“You mean they’re snookered? What are they celebrating?”
“God alone knows. Do you want to tell me why you’re tailing Elias? No, this is not need to know, Maggie. I do need to know, and I need to know now!”
Chapter 4
Maggie Spritzer slowly took the skin off a banana, then leaned back in her comfortable chair. She was wearing what she called her granny glasses. She peered over the top of them as she glared at her star reporter, a.k.a. her fiancé, and his partner, her star photographer. She chomped down on the banana and motioned for the duo to take a seat.
“I’m not going to like this, am I?” Ted grumbled.
“Probably not, but ask me if I care. A job is a job, you take the good with the bad. Actually, I’m going to give you a choice, so think carefully before you answer me. That goes for you, too, Espinosa.”
“I live to serve you, Mighty EIC,” Espinosa said, waving his arm to indicate he was totally at her disposal.
“Suck up!” Ted hissed.
Maggie waited as she worked on the banana. When she was satisfied she had both men’s complete attention, she said, “This is your choice. Saint Anthony’s is having their Christmas-in-July bazaar this afternoon. They expect a tremendous turnout. They have a lady attending who makes purses out of candy wrappers. The newest rage, I’m told. She’s donating over five hundred of the purses to the bazaar. The church is going to use the proceeds from the affair to send the inner-city kids to camp next summer. A profile of the donor would be great. Now, if you two don’t want to cover the bazaar, I understand, so that’s why I’m giving you a choice here. Your second choice is to tail Elias Cummings. He should be leaving the farm around two-thirty if Nellie’s intel is on the money, and I see no reason it wouldn’t be since she’s married to the man. Espinosa, you pick him up as soon as he hits the highway after he leaves the farm. Ted, you pick him up as soon as he hits the District.”
Maggie tossed the banana skin into her trash basket and broke open a package of Oreos. “So, what’s it going to be, the bazaar or the tail job?”
“That’s a no-brainer, Maggie. You gonna tell us why we’re tailing one of our own? Don’t try pulling that NTK on us because if it was need to know, you wouldn’t be sending us out to do this job. What the hell is going on?” Ted demanded.
Maggie pretended to think about the question. She shrugged. Annie hadn’t said she couldn’t clue in her people, and besides, if she couldn’t trust Ted and Espinosa, whom could she trust?
“It seems Elias has been acting very secretive of late. Nellie says he tells her everything, that they have no secrets from each other. Unlike some people I know,” Maggie said, fixing her steely gaze on her fiancé. Nellie managed to check Elias’s phone on the sly, and it seems the White House has been calling. Yesterday, or maybe it was this morning, Nellie said he got out his best suit, the one he wears to funerals; he polished his wing tips, got a haircut, and picked out a power tie. All he would tell her was he had a meeting today at four o’clock. You are tailing him so I can report to Annie, who will then report to Nellie, her husband’s whereabouts. I don’t think I need to remind you that the Countess de Silva owns this paper. We do what we’re told. Joyfully, willingly, and we smile while we’re doing it. Any questions?”
“More a comment than a question,” Ted said bravely. “Elias was the director of the FBI before Bert took over. I’m sure he’s been called to the White House so they could … you know, maybe pick his brain, some forgotten case the Bureau worked on, and they want clarification, that kind of thing.”
Maggie finished off the Oreos and yanked at a bag of pretzels from the overflowing goodies drawer in her desk. “Ya think, Ted?”
Espinosa decided it was time to weigh in. “Shame on you, Ted. Everyone knows Maggie is the one who does the thinking. We’re here to serve, to do her bidding, and we never ask questions. Is there a bonus involved in this?”
“No, there is not. The two of you are still standing here. Move! Go! Call in every thirty minutes or text me. If you’re late, you work the bazaar tomorrow since it’s a two-day affair.”
Phone in hand, Maggie called Annie. “We’re good to go.”
Outside, in the summer sunshine, Ted looked at Espinosa and snarled. “What the hell was that all about? I don’t like this. If I thought for a minute it was just Nellie getting her bloomers in a knot, I wouldn’t have a problem tailing Elias. This ain’t some domestic issue. You agree or disagree, Espinosa?”
