by Carsen Taite
“That’s right.”
“How have I not heard about this development?”
“I’m thinking that up to now the press has been distracted by the Nine Tech hearings.”
“‘Up to now’?”
“Yes. Arnie Wilkins from the Post has started digging around, but we’ve managed to hold him off. We’ve back-burnered the Joint Chiefs’ announcement, but Daniger’s ready to move on and we can’t leave the position vacant. Not with everything going on in Syria right now. Once we announce his replacement, everyone’s going to start digging.”
“And Bloomfield’s one of the guys in the running?”
“He’s not one of the guys, he’s the guy. Garrett has already settled on him.”
“Well, that’s easy. Get him to unsettle and go with your second choice.”
“Not happening. Garrett has known him forever. He promised Bloomfield the position and thinks going back on his word because of his son’s indiscretion is a show of weakness. By all accounts Bloomfield himself is as clean as they come.”
Rook sipped her coffee, her brain churning. Julia hadn’t brought her here, under Secret Service protection, to tell her all of this was a foregone conclusion. There was more; there had to be more. The key was whether she wanted to ask and potentially dig into a situation she had no interest in pursuing. She tapped her fingers against her leg while the silent standoff between them played out.
Julia broke first. “Aren’t you going to ask what I want?”
“If I ask, it implies I have some interest in getting involved. Which I don’t. I have plenty of work, and it sounds like you have this little matter under control.”
Julia glanced around and then hunched closer. “You’d be wrong.”
Rook had known Julia a long time. A veteran campaigner and a fearless political advocate, Julia didn’t scare easy, but Rook spotted a trace a fear in her eyes. The question was, could she resist knowing what had put it there?
Chapter Seven
Zoey pushed through the turnstile and followed the uniforms up the steps at the Pentagon Metro stop, thankful for the anonymity the crowd granted her. Unlike the last few times she’d been here, she was no longer a visitor, but an employee, stationed to this base of sorts for an indefinite assignment.
It would take some getting used to. She’d lived off base a couple of times during her career, but it wasn’t her preference. The commute back and forth was a waste of valuable time. Time she could be working, serving. Time she didn’t have to wonder what to do with herself. But living on base wasn’t an option here, and with Margaret Sharp’s help, she’d been lucky enough to find a rental in Vienna, a simple Metro ride away. She’d fallen in love with the house at first sight, thankful for the large fenced yard, situated well apart from the other houses on the street, unlike the apartments she’d occupied in the past where her nosy neighbors took advantage of every opportunity to observe her comings and goings. The new house was the nicest place she’d ever lived, and she could hardly believe it was hers for as long as she was stationed here.
She walked through the Pentagon entrance and looked around, trying to decipher which of the many lines she belonged in. Whenever she’d been here in the past few weeks, Sharp had had a sergeant greet her with a badge, but she wasn’t a guest any longer. Her orders said for her to check in at security, but the windows at the front of the line all looked the same. She turned back and forth, looking for a friendly face to whom she could direct a question and found herself face-to-face with Jack Riley.
“Major Granger, nice to see you again.”
“Nice to see you too, Major,” she said, breathing a sigh of relief. “When you said you worked here, I didn’t imagine there was any way I’d wind up running into you on my first day.”
He tilted his head. “You’re working here too? I thought you were headed back to Fort Hood.”
She felt a twinge of guilt at not sharing her new assignment with a fellow soldier, but then she remembered she’d been following Sharp’s orders. “Last-minute change of plans. Guess they decided I’d stay out of trouble if they kept me close, although I don’t know where I’m going, so they may have been wrong about that.”
“I’ll help you out. Do you know which office you’re assigned to?”
“Joint Chiefs, reporting to General Sharp.”
“You’re in luck because I’m headed in that direction and I know exactly where Sharp’s office is.”
She remembered Sharp telling her he was Jack and Addison’s godfather. She held up a hand. “I got a little ahead of myself. I need to check in with security and personnel first. I don’t want to keep you. If you’ll just point me in the right direction.”
“Nonsense. I’m early for a meeting, so I’ll get you where you need to go. Come on.”
She followed Jack to a window around the corner and waited as he explained the situation to the officer checking IDs. The entire lobby was teeming with people, from a crowd of what were obviously tourists to a group of men and women wearing the uniform of the Brazilian Air Force that she assumed were here to tour the building as well. She provided her credentials to the man at the window and nodded as he explained where she should report next to get her badge, relying on Jack to know the specifics. He motioned for her to follow, and they walked through the checkpoint metal detectors and up the escalator to the main level.
“Any of this look familiar yet?”
“Vaguely, although I have to confess, I feel like someone blindfolded me and turned me around in circles since the last time I was here.” She looked over to her right at the candy shop. “Now that I remember. Is that chocolate in the window as good as it looks?”
“Better. They call this whole row Make Up Alley. Flowers, candy, cards—everything you need to apologize for any transgression. If you’re lucky enough to have someone to go home to, that is.”
“I take it you’re not married?”
