Текст книги "Заговор мечей"
Автор книги: Джейн Doy Press
сообщить о нарушении
Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 40 страниц)
She grinned. “Oh, I see your game now. Offer Alex a Coke, and she’ll do anything.”
Cliff shrugged. “It’s the only bribe I have.”
Alex shrugged back. “Just make sure it’s cold. Vacation can wait.”
*******************************************************
She found David in his cubicle, on the phone.
“Right. Thanks, Rick. I’ll be waiting for the fax. Bye.” He hung up.
“What’s up, Dave?”
He turned to regard his partner. “Well, for one thing, Ken’s not sure about the diaper bag theory, but he’s willing to take it into consideration. He’s still waiting for Research, but they promised him a full report by the end of tonight. Rick called that clothes company. This is interesting. Kittredge is indeed their signature line, and it can be purchased at over a hundred stores on the east coast. However, the line of Klaser Coats, is a fairly recent release, and there are only four stores which sell that particular line.”
“And those four stores are located where?”
“Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, and Baltimore.”
“Baltimore?”
“Yep. I’m gonna give a call and find out what time they close. Feel like joining me on a short road trip?”
“I’d love to, but Cliff wants me to be at a meeting in his office at six. A contact of his might have information for us. He thought he’d give you the night to be with Miri.”
“That was kind of him. Would you rather we took the trip tomorrow?”
“I don’t know. Find out about their closing, and if you think it won’t take you too long, go tonight. If they close early, you and I can always go tomorrow morning.” She thought for a second. “On second thought, you might want to wait. Cliff seemed to think this contact might seriously have something. If he’s right, I might want to brief you tonight.”
David nodded. “Good idea. Should I pick you up tomorrow? Say, eight o’clock?”
“Eight-thirty.”
“Do I hear nine?”
“Aw, don’t tease, Dave, I’m still tired from the late flight. You’re just lucky I was on time today.”
“Okay, eight-thirty. But you’re buying breakfast.”
“Agreed. Now, are you ready for this bull session?”
“As prepared as I was for the previous BS session.”
“Yeah, well, do me a favor. Just don’t bring up the diaper bag, okay? I don’t feel like being laughed out of the room today.”
“I’m telling you, Alex, I’m right.”
“Okay. You’re right. But if you tell these guys that you have a suspect based on diapers that weren’t there…”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep my mouth shut. Now, where are we going for lunch?”
“Is that all you think about?” Alex looked at David with exasperation.
“No.” He waited a moment. Alex’s stomach growled. “But I think that’s all the monster in there thinks about. I just try to keep it satisfied.”
Alex?s face reddened, and she smacked David’s arm. They were both laughing as they headed for the elevator.
*******************************************************
Alex and her fellow agents were much more alert and enthusiastic at their afternoon meeting. Instead of jackets, most everyone was in shirt sleeves; there were also a few open collars and many loosened ties. The atmosphere was also different as people seemed more relaxed, and obviously paid much closer attention.
Alex again had to marvel at the team they had become. While the task force had originally consisted of Cliff and four agents, it had now grown to nearly three times that many. There were two agents for each victim, with several more helping out with research and organization, as well as staying in contact with other potential vicims. Today, the meeting mainly consisted of those pairs of agents who were working on each individual killing. Tom Jorgen and Rudy Wilkins had been two of the original team members, assigned to the murder of Steven Fletcher. Mark Garnett and Ben Cleves had drawn duty on the death of Max Rhodes. The drive-by shooting of Mario Arturo had been assigned to Bill Tucker and his partner Victor Juarez, who was a native of southern California. The bombing of Doug Wilson had been handed over to Steve Hentgen and Louis Baker, who were both bomb experts. Until the past weekend, Alex and David, along with Ken Thomas and several others, had been extra hands for the team. Now, with Dabir dead,they had their own victim and their own case.
