Chapter 10
1390 Words
KOPPLER"S BOXES held full address books, most in code. They also discovered a list of names under the heading Caballeros, with numbers and letters. At dinner, Jane moved the food around her plate and stared at the far wall. She was sure she"d heard the name Caballeros before.
KOPPLER"S BOXESCaballerosCaballeros* * *
THE PRESIDENT SAT with a stack of yellow pads and the to-do list Lily Evans had left on his desk. He spread them out and read the headings. He reached into a desk drawer and took out Colonel Mitchell"s and the Israelis" reports about the rescue mission. Jane had said she had a feeling. She wanted to follow the money, but he was reluctant to start a search through bank accounts without something more to go on. Then again, he knew that if he had listened to her feeling in October, Geneva wouldn"t have happened. So he read everything again and scribbled in the margins. Sucking the top of his pen, he recalled a voice. “Where was I?” he asked himself. The scene returned. The elevator in Switzerland. He picked up his phone.
The elevator in Switzerland* * *
“G"MORNING, MARY,” Linda said, taking a mug from the shelf. “You"re up early.” Mary McElroy stood at the counter with a full mixing bowl and an eggbeater. It was barely seven. TJ was in his swing. A frying pan sat on the stove.
“I"m usually up at five, so this is like sleeping in. Pancakes okay?”
“Great. Not sure if you"ll have a lot of customers though.”
“The batter will keep, but I think it"ll be busy. Jane called. She"s already talked to the president. She and Ashley will be here soon. Something"s up.”
“Should I get Fritz started?”
“I"m already started,” he said, yawning in the kitchen doorway. “What"s the early bird special?”
“Mary"s making pancakes, and Jane and Ash are on the way.”
“Did something happen?” he asked, pouring a cup of coffee.
“We don"t know what yet. Jane"s already spoken to the president.”
JANE AND ASHLEY arrived with more food. “What"s up? Why so early?” asked Fritz, before Ashley put the bag down.
“I figured you were a poor, lonely, forgotten soul, so we"ve come to lighten your burden.”
“Putting up with you is my living purgatory.”
Jane said, “We need to talk, but coffee first. Hi, Mary.”
“Mary"s making pancakes,” Linda said, “or do you want a bagel?”
“Sure, bagel, toasted,” Ashley answered, “with butter and cream cheese. And some cold grapefruit juice. No, better, half a grapefruit.”
Linda shook her head. “No problem. But put your coat back on. The grapefruit is next to your section at the store. You know, the nuts.”
“Don"t get him started. He"s already in rare form,” said Jane. “Turning to the serious, the president called. The head of NDC was found dead. By himself. That big boat of his. Just floating.”
“His name was Jonathan Hartmann,” said Mary. With all eyes on her, she held up her phone. “Text message. Caitlin Morgan worked for him.”
“The woman in Los Angeles.” said Linda.
“So there is a connection,” Fritz said.
“Only NDC, so far,” Jane answered. “Somewhere we"re going to find a money trail. Fake Eledorians, I"ll bet fake Koreans, explosives, and weapons purchased, travel for a bunch of men, or hiring a lot of mercenaries in different locations.” Jane scanned their faces. “This is all tied together. I"d bet on it.”
“But who? Why?” asked Linda.
“Right now,” Jane shrugged, “the name is a blank.”
The toaster popped as Tony and Mel opened the back door. Linda asked where James was. Mel told her he would be along shortly. He had to go shopping. “It"s Lucy"s birthday, and he hasn"t been home.”
Jane asked, “Mel, how hard would it be to find the file about the Caballeros?”
“No trouble. I know exactly where it is. But it"s in Washington.”
“Fritz, Tony, could you set it up? I think it ties in.”
Ashley asked, “What do you remember about the Caballeros, Jane?”
“Someone said to watch out for them. Maybe the president will remember something.”
* * *
“MR. PRESIDENT, have you ever heard the name Caballeros?”
“Rings a bell. Hang on, Jane.” He called Lily Evans and asked her to step into his office. Although it was cold, he led her outside. “Lily, do you have a file on Caballeros? I don"t know why, but the word makes me queasy. I don"t want it even mentioned inside.”
“I understand, Mr. President. I"ll check.”
“Jane, Lily is checking her file. I can"t pinpoint anything in my memory. Let me think about it.”
* * *
Once James arrived, Jane, Mel, Fritz, Ashley, and Tony headed to the school. Over the previous couple of weeks the portal had turned the Oval Office into a transit station.
“Good morning, Mr. President,” said Jane. “Mel is picking up a file.”
“Hi, everyone.” He stood, but Jane told him they would be leaving right away. “Jane, until we remember, don"t mention that name in here, okay.” The President held a finger to his ear and gestured around the room.
“Got it,” she said. The office door opened, and Lily Evans and Mel came in.
“Good morning, Jane, everyone,” she said, smiling. “Mr. President, this was all I could find.” She handed him a single sheet of paper. He read it and held it out to Jane, who glanced and then looked up at him. It said, “Bill Clinton.”
“Can you call him, Mr. President, and let me know what he says?” He nodded, and waved to Fritz, who was holding the door open. At the door, Jane asked, “Sir, do you know if General Beech is in his office this morning?”
“He is. I spoke to him about an hour ago.”
“Good. Talk to you later,” she said.
* * *
“LINDA, CAN I spread this out on the dining room table?” asked Jane, holding up the file folder.
“Of course. Do you want help?” Jane nodded.
Slowly, a full file box was emptied on the table and turned into fourteen separate piles. Linda scanned each piece. Jane began turning pages, her soundless lips moving. The note reading “Caballeros” sat in front of her.
The others watched TV, scanning the news for any updates or interviews. The main story was the tragic yet suspicious death of NDC founder, Jonathan Hartmann. CWN host Alan Carter was interviewing former colleagues, who expressed surprise and sadness that “such a brilliant mind had been lost.” A senior employee, Penelope Wise, said it was terrible to lose them. Carter sat up, his brow wrinkled and asked her who she meant. “Why Caitlin and Jonathan, of course.” Jane was in the doorway before another word was said, her phone in her hand.
“Mr. President, we need to get to Penelope Wise from NDC. She"s on CWN with Alan Carter. Right now. Can we get someone to New York City?”
“Fastest way is the portal. I"ll call CWN.” He hung up.
* * *
THE PLANES were flying before they reached the school. Jane asked the president where she should go. He said CWN had a meeting room set up. “Just tell them who you are at the reception desk. They know you"re coming.”
“Jane, we should close the portal when you go in. When you"re ready to come back, I"ll open it again. Otherwise, someone in New York might see it or just walk through. They don"t pay attention to where they"re going.”
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