Rex stood up from his chair and walked to his big picture window overlooking the D.C. Mall. Rex could see the reflecting pool and the Washington Monument directly in front of him. He then clapped his hands together and turned to Charles, pointing downward to Charles in a way reminiscent of the 36th president, Lyndon Baines Johnson.
“Tell you what, Joe. I am going to do this for you because I think that it is the right thing to do. Give me a couple of weeks. I need to get through this funeral and make some other decisions about my future. But I need you to do something for me.”
“Of course, senator. Name it.”
“If my wife approves, I will run for president, but I will be damned if I do it the typical Republican way. I need you to help introduce me to the right groups, the right leaders, city by city for conversations. That is it. Just conversations. I want to be as inclusive as I can. I also want to make sure that I get a diverse group of folks on my team that reflect different points of view. Because of the circles you move in, you are better suited than anyone I know who I trust to help me achieve this. That is what I need from you, Joe.”
Charles was blown away. He had always liked and respected Senator Duncan, but those few words demonstrated to Charles a level of depth and growth that, frankly, Charles never knew the senator had in him. As he stood up to meet the senator eye to eye with his response, Charles was struck by one powerful thought: this man was ready to be the next President of the United States.
Charles reached out his hand to the senator. “I would be honored to help in the way you described and beyond, senator. Hearing your thoughts today confirms what I have suspected for some time. Our nation needs your leadership. I am at your disposal.”
Both men smiled, shook hands one more time, and Joe Charles left the senator's office.
Rex went back to gazing at the Washington Monument from his senate window.
__________
Jackson and Ronnie left the diner around 5:05 am and scrambled into the woods to go get their car. They realized how close they had cut it when they heard tires on the diner gravel driveway. They were only thirty yards into the woods. They stopped, hid behind the foliage, and looked to see who had just pulled up. They both recognized the cook, whom they had seen the day before. Jackson and Ronnie looked at each other, shook their heads and trudged on.
The Grand Cherokee was parked exactly where they had left it the night before in the used car lot. Ronnie started it up, exited the lot, and headed back toward Asheville. When they got to Jenny's hotel, they went to the back, parked the car and used her key to enter the building and then her hotel room, close to the back entrance.
As promised, Jenny had a couple plates of food under napkins on cafeteria trays lying on the bed. The food was still somewhat warm meaning that Jenny had not been gone too long. Jackson and Ronnie were starving and devoured the food quickly. They then savored the coffee that she had left as well.
Ronnie suggested that they take turns in the shower and then catch a couple more hours of sleep. They agreed to leave around 10 am, before the 11 am checkout, for Bryce Mountain. While Ronnie was showering, Jackson sat on one of the beds thinking about how much his life had changed over the last three days. Looking at his watch, he realized that normally on Wednesdays he would be teaching a world history class to freshmen. It then hit Jackson that he never called the school to let them know he needed a few days off. Duh, he thought. I don't think they were expecting me to show up after watching my face on CNN all night. Jackson then thought about his son, Eddie. Ronnie had called Eddie and Pam, who were safe with Ronnie's old D.C. friend. Pam even sounded supportive, offering encouragement to them both.
Yes, Jackson's life had changed overnight. It's funny how you can be going along at such a regular, consistent pace only to have your world permanently changed in the blink of an eye. Lying on that hotel bed in Asheville, North Carolina, Jackson knew that his life had been radically changed and that no matter what happened, it would never be the same. To find out what the next phase of his life would look like required that Jackson stay alive. He found himself thinking about how to stay alive as he drifted off to sleep.
__________
That morning, after finding out that he would be able to work valet parking at the Cerebral Palsy event, Joe Sweeney was trying to figure out how he would approach Reba Duncan. He had also considered saying something to the senator, but that would be much harder. Having been a valet attendant at a few of these Four Seasons events in the past, usually the spouse of a famous person stands alone while the celebrity is chatted up by others waiting for their cars. Sweeney remembered seeing the Tonight Show host, Jimmy Fallon, waiting with his wife for their limo at the Four Seasons entrance. Although it was just a couple of minutes, several people came over to Fallon. The entire time, his wife was standing alone, occasionally smiling when someone noticed that she was with Fallon.