Alex and David were both surprised to hear that there had been new developments not mentioned in the earlier meeting. This included fibers found in the magazine tube of the rifle used to kill Max Rhodes.
“What kind of fibers, Mark?”
“First impressions from the lab said they were a synthetic wool blend. They were dyed a beige, or tan color.”
“Have they made any matches with manufacturers?”
“None yet, Steve. It doesn’t help that we don’t know what they’re from.”
There was silence in the room, then Alex spoke up.
“Try overcoats.”
More silence.
“Any reason why?”
“Well, first reason, why not? It’s a starting place. Secondly, I know it’s a long shot, but the overcoat we found in Philly was a synthetic wool blend, and tan in color.” She shrugged. “Like I said, a place to start.”
“Good thinking. Anyone I should call on this?”
“Yeah, call Rick Price at the Philly office. He found the manufacturer for us, and David and I are going to one of their outlets tomorrow.”
“They have an outlet in DC?”
“No. In Baltimore. Which is another reason to start with overcoats.”
Mark nodded. “I’ll call the lab and make the suggestion.” He leaned over to write a note on a wall sheet.
Alex decided to ask the question. “Can someone tell me why we didn’t hear this in the meeting this morning?”
The agents all looked at each other. Steve shrugged. “We kind of came to the conclusion, during your presentation, that Bishop didn’t give a shit. We just wanted to get the reports done, so we could get to the real stuff in here.”
Alex shook her head. “I didn’t think he was listening either. Kind of makes me wonder why he wanted to be there anyway.”
There was a grumble in the room, and Cliff let it be for a moment. Then he stood up. “All right, enough. Who cares what Bishop wanted. I want suspects. I want leads. Bill, anything from California?”
“Actually, yes. I got a call from a detective in LA. He said he had a kid dead to rights on being the driver on two different drive-bys. The kid wanted to plead, and offered him the name of the shooter in the killing of some, quote, important spic, end quote. They’re pretty sure he’s talking about Arturo. Vic and I are gonna take the red-eye tonight, and see if this is for real or not.”
“Finally, maybe a break.” Cliff ran his hand through his hair. “Check with the JD, but I don’t think they’ll deny him a deal on any federal charges, as long as he gives up the shooter.”
David nodded. “Let’s hope the shooter’s still alive. And I’d get this guy under cover as quick as possible. We already know that these people aren’t afraid to take out their own killers.”
Bill just stared at him for a minute. “Shit, you’re right. Hey, Cliff, think we can get a couple Marshalls to sit on this guy till I get there?”
“Good idea. I’ll give a call as soon as we’re finished. They had the guy in solitary, didn’t they?”
“Yeah. They didn’t think word was out yet, but they had him stashed just in case.”
“Good. All right, anything else we need to go over?”
No one said anything.
“Okay. I’ll go call California. You guys can brainstorm, or follow up anything you might have. At this point, hunches are allowable.I want answers people. That’s all.”
Cliff took a final look at his team, then left. The silence lasted nearly a full minute, then Steve pulled his chair closer to David.
“So, Dave, what was this about a diaper bag theory?”
Alex groaned, putting her hand over her eyes. Fortunately, she was spared further embarrassment. A secretary told her she had a phone call from Philly.
*******************************************************
“Agent Reis.”
“Alex, it’s Ken. There should be a fax coming through for you. When you get it, you’re gonna wanna sit down before you read it.”
“Why, what’s up, Ken?”
“It’s the report on the background of Mr. Kyle Brogan. And I gotta tell you, David’s idea may not be as far fetched as it sounds.”
“What?”
“You’ll get the full report in the fax, but to cut things short, let me just tell you two things. Number one, David was right, Brogan carried the diaper bag into the bank, I saw the surveillance tape. Two, Kyle Brogan’s cousin is Mallory Gerlach..”
Alex was stunned. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Brogan keeps his distance from the guy nowadays, but there was a time when he was being groomed to take one of the top spots in the organization. However, he decided to move from Idaho to the east coast for college. But he didn’t leave his family behind. His younger cousin, Derek came east with him. He changed his name, though.”