“Not even close,” Jack replied. “I haven’t exactly lived the kind of life conducive to relationships. You?”
“Married to the Army. She understands me.” Zoey shook her head. “At least until lately.”
“I imagine things got a little rough for you after you came forward about Nine Tech.”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” The moment the words were out, she regretted her clipped tone.
He held up his hands. “Oh, I have no doubt, but it couldn’t have been easy. I’ve been around long enough to know soldiers turn on one of their own if they think they’re in danger of getting caught. For the record, I fully support your decision to come forward. Sharp must too if he brought you in.”
She thought it likely Sharp’s decision was more complicated than a mere evaluation of her performance, but she didn’t feel like making excuses. “There’s a better than even chance I’m here because no one else will have me.”
“Their loss.” He stopped in front of a door. “Here’s your stop.”
“You’re not coming in?”
“I’ve got a meeting down the hall. I’m sure I’ll run into you again soon. You still have my card?” At her nod, he added, “This place can be a little crazy to get used to when you’ve been out in the world. Call me if you need anything. Any friend of Addison’s is a friend of mine.”
He was gone before she could point out that she barely knew his famous sister. She shook her head and walked into Sharp’s office suite. She fully expected to meet with one of his aides to get more information about her exact assignment, but the lieutenant at the desk just outside his door motioned for her to go into his office.
“Have a seat, Major,” Sharp said, barely looking up from his computer. “Although I won’t be calling you that for long.” He slid his keyboard aside and picked up a folder. “Here’s the paperwork for your promotion. Shouldn’t be long now.”
“Thank you, sir.” She took the folder from his outstretched hand and glanced inside at the official documents. It wasn’t a done deal yet, but as with every promot
ion before, she experienced a surge of who should I call, who can I tell, but the musings vanished as quickly as they came. Getting the commission had to be good enough on its own.
“Ready for your next assignment?”
“As long as it doesn’t involve sitting across from the Senate Armed Services Committee for a grilling, I’m all yours.” She grinned as she delivered the words, but she couldn’t have been more serious. She was ready to be tucked away in some corner of the Pentagon, content to be a cog in the massive military machine.
Sharp chuckled. “I think we can manage a small break from the rabid senators, but I’m afraid there might be some grilling.” He reached for another file on his desk and pushed it toward her. “We have a small situation that some folks across the lake think might blow up into something bigger. General Bloomfield was impressed with the way you handled yourself up on the hill and has directed me to assign you to Public Affairs for the Joint Staff.” He waved his hand. “Sounds worse than it is. You’ll head our internal investigation and act as a liaison with the White House to keep them informed. Take an hour to review the file. Major Dixon will accompany you to briefings at first, mostly to help you find your way around and assist you with anything you need, but you’re his senior and this is your show.”
Zoey ran her fingers along the file folder in her hands, itching to get a look inside as she slowly digested the specifics of her new assignment. White House. Briefings. Public relations. Apparently, there would be no hiding out in her new position. Not for a while anyway. “Are you sure I’m the right person for this? I’m a bit of a lightning rod after the Nine Tech mess. And I kind of expected to stay in logistics.”
“Not my call, but I can’t disagree with Bloomfield’s judgment. Folks on the Hill loved you. You were the very model of the perfect soldier in their eyes. I expect the White House will love you too.”
Zoey focused on what she didn’t hear, which was whether he actually agreed with Bloomfield’s decision. Agreement was decidedly different from not being able to disagree. She wasn’t sure why she cared either way. Aside from a deployment to some base where no one knew her or had access to C-SPAN, being tucked away here was probably her best chance at putting Nine Tech behind her. But Public Affairs sounded suspiciously like the kind of work Rook did, and the prospect caused her gut to churn. Was she going to be expected to find the best spin for news involving the military? She knew some news stories needed to be massaged to make them more palatable for the general public, but she was known for being a straight shooter not a smooth talker. Maybe that’s why they picked you. She took a deep breath and decided to go with that. “Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best.”
“I have no doubt.” He stood to signal the meeting was over, and she scrambled to her feet. “Margaret said you found a place.”
Damn. She’d almost forgotten she was supposed to meet the landlord around noon today. She started to mention that to Sharp, but decided she’d just have to figure out a way to work it in. “Yes, sir.”
“You’ve never lived off base, have you?”
“No, sir.”
“I think it might be good for a change. Allow you to stay out of the fray.”
“Yes, sir.” She resisted the urge to ask exactly what he meant by fray.
“Lieutenant Louden, out front can show you to your office, and Major Dixon will be by to collect you.” He paused after the words of dismissal and his stare was penetrating. “I’m counting on you, Major. Don’t let me down.”
She nodded and turned to leave, uncertain where she was going or what was behind the cryptic message. Chances were good she was trying too hard to decipher a hidden meaning to his pointed words. General Bloomfield might have picked her for this job, but Sharp had probably made the recommendation based on the years he’d known her. Letting him down wasn’t an option.
Louden was on the phone, so she lingered just far enough away from his desk to let him know she was waiting but not be obtrusive. When he finished the call, he grinned her way. “Ready to see your new digs?”
