He would hold two more meetings before game day, one tonight, before the Secret Service advance team arrived in the morning. And, as with the last group meeting, he would afterward meet with his North Korean counterpart to go over necessary details.
However, Carter Gray was on the prowl. Actually, Captain Jack was a little surprised it had taken the old man this long to become suspicious. They had used every connection they had in the Muslim world to set up this operation. But Hemingway’s plan was, in Captain Jack’s mind, an ultimately futile exercise, although Tom Hemingway simply refused to see that. To Captain Jack’s thinking, Hemingway’s chief problem was he still believed in the good in people. That logic was inherently flawed, Captain Jack knew, because the people who really mattered didn’t possess any goodness. With every mission he’d ever carried out, Captain Jack always allowed for contingencies, and this time was no exception. Following his old maxim had once again led him down the right path. It really was all about the money.
In the rental space on the outskirts of town the engineer and chemist were going over again the workings of the prosthetic hand with the ex-National Guardsman.
He had gotten the maneuverings of the device down very well. They watched as he put his new hand through a series of grips, waves and other exercises. Then he executed the water bag implement flawlessly. Before leaving he thanked them both.
Afterward, the men packed up a duffel bag and headed into town, where they ran errands at a half dozen businesses along the town’s center. At each place they left a little present. These presents would further help lay a place in history for Brennan, Pennsylvania, although certainly not one the townspeople would have wanted.
CHAPTER
47
ALEX FOUND OUT LATER THAT day he’d been assigned to the advance team for the Brennan event. This thoroughly ticked him off, because it meant time away from Kate. However, it wasn’t as if he could complain. He was barely hanging on to his Service pension as it was. Indeed, Alex sensed that he’d be sent to every bump-in-the-road campaign outpost Brennan was targeting on his reelection charge across America. He’d be a zombie by the time it was over.
He and Kate met at a restaurant in Dupont Circle. She’d rebounded well from the frightening events of the previous night and was now determined to get to the truth. That spunk drew both admiration and terror from Alex.
“I understand how you feel, Kate, but don’t get carried away. These guys have guns, and they’re obviously not afraid to use them.”
“More reason to get them off the streets,” she said determinedly. “So when do you leave for Brennan?”
“Crack of dawn. It’s a short flight but there’s a lot to do. Advance teams do the heavy lifting that keeps the president safe. But it’s killing me that I won’t be around here in case you need me.”
She put her hand over his. “Well, for what it’s worth, I thought you were pretty damn terrific last night.”
Right as she said these words, their young waiter stopped by with their meals and overheard them. Obviously misinterpreting the import of her words, he gave Alex a wink and a smile.
As they ate, Kate asked, “So any new developments?”
“Just one.” He told her about his conversation with Adelphia about Stone.
“You said Stone didn’t have a past that you could find. And yet based on what Adelphia saw, he definitely has a past, maybe a pretty interesting one.”
Alex nodded and then looked thoughtful. “What do you say after we eat we take a little stroll over to 16th and Pennsylvania?”
“I hear that’s a really nice place. Think you can get me in?’’
“Right now I’m not sure they’d let me in. But I was talking about the 16th and Pennsylvania on the other side of the street.”
Forty-five minutes later the two arrived at Lafayette Park.
“Doesn’t look like he’s there,” Alex observed as he stared at Stone’s darkened tent. This was confirmed moments later when they opened the tent and saw it was empty.
“So you have another address for the man?” Kate asked.
“Actually, I do.”
Twenty minutes later Alex pulled his car to the curb outside Mt. Zion Cemetery.
A light was on in the caretaker’s cottage.
“He lives here?” Kate asked. “At a cemetery?”
“What’d you expect? A penthouse near the MCI Center?”
The gate to the cemetery was locked, but Alex boosted Kate over and then scaled the fence, landing next to her.
When he answered their knock, Stone couldn’t hide his surprise. “Alex?” he said, and then glanced curiously at Alex’s companion.
“Hello, Oliver, this is my friend Kate Adams. She’s a lawyer at Justice and the best bartender anyone could want.”
“Ms. Adams, it’s very nice to meet you,” Stone said, shaking her hand. He looked questioningly at Alex again.
“We just thought we’d drop by to see you,” Alex said.
“I see. Well, please come in.” Stone didn’t ask how Alex knew where he lived.
He let them into the cottage and then poured out some coffee he’d made while they looked around. Kate leafed through a book she pulled from the shelf. “Have you read all these, Oliver?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said, “though most of them not more than twice, I’m afraid. Unfortunately, there’s never enough time to read as much as one would want.”
She eyed Alex. “Solzhenitsyn. No lightweight stuff.”
“I think I read the Cliffs Notes on him in college,” Alex said.
She held out the book. “Yeah, but in Russian?”
Stone came out of the kitchen carrying two cups of coffee.
“I like your home, Oliver,” she said. “It’s how I’d envision a college professor’s place to look.”
“Yes, untidy, dusty, rumpled and full of old books.” Stone glanced at Alex. “I understand you’re on the advance team to Brennan, Pennsylvania?”
Alex gaped. “How the hell did you know that?”
“White House detail can often be very tedious, and people pass the time by talking shop. And voices carry amazingly there, if one is actually listening, which I’m afraid that few people really do anymore.”
Kate smiled at Stone as they all sat down in chairs around the fireplace. “Alex said you were quite extraordinary, Oliver, and I’ve found I can thoroughly rely on his opinion of people.”
“Well, Ms. Adams, I can assure you that Alex is truly special.”
“Please call me Kate.”
“Yeah, and if I get any more special,” Alex said, “I’ll be pumping gas for a living.” He glanced at Stone. “Your face looks like it’s healing.”
“It was nothing to begin with. A little ice. I’ve suffered worse.”
“Really? Care to talk about it?” Alex said.
“You would find such a discussion terribly boring, I’m afraid.”
“Try me,” Alex said pointedly.
A voice reached them from the street. They all got up and went to the door. There was Adelphia standing outside the locked gates calling to Stone.
“Adelphia?” Stone quickly went and let her in.
After they had settled back around the fireplace, Stone introduced Adelphia to Kate Adams.
Kate put out her hand but Adelphia simply nodded at her. The woman had obviously not planned on Stone having any company.