“Can you drop us in East Park near the old tobacco warehouse?” Valerie asked.
“I’m happy to take you anywhere. Earpiece?” Wakefield asked.
“Yes, thank you,” Valerie said.
“Don’t be surprised by our silence. Once my team puts in earpieces, we only speak when spoken to. No idle chatter. The boys, as you saw, will speak to me directly rather than use the earpiece technology.”
There was a buzz of activity in the suite. Julia and Zachary had been revived with no apparent long-term damage, and were assisting Hodges in Tech-ops. Ryan and Franks had disappeared behind the connecting door on the far end of the room. I assumed they were wrapping things up as the entire team prepared to vacate the suite. It looked like we would all go mobile together.
“Five minutes. Let’s go.”
We followed Wakefield down the hall and into a waiting elevator. Wakefield inserted a key card and pressed the B3 button. When the doors opened, we were in the subbasement of the hotel, near the incinerator room. Valerie, Leecy and I followed Wakefield through the labyrinth, ending at the rear of one of two black SUVs parked there.
As we climbed into the SUV to wait for Wakefield’s team to arrive, Leecy asked, “Is there a way that I can do both, Mom? I mean, can I be both a CIA agent and Mossad agent?”
I was about to say no when Wakefield turned in her seat to face Leecy, saying, “I am very well-acquainted with the head of Mossad, and our agencies’ relations have thawed a bit. They were almost frozen completely after the Pollard Case, but that was almost thirty years ago. Let me see what I can do. Maybe now is the perfect time for a joint operation.”
I smiled, remembering the case she referred to, and thought if any one person could bring the two agencies back together, Leecy could.
Meanwhile, we had a puzzle to solve in Park City.
The drive to East Park didn’t take long. I was seated in the second row seat of the suburban next to Leecy, who was next to Val. Wakefield was riding in the front passenger seat, and Ryan was driving. Following us in the second SUV were the rest of the team, including Julia and Zachary.
I listened to Tammy second guess herself and wonder aloud how she didn’t see it. Valerie and Leecy sat in silence, staring out the window. I didn’t pretend to have any answers for Wakefield, though I wanted to tell her not to be so hard on herself. The truth was, however, she’d be held accountable for having a rogue agent operating under her nose, even if we were able to clean up the mess. Fair or not, that was the way the agency would see it. I knew that’s what she was worrying about. I also knew we could help her.
We stopped at the first red light in East Park.
“Where to now?”
“Straight for three lights,” Valerie instructed. “Take the first right after the third red light. Follow that dirt road till it dead ends, and we’ll get out there.”
“Okay, will do.”
“Why so far from Park City?” Wakefield asked.
“We left our Jeep a few miles from where the dirt road ends. Now that we know the APB was of limited scope, and I assume you’ll counter it with a few phone calls, there’s no reason not to drive the Jeep,” I answered.
“Done and done,” Wakefield said.
“Thanks for the lift,” Valerie said.
“Our pleasure,” Wakefield said.
“As far as Leecy’s future is concerned,” Valerie began, “let’s talk when this is over. There are things to consider. I don’t want her to rush into anything.”
Touching her ear, Wakefield said, “Anytime.”
Valerie didn’t say goodbye or wait for the SUV to drive away before she started hiking for the Jeep. I saw her check her watch. “We have nineteen hours to find the mole, figure out what they’re trying to steal, and stop it.”
“Why do we have to do anything at all?” Leecy asked. “It seems to me the product is safe. I mean, if Porter and Moore could get to what they want, they would already have it. They failed, right?”
“No,” Valerie said, “all they incurred is a setback. Guys like Porter and Moore aren’t going to let that stop them. Yeah, they failed at taking you hostage, but what about Grandpa Reuben, my bothers, or Mom? They’re all in danger. That’s why after I called Lester, I called the family and told them what was happening. I don’t care about CIA protocol, Ron,” she said, and then, remembering her earpiece, “I don’t care if Wakefield is pissed; my family needed to be warned. I told them everything. They’re all hunkering down at INESCO. David and Isaac are busy working the files, trying to connect the dots.”