Espinosa looked down at his watch. “We have two hours till we have to leave. We can either go to an early lunch or do what you’re thinking, which is to head over to Lizzie’s office to see Jack and Bert. Five bucks says they are not in the loop on this. We better call Harry, too, and tell him to meet us there. You call him, Ted.”
“I’m not calling him, you call him. That crazy bastard can send death vibes through the phone, and I want to stay alive so I can spy on Elias Cummings as per my assignment. Do it, Espinosa.” When Espinosa didn’t pull out his BlackBerry, Ted said, “Look, you don’t have to have a running dialogue with him. State the facts and hang up. As long as we tell him what’s going on, we’re in the clear, and he won’t kill us. He just gets pissy when he’s excluded. So! Will you do it already?”
Espinosa hopped from one foot to the other as he toyed with his BlackBerry. “I have a better idea, Ted. I’ll text him!”
“Listen, you dumb shit, Harry does not text. We’re lucky he answers the phone, and he might not answer, and you can leave a voice mail. You’re wasting time.”
Ted didn’t realize he was holding his breath until Espinosa blurted out his message, which had to mean Harry was live on the other end. “Well?”
“He didn’t say a word. You heard my end of the conversation. Now what?”
“Now we hail a cab and head over to Lizzie’s office. I still can’t believe Bert and Jack are working there. I know it’s just temporary until Lizzie can transfer everything over to Nikki’s firm, but it still isn’t working for me.”
“I wonder what Alexis will do when the office shuts down for good,” Espinosa said fretfully.
“Do I have to do all your thinking? She’ll go to work for Nikki, or else she’ll open her own business. She’s got a good business head on her shoulders. You’re still smarting over the fact that she won’t marry you, eh? You know that living-in-sin shit you keep talking about is a real turnoff to women. You know that, right, Espinosa?”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Ted, so stop sticking your nose in my personal life.”
“Cranky today, aren’t we? Alexis is a fine woman, but then you already know that. I don’t know what she sees in you to begin with. Be a shame if she bails on you for your puritanical attitude. Get it through your head, some women just do not want to get married. Look how Maggie is dragging her feet. Not that I mind. Kathryn made it very clear to Bert she won’t marry him. That should tell you something. All I’m saying, Espinosa, is this—don’t do something stupid like give Alexis an ultimatum. Well, we’re here!” Ted said cheerfully, as the cab pulled to the curb. He tossed some bills over the top of the seat, grabbed a receipt that he would fill in later, and exited the cab.
“Follow me,” Ted said.
“Why should I?” Espinosa snarled.
“Because if you don’t, I’m ratting you out to Maggie.”
“You are dumber than I thought. Maggie is not supposed to know we’re here.”
“There is that,” Ted said agreeably, as both men went off into peals of laughter.
Alexis Thorne looked up and smiled when she saw Ted and Espinosa enter the office. “How nice to see you two. Did you come to take me to lunch?”
“Nope. We need to see Bert and Jack. Are they free?”
Alexis laughed, a delightful musical sound that rendered Espinosa witless. Ted had to drag him down the hall to Jack’s and Bert’s offices. They turned when they heard Alexis squeal Harry’s name. For some crazy reason, Ted flattened himself against o
ne wall while Espinosa did the same thing on the opposite wall. Harry laughed, an evil sound, as he danced past them straight into Jack’s office.
Jack looked up, a confused look on his face. “What did I forget?”
“Nothing,” Ted said. “We come bearing news. Of course it goes without saying we are not supposed to be here, and for God’s sake, don’t tell Maggie or our asses are grass. She’ll fire us in a New York minute. We literally took our lives in hand by coming here.”
“Bert!” Jack bellowed. “Get in here! We have company!”
“Looks like old home week.” Bert grinned as he came through the door. “What’s up? Were we supposed to do lunch or something?”
Everyone took a seat in Lizzie’s luxurious office. Jack pressed a button to ask for coffee and sweet rolls. “Unless you guys want to go to lunch?”