But even if he could get Reba Duncan's attention for a couple of minutes, what would he say? How could he convey all that needed to be conveyed in the short amount of time he may have? Sweeney pondered these and other questions and settled on a different tactic. He decided to write a short letter and place it in her hand. That could work, he thought. He would just have to make sure he said something provocative to her as he handed her the note. Provocative, but not creepy. He had to strike the right balance. Sweeney sat at his desk and started writing.
Joe Sweeney had rehearsed his introductory lines several times during the day. He also looked time and again at the short note that he planned to slip into Reba Duncan's hand. As he paced up and down in his Georgetown dorm room, he knew that his nervousness was consuming him. It did not help that Finn's family was coming to get his stuff tomorrow. It was all so surreal. Sweeney's own parents talked with him seriously about dropping out and coming back home to Boston. “You can easily get into BU with your transcript, Joe. We feel it is much safer for you here,” they told him.
That was probably right. But Sweeney felt a sense of purpose and responsibility that he had never felt before. He knew that his friend had been murdered and he knew why he was murdered. But he could not prove it, nor could he talk with anyone about it. If he did, there was a strong chance that he would be murdered as well. So, Sweeney had to avenge his best friend's death quietly, until he had some credible help. Clearly, Reba Duncan represented credible help, but he had to make sure he did not scare her off. If she said something to the police or even someone on her husband's staff, it would certainly mean trouble for Sweeney. Still, he felt a sense of power unlike he had ever felt before in his life. He was taking ownership of a problem, fighting through a solution, and seeing it through to the end. Just thinking about it in that way helped Sweeney gain the courage to do what he needed to do.
Sweeney had tapped into the senator's calendar and was able to confirm that the senator and his wife would get to the hotel around 7:15. They would both speak briefly about their ongoing support of Cerebral Palsy research and then leave by 7:50. Sweeney was also able to confirm that the senator was not bringing staff to the event, so only he and his wife would be in the car. Sweeney looked at his watch. 10 am. He had a Psych class in twenty minutes. I should go to class, he thought. It would help him understand why he was doing this crazy James Bond stuff on his own. But, Sweeney was going to skip the class. He decided that he was going to spend the day hanging in the gym. Long, lean, with bright red hair, Sweeney was not much of an athlete, but he loved sports. He would play some basketball with the noon crowd at the Yates Field House, then grab a late lunch before getting ready for the evening. More and more, he felt like the superstar athlete getting ready for the big game.
__________
While Sweeney was preparing for the Cerebral Palsy dinner, Strother was bringing together his group at the Fairfax command center. Sitting around the table were Strother, McNair, Todd Brown, Livermore, and R.J. Strother began by posing a question.
“Let's say you are this guy, Lowe
ry, a former prosecutor, who has had his life turn topsy-turvy on him and finds himself on the run after being publicly accused of murder. What would be your primary objective?”
“Prove you are innocent,” Livermore quickly said, still eager to please.
“That's right,” Strother said. “Again, now we are thinking like Lowery. So, after everything that has happened the past few days, what are you thinking that your next step would need to be to prove your innocence?” Strother looked around the table.
“I want to hear from everyone,” he said flatly.
Todd Brown raised his hand and started talking. “I would want to get to the Duncans. Part of it would be to convince them that I didn't kill their daughter, but I would also think that if I could convince them, they could help clear me.”
“Okay,” Strother said, nodding his head.
“I agree,” R.J. said. “But I think that I would like to get to Reba Duncan alone. If I am Lowery, I am thinking that she could tell I loved her daughter and has the power to lean on her husband.”