“To what?”
“White.”
Alex felt her knees give way, and she dropped into the chair beside her desk. “You mean Kyle Brogan is related to Mallory Gerlach, and Derek White?”
“You got it. Everything else is in the report. I think you should read it as soon as you can.”
“Thanks, Ken. I’ll see if it’s in yet, and then I’ll go rescue David.”
“What’s wrong with Dave?”
“The guys found out about his theory. They were razzing him when I left to take your call.”
“Well, they might want to close their mouths. It wouldn’t surprise me if Dave was right on this time.”
“God, that’s a scary thought, isn’t it?”
*******************************************************
She was walking slowly and reading the report when she heard the laughter coming from the task force workroom.
“Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that you suspect this guy because there wasn’t a diaper bag in the car?” Alex wasn’t yet through the door, but could see David’s nod in her mind.
“Shit, Dave, I’d be more suspicious if there was a diaper bag.” There was general laughter in the room.
Alex stopped in the doorway, noticing that Cliff had rejoined the men.
David wasn’t happy, she could tell. “Look, I didn’t say I had proof, but …”
“But what, Dave? I know I wouldn’t carry a damn diaper bag.”
“You don’t have kids, Steve.”
“So?”
“All right, stop it.” Cliff interrupted. “It’s an interesting theory, Dave, and with you being the only man on the team with a young kid, it’s an idea none of us would have had. Problem is, there’s nothing to back up your suspicion.”
Alex caught David’s eye and gave him a wink. You owe me, she mouthed at him. “Cliff, that may not be completely true.”
Everyone turned their attention on her. Cliff turned to meet her eyes.
“What are you talking about, Alex?”
“You know, Ken didn’t like this guy either, even before Dave had his … idea. So, he ordered a background check, and told Research to be thorough. And they were.”
Steve grinned at her. “What did they find, Alex? Was he a babysitter when he was a teenager?”
“I don’t know, Steve. But I doubt his cousin was.”
“His cousin?”
“Yeah, Mallory Gerlach. You know, the leader of the Aryan Resistance League?”
Nobody said anything. Then Cliff cleared his throat.
“What exactly are you talking about?”
“Research came through. I just got the report. Kyle Brogan, our friend in Philly, is the cousin of Mallory Gerlach. And not a distant cousin, either. When Gerlach’s father Thomas was at the height of his career in Idaho’s Nazi ranks, his second in command was his Mallory, but his third was Brogan.”
There was still silence in the room, so Alex continued.
“When he was fifteen, Brogan took part in the beating of a young Jewish man outside of Boise. He pleaded no contest, and was sentenced to six months probation.That was the only time he was convicted, but not the last time he was suspected. When he was eighteen he and three others were arrested for the murder of a rabbi in Oregon. There wasn’t enough evidence to take it to trial, and all four of them, including Gerlach, were released.Two months later, Brogan was on the podium when his uncle passed the reins of the group to Mallory. The next day there was a rally, which became a riot. Witnesses accused Brogan of wielding a baseball bat in the middle of the fight. No charges were brought.”
She looked around the room at the stunned faces. Steve’s mouth was hanging open, and his eyes were blinking rapidly. Mark’s pen, which he’d been twirling, had dropped to the floor. Cliff was just sitting, very very still.
It was actually David who broke the silence. “Okay, so how did Brogan get out to Pennsylvania?”
“He left to go to college. He went to Penn State, where he majored in Communications. After graduation in 1992, he got a job with a RyeTech, a brand new telecommunications company. He went back to Idaho for his cousin’s marriage in ‘94, but hasn’t been back since.”
That got Cliff out of his silence. “So, if he hasn’t been in touch with his family, maybe he’s no longer involved, and this was just a coincidence.”