“Coffee’s fine. We don’t have all that much time before we have to head out on Maggie’s orders. It goes without saying we are not supposed to be here. Maggie will hand us our heads if she finds out. Capisce?”
Jack looked at Bert. Bert looked at Jack. Harry tilted his head to the side, his eyes dreamy and unfocused.
His eyes on Harry, Ted rushed to tell his story. When he was finished, Harry relaxed and slouched down in his chair. “It means something, but we don’t know what. Whatever it is, it concerns the girls. Just the fact that Elias is keeping it all secret from Nellie is all they need to know. Their imaginations are running wild, ditto for Maggie, and that’s why we have to tail him this afternoon. We came here for your input and to spring you on this nice sunny day. We could use some help, and by help I mean … we’re going to be busy. Maggie would like to know who else is going to this little meeting at the White House. She didn’t say she wanted to know, but I’m anticipating her asking, and God help me if I don’t have the answer. We thought you two could sort of spot for us. Don’t forget that Fergus Duffy, the guy from Scotland Yard, is here in town.”
Jack looked up, a frown building on his face. He was about to question Ted when a motherly looking woman wearing shell-rimmed glasses entered the room carrying a tray with coffee and pastries. “It’s okay, Melissa, we can pour our own coffee. Will you tell Alexis on your way out to hold all of Bert’s and my calls?”
“Sure thing, Mr. Emery.”
When the door closed behind Melissa, Jack leaned forward. “Yeah, things are slow here. Bert and I can do that. The Secret Service hates us, you know that, right? If they get downwind of the fact that we’re spying on the White House, they’ll fry our asses. Just so you know, Ted.”
“So don’t get caught. Our job is just to tail Elias to see if he really is going to the White House. That’s it. The rest of it, that’s just the icing on the cake. Maggie did say the girls are extremely worried,” Ted said, lying through his teeth. “Especially Nellie.”
Bert cleared his throat. “She should be worried. If I tell you guys something, will you swear on Myra’s and Annie’s lives that you won’t repeat it? Especially you, Ted. Maggie can drag anything out of you, so tell me now if you think you can’t keep your lip zipped.”
“I swear. Okay? She can only do that sometimes,” he added defensively.
Harry took a moment to turn completely around in his chair. He locked his gaze on Ted. “Bert has it all wrong. You swear on me, Robinson. That goes for you, too, Espinosa.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. I swear on you, Harry.”
“Oh, yeah, me too, Harry. I mean it. We both swear on you.”
Harry smiled.
“Okay, here goes. Remember now, this is just among us. About four months ago, Elias came to me and asked me to go to the doctor with him. Seems he had some tests done, and he wanted someone with him when he got the results. I was that someone. Elias has been more than a mentor to me, he’s been like a father. I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. I went with him. Elias has the onset of Alzheimer’s. He doesn’t want Nellie or anyone to know. He’s fine right now, but he does have little lapses in memory, nothing serious at the moment. Like he forgets where he put something or thinks he did something when he didn’t do it. He’s on some meds now, which he keeps in the car so Nellie won’t see them. My point is, whatever reason he was called to the White House, Elias has enough brains not to take anything on. I don’t know how he’ll get out of it, but I know he won’t commit to anything. That’s it. All of you, stop looking at me like that. This is not something any of us can fix for him. He’s got great doctors. I’ll be watching over him, and I’d like you guys to do the same as much as you can.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, Nellie should be told, but I promised, and I intend to honor that promise until such time as I have to break it. You guys would do the same thing if you were in my place, so stop looking at me like I’m some two-horned creature from outer space. I want your promise to help me keep my promise.” Four heads bobbed up and down.
“Considering Elias’s condition, I know that secret or not, Elias will tell me what went on at the meeting today if it comes off. When that happens, we’ll act on the information. Until that happens, we go about our business. Do you all agree?” Again, four heads bobbed up and down.
Jack took a deep breath. “What’s Harry’s assignment?” Jack asked with a devilish glint in his eye.
