Chapter 6
482 Words
Chapter 6Old Buddies
“Andy Ross, well I'll be,” the distinctive New York accent of U.S. Immigration Officer Ethan Tiffen bellowed into the phone when his secretary informed him who was waiting on the line to speak with him. “How are you, old buddy?”
“I'm good, Ethan, thanks. How about you and the lovely Sophie?
“We're fine, Andy, just fine. But, I'm guessing this isn't a social call?”
“You guess correctly, Ethan. I'm looking for information about one of your compatriots, and fellow embassy employees.”
“Really? Can I ask why?”
“We've got a suspicious death on our hands, a young man found dead in his bed, and his father is one of your cultural attachés.”
“Got a name?”
“Decker.”
“As in Jerome Decker III?”
“You know him?”
“Let's say I know of him, Andy. You say his son is dead?”
“Murdered, Ethan. Suffocated with a pillow.”
“Jesus H. Christ. That's bad, real bad, Andy. I take it Decker is in Liverpool?”
“He is, and says he won't be leaving until we find Aaron's killer. I need to know if there's anything I should know about him. Seems he had the power to demand an immediate autopsy to find out what killed his son and there's some heavy pressure coming down from above for us to effect a fast resolution of the case.”
Tiffen fell silent for a few seconds, and Ross could almost sense his friend being locked in thought. Ross broke the silence.
“Ethan?”
“U huh, yeah, sorry, Andy, just thinking there for a minute.”
“Thinking what, Ethan? Come on my friend, I know you want to tell me something. I promise if it's of a sensitive nature, I'll keep it jut between the two of us. Just what is it about this cultural attaché of yours?”
“Look Andy, I could get canned for this, so listen up. I ain't gonna repeat it okay?”
“I'm listening, Ethan. What's going on, my friend? Just who is Decker?”
“Andy, you're not familiar with the way diplomatic missions and embassies are set up are you?”
“Never had much need of that kind of information, Ethan, but I'm guessing you're about to educate me?”
“Just a little my friend. You're obviously not aware that in diplomatic circles, a 'cultural attaché' is kind of a catch-all description for a number of different disciplines.”
Ross interrupted, his initial vague suspicions already vindicated.
“He's a spook, isn't he Ethan? Some kind of spy.”
“Not a spy, Andy. That would be going too far. Let's just say Jerome Decker is on the side of the angels, and looks after certain matters of our country's international security.”
“C.I.A.” said Ross, not a question this time, but a statement of conclusion.
“You didn't hear it from me. I never said it, Andy, you did.”
“How high up is he?”
“Deputy Head of London Station, that high up, Andy.”
“Right, that explains the pressure from above. Thanks Ethan.”
“We never had this conversation, Andy, right?”
“What conversation?”
“Thanks, friend.”
“Thanks to you, Ethan. Better go, got lots to do.”
“Me too. Say hello to Maria okay?”
“Okay.”
The line went dead.
- Writer