Alex frowned. “It could be a coincidence, sir, but I never said Brogan wasn’t in touch with his family. He keeps in very close contact with his younger cousin, who moved to Alabama.”
David rubbed his chin. “I don’t remember any Gerlach involved in anything in Alabama.”
“That’s because there isn’t. He changed his named when he left Idaho. In 1994 he officially became Derek White. And if you’re wondering, yes, he was recently named Director of Whites for America, in Birmingham.”
Again, it seemed no one had anything to say. Steve finally got his mouth to close, and Rudy, who had been leaning against a back wall, leaned forward to slap David on the back.
“I’ll never laugh at your hunches again, Agent Wu.”
*******************************************************
It was just a couple of minutes after six when Alex approached Cliff Jackson’s office. The outer office had been empty, Cliff’s secretary having left at five. The inner office door was closed, and Alex hesitated for just a moment before rapping gently.
She had to admit she felt just a touch of trepidation. There wasn’t much that scared Alex, but being involved with the CIA was one thing that did. Her college study of the agency had been thorough, and she had found things that she couldn’t, or didn’t want to, believe.There had been rumors that the CIA had paid assassins on their staff, but Alex had held the proof of that in her hands. She knew a few secrets that the general public wasn’t privy to. It was just enough to make her breath come a little faster as she waited for an answer to her knock.
The door opened and Cliff looked down at his agent. “You’re late.”
“Sorry. I was rereading the report on Brogan. I think David and I should go interview him.”
“Agreed, but we’ll talk about that tomorrow.” He stood aside and motioned her into the office. “Right now, I want to introduce you to Agent Ron Graves, and Teren Mylos.”
Alex reached to shake hands with Graves. His hand was firm, squeezing hers a bit more than necessary, and it was slightly damp. She looked him at him squarely, and noticed that his eyes didn’t rest on hers for longer than a moment. Then she turned to meet the other person in the office, and nearly bit her tongue in half.
Teren Mylos was sitting comfortably in the chair closest to the wall. While the office was well-lit, Teren seemed to have found the one corner that held any shadows. Her black jacket blended in with her obsidian hair, which fell just past her collar. Teren remained seated, almost sprawling in her chair, but Alex could still tell by the long legs that this woman was tall, probably half a foot taller than she was. She could also tell that the air of ease that Teren projected was just that: a projection. Behind the comfortable sprawl was coiled viper .
As Teren leaned over to shake Alex’s hand, her bright blue eyes met Alex’s green ones, and Alex had in instant of recognition. She put it aside and took the chair Cliff pointed her to.
“This is Special Agent Alexia Reis. She’s a member of the task force, and was the Agent in Charge in Phladelphia. She’s the one that discovered Perry Watson’s I.D. and the fact that it didn’t match the shooter who had used it. Agent Reis, Mr. Graves here says there’s no way that Mr. Watson is involved.”
“Really? And how is that, Mr. Graves?”
“Because, Agent Reis, Perry Watson is dead. Has been for six months.” Graves voice had a higher pitch than she’d expected, with an irritating nasal whine.
“Are you sure?”
“Quite. But I will tell you that his body was not recovered. That means his I.D. was not recovered either. It’s possible someone took his badge, and used it.”
“No, they used parts of his badge.” Cliff said. “It was altered to appear as FBI identification.”
“But, Mr. Graves,” Alex interrupted, “if you didn’t recover the body, how do you know he’s really dead?”
“Because I killed him.”
The statement was made quietly, spoken in low tones by the woman in shadows.
Alex met her eyes. “May I ask why?”
“Because he asked me to.”
“I see.”
There was a tense pause. Cliff coughed gently.
“Could we ask about the situation, Ms. Mylos? It might help clarify how his badge ended up in our killer’s hands.”
