nodded.
"Wow."
****
CHAPTER 10
IN WHITE HOUSE Room 5711, sitting in a chair next to a polygraph machine, Garrison had sensors attached to his index fingers and chest.
The polygraph operator, Army Intelligence Lieutenant Mary Nicklanovich, was monitoring the polygraph stylus as it rolled ink onto moving paper. Prior to beginning the test, she'd introduced herself to him and had told him the test was required of all special agents because of newly formulated government security regulations. Garrison hadn't believed her.
"Are you acting as an agent of a foreign power?"
"No."
"Have you lied on your daily report during the last thirty days?"
"No."
"Have you done anything to endanger the President of the United States?"
Nicklanovich was the polygrapher used in the most sensitive White House internal investigations. She was a trim, athletic woman with a pixie haircut and broad. Slavic features. Her uniform fit her perfectly.
"No."
Garrison stared at a framed color photograph on the facing wall of President Ford playing with his dog on the South Lawn. He was concerned that some of his answers might be affected by his interlude with Eleanor. What if his concern showed up as possible deception? He'd left his post in the Rehoboth Beach security room to be with her.
"Have you knowingly withheld information during this interview?"
"No.
Nicklanovich made a red mark on the chart.
"Have you violated Secret Service protection protocol during the last thirty days?"
"No."
"Are you planning to do anything that might tend to harm any Secret Service protectee?"
"No."
"Have you done anything that could harm Presidential security?"
"No," Garrison said after hesitating for a moment.
Nicklanovich frowned and used a red pen to make a note on the chart, an indication to Garrison that his answer may also have been marked red on the chart.
"Have you done anything that could harm Presidential security?"
"No."
After repeating the series of questions and noting his answers twice more, Nicklanovich turned off the machine. She stood and leaned down to unfasten the chest strap and the finger sensors, then sat back in her chair.
"How are you feeling today, Agent Garrison?"
"Fine. Why?"
"You had a problem with: Have you done anything to harm Presidential security? Why do you think that is?"
"I have no earthly idea."
"You showed deception every time I asked it." She shrugged, and then used a knuckle to push her eyeglasses back on her nose. "That's strange."
"I didn't sleep well. Maybe that could be playing into it."
"Maybe," she said studying him.
"So that's it?"
"Unless you have some explanation-"
"I'll let you know if anything occurs to me."
"Look, I don't know what the hell they are looking for with these questions. They haven't told me. But I can tell you that this is a major investigation and if you don't clear up whatever is on your mind - whatever is bothering you - you're going to stand out like a sore thumb in the investigation. Having said that, would you like to take the test again?"
"No."
"It's your decision. But don't blame me if you end up on the suspect list."
She stared at him as he got up and left the room.
Garrison knew a polygraph did nothing more than test one's physiological reactions to various stimuli. He also knew that most law-enforcement professionals considered such tests unreliable. Polygraphs were, by their very nature, inexact. Like most other Secret Service agents, he believed them to be pseudo-scientific nonsense. Lie-detector test results could not be used as evidence against the accused in any legal proceeding. Nevertheless, it was clear that he would be singled out for further questioning. The problem was, his concern about his affair with Eleanor had caused him to show deception, and he would probably never be able to answer security questions without showing deception. And he could never explain the truth. A hundred things went through his mind at the same time. He knew that he had just
"Wow."
****
CHAPTER 10
IN WHITE HOUSE Room 5711, sitting in a chair next to a polygraph machine, Garrison had sensors attached to his index fingers and chest.
The polygraph operator, Army Intelligence Lieutenant Mary Nicklanovich, was monitoring the polygraph stylus as it rolled ink onto moving paper. Prior to beginning the test, she'd introduced herself to him and had told him the test was required of all special agents because of newly formulated government security regulations. Garrison hadn't believed her.
"Are you acting as an agent of a foreign power?"
"No."
"Have you lied on your daily report during the last thirty days?"
"No."
"Have you done anything to endanger the President of the United States?"
Nicklanovich was the polygrapher used in the most sensitive White House internal investigations. She was a trim, athletic woman with a pixie haircut and broad. Slavic features. Her uniform fit her perfectly.
"No."
Garrison stared at a framed color photograph on the facing wall of President Ford playing with his dog on the South Lawn. He was concerned that some of his answers might be affected by his interlude with Eleanor. What if his concern showed up as possible deception? He'd left his post in the Rehoboth Beach security room to be with her.
"Have you knowingly withheld information during this interview?"
"No.
Nicklanovich made a red mark on the chart.
"Have you violated Secret Service protection protocol during the last thirty days?"
"No."
"Are you planning to do anything that might tend to harm any Secret Service protectee?"
"No."
"Have you done anything that could harm Presidential security?"
"No," Garrison said after hesitating for a moment.
Nicklanovich frowned and used a red pen to make a note on the chart, an indication to Garrison that his answer may also have been marked red on the chart.
"Have you done anything that could harm Presidential security?"
"No."
After repeating the series of questions and noting his answers twice more, Nicklanovich turned off the machine. She stood and leaned down to unfasten the chest strap and the finger sensors, then sat back in her chair.
"How are you feeling today, Agent Garrison?"
"Fine. Why?"
"You had a problem with: Have you done anything to harm Presidential security? Why do you think that is?"
"I have no earthly idea."
"You showed deception every time I asked it." She shrugged, and then used a knuckle to push her eyeglasses back on her nose. "That's strange."
"I didn't sleep well. Maybe that could be playing into it."
"Maybe," she said studying him.
"So that's it?"
"Unless you have some explanation-"
"I'll let you know if anything occurs to me."
"Look, I don't know what the hell they are looking for with these questions. They haven't told me. But I can tell you that this is a major investigation and if you don't clear up whatever is on your mind - whatever is bothering you - you're going to stand out like a sore thumb in the investigation. Having said that, would you like to take the test again?"
"No."
"It's your decision. But don't blame me if you end up on the suspect list."
She stared at him as he got up and left the room.
Garrison knew a polygraph did nothing more than test one's physiological reactions to various stimuli. He also knew that most law-enforcement professionals considered such tests unreliable. Polygraphs were, by their very nature, inexact. Like most other Secret Service agents, he believed them to be pseudo-scientific nonsense. Lie-detector test results could not be used as evidence against the accused in any legal proceeding. Nevertheless, it was clear that he would be singled out for further questioning. The problem was, his concern about his affair with Eleanor had caused him to show deception, and he would probably never be able to answer security questions without showing deception. And he could never explain the truth. A hundred things went through his mind at the same time. He knew that he had just
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