The friendly demeanor was a blessing. “Absolutely.” She held up a file. “I’m already on a deadline.”
“Right this way.”
She followed him down the hall, through a twisting corridor. She tried to memorize every picture and display along the way like they were breadcrumbs that would lead her back to Sharp’s office, but eventually she gave up. Maybe having to ask her way around would help her develop some relationships since it was clear she was going to need assistance getting used to the differences between this place and the life on base she’d grown accustomed to.
“Here you go.” Louden held open a door, and Zoey took in her new office. It was plain, but spacious. Desk, bookshelves, computer. “Your phone is working and IT has already hooked you up for access to the system, but you’ll need to contact them to set up your passwords. There are basic supplies in the desk, but if you need anything else, just fill out one of the forms I left. You’ll get things a lot quicker than you’re used to on base.”
“Good to know. I’m supposed to have an appointment with Major Dixon in an hour. Will he know where to find me?”
“I’ll make sure of it. I highlighted my extension in case you need anything to get settled. I assume you have your personal effects being sent over?”
“A few things. I’ve been pretty mobile over the years and kept a pretty bare-bones office when I had one.”
“Well, now that you’re settling down, you’ll probably start collecting stuff. That is if you plan on sticking around.”
She smiled by way of answer since she didn’t know her plans and hadn’t allowed herself to think past this moment, this day. “Thanks for your help, Lieutenant. I’ll call if I need anything.”
When he was gone, she shut the door and took a moment to drink in the new space, wanting to embrace the permanence, but careful not to let it sway her too much. This was just an assignment, like any other. At any moment, she could be called up and sent anywhere in the world. All her life, that possibility had been intoxicating, but right now, in this moment, she wanted to stay here and see what she could make of this world.
* * *
“I don’t know why Ms. Elias is saying those things, but I was not the driver of the car that hit that woman.”
“But you know Candace Elias?” Robin Roberts’s voice was even, but her expression was braced as if to show she wasn’t afraid to ask the tough questions.
“Yes, I do,” Newman said, his eyes trained on the screen in front of him showing Robin sitting in the New York studio. “She worked on my campaign for governor, and although I haven’t seen her in years, I always considered her a trusted colleague and friend.”
“Are you friends now?”
To his credit, Newman didn’t flinch. “Well, Robin, that’s a bit of a loaded question. I don’t know the motivation behind all of this which makes it difficult to attribute any malice to her actions.” He stopped and turned to face the camera, his face fixed in a grim but pleading expression and his hand firmly gripping that of his Jackie-like wife who sat close beside him. “Candace, you and I both know I was not involved in the tragic accident that killed Sheila Edgar. I sincerely hope you will recant your allegations and, if you do have information that could assist the police in finding the person or persons responsible, you will come forward now so this young woman’s family can finally find peace.”
Several yards away, Rook turned to Harry. “I would have preferred we do this in studio with Robin, but I think it went pretty well. What do you think?”
“He’s smooth.”
“Blake polygraphed him. Spent an entire day, but he didn’t break during the interview. The test results were inconclusive.”
Harry let loose a low whistle. “So he’s either telling the truth or he’s a stone cold psychopath.”
“Or the truth is somewhere in between. Maybe he wasn’t driving the car.” Rook pointed to the screen where Robin was playing footage of an earlie
r interview with Candace. “Maybe she was, and he’s protecting her.”
“Well, if he is, his gallantry is a bit misplaced considering she’s throwing him under the bus. Hard.”
Rook appraised her associate. Harry was the newest member of their team. She’d always had one other lawyer on staff, but her last law partner had left last year citing the need to find a calmer, less crisis-driven occupation. Luke Gidry was now handling estate matters for the rich and famous and couldn’t be happier. The idea of wading through the administration of an estate, no matter how lucrative, made Rook yawn. His response was to tell her how happy he was to leave his office at six o’clock, go home to his wife and kids, and never worry about a late night call asking him to make magic out of a mess. She’d picked a younger lawyer when she hired Harry, and discrimination laws be damned, she had Blake run a thorough background check to make sure he was single, had no kids, and was fit enough to work as rigorous a schedule as she did. He’d measured up in every category, but she hadn’t tested him full tilt yet to see if his stamina matched his brains. Newman would be his first test.
“They’re wrapping up,” Rook said. “I’m going to need you to debrief with Newman. He’ll be insecure. Hold his hand and tell him he did great. Make sure he knows no more interviews, no social media. I want radio silence from the entire family, kids included. If you have to stay at his house and guard their phones and computers, do it.”
He nodded, but she could read the trace of panic in his eyes. “I have an appointment across town and I’m running late already. Call me if you need anything, but, Harry?”
“Yes?”
“You got this.” She clapped him on the shoulder and took off, anxious to get away before the Newman family descended. Harry would do fine. Or he wouldn’t, in which case, she’d have to work some magic to fix whatever he broke, but since that was her specialty, she wasn’t worried.