Teren fixed her eyes on the desk. “Perry was my partner. We were on an assignment to infiltrate a terrorist organization. They were dealing drugs for weapons, and the weapons were coming from somewhere in eastern Europe. We were to infiltrate, and take out the head of the organization, along with the head of the Asian cartel who was supplying the drugs. We had almost completed our objective when our cover was blown. Instead of two quick kills, it turned into a blood bath. Perry took a bullet in his spine, I got one in the shoulder and another in the abdomen. I barely made it to the extraction point. Perry, knowing he wouldn’t make it out, asked me to shoot him.” She raised her head to meet Alex’s eyes. “I did.”
Alex listened carefully as Teren spoke. She took note of the even tone, and the lack of inflection in the voice. It matched the emotionless features on Teren’s face. She suddenly realized Teren was one of those fabled CIA assassins.
“I would gather, Ms. Mylos, that you are not currently working for the Agency?”
It was Graves that answered. “That is correct, Agent Jackson. Due to injuries sustained in her last assignment, Teren has been placed on inactive status. Currently she teaches Karate and self-defense to both CIA and FBI agents, making sure they keep up their certifications. I brought her along this evening because I thought she would be useful in explaining why Perry Watson was definitely not your suspect.”
Cliff nodded. Alex was still examining Teren. “Is there anything else you can tell us, Ms. Mylos?”
Teren returned the look. She nodded. “I believe there is, Agent Reis.”
Alex noticed Graves become tense. “Please, continue.”
“I’ve been aware of what happened in Philadelphia. I’ve also seen the sketches of your shooter and his driver. While I’m not positive of the driver, I’m fairly certain I know the shooter.”
“Can you give me a name?”
“His name was George Mather. I can’t prove it was him, but the sketches match him almost perfectly.”
“What can you tell us about Mr. Mather?”
“Well, he used to live here in Washington, but he packed up his apartment about eight months ago. I’m not sure where he moved to, but I know he was in New York for a short while, possibly when Mr. Fletcher was killed.”
“You think he could have been the shooter there?”
“Anybody could have been the shooter, Agent Reis. But George was known to dislike gays, he was definitely a killer, and his skill with a rifle was well-known. He also owned a Romanian Dremov semi-automatic rifle with a sniper’s scope. It takes the same kind of ammunition as your shooter used in New York.”
“Sounds like you knew him pretty well.”
Teren shrugged. “I thought I knew him.”
Alex leaned forward. “You thought? What does that mean? Was he a fellow agent?”
Graves was visibly tense, and he reached out. Teren knocked his hand away.
“Yeah, George was an agent. He was the one that blew my and Perry’s cover.”
Graves interrupted. “Uh, Agent Reis, George Mather is not currently a CIA agent. He disappeared in eastern Europe shortly after the death of Mr. Watson. According to the Agency he is listed as missing while undercover. His current whereabouts are unknown.”
“Well, Mr. Graves, it looks like we might have found him for you.” Agent Graves frown deepened at Cliff’s statement.
Alex and Teren were still staring at each other. No one spoke.
Cliff was the first one to break the silence. “Is there anyway we can prove that this man in Philadelphia was or was not George Mather?”
The CIA man scratched his head. “Well, I suppose we can give you access to his dental records. But I’m not positive about that. It’ll be up to my superior, of course.”
“Of course.” Cliff noticed Alex and Teren hadn’t blinked in their staring contest. “Any other questions you’d like to ask Ms. Mylos, Agent Reis?”
“Several. I also thought I’d show her the tape from Philadelphia. That should give us a witness I.D. Would you have time for a conversation, Ms. Mylos?”
“I teach an evening class at seven thirty, so I can’t give you too long, but I’ll answer what I can.”
“Um, Teren, I don’t —” Graves voice was pitched even higher than normal. Teren interrupted him.
“I know the rules, Ron. Anything that goes into security, or previous operations, or could possibly endanger another agent, is off limits. I believe that Agent Reis knows the rules, don’t you?” She gave a hint of a smile for the first time, and suddenly Alex knew where they’d met before.
Alex nodded. “Yes, Ms. Mylos, I know the rules. Would you follow me to my office, please?”