“I thought the call with Lester went on a little too long,” I said. “You made more than one call. That was risky. I thought we assumed Porter and Moore had our cellphone numbers and could listen in and track our locations.”
“What does that matter now? We sat in the room with the bastard. It’s my family, Ron; my parents,” Valerie said. “I told David not to call the prepaid cellphone number unless it was an emergency, and even then, to just text me ‘911.’” She stopped and turned to face me. “I know it’s exciting to be working with Tammy again. I also know she was never happy about having me around, but never mind that. What counts is we are up against Army Rangers, Ron. It’s been almost twenty years since,” she paused, checking her anger before continuing, “since that life I lived.” She was fighting back tears, now. “I didn’t have anything to lose back then, or at least, I didn’t think I did. Now I have everything to lose, and for what? We don’t even know.”
I didn’t say a word. I was angry with Valerie for taking that shot at me in front of our daughter. But I understood. She was scared, and lashing out at me was safe. She knew I could take it.
Leecy picked up on it right away.
“Wait, what did you just say? Did you and Wakefield have a thing back in the day, Dad?”
Valerie was staring up at the treetops, collecting her thoughts before leveling me with a stare.
“Let me make myself clear to you and anyone listening. If giving these guys what they want protects my family from harm, then I’ll give it to Porter and Moore and whoever else it is that wants it, and don’t even think about trying to stop me.”
With that said, she turned and sped down the trail toward the Jeep. Leecy and I looked at each other, and then jogged to catch up to her.
The Jeep was just as we had left it. Valerie handed me the key from her Go bag as I climbed behind the wheel. It took an eight-point turn to get the Jeep turned around, but we were finally on our way. Leecy broke the long silence with a question.
“Mom, are you saying Dad cheated?”
Valerie turned sideways in her seat to face me. Placing a finger to her right ear, she turned off the earpiece. “Turn yours off, too.” We did as she asked.
“I’m sorry,” Valerie said to Leecy, “No, your dad didn’t cheat on me. I lashed out at your father because I feel helpless right now and that makes me angry. I know all about your father and his time with the CIA. We’ve been together for twenty years. We have you. Please excuse me. I’m just a bit… scared.”
“That goes for me, too, Leecy. I love your mother. I love you. I love our life together. I’ll do anything to protect my family, and that includes your mother’s parents and brothers.”
“I knew the moment Wakefield smiled at you, Dad, that there was something between you two,” Leecy said.
“Well, miss smarty pants, you’re wrong. The only thing between us is a relationship forged in the fires of covert operations. Life and death situations have a tendency to bring people close. Our relationship has always remained professional. There were times when the bounds of that professionalism were tested, especially when she saved my life, but that was a very long time ago. End of story.”
“Tell me how she saved your life.”
“Sure. In 2035.”
I smiled at my daughter in the rearview mirror, and we all enjoyed a much needed laugh.
“So, what’s the plan?” Leecy said, changing the subject.
“Valerie?”
“Well, hopefully my brothers will have a list of all the employees we’ve ever hired at INESCO as part of this state program. Assuming that’s the connection. It’s the most logical theory we have.”
“That shouldn’t take too long, right? A quick computer search and they’re done?”
“Not really. For all the innovation we do at INESCO, there are some aspects of our business that are behind the times.”
“Like what?”
“Like everything that doesn’t involve production or research and development. We have very sophisticated equipment in those areas, but bookkeeping is still done the old fashioned way. Mainly because the building where the record keeping is done is the original office space from seventy years ago, and that building wasn’t built with modern technology in mind. We looked into wiring it for computers and security systems and cameras, like the newer buildings have, but it just wasn’t possible. We have plans to move into a new building one day, but that doesn’t help us right now. All the searching your uncles and grandparents are doing is being done by hand.”
Fifteen minutes later, the INESCO company sign came into view.
“We have work to do. Power up your earpieces and focus.”
As we pulled into the parking lot, Valerie’s family came out to meet us, pulling Leecy from the Jeep and showering her with kisses and hugs. They formed a human shield around her and walked her into the building. Once we were all safely inside with the door locked, Catherine Simon, Valerie’s mom, took over.
“I knew it; I knew it,” Catherine cried.
“You knew what?” her husband, Reuben, asked.