Here, McNair jumped in. “All of that makes sense, but Lowery has Thomas with him. Thomas comes from our world. If Lowery hasn't already thought much about it, Thomas is probably pushing him to go after Mills and Merchant. Thomas is thinking that this doesn't end until the big picture is exposed. I think their next move is to go after one of them.
Strother leaned forward, more animated than usual. “Which one would you target?” he asked.
McNair responded, “Thomas will want Mills. They have probably done some research and view him as the leader. They want to break him down.”
Livermore added the most insight he had offered since the crisis began. “I am thinking that they will go after Merchant. He is the weakest link. If they have done their research, they know that Merchant takes a back seat to Mills. They will be thinking that once they get Merchant alone, they can easily break him down.”
The others at the table looked around at each other. Strother seemed pleased by the responses. “Any other thoughts?” he asked.
Silence.
“Let me ask this. Mills has his hedge fund in New York, but spends most of his time here in D.C., as does Merchant, who is based in ITM's Tyson's Corner office, right?”
Livermore nodded yes.
“Okay, we need to watch all of them. Let's make sure they both are in the D.C. area for the next few days.”
“So, we are using them as bait?” Livermore asked.
“In essence, yes,” Strother said.
McNair then said, “I am assuming that we will just keep an eye on the senator and his wife without their knowledge. Do we let Mills and Merchant know we are keeping an eye on them?”
Strother pondered the question, then replied. “I don't think they should know. I want them to appear natural and unconcerned as they go about their day. Thomas, in particular, will be able to sense any tension or unease in them when he scopes them out.”
“Makes sense,” Brown said.
Strother then slapped both hands on the table as he stood up. “Good. We have an understanding. R.J., I would like you to keep an eye on Mrs. Duncan; Todd, you have Merchant; Livermore, you watch Mills. We could get others on the team to do this, but I want our best folks around when Thomas and Lowery show up.”
Looking around, McNair asked, “What about the senator? You want me to watch him?”
“He is the toughest one for them to access right now. We can reconvene in twenty-four hours, but for now, let's focus on the others. I have something else I need you to do, Russ.”
Waiting for everyone to clear the room, Strother sat back down. When they were alone, he looked at McNair. “I have been in touch with Tyler and the group. They are really uneasy about Mills and Merchant, but if anything happens to them, it would raise too many questions, potentially draw too much attention to other things. Everything is dependent on getting Lowery and Thomas out of the way. They must be getting some help from someone else. Livermore's a Neanderthal, but his tech guys are good. Let's dig deep on Thomas' relationships. Drill down on internet inquiries about Mills, Merchant, anything else that could help. We need to find out who is helping them so that we can set our own trap. Use the techies to find out who this person or persons is.”
McNair had been thinking through everything Strother was saying as he was speaking. When Strother finished, he said, “I am on it, Dick,” as he walked to the techie table with Mason and his team.
TWO
Jackson and Ronnie left the Red Roof Inn Asheville West shortly before 11 am. They felt refreshed and ready to go. It was decided that Jackson would sit all the way in the back of the Grand Cherokee on the bench seat. They were both glad that the SUV had tinted windows from the back seat and beyond. Ronnie planned on driving north on I-26 to I-81. He would then head northeast on I-81 past Staunton, Lynchburg, and Roanoke before getting to Bryce Mountain resort.
Both men were a bit antsy about the trip. I-81 was one of the most traveled interstates on the east coast. It was always full of trucks, cars, and police. Ronnie tried to keep his eyes as far down the road as possible. If he saw any sign of a backup, which could mean a possible roadblock, he would immediately get off the interstate and meander his way along the various mountain roads. There was a good argument for using back roads all the way to Bryce, but both Ronnie and Jackson felt the need to get there as quickly as possible.
Well into the ride, the two men talked about what to do when they got to D.C. and when to do it. With Jackson way in the back of the SUV, Ronnie felt like he was yelling at a kid sitting away from the adults on a road trip. When he told Jackson what he was thinking, both men laughed. Humor sure helped in the midst of ongoing tension.
