Agent X - Boyd Noah (серии книг читать бесплатно .TXT) 📗

“Not with access to classified documents about cutting-edge technology,” Vail added.

“The Pentagon,” Bursaw said.

“That’s where I’d start.”

“But why did they make it so hard to recognize the clue?” Kate asked.

“They were all hard to recognize. Remember how long the code on the edge of the DVD took, how we thought it was a dead end. This one was just a little too hard, a little too easy to step over. We were looking for codes. This one was audio. They probably figured better too hard than too easy. Too easy might have tipped us off. And if we did miss one, the next clue was provided. Which is what happened.”

“Okay,” Bursaw said, “what do we do now? There’s got to be twenty thousand people working at the Pentagon. It’s not like we can just walk in and start demanding answers.”

“You’re right, Luke, but there is someone who can,” Kate said.

“Who?” the two men asked at the same time.

“Tim Mallon.”

“The Reston PD chief?” Vail asked.

“I told you he worked nothing but applicant and security clearance cases for twenty-five years. He knows more people at the Pentagon than anyone in the Bureau. And I believe he owes you a favor or two.”

“Can you call him?”

Kate picked up the phone and dialed information.

While she was talking to Mallon, Vail said to Bursaw, “Have you had a chance to do any checking on the last two of Sundra’s files?”

“Actually, I’ve been going over her phone records again. Seeing if they matched anything we’ve run into yet.” Bursaw glanced over at Kate, who was still on the phone. “Not to change the subject, but I don’t suppose there’s any chance of you accepting the director’s offer.”

“Why?”

“Purely selfish reasons. Maybe it’s the philosopher in me, but I too like chaos.”

“I’m afraid it would create more problems than it would solve.”

“The worst thing that could happen is you’d get fired or quit. That’s hardly virgin territory for you.”

“Walking away doesn’t end all problems.”

“Is it Kate?”

“She is certainly part of the geometry.”

“Maybe if you were around here permanently, your problems would solve themselves.”

Vail laughed. “A man so understanding of the complexities of the fairer sex, how come you never got married?”

“Steve, you’ve just asked a question that contains its own answer.”

Kate finished her call. “Your luck’s holding, bricklayer. Tim’s downtown at a lunch meeting. He’s going to stop by in a half hour.”

“I’ll get cleaned up.”

When Vail reappeared freshly shaved and showered, Kate was introducing Tim Mallon to Bursaw. The two men shook hands, and then Mallon made his way over to Vail, offering his hand. “Steve, how are you?”

“I’m good. I haven’t been shot since New Year’s. How are those two boys?”

“The Walton boy is fine. Hardly broke stride. And Eddie Stanton is getting along with his parents. He’s seeing a therapist, too. They’re very optimistic.”

“I’m glad. Has Kate briefed you about what we need?”

“Just what she told me on the phone. That you needed to make a few, very discreet contacts at the Pentagon, specifically with the air force.”

“Tim, I’m going to tell you only the minimum you need to know. Not because you’re no longer with the Bureau, but because we’re not telling anyone else in the FBI about this, not even the director. I hope you won’t feel slighted.”

“I’m a little embarrassed to say I’m still eating free lunches off what you did. I don’t think it’s possible for me to feel anything but gratitude.”

Vail told him that they were working a counterintelligence matter and then played the Preston tape for him. “We believe that this man is a member of the air force working at the Pentagon. We need to identify him without him getting wind of it. We’re hoping you’ll be able to narrow it down by the information he mentioned on the tape. That technology has to be singular in nature. Of course, the fewer people at the Pentagon that you have to tell, the better.”

“Will I be able to play them the tape?”

“Yes, but again, the more people who hear it, the harder it’ll be to keep this under wraps.”

“Steve, I’ll do whatever you and Kate want, but I don’t know if I have a feel for all these nuances—who to tell, who to let listen. I can get to the right people, but who’s told what is a tough call.”

“I guess you’re right. Will it be a problem if Kate goes with you?”

“More of an asset, if you know what I mean.”

“Kate, do you see any problem going with him?”

“You don’t want to go?”

“People might not notice two FBI agents, but three could start speculation. Besides, I’ve got some things I have to get done with Luke.”

She took the digital recorder and put it in her purse. “I guess Tim and I can handle it. But before I go, I wanted to show you something in the kitchen.”

Vail followed her from the room, and when they were out of sight, she pushed him back against the refrigerator, pinning him with her body. “Allowing little Kate to run a lap all by herself. You’d better be careful, someone might think you’re letting your guard down.”

He put his arms around her and said, “We’ve been too busy to get you drunk, so I had to try something.”

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Well, Silky, it just might be working.” She pushed off him and headed toward the living room.

He called after her. “Said the good-looking blonde as she headed for the safety of witnesses.”

29

It was dark when Kate got back from the Pentagon. Bursaw had taken off to WFO to put in an “end of the day” appearance for his supervisor. Vail could hear Kate’s footsteps coming up the marble staircase. She rushed into the room. “I think we found him,” she called out as soon as she saw him.

“Where’s Tim?”

“He said he had a meeting with the town council that he couldn’t miss. Actually, I think he was trying to impress you with his modesty by not bringing the news himself.”

Vail looked at her patiently, tipping his head to one side, telling her not to draw it out herself.

“Okay, okay,” she said, “the air force guy. I’m getting to that. Who knew that working applicants for decades would have an upside? Tim seemed to know everybody. The first stop was this air force colonel. He was in charge of personnel there. Tim explained about the sensitivity of the inquiry, and this guy was great. He explained that whatever he gave us would have to go through his commanding officer, who is an air force general. So I made the decision—let’s go see him right now. He told the colonel to let us have carte blanche. The only thing he wanted was to be given the heads-up should we have to arrest one of his people. I told him I’d personally call him. The colonel found the infrared facial-recognition drone project almost immediately. We played the tape for him, and he didn’t recognize the voice. He determined there were eight individuals assigned to it who could have had access to the actual plans. One is a woman, so she’s out. Of the remaining seven, four are still there. The others either have finished their hitch or were transferred. Now it gets interesting. One of them disappeared over a year ago. They’re still carrying him as AWOL, an E-5 staff sergeant named Richard David Gallagher. I got a copy of his service record. The colonel also gave me copies of the other six.”

She handed Gallagher’s file to Vail, and he flipped through its pages until he found what he was looking for. “Did you read this?”

“I haven’t had a chance.”

He handed it back to her. “Let me see the rest of them while you take a look.”

She read a few pages and closed the file. Vail looked at her, and she said, “He was born and raised in Texas. Whatever accent Preston has, it’s not Texan. I thought with him taking off, I was onto something, because we don’t know how old that recording is.”