“He just wants to talk,” said the woman, desperation creeping into her voice.
“I’d be glad to entertain him.”
“Okay, where?” the man asked.
“The outdoor parking lot down by the river. One hour.”
“Sir, the director—” began the woman as she nervously looked over her shoulder at the approaching people.
Stone cut in, “The director will be very pleased to meet me there at that time. Now keep walking so I can put my gun away.”
“This is highly irregular,” snapped the woman.
“Yes, it is.”
“We’re federal agents too,” added the man. “On the same side as you.”
“I’ll buy the first part, but not the second. Go!”
They walked off. Stone slipped the gun back in its holster and set out for the river. He wanted to get there first. He had things to get ready. He picked up his pace even as a knot grew in his stomach. It was one thing to risk life and limb trying to solve a complex case. It was quite another to have to do so while watching your rear flank. But apparently that was just
how things were now.
And why am I surprised?
CHAPTER 59
THE THREE VEHICLES PULLED UP to the empty parking lot and stopped. It was one o’clock in the morning, and being a weekday, working Washingtonians had long since finished their collective entertainment for the evening and gone home to sleep. The security team piled out first, checking out obvious attack points and sending personnel scurrying into these hidden crevices before signaling that it was safe for Riley Weaver to exit his ride. He was dressed in a suit and striped tie, looking more ready to step in front of a camera and play the pundit’s role or host a global conference on terrorism than skirmish with an ex-assassin in an empty parking lot at the edge of the Potomac. The bulge at his chest indicated the body armor he wore. He looked around a bit uncertainly before taking a few steps toward the water’s edge.
“Stone?” he called out.
A phone rang. Everyone grabbed cells.
“Sir,” said one of the guards as he picked up the ringing phone from the top of a pier piling, right where Stone had placed it earlier. He handed it to Weaver.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Director,” said Stone. “What can I do for you?”
His voice was on speakerphone. When Weaver tried to disable it, he couldn’t.
“What the hell are you doing?” he exclaimed. “It won’t let me off the speakerphone.”
“I want everyone to hear this. So again, what can I do for you?”
“You can start by showing yourself.” Weaver looked nervously around at the darkness.
“And why is that necessary? I thought you wanted to talk. All we need are voices to do that.”
“I wanted to meet at NIC,” snapped Weaver.
“And I picked this place instead.”
“Why?”
“Frankly, your place gives me the creeps. Never quite sure if I’m going to walk out or not.”
“What is wrong with you? You are a federal employee.”
“Of an agency unaffiliated with yours.”
“What are you afraid of?”
“You brought the SWAT team with you. Again! And you’re wearing Kevlar. What are you afraid of?”
Weaver performed a 360-degree spin, trying to see where Stone might be lurking.
“I’ve got long-range eyes, Director, so don’t even bother.”
“I don’t like it that you can see me but I can’t see you.”
“I like it just fine. And as your messengers said, we’re all on the same team.”
“Which begs the question of why we have to meet in such a damn fool way,” barked Weaver into the phone.
“Depends on what you want.”
“Did you speak to Agent Chapman tonight?”
“You know I did. Or else you wouldn’t be here.”
“What did she tell you?”
“She told me lots of things. You’ll have to be more specific.”
“About our arrangement.”
“Jesus, Stone, what are you, a freaking mind reader?”
“No. The folks at State have always been lax about security. Thirty years ago half my missions were because they’d screwed up somehow. And I can see they haven’t changed.”
“Any thoughts on who the inside person might be?”
“Not yet. I need to keep digging. But, Weaver, if I have to spend all my time looking over my shoulder for your boys, that will be very distracting.”
“I can see why your superiors had such a hell of a time with you in the army. You don’t play well with others.”