Read The Runner for Free Online Page A

unsatisfactory conclusion. “Naturally, Major, I know of your personal interest in Seyss. It was one of the reasons we took you onto the IMT in the first place. What happened to your brother was terrible. And
I am
sorry. But tragedies like these occur all too often in war. If they didn’t, none of us would be sitting here today, would we?”
    Judge had heard the last few words coming and had whispered them under his breath along with Justice Jackson. “No, sir.”
    “Good. Then you’ll understand when I turn down your request for a transfer. Hermann Goering must be convicted on all counts. He’s far more important than some two-bit SS hoodlum. We’re not set to prosecute Seyss and his colleagues until next year. He’s a small fry in the scheme of things. Surely your brother would understand that. He was a Jesuit, after all. It’s a question of logic, pure and simple. Love Aquinas, the Jezzies do.” Jackson leaned forward and tapped Judge’s forearm. “Do a good job with Goering and I’ll make you a lead prosecutor on the secondary trials. I’m certain Seyss will be in custody again by that time. How’s that?”
    Judge bridled at the touch. What did Jackson think? He’d trade his brother for a promotion on the IMT? “Sir, I beg you to reconsider.”
    “The decision is final. A transfer is out of the question.” Jackson slammed his hand on the table like a gavel, then rose, tugging the pickets of his vest. “Give my regards to Hermann. Did you know they call him Fat Stuff? I hear it drives him crazy.”
    Judge rose with him and when he spoke his voice had lost its harness of respectful reserve. “This morning we received irrefutable evidence that Erich Seyss ordered the massacre of our boys at Malmedy. It’s the kind of proof a prosecutor kills for: a report written by his own men implicating him at the scene of the crime. Of course, I’m aware of my responsibilities to the court and to my country, but Francis was my brother. My responsibilities to him come first.”
    “Please, Major, let’s not make this more difficult than it has to—”
    Finally, it was Judge’s turn to interrupt. “I’ve spent my entire adult life as an officer of the law,” he argued. “I’ve been trained to pursue those who break the law and taught to use my brains and my reasoning to ensure they don’t do it again. For the first time, I can use what I’ve learned to provide some measure of justice to someone close to me. If I don’t do everything within my power to bring in the man who killed my brother—the animal who murdered seventy
American
boys in cold blood—all my years as a cop, all my time before the bar, will have been for nothing.”
    “Hogwash,” countered Jackson, calling his tone and raising it a note. “With all due respect to you, Major, and your brother, you don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of finding Erich Seyss. You’ll be wasting everyone’s time, especially your own. Now if that’s all, you’re excused.”
    “No, sir,” Judge retorted. “That isn’t all. If I do not receive this transfer, I plan to resign my commission effectively.”
    “And do what precisely? Find him yourself? Alone you won’t get out of Paris for a week. And if you did, what then? Do you have a car? Gasoline?” Jackson laughed gruffly. “Read your enlistment papers, son. You joined the United States Army in time of war. You serve at your nation’s leisure. You don’t have the power to resign.”
    Judge looked to Storey for backup, but his older colleague had moved to the window, and stood looking down upon the Place Vendôme, shaking his head. Suddenly Judge knew he’d gone too far, that he’d let his desire to serve his brother’s memory overrule his common sense. This was after all, an associate justice of the Supreme Court he was talking to. Still, he couldn’t give up now.
    “Dammit, sir, all I’m asking is to give Erich Seyss the chance to learn the full and proper measure of the law. You