there’s any way I could get access to a list of guests for that particular ball, that would go a long way toward helping me find whoever did this to Jay.”
“Of course, give me a second.” The president picked up the phone, punched in several numbers, and spoke quietly into the receiver. When he hung up seconds later, he said to Peter, “You’ll have your list by the time you leave here.” He paused. “Those ball invitations are given out as a thank you to some of our biggest contributors. I’d hate like hell to think one of them had something to do with Jay’s death.”
“I won’t know until I’ve checked them all out, but I’ll be sure to keep you informed.”
“Yes, please do.” The president shuffled some papers on his desk.
“Now for the reason I asked you here.”
Peter waited, watching a series of emotions pass across the president’s face.
“I got a disturbing phone call last night from an old friend. He’s the Agency’s second in command on the ground in Asia.” The president fidgeted with a paperweight before continuing. “Seems somebody with some clout in this administration gave the go-ahead to stage an internal rebellion in China.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Only trouble is, I didn’t know anything about it before my buddy filled me in.”
“You want to know who gave the order, why, and who else knows.”
“Something like that. And I can’t do it from within because I don’t know how deep this runs. Since the order was given directly to the station chief, it seems like there could be Agency involvement. If so, I didn’t want to tip them off that I was on to the plan.”
“Makes sense. I take it that’s why I’m here.”
“Afraid so, Peter. I know I can trust your discretion, and I further know that you’ll find the rat for me. I have an idea who it might be, but I don’t want to let my personal feelings get in the way.”
“I’m listening.”
“I had a ‘discussion’ yesterday with our illustrious vice president.”
The president tried, without success, to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
Peter raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Lynn Ames
“I wasn’t all that diplomatic with the idiot.” The president looked at Peter and smiled. “See, I do trust your discretion.”
“Understood. I appreciate that, sir.”
“I pretty much told him that if he wanted to shine his shoes, he’d have to run it by me first.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, I’m thinking I might have bruised his ego a bit. So maybe he thought he’d show me that he’s not to be trifled with. What do you think?”
Peter shrugged noncommittally. “It’s possible. If you want, I’ll begin with the vice president and work my way down the list.”
“Good enough. What do you need from me?”
“A copy of the vice president’s schedule for last week and this week would be helpful, for starters. And your permission to use whatever means I deem necessary to get answers.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I may have to bug his office, look at his phone records for the past month. Things like that.”
“Done. Anything else you need?”
“That’s all I can think of for now. If I come up with anything else, how would you like me to contact you?”
“Tell Kate you need to see me. That way, there won’t be any record of our meeting after today. Or you can use my private line if you think it’s safe.” He handed Peter the number.
“Very well, sir. I’ll be in touch as soon as I have anything.”
“Good luck, Peter. Obviously, time is of the essence here.”
“I know, sir. I’m on it.” On his way out the door, Vicky Winston handed him an envelope. When Peter glanced at the label, it said, “Ball
#8 guests.” Peter smiled at the executive assistant and thanked her for her efficiency before heading directly to his rented condominium. He had work to do.
Alexa stepped out onto Terri’s small porch and took a deep breath of the chilled morning air. The healer had
“Of course, give me a second.” The president picked up the phone, punched in several numbers, and spoke quietly into the receiver. When he hung up seconds later, he said to Peter, “You’ll have your list by the time you leave here.” He paused. “Those ball invitations are given out as a thank you to some of our biggest contributors. I’d hate like hell to think one of them had something to do with Jay’s death.”
“I won’t know until I’ve checked them all out, but I’ll be sure to keep you informed.”
“Yes, please do.” The president shuffled some papers on his desk.
“Now for the reason I asked you here.”
Peter waited, watching a series of emotions pass across the president’s face.
“I got a disturbing phone call last night from an old friend. He’s the Agency’s second in command on the ground in Asia.” The president fidgeted with a paperweight before continuing. “Seems somebody with some clout in this administration gave the go-ahead to stage an internal rebellion in China.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Only trouble is, I didn’t know anything about it before my buddy filled me in.”
“You want to know who gave the order, why, and who else knows.”
“Something like that. And I can’t do it from within because I don’t know how deep this runs. Since the order was given directly to the station chief, it seems like there could be Agency involvement. If so, I didn’t want to tip them off that I was on to the plan.”
“Makes sense. I take it that’s why I’m here.”
“Afraid so, Peter. I know I can trust your discretion, and I further know that you’ll find the rat for me. I have an idea who it might be, but I don’t want to let my personal feelings get in the way.”
“I’m listening.”
“I had a ‘discussion’ yesterday with our illustrious vice president.”
The president tried, without success, to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
Peter raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Lynn Ames
“I wasn’t all that diplomatic with the idiot.” The president looked at Peter and smiled. “See, I do trust your discretion.”
“Understood. I appreciate that, sir.”
“I pretty much told him that if he wanted to shine his shoes, he’d have to run it by me first.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, I’m thinking I might have bruised his ego a bit. So maybe he thought he’d show me that he’s not to be trifled with. What do you think?”
Peter shrugged noncommittally. “It’s possible. If you want, I’ll begin with the vice president and work my way down the list.”
“Good enough. What do you need from me?”
“A copy of the vice president’s schedule for last week and this week would be helpful, for starters. And your permission to use whatever means I deem necessary to get answers.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I may have to bug his office, look at his phone records for the past month. Things like that.”
“Done. Anything else you need?”
“That’s all I can think of for now. If I come up with anything else, how would you like me to contact you?”
“Tell Kate you need to see me. That way, there won’t be any record of our meeting after today. Or you can use my private line if you think it’s safe.” He handed Peter the number.
“Very well, sir. I’ll be in touch as soon as I have anything.”
“Good luck, Peter. Obviously, time is of the essence here.”
“I know, sir. I’m on it.” On his way out the door, Vicky Winston handed him an envelope. When Peter glanced at the label, it said, “Ball
#8 guests.” Peter smiled at the executive assistant and thanked her for her efficiency before heading directly to his rented condominium. He had work to do.
Alexa stepped out onto Terri’s small porch and took a deep breath of the chilled morning air. The healer had
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