in Washington Thursday and mentioned that one of the things she was planning to do over the weekend was go on the Boblo moonlight cruise with her future intended. Now, it isn’t definite that she’s on that boat. But her father tried to reach her at her apartment after this thing broke and there was no answer.”
    â€œBroke how? First thing I did was throw wraps on this.”
    â€œHe has a brother-in-law in the Bureau. The brother-in-law knew about Turnbull’s conversation with his daughter and called him at home. When your boss found out he canned the brother-in-law for breach of security.”
    â€œWell, we won’t be able to sit on it much longer anyway.” The FBI man played with his smoldering pipe. “Siegfried doesn’t know about the daughter or they’d have mentioned it. If they find out what they’ve got, and we’ll assume they’ve got her until we hear different, there’s no telling what direction they’ll go. Makes the whole thing more delicate, but I don’t see where it changes—”
    The intercom on the desk razzed. He flipped the switch. “This damn well better be an emergency.”
    â€œThat’s up to you.” The feminine voice coming from the speaker was cool. “A Howard Klegg to see you. He says it’s about the Boblo boat.”
    â€œSecond.” Burlingame turned off the intercom. “This freedom of speech thing is getting out of hand.”
    â€œWho’s Howard Klegg?” asked Chilson.
    â€œWell, he’s not a cabinet member. He’s Michael Boniface’s lawyer.”
    â€œThe gangster? I thought he was in prison.”
    â€œHe is.” He hit the switch again. “All right.”
    Klegg was a frail-looking 70 with thick white hair combed straight back from a high brow and cut off square at his collar.