Outside Boston—around the same time
Jenkins took a deep breath, then pushed into the jail’s interrogation room. Stratowich sat at the table, stoically erect and staring straight ahead. The room was bare, except for the table, two chairs, and a pair of surveillance cameras in each corner.
“You have a shiner,” said Jenkins, sitting across from him. “I heard you were in a fight.”
Stratowich didn’t acknowledge him.
“There’s some pretty serious charges against you,” said Jenkins. “Attempted murder. Kidnapping.”
“I didn’t kidnap anyone.”
“I guess the court will decide that.” Jenkins reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a bag of M&Ms. He tossed it across the table. “I heard you had a sweet tooth.”
Stratowich continued staring straight ahead.
“Your friends haven’t lifted a finger to help you,” said Jenkins. “They want you to take the rap for everything.”
No answer.
“You know they were Russian agents, right? Spies. Working with them makes you a traitor. You’re an American citizen. How does it feel to betray your country?”
Nothing.
“The thugs you were with, they’re talking a lot,” continued Jenkins. “Now, it would seem to me, well, you could be in a position to help yourself. And your family. You have two kids, don’t you? You’d probably like to see them at some point. Make sure they’re OK. I could arrange that.”
Stratowich reached for the candy. Jenkins watched as he opened the package, tearing it neatly along the top. He made a very small hole, popping out a candy onto the table. He picked it up deliberately and put it into his mouth, not chewing, letting it melt.
“There are a lot of things you could help with. And if you did, we have a program to protect you. If you help us. Whole new identity, new start on life. People have been placed around the world. It’s surprising what they’ve accomplished as free men.”
Another candy, but no words.
He’s trying to show me he’s disciplined, thought Jenkins. Well, I’m not impressed.
“One of the things I’m interested in has to do with the murder of a federal agent,” he told the prisoner. “Funny thing is, he has the same last name as I do. In fact, he was my brother. If someone helped me figure out who that was, I would be very grateful. Extremely grateful.”
Stratowich raised his eyes to look at him. Jenkins barely managed to duck before a half-melted M&M shot from Stratowich’s mouth.
“Think about it,” Jenkins told him, getting up. “You can keep the candy.”