“I knew all this business with the government, all these secrets we keep and secret things we make, would put my baby in danger.”
She was not referring to her daughter, Valerie, but Leecy, her granddaughter. I knew that because she was squeezing Leecy’s cheeks so hard the poor girl was grimacing in pain.
“Don’t be so melodramatic,” Reuben scolded. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“We’re okay, Catherine,” I interrupted. “Leecy is okay; Valerie and I are okay. But to keep everyone safe we really need to focus on searching the files.”
I knew my in-laws all too well. The situation could easily spiral out of control and into an argument about who knew what and when and don’t forget about that time thirty years ago when it was entirely your fault and you know it. Like every other time I’d seen my in-laws argue.
“Have you guys had any luck with the files?” I asked.
David, the older of the two Simon boys, said, “Yes, let me show you what we found.”
Everyone followed David through the small office and in and out of its series of doors to the file room, which was full of dusty, old four-drawer filing cabinets that lined the walls. In some instances, filing cabinets were stacked on top of filing cabinets. David led us to the table in the center of the room and the mound of paper there.
“It’s here somewhere. I was just writing down the last name when we heard you arriving. Where is it? Ahh, here it is,” he said, handing a list to Val. “We found the file on Daniel Pickett and used it to reference the state agency called Georgia’s Second Chance Program. Two names came up.”
“So you were right, Leecy. But who hired Pickett and why?”
“I did,” Val’s father said. “But he wasn’t the first one from the program. You weren’t here, young lady. We were struggling to implement your plan for our future. We needed more help, but couldn’t afford to hire any new employees. I heard about this program at one of my Chamber of Commerce meetings. I called them up, and they recommended Roderick Anderson.”
“Rod Anderson came from the Second Chance Program?”
“Yes, and he’s been a great employee.”
“Yes, Dad, I know. He’s also head of our R&D department,” Valerie said.
“Of course,” Reuben said. “And when we needed an entry level fork-lift driver, he recommended another guy from the program named Daniel Pickett.”
“Roderick Anderson…. Wow….” Val said, and then glanced at me. “We go to Rod’s house and find out what we need to know; then we’ll be back here to get it, whatever it is.”
“Good idea. Sounds like I may have trusted the wrong guy and now we’re in danger,” Reuben said as he stepped aside to let us out.
I walked past him, saying, “Don’t worry. I’d rather die than allow any harm to come to our girls.”
Reuben nodded. “Don’t let it come to that, my son.”
I smiled at the tough old man and left the room. Leecy was kissed and hugged by them all, and they locked the doors as we left. Valerie asked her brothers to call Lester and have him come and stay with them, but I knew they wouldn’t do that.
“Let’s go,” Valerie said as the doors to INESCO closed behind us. “Anderson lives in Marion, Georgia. I know where his house is; he hosted the holiday party two years ago.”
“I remember that. What? About twenty miles away?”
“That’s right,” Valerie answered. “Leecy, when we get to Rod’s house, you stay in the car.”
“No. If I’m going to be a spy, you can’t protect me from the bad stuff. I need to see what you do and how you do it. I assume this guy isn’t just going to tell you what he and the others are after. You and Dad are going to make him, aren’t you?”
“We’ll give him a chance to talk first.”
“Okay. I can handle it.”
I didn’t offer any opposing view, because she was right. If being a spy was to be her career choice, she needed to see the unsavory side of the job. Wakefield’s voice in my ear startled me.
“We’re en route to Marion, but can’t access the address for Rod Anderson. Please advise.”
“Advising it’s better to keep your distance. Those black SUVs will draw a lot of unwanted attention. Wait for us at INESCO instead,” Valerie answered.
“Already have two men on scene at INESCO. Your family is well-guarded. We’ll hold on the outskirts of Marion. Is that position advisable to offer support?”
“Yes, stay on State Road 27 at mile marker three. You’ll be less than five minutes out if we need help. The address is 1719 Pine Knoll Lane.”
“We have it here on the GPS. Good to go.”
I was passing mile marker three at that very moment and wondered where Wakefield might be. A few minutes later I saw Pine Knoll Lane ahead on my right, and slowed to make the turn.