Still in his ass-kissing mood, Ted said, “How should I know? He’s good at everything. What do you guys think he should do? We called him to keep him in the loop. We have to stick together. Wait a minute, can Alexis hear any of this, because if she can, we are dead in the water, gentlemen.”
“What kind of office do you think this is?” Jack asked indignantly.
“It’s Lizzie Fox’s office. And you don’t think this place is wired for everything!” Ted said in disgust. “Right now she’s probably on the phone with the girls. We didn’t have an appointment. We just showed up. That in itself is suspicious, don’t you think? Oh, shit, now it’s going to get back to Maggie. We screwed up, Espinosa.”
“What’s with that we stuff. This was your idea.”
Bert grinned. “Relax. Lizzie made Alexis sign a confidentiality contract when she hired her. She can’t talk about anything that goes on here. That means she can’t say bubkes about anyone who walks through those doors. I was with Lizzie when she explained it all to Alexis. She understood. Lizzie went to great lengths to explain how she could go to jail. Alexis understood that also.”
“And you think that will stop her from talking to the girls. I-don’t-think-so! She’s a goddamn vigilante, and we all know where their loyalties lie—with each other. Sorry, Espinosa, but it’s the truth,” Ted said.
“Ask yourself who Alexis fears the most—us, the girls, or Lizzie? Lizzie wouldn’t bat an eye if she had to turn her in. Alexis knows that. Plus, the girls, especially Nikki, understand that confidentiality part. She wouldn’t forgive Alexis, and I also think she’d head her off at the pass if she thought Alexis was going to divulge confidential information. And she’d convince the others to do the same. Believe it or not, those women have rules and ethics that have gotten them where they are. We might not agree with them, but that’s not our problem. We’re safe,” Bert said.
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Espinosa mumbled.
“Time to make a plan, boys,” Jack said.
“We’re screwed for sure if we have to go with one of your plans,” Ted said, getting up to stretch his legs. “Let’s hear it!”
Jack sniffed. “I didn’t say I was going to make a plan, I said it’s time to make a plan, that means all of us have input. Your problem, Ted, is that you’re afraid of Maggie. You need to think on your own. You have to learn how to act independent of Maggie. We’re here for you, aren’t we, Harry?”
Harry looked over at Ted. “Uh-huh.”
“Yeah, sure, whatever. So, let’s hear your contribution to our plan, and it better not have anything to do with pumpkins,” Ted said ominously.
Chapter 5
Bert looked around the office a
s though he hoped for an idea to land square in his lap. He shrugged and waved toward Jack when there was no lightning bolt. “So, articulate, Mr. Emery. What kind of plan?”
Jack looked around at the skeptical faces staring at him. He, too, shrugged. “I guess we just go for a walk around the White House and watch to see who shows up. It’s not exactly a plan, more like surveillance in my opinion. And, guys, we aren’t even sure that Elias is going to the White House. Nellie just thinks that’s where he was going because of the suit and polished shoes. I’m thinking we should be in position about three-thirty. If there is a meeting, no one wants to be late. Scratch that to three-fifteen, forty-five minutes prior to the meeting. They have to sign in, get rid of the junk they’re carrying, be escorted to an anteroom, where they wait for the president to see them. Actually, a full hour is probably more like it. Harry can do a few spins on his Ducati, and Bert and I can alternate going round and round while we all keep our cell phones turned on for easy communication. Ted will be the one who knows first where Elias is headed. If it even looks like he’s headed for the White House, we get in position and start our surveillance. That’s my input. You guys got anything to add, feel free to share it with us right now.”
Ted stuffed a pastry into his mouth and mumbled something that sounded like, “That works for me, stupid as it sounds.” He licked his fingers and reached for another gooey bun, thinking, if Maggie were here, the pastries would be gone in the blink of an eye. He ate a third one, telling himself it was for Maggie.
“Yeah,” Espinosa said.
“Once we confirm that a meeting is actually going on and identify the attendees, what’s the next step?” Bert asked.
19. Deja Vu Page 4