The air was moist. George’s eyes popped open in the early hours of the morning. The sun was painting everything gold, and it gave him enough light to make his way off the roof without being noticed. He walked slowly back to the hotel, stopping along the way to buy a cup of coffee and a roll.
There was certain calmness about George. He noticed it. It was as if finally finding out what the meeting was about had removed all the pressure. Though the contents of the conversation were explosive, he just had to report it and let the other departments handle the situation. His only obligation was to get on the next plane to Washington. Once there, a long debriefing and a well-deserved retirement.
The walk to the Azou Hotel waked him considerably. He entered the lobby to find only the clerk doing paperwork. This time he elected to ride the elevator, fearing the stairs would draw a questionable glance.
Room 431 had been ransacked. Shit! I’ve been followed! He closed the door and searched the rest of the room, looking for any clues. The thumb drive in his pocket grew to feel like ten pounds of lead. Being followed didn’t bother him as much as not being able to figure out who or why. He placed the LSALD back in the closet. The equipment wasn’t important now. Someone would pick it up. One last glance and he slipped out the door and made his way back to the bus station. He felt well hidden among the crowd of tourists bouncing their way across the street to the beach. The bus station was in sight, and to his relief, a bus seemed to be preparing to leave.
He was walking next to the buildings when the crowd gave way to a little gray body lying next to the foundation. George stopped and nudged her with his foot.
“Up to your old tricks.” There was no response. “Hey, old woman, wake up.” He knelt and lifted her head. It was clear she had been strangled. Her eyes protruded, and a red rash was bruised into her neck. Whoever was after him played hardball. He laid her back down as if nothing was wrong and walked to the station. The passersby didn’t notice the body. To them, it was an old tramp having a nap. No reason to investigate. It would be several hours before local policemen would try to roust the dead woman.
CHAPTER SIX
Point Person
Dan Archer sat with Sharon in the commissary. As usual, his lunch looked like something that had been baked in a shoe box and served straight from the refrigerator. Sharon, on the other hand, always packed her own, and then a little more, because eventually Dan would begin nibbling. She didn’t mind, though. The room was crowded, and the patrons openly discussed with one another the goings-on in each department. Some of it was shoptalk, but most of it was of no real importance.
“I’ve really got to stop eating here.” Dan tossed his fork on his plate in disgust. “How can you get up every morning and make a lunch?”
“I don’t. I make it every night before I go to bed.” She smiled at him.
“Men don’t think of things like that. It’s not in our genes.”
“Oh, I’m sure if you tried you could remember to pack a lunch. Men are stupid, but not that stupid.” She chuckled.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Dan returned to his shoe leather and picked at the remains. “How’s your day going? Anything interesting happen?”
“I work for you, remember? You’ll hear before me if something is up.”
“I was looking for some gossip.”
“That’s unusual. I’ve never known you to listen to that crap. I thought it was a woman thing.”
“I’m bored.”
Sharon rolled her eyes and thought about what she might have picked up in passing lately. “I did hear that something shot from level two to level four the other day. It sounds pretty important.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s that thing with the woman in New Mexico threatening the president’s life. She’s in a nuthouse now, awaiting trial. There was a rumor she had escaped, and it sent the Secret Service guys into a tizzy.”
“My, we are on top of things.” Sharon liked to patronize him every so often. He always let it slide, and it made her feel a little more equal.
“Like I said, slow day.”
“What about the deal in the Middle East?” Her question was harmless since she worked for him.
He shrugged. “Who knows? I figure it must have been a bust. Either it was a blown operation, or there was nothing to the meeting because we haven’t heard shit.”
“How long will you wait?”
“A few more days. If we get nothing by then, I’ll send out a team. But I don’t think it’ll come to that.”
“You know, you’re pretty lucky.”
“Lucky how?”
“There are some people who always land on their feet. No matter what. You’re one of those people.”
“You don’t think it has anything to do with the possibility that I’m smart and work hard?”
“Nope,” she said, prodding him.
He returned an annoyed glance.
“It has everything to do with that, Dan.” She smiled at the dig. “You always make the right decisions. Most people tend to make mistakes. You avoid them. That’s what I mean.”
Dan half smiled. “Great, I have a monkey on my back. Sounds like someone is waiting for me to screw up.”
“I’m sure someone is. Especially since the director has decided to resign at the end of the year. And you-know-who is in line for the job.”
“Levi Carp,” he replied.
Sharon was shocked. “No! You, you dumb shithead!” Everyone turned, and she lowered her voice.
“He has seniority. He’s hung around here for so long they can’t not give it to him. The idea of getting it keeps him alive.”
Sharon spoke sternly. “Don’t give me that, Dan Archer. You know that you have as good a chance for that office as Levi. Maybe even better.”
“He’s been here longer. Just the simple fact. Plus, it’s the president’s pick.”
“Levi’s a fuck, Dan. He’s a wicked little old man. I can’t believe that you haven’t heard the quiet support thrown your way.” Dan’s ignorance on this matter surprised her. “The president listens to advice. He doesn’t make decisions on the mere idea of tenure.”
“I guess I should pay more attention to the office gossip.”
“I guess you should. I wondered why you never started actively politicking for that job.”
“I’m no good at that stuff.”
“You had better get good at it. If Levi gets in, almost everyone is going to quit. Things will be completely messed up. You’re their hope… I’ll tell you one thing — Levi knows you’re his competition.”
Dan was trying to digest what she was saying. In the back of his mind, he knew he should be making an aggressive play for the director’s office, but he had never picked up any signals until now. Now it was being slapped in his face. “Let me see how this mission goes first. Then I’ll go after it. Seriously.”
“No, Dan. You’re just starting, and already you’re three steps behind. Here I thought you had it under control.” She began to plot Dan’s campaign. “You can’t wait. If you don’t start now, Levi will eat you alive.”
“I’ve got to wait. He and I could still find ourselves working on the same operation.”
“Okay, you wait until your job is finished, but I’ll start immediately. I’m not that busy.” She wadded up her paper bag and tossed it in the trash. “Come on. Let’s go. I’ve got to start planning for my new office once you’re in charge.”
Dan followed her out the door, thanking the Lord for having a secretary like Sharon.
George flew back to Istanbul and caught the next flight to London. An occasional glance over his shoulder didn’t reveal any tail.