Daredevil Riders

34

He zipped up his jacket against the cool morning air and walked over to her. She was dressed in jeans, a heavy black sweater and boots, looking very unlike a proper MI6 agent. Her hair was tied back revealing a small mole near her temple. She slipped off the car hood, reached through the driver’s window for a second cup of coffee in the holder and handed it to him.

“Figured you for an early riser,” she explained as he drank down some of the java.

“Thanks,” he said curtly.

“Interesting night?” she asked.

“Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering.”

“Wondering enough to watch my place last night?”

“Could be. Late-night visitor?”

“Are you asking or confirming?”

“Just asking.”

“Riley Weaver. NIC. Wanted a chat. Had some interesting theories.”

“Can I hear them?”

“Let’s head on to the park.”

Anthony put the wheels in gear and they drove off. On the way down to M Street Herbert explained to her what Weaver had to say.

“Pretty good stuff, actually,” she said. “Weaver seems to be on top of this.”

“If he can narrow down who the target was it’ll be even better.”

“Shouldn’t be too difficult. How many events are there at Lafayette Park?”

“More than you might imagine. And it’s not just government folks like the president. Private groups can apply to be there. For a special event or to protest. It can be quite a lengthy list.”

“Still, we should be able to narrow it down. And at least the threat has been removed.”

“No it hasn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because we don’t really know what the threat is yet. We have to assume they’ll try again. Getting the bomb in the park took a lot of work. The target has to justify that level of effort. They won’t leave it like this.”

They arrived near the area, and after passing through various security checkpoints, they walked onto the grass of Lafayette Park. Herbert looked around. It was still early and there were few folks about, all of them authorized, of course. The park and vicinity were still shu

t down to the public.

Herbert sat on a bench and finished his coffee while Anthony hovered in front of him. “Is it true you used to sort of live in the park?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

“Okay, this is going nowhere.”

“I was protesting. You’re allowed to do that in this country.”

“What were you protesting about?”

“Everything, pretty much.”

“What, taxes and stuff?”

“No, I never made enough money to pay taxes.”

“So what, then?”

Herbert stared over at the White House. “Just things that I thought weren’t right.”

“Are they right now?”

“I doubt it.”

“But you stopped protesting?”

“Just because I’m no longer at the park full-time doesn’t mean I’m not still protesting.”

“Do you trust Weaver? From what you said, the man was pouring his heart out to you. Seemed legitimately concerned.”

“He was legitimately concerned. That somebody was going to perpetrate another 9/11 on his watch. I’m sure he will do all he can to stop that from happening. And I’m sure he will try and capture all the credit for doing so while leaving the rest of us in the dark if he can.”

“No honor among thieves or spies?”

“I see that as a case of splitting hairs, actually.”

Anthony threw her empty coffee cup away in a trash can and sat down next to him. “So we’re waiting on the FBI’s follow-up on the trail of the tree and who had the opportunity to put a bomb inside it. And Weaver is going to find out who might’ve been the real target at the park. Doesn’t leave a lot for us to do.”

“Why inside a basketball?” asked Herbert suddenly.

“What?”

“If the bomb is inside the root ball why bother to put it in a basketball? It would take up more room and any hump through the burlap might’ve raised suspicions. So why not just wedge the bomb in the root ball.”

“I actually think I have the answer to that. Moisture.”

He looked at her. “Go on.”

“That tree is obviously going to be planted in the dirt. And watered. Probably soaked since it’s a new planting and they want to get it established. Unless it’s a completely encased mechanism meant for underwater use, presumably military in nature, explosive devices do not much like water. In fact, a little bit of liquid seeping in can foul a switch in no time, or even render the explosive element useless. You put it in a basketball, it’s sealed watertight. Or at least watertight enough.”

“Okay. But would a basketball be the first thing that occurs to you as far as a watertight compartment?”

“I don’t play the game, so no, it wouldn’t for me.” She sat up straighter. “But you’re thinking the choice of the basketball might be a clue as to the bomber’s identity?”

“It’s certainly a possibility. And since clues have been particularly hard to come by with this case, we can’t afford to ignore any possible ones.”

“Then you’ve bought into Weaver’s theory that the guns and the bomb were done by two separate organizations? Guns possibly by the Yemeni group and bomb by person or persons unknown?”

“I won’t go so far as to say I agree with it, but it’s intriguing enough to check out.”

“So why did they fire all those bullets and not hit a damn thing?”

“I wish I could tell you the answer to that. In my mind it’s critical.”

“This basketball thing is not so popular in my part of the world.”

“True. Though I can’t imagine a bunch of millionaire NBA players have banded together to blow someone up at Lafayette Park.”

“But the bombers might have some other connection to the game.”

Herbert pulled out his phone and made a call. “Agent Birdman, Herbert here. I’m down at the park and I have some information for you and a question.” He told Birdman about his meeting with Weaver and the NIC chief’s theory of the case. Then he told Birdman about his basketball idea.