CJ sat in the back of the SUV, relying on Roger Arnold to get her through the heavy morning DC traffic. Thankfully, they’d left far earlier than most and missed a significant portion of rush hour until they neared the heart of the political scene. By the time they’d arrived at the agreed upon drop-off point, the traffic had slowed to a crawl. In some places, it was more stop-and-go than a crawl.
Mustang stood at a bus stop not far from where CJ got out of the car. He wore an Atlanta Braves baseball cap and a light gray sweatshirt. CJ walked past him headed toward the White House. In her peripheral vision, she saw Mustang fall in behind her. Moving with purpose, she didn’t take long to reach the West Wing of the White House.
As predicted, the security was still tight following the attack and subsequent kidnapping of the vice president and one of the mid-level staffers. CJ still felt responsible for getting Anne Bellamy involved in that mess. But when she’d learned that John Halverson had asked Anne to spy on people in the White House, looking for anyone who might have connections to Trinity, CJ had reached out to her. She had seen mentions of a potential attack on the White House and had felt obligated to warn someone on the inside to be aware and safe.
What she hadn’t expected was for Anne to be kidnapped along with the VP and used as leverage to lure CJ out of her hiding as a trade for the lives of Anne and the vice president.
She’d offered to make that trade to free two innocent people. But Declan’s Defenders had had other plans. With her help, they’d brought down the Trinity sleeper agents, freed Anne and the VP and saved the day without bringing CJ out in the open.
She owed them a lot for their sacrifices and the risks they’d taken to rescue the hostages. They had been right in assuming a trade would accomplish little. Trinity wasn’t known to leave anyone alive to identify their agents in a lineup. Had they made the trade, CJ, Anne and the VP would have died.
Using the information Anne had provided about entry and location of offices, CJ stepped through the doors, scanned her card and proceeded through the metal detectors. The card worked, the metal detectors didn’t find anything amiss, and she was on her way into the West Wing.
One hurdle crossed, on to the next. She found the office of the Homeland Security Advisor, Chris Carpenter, pasted a smile on her face and entered.
Having seen several pictures of the man, CJ recognized Carpenter at once. He stood in the middle of the front office, waving a stack of papers at some poor woman.
“How am I supposed to get anything done without help?” he asked.
“I’m only on loan until they bring in a temp to replace Dr. Saunders,” the woman said. “I have work to do in my other office, as well. I can’t do everything.”
CJ cleared her throat to gain their attention. “Are you Mr. Carpenter?” she asked, knowing the answer before he gave it.
“Yeah. Who are you?”
“HR sent me as a temporary replacement for Dr. Saunders.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” the other woman said and rushed for the door.
CJ held out her hand to the man standing in the middle of the room. “Charlotte Jones. You must be Chris Carpenter, my new boss for the time being.”
He gripped her hand absently and gave it a brief shake. “Can you type? Ever done any fact checking?”
CJ nodded. “Both.”
“Are you even set up on the computer network?” Carpenter shook his head. “I don’t know why they send me replacements when we have to spend the next two weeks getting them up and running on the server. By that time, Dr. Saunders will be back from sick leave.”
“Let me see what I can do before we get tech services involved,” CJ said. “Where will I be sitting?”
“You’ll have to sit at Dr. Saunders’s desk. And, speaking of tech services, they’ll be in today to rearrange the connections in my office. And about damned time. I’ll be out most of the morning and early afternoon to meetings. You’ll have to familiarize yourself with the office on your own.” He stared down at the papers in his hands. “These will have to suffice until I can make the changes.” With one last glance, he headed for the door. “I’ll be back before the end of the day.”
After Carpenter left the office, CJ sat at the desk he’d indicated and tapped the mouse. The screen came to life. She stuck her access card into the reader on the computer base unit and entered the password Jonah had set up for her. Like magic, the computer came to life and let her into the server used by the staff of the West Wing. Once there, she sifted through various files searching for ones created by Chris Carpenter.
None of the files on Dr. Saunders’s computer provided any information, clues on the attack, a connection to Tully or the Trinity sleeper agent, posing as a Secret Service agent who’d set off the explosion. But then, CJ hadn’t expected to find anything obvious. She needed to get onto Carpenter’s computer to see if there were any files or emails stored there that could lead them to the man in charge of Trinity.
Until Cole arrived, she didn’t dare walk into Carpenter’s office or log on to his desktop computer. Having a representative from technical services gave her a good excuse to be in the Homeland Security Advisor’s office. Or better yet, she would be the first line of defense should people want to go into Carpenter’s office. She could waylay them with the news Chris was in meetings all day. At the same time, she could warn Cole someone was outside the door.
He only had to have enough private time to download the contents of the computer onto a portable hard drive. Then he’d make the adjustments to the office as requested, to the best of his ability, and get the heck out before anyone discovered he wasn’t really part of the tech services team.
CJ spent the first half hour using the bug sweep device Jonah had given her to check the entire outer office for any signs of hidden cameras or microphones. When she was certain there weren’t any, she carried a document into Carpenter’s office, leaving the door open in case someone walked in. She had the excuse of leaving the document on his desk as the reason for being caught in his office.
The bug scanner came up empty. With both offices clear, she felt more confident Cole would be able to do what he had to do without being observed.
With nothing else to do to pass time, CJ studied the data pertaining to the Department of Homeland Security. She received emails from Carpenter giving her a list of tasks to accomplish by the time he returned to the office that afternoon.
