Holly detached the alligator clips from the lock and replaced the cover, then she packed the resolver, instructions and wire strippers back into the box. Finally, she turned the wheel that opened the safe; the final bolt retracted smoothly, and swung the door open. As she did, lights came on inside the safe. On the top shelf was a stack of money about two inches high. There was nothing else in the safe.
She picked up the stack of bills and riffed through it: hundreds, fifties, twenties and tens-several thousand dollars, she guessed. Then she noticed that behind the stack of bills was a single bullet: she picked it up and looked at it. A military-issue,.223 cartridge. She replaced it on the shelf, put the stack of bills in front of it again, just as she had found it, then closed the door of the safe and turned the wheel to relock it.
She tucked her box under her arm again and closed the closet door, then left the house and locked the front door behind her. As she did, she heard an electronic chime from inside the house: the driveway sensor. She glanced at her watch.
She grabbed her shoes and ran down the porch toward her car. She vaulted over the railing, landing as far as she could from the porch, since there was no time to brush away her tracks.
She leapt into the idling car, slammed it into gear and eased her way through the sand. The four-wheel-drive Cayenne managed nicely, and when the sand firmed up a bit, she accelerated toward the ocean. As soon as she crossed the high-water mark and reached the damp, firm sand, she turned right and raced south along the beach. She looked over her shoulder, back toward the guesthouse, and found it obscured by trees on the property next door.
She checked her watch again: thirty-five seconds. He would not have seen her as he drove up to the house. She had been very lucky.
55
As soon as Holly got home, she taped up the resolver in its box, then let herself into her office, fired up her computer and called Lance.
“Yes?” he said, as his face appeared on the screen.
“It’s Holly. I did the job on the safe, and it was empty, except for a stack of money-several thousand dollars-and a single.223 cartridge.”
“Why would anyone own a large safe and have only that in it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he’s clearing out.”
“Has he given you any indication of that?”
“No.”
“You say he owns an airplane?”
“Yes.”
“Look him up in the federal aircraft registry, then check the airplane to see if it has the correct tail number. If he has changed it in the computer, it might not match the numbers on the airplane.”
“Oh, all right, Lance. By the way, I’m supposed to report any large purchase to you, am I not?”
“Yes. What are you buying?”
“I’ve bought an airplane, and I’ll be flying it back to Manassas.”
“What sort of airplane?”
“A Piper Malibu Mirage.”
“How much did you pay for it?”
She told him.
“Would an investigation of your financial condition reveal enough substantiated funds to cover that?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll note it in your personnel file. You may be sure that such a large purchase will raise a flag, and someone will get on the mainframe and check out your assets, perhaps want to question you.”
“I expected that.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“Anything else you want done on the subject of our friend?”
“I can’t think of anything else, can you?”
“No.”
“Then let’s let it rest for the time being.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Holly said.
“You’ll be back next week?”
“Yes. Thanks for the time off; I’ve enjoyed it.”
“Oh,” Lance said, “you probably know that your name was given as a reference by an employment applicant.”
Holly was puzzled. “And who might that be?”
Lance picked up a sheet of paper and looked at it. “One Joshua Harmon, M.D. He’s applied to the medical division as a surgeon and emergency physician.”
“Yes, I know him.”
“Do you recommend him?”
“Yes, unreservedly.”
“I’ll note that on his application.”
“Will he be hired?”
“With your recommendation, I should think so, unless his background check turns up something that contradicts your opinion. He’s already passed the basic computer check; the interviews of his friends and past employers are being conducted now.”
“When did he apply?” Holly asked.
“Ten days ago,” Lance replied. “What is your connection with him?”
“Purely social.”
“Is he the lump I saw in your bed once, when I phoned you?”
“Goodbye, Lance,” Holly said, then hung up. Lance’s face disappeared from the screen.
That night Holly and Josh went to dinner at the Yellow Dog Café, up near Melbourne. They got drinks and then ordered.
“How was your day?” Josh asked.
“Passable,” she replied. “And yours?”
“Fairly dreary. Setting a femur broken in a skateboarding accident was the highlight of my day.”
“That must mean that most of this part of the world is healthy, then.”
“I suppose.”
“Tell me, Josh, are you happy in your work?”
“I’m bored with it,” Josh replied.
“Were you thinking of changing your employment?”
“Well, I’ve been here over four years, and a change would be…” He stopped talking and looked at her. “You know,” he said.
“I’m CIA,” Holly replied. “I know everything.”
“I shouldn’t have given you as a reference,” he said.
“I’m glad you did.”
“I was going to surprise you.”
“You did.”
“Pleasantly, I hope.”
“I was surprised. You didn’t tell me what you were doing.”
“Then it wouldn’t have been a surprise.”
“I guess not.”
“Look, I can always withdraw my application, if you don’t want me around, but I have to say, I thought you’d be pleased.”
“I am,” she admitted. “My life at Langley has been all about work since I’ve been there. It’ll be nice to change that a little.”
“I’ll do what I can to help,” Josh said, squeezing her thigh.
“How did you even know there was a medical division at the Agency?” she asked.
“They tried to recruit me near the end of my surgical residency,” he said.
“Why didn’t you accept?”
“I wanted to make some money before I went into… public service.”
“And why did you reapply now?”
“You have to ask?” Josh asked.
Holly smiled. “You’re sweet.”
“Do you think I’ll be accepted?”
“If they don’t find out that you’ve been a North Korean sleeper since grade school.”
“Oh, God, I didn’t think they would check on that!”
She laughed. “My recommendation won’t hurt.”
“You recommended me?”
“I did, just this afternoon.”
“I guess that must mean you want me around.”
She took his hand. “It does.”
He smiled.
“Something you should know, though,” Holly said.
“What’s that?”
“You’re going to have to work hard at the Agency; you may not have much time to see me.”
“I’ll figure something out,” he said.
“And, if you don’t, I will,” she replied.
56
Hurd Wallace telephoned his nominal superior, Colonel Timothy Wyatt, who was head of the state police. Hurd effectively reported only to the governor, but he made a point of making equipment and personnel requests through Wyatt, as a courtesy and to maintain good relations for situations like the one he now faced.
“Good morning, Hurd,” Wyatt said without warmth.
“Good morning, Colonel,” Hurd replied.
“What can I do for you?”
“I want to request some equipment for a special operation,” Hurd said.