The Jefferson Allegiance by Bob Mayer Page A

Hamilton, two most mortal enemies, both threw allegations of affairs and sexual scandal at each other. Hamilton even started the New York Post in eighteen-oh-one as a venue to spread his spin. The Fourth Estate is called that for a reason. McBride was one of the leading members of the Fourth Estate in our time.”
    Evie fell silent, and Ducharme waited. And waited. But she seemed to have dried up as a font of ‘useless information’ as Burns had labeled her. Ducharme drove the Blazer toward the center of Washington DC. He could see the Washington Monument ahead and slightly to the left.
    Things stayed blessedly silent as he took a right onto 15 th , heading back toward the White House. He looked to the left. No flashing lights. No crime scene tape. Nothing around the Zero Milestone to indicate the murders that had taken place.
    “They’re covering up the killings,” Ducharme said.
    “That’s the government,” Evie said.
    “I’m the government,” Ducharme noted.
    “Not that government,” Evie said. “Come on. You’re in black ops. You know there are so many layers in the game, no one knows them all.”
    “And how do you know that?” Kincannon asked.
    Evie twisted in her seat and looked at him. “Once upon a time, I wasn't just a curator. Maybe I’ll tell you the story some day.”
    “I’m all yours,” Kincannon said, his voice inviting. No response. “Why the Zero Milestone?”
    She looked out the window. “The Zero Milestone was created after the First World War, by people advocating the building of roads across the country. It’s inscribed on all four sides. I’m not sure of the exact wording, but two sides indicate it was the start point for the first and second transcontinental motor convoys conducted by the Army.
    “Did you know," Evie directed at Ducharme, “that General Eisenhower, then a lieutenant-colonel and one of your fellow West Pointers, was part of that first convoy that departed from the Zero Milestone for California? And the difficulties they had crossing the country—along with his later experience in Germany with the autobahns-- led him to start our Interstate Highway system while he was President?”
    “Fascinating,” Ducharme deadpanned. “What’s the significance of the Milestone for our killer?”
    “There might not have been one for our killer,” Evie said. “I think McBride and LaGrange were going to meet there. You might consider the Zero Milestone the center of the country, symbolically.”
    “So these murders—“ Kincannon left it hanging.
    “Cut to the core of the country,” Evie said. “Someone was sending a message.”
    “Where do you suggest we go to find the killer?” Ducharme asked, tired of circling, the beast wanting to strike.
    Evie shook her head. “Unfortunately, the killer isn’t the priority.”
    “The rest of the disks,” Ducharme said, not asking.
    She reached into the leather bag and pulled out her wooden disk. “I have number one.”
    Ducharme took his out. “Number twenty-six. I assume there are twenty-four more?”
    “Correct. And we need to find them.”
    “Why?”
    “They lead to something.”
    “What?”
    “We’ll know when we find them and read the message.”
    Lying again , Ducharme thought, glancing in the rearview mirror for a tail. Nothing. Which was wrong. He pulled into a parking lot and put the Blazer in idle. He pulled out his MK-23 and slid out the magazine, checking it and the weapon. Something wasn’t right; years of living with weapons told him that. He stared at it for a moment, and then began thumbing the stubby .45 caliber rounds out of the magazine while Evie and Kincannon watched.
    Ducharme got to the bottom of the magazine and noted that the last one was lighter than the others. He re-loaded the gun, keeping the round out. He slid the light bullet into his pocket. “Interesting. Our friend Agent Burns put a tracking device in my gun.”
    “Why?” Evie asked.
    “To follow us,” Ducharme said.
    “We