CJ wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do with some of the items on the list, but she gave it her best shot. Thankfully, Trinity had insisted all of the children placed in their hands be educated in math, the sciences, English and foreign languages. What she didn’t know, she searched on the internet for information.
By the time Cole appeared, she was ready to get on with the work they’d come to do. And seeing him again brought back memories of their night together. Her body warmed.
“I’ve checked the offices for bugs,” she said in a low voice. Though she’d checked, she still didn’t fully trust that the device she’d used was fail proof. In a louder voice, she asked, “Are you the technical services representative here to move Mr. Carpenter’s office around?”
“I am.” Cole waved the work order in his hand. “Point me in the right direction and I’ll get to it.”
She led him to Carpenter’s office, opened the door and let him in. “I take it you know what has to be done?”
He nodded. “I’ve got a work order with detailed instructions.”
“Let me know if you need anything from me,” CJ said. “I’ll be out here, manning my desk.” She left the door open only a crack. Enough that Cole could hear her, but not enough that anyone could see him sitting at Carpenter’s desk, downloading data onto a portable hard drive.
CJ sat at her desk, facing the door to the hallway, her nerves on edge, fully expecting guards to come storming in looking for her with her fake clearance and identifying her as the person tapping into a computer hard drive. They’d haul her and Cole off and send them somewhere to be interrogated. Maybe even Guantanamo Bay to perform a little waterboarding on them to get what little information they could out of them.
Though she didn’t care much what happened to her, she didn’t want to see Cole thrown in jail for trying to help her find the Director of Trinity and put a stop to its form of terrorism.
A few minutes crawled by. CJ tapped her fingernails on the desktop, wondering how long it would take to make a complete backup of a desktop computer’s hard drive.
She had just risen to go check on Cole’s progress when a dark-haired young woman with a smooth, white complexion and coal-colored eyes entered the doorway to the hall and smiled. “I heard we had a replacement for Millicent.” She entered, holding out her hand. “I’m Katie Wang, I work with the director for Europe and Russia.”
CJ shook the woman’s hand, trying to think of some way to get her out of there as soon as possible. “I’m Charlotte Jones. I’m just temporary staffing, filling in for Dr. Saunders. Is there something I could help you with?”
“I just wanted to let you know that I was working with Millicent on a project involving some connections in Russia. Mr. Carpenter knows about it. If he asks you to pick up the ball and run with it, you can call me. I can fill you in.”
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to do that. You’re in the directory?” CJ asked.
“I am. Anything you might need, feel free to call.” Katie headed for the door. “We were all sorry to hear about what happened to Millicent. I visited her in the hospital. She’s home now recovering.”
“I’m glad to know that. I’m sure she will be missed while she’s out.”
“At least HR got it right on sending a replacement.” Katie wiggled her fingers. “See ya around. And good luck.”
As soon as Katie Wang left the office, CJ pushed through the door into Carpenter’s office. “How’s it going? Need help moving furniture?”
“Not yet. I need another five minutes to complete this download.” Cole nodded at the computer and the flash drive sticking out of the front.
“Carpenter is supposed to be out of his office all morning,” CJ said. “I don’t expect him back anytime soon.”
“Convenient. Maybe you can help me. The work order shows he wants the credenza moved to the west wall.”
“Let me check out front and then I’ll be back.” CJ dashed out into the front office. Since it was empty, she turned back to the Homeland Security Advisor’s office. She was just about to push through the door again when she heard voices in the hallway. One in particular was very familiar and had her heart racing.
She ducked her head into the inner office. “Got a problem. I hear Carpenter heading this direction.”
“I can’t stop the download now, or I’ll have to start all over again.” Cole glanced at the monitor and shook his head. “I need another three minutes.”
“I’ll do the best I can,” CJ said and ran to her desk in time to take her seat.
Chris Carpenter entered the area with another man CJ didn’t recognize at his side. “I have that file on my desk. I’ll only be a second.”
CJ stood and blocked Carpenter’s path. “Oh, good. I’m glad you came back. I’m stuck and need a little guidance on one of the items on your list.”
The Advisor tried to step around her. “I don’t have time to help. Ask someone in one of the other offices to assist. I need to grab a file and go.”
“Sir, the technical services guy just got here.” CJ went to Carpenter’s office door and stopped, her fingers curling around the handle. “Did you want to give him any directions on how you want your office arranged? He’s ready to begin but had some questions.”
“It’s about time tech services got here. I put that work order in over a month ago. Yes, I’ll speak with him.” He turned to the man waiting in the doorway to the hall and held up a finger. “Give me two minutes.”
The man nodded.
CJ prayed Cole had managed to cover the flash drive as she pushed the door open. “Mr. Carpenter is here. You can ask him what you wanted to know now.”
Cole stood by the blank wall, away from the computer and monitor. “Is this the wall you wanted the credenza on?”
Carpenter nodded. “It is.”
“Did you want it centered or offset to the right or left?”
CJ walked around the desk and stared at the wall with her head tilted to one side. “Centered would look good,” she said. She shot a glance at the computer monitor. Cole had turned it off. Though the computer hummed as the files and data downloaded to the flash drive, having the monitor off made it appear as if the computer was powered down or in hibernation mode.
“Yes, centered,” Carpenter was saying. “And I want my desk positioned in front of it with a gap between them similar to the one I have now. I need room to get in and out of my chair.”
“Got it,” Cole said.
The computer humming stopped and the light on the flash drive blinked off. The download had completed, CJ noted, just as Carpenter turned toward the desk.
“One other thing