“Lead the way.”
Cliff was left to politely bid Mr. Graves a goodnight.
*******************************************************
Alex wound her way through the maze of cubicles to the one that served as her office, with the taller woman behind her. She motioned for Teren to sit in the extra chair, while she slid behind her desk.
“So, Agent Reis, have you figured it out yet?”
Alex opened her notebook, and looked up. “Figured what out?”
“Where you know me from.”
Sitting back, Alex nodded. “You were one of the agents that agreed to speak with me when I was doing my CIA paper in grad school. I suppose I should thank you for your help then. It was that paper, along with my thesis, that got me noticed by the FBI.”
“Glad to help. I am surprised you decided to work for the government, though, after everything you learned from us.”
“Well, I will say you definitely discouraged any desire to work for the Agency. But the Bureau seemed a challenge, and I’ve done well here, I think.”
Teren gave her an amused smile. “Yes, you have. I must say, when Graves called me in and told me what you found, he was very upset. He’s not used to having mistakes come back to haunt him.”
“Mistakes?”
“Yes. It was Ron’s decision to send Mather with Perry and I to eastern Europe. Both of us told him we didn’t trust the guy. It’s taken me the last few months to be able to sit in the same room and not want to rip out Ron’s throat.”
The blatant admission surprised Alex, but she didn’t show it. “I imagine losing your partner was hard. It must have been worse to realize you’d also been betrayed.”
“It wasn’t pleasant. So, what questions do you have, Agent Reis?”
“Please, call me Alex. You indicated you might have an idea who the driver of the car was. Unfortunately, he doesn’t show on the video tape, but we do have a few sketches.”
“I know, I’ve seen them. Like I said, I’m not sure. But it might be Darryl Wilford. He was George’s brother-in-law. He was blond, medium build. Wanted to get into the Agency, but he flunked out. He idolized George.”
“If he wasn’t Agency, then I could probably get records without a problem, right?”
“Maybe. I don’t see why not.”
Teren watched Alex as she jotted down Darryl Wilford’s name. She wondered if the FBI agent would ask her the right questions.
“Did Mather or Wilford have any tattoos?”
An eyebrow rose on the face of the darker woman. That was one Reis got right. “I know that George had two tattoos. I’m not sure about Wilford.”
“Could you tell me the location, and what the tattoos were?”
“One was a spiderweb, on his leg.”
“His leg? Normally, when someone gets a spiderweb tattoo it means they’ve killed someone, normally a black person or a Jew. The web goes on an arm, as a badge, so others can see it.”
“Right, but George knew the agency wouldn’t like it, so he had his put on his right thigh.”
“Unfortunately, not much flesh was left on the legs of our shooter. Do you know if he – how shall I say this – ‘earned’ the spiderweb?”
“Yes, he did. Unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to say more.”
“I see. What about the other tattoo?”
“It was on the underside of the upper arm. Double lightning bolts. And I don’t suppose I need to tell you what they mean.”
“No.”
“Did you find them?”
“Yes.”
Teren waited.
“So, may I presume, from the tattoos, and your statements, that George Mather was involved in the Nazi movement?”
“You may. But you’d be wrong.”
“Excuse me?”
“Mather wasn’t involved in any cause. He wasn’t a Nazi, he wasn’t a white supremacist, and the only cause he believed in was his own. I’m not saying he wasn’t prejudiced; he was. Like I said earlier, he hated gays, and I know he wasn’t fond of blacks or Jews. But he killed for money. He joined groups because they paid him. He got cash for doing something he liked doing.”
“So, why the tattoos, then?”
“Why not? If they wanted to think he was a part of them, he would have let them think that. No reason not to. But if someone outside had offered him money to kill someone in the group, he’d have taken it.”
“Do you know how much he would have been paid for a hit?”
“Depending on the target, and the location, anywhere between forty and a hundred thousand dollars.”
“Cash?”
“Yes. Or an electronic transfer. They would have had to deposit it directly into his account.”
“And the hit would be made after payment was accepted?”
“Correct.”
Alex made a note to herself to call Research about financial records, then leaned back in her chair.
“What can tell me about Mather’s family, or his friends? Where did he hang out, who —”
“I’m sorry, Agent Reis. George’s wife died two years ago. They never had kids. George’s parents have been dead for years, and he didn’t have any brothers or sisters. He was close to his wife’s family, but they haven’t seen him, or Darryl, since the incident in Eastern Europe. I don’t know anything about his social life; it’s not like we were close.”
“I take it you’ve been reseaching this.”
“I’ve been looking for the son of a bitch for six months. I gotta tell you, finding out he’d been killed didn’t make me happy. I’d been looking forward to making him bleed.”
Both of them were quiet. Alex tapped her pen against her notebook. Teren dropped her eyes to the floor, a little embarrassed at what for her was an emotional outburst.
When Alex finally spoke, it was in a subdued voice. “Is there anything else you can tell me, Ms. Mylos?”
“Only this. I might have a line on where Mather was staying. I have a hunch it’ll tell you a little more about who he was working for. When I find it, I’ll call you.”
“I’m not sure I understand. The man who betrayed you is dead. Why would you have any further interest in this matter?”
“Cause if anyone was going to take out George Mather it should have been me. Now I guess I’ll have to settle for finding the guys who paid him to do what he did.”
“You mean the people who paid him to kill Reginald Dabir?”
“No. I mean the people who paid him to rat on his fellow agents. Like I said, George liked money. He wouldn’t have given us up if there wasn’t something in it for him. I want to know where the money came from. But if I find something that will be helpful to you I’ll let you know.”
“Is there any possibility the same group paid him for both jobs?”
The question silenced Teren, and she took a full minute to think about it. Again the agent had asked the right question.
“I think that’s a strong possibility. However, I can’t discuss anything to do with the operation, and therefore I can’t tell you why I believe it might be true.”
“I understand. But remember this. If they are the same people, then we’re on the same side. And I want to get these fuckers as much as you do.”
Teren could tell that Alex absolutely believed in her statement. But she knew better.
She gave the smaller woman an ironic smile. “I doubt it.”
They stared silently at each other for a moment more, then Alex cleared her throat.
“Would you care to see the video now?”
“Certainly.”
Alex could feel Teren’s eyes on her back as they walked down the hall to the tape room.
*******************************************************
Just as she was leaving her office for the night, the phone rang. With a groan, Alex picked it up, while dropping back into her chair.
“Agent Reis.”
“Alex, what the hell are you still doing there at 7: 10 in the evening? I thought you said this meeting probably wouldn’t take too long?”
“Well, David, I was wrong.” She waited for David to say more, but he was quiet.
“Are you okay, partner?”
“Yeah, I’m all right. I’m just tired. But I’ll be on my way to your house in a few minutes. We’ve got a few things to talk about.”
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. You sound way low on reserves. Why don’t you lay it all out for me in the morning when I pick you up?”
“I’m really okay, Dave.”
“Right. And I’m running for President. Get real.”
She had to laugh. “All right, so I feel like crap. A long bath and a warm bed sound pretty good. Much better than dragging my ass all the way to your place.”
“Sounds better to me, too. After all, when you show up looking tired, Miri pays more attention to you than me.”
“She does not.”
“Does too. Hey, how about a little teaser, huh? Did Mr. CIA have anything for us?”
“No. But Ms. CIA had some interesting stuff.”
“Ms? Uh, oh. Were you working your charms on her, Alex? Is that why you’re so tired?”
“No way. I’d probably get frostbite if I tried to charm her. Either that or a cement overcoat.”
“That bad?”
“Yeah. But the good news is, she I.D.‘d the shooter, and gave us a good line on who the driver was. Seems she’s been looking for the guy, herself.”
“Why?”