Fortunately, the ride went well and was uneventful. When Ronnie stopped for gas outside of Lynchburg, he grabbed a couple of sandwiches - tuna for Jackson, ham and cheese for himself. They got to Bryce just after 5 pm. By then, Jackson had moved to the front seat and had in his hand the envelope Jenny had given them with the complicated instructions to her hideaway. Jackson navigated while Ronnie deftly maneuvered along the mountain roads up to the site. Once settled, they planned on checking in with Jenny as they prepared to go to D.C.
__________
It had taken most of the day, but Mason, Chang, and the rest of the techie crew proved their mettle once again. Early that evening, they told McNair they had something to report to him. McNair went to get Strother so they could receive the information at the same time. During the course of the day, Strother had been monitoring the surveillance activities of the rest of the team. Livermore and Todd Brown had actually been in the same area for a couple of hours. Mills and Merchant had lunch together at the Hay Adams, seemingly a frequent lunch spot for the two of them. They both then returned to their offices.
Reba Duncan stayed in her house all day. She had pretty much been incognito since the death of her daughter. The team did learn that she and the senator would make a brief appearance that evening at an annual Cerebral Palsy dinner at the Four Seasons. R.J. would be there watching.
McNair found Strother sitting in the small conference room looking at a large map spread out on the table. He looked up at McNair as soon as he walked in. “So where do you think they are, Russ? Where would you be hiding?” he said.
“Dick, they could be anywhere. But this Thomas guy is good. Between him and his network, I would not be surprised if he has various hideaways in assorted hills all over. If I had to bet, I would guess he is bunkered down in the hills.”
“Hmmm,” Strother said, nodding his head, still looking at the map.
“But we may be moving closer to an answer. Livermore's techies have something to report. I figured we could learn what they know at the same time.”
This news energized Strother. “Let's go hear it!” he exclaimed, beating McNair to the door.
Mason and Chang were ready for Strother and McNair. As usual, Mason took the lead. “Sirs,” he
began, “after talking with Mr. McNair earlier, I dispatched our team to track down internet searches regarding the Duncans, Jackson Lowery as well as Mr. Mills and Mr. Merchant. As you might imagine, with all of the news coverage there were millions of hits. We then took the liberty of adding other names and concepts. I will not bore you with all of them, but we tried to be as expansive as possible. One phrase we included was 'food service contracts'. Taking that phrase alone with the other names led to a lot of search activity coming from the Atlanta area.”
It was at this point that Mason had the full attention of both Strother and McNair.
“In particular, detailed searches from the same Atlanta computer focused on the Duncan family, Mills, Merchant, and food service contractors Claremark, Jawer Foods, and Honeyberg Industries. In addition, that same computer did extensive research on Bartlett Food and their CEO Joseph Charles.
Strother and McNair both looked at each other with wide eyes. As much as they needed to know this information, this was not good news. Their employers could slide swiftly into panic mode if they got any notion that Jackson and Thomas, or another party, were too close.
Mason, sensing the uneasiness, stopped talking to let the two men digest what they had just been told.
McNair said, “Go ahead, Mason. Continue.”
“Anyway, we could not identify the ownership of the computer other than it was registered to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. All of the computer activity came from the CDC headquarters in the downtown area.”
“So, you don't know who was using it,” Strother asked.
Here, Chang chimed in. “No, we are not saying that, sir. We just wanted to make sure to walk you through our steps. Mr. McNair also asked us to do a deeper cross-reference on Ronnie Thomas and his government allies. As you know, he has been pretty much a lone wolf since leaving the marines and doing clandestine work for the government. His background has been a blank page for the most part. There have been a handful of people who he has kept in touch with periodically since all of them have been in training together in the marines. One of them is this woman, Jenny Roberts.” At that point, Chang nodded to a techie, who then put Jenny's image on a nearby computer screen.
The Plan (The Jackson Lowery Trilogy Book 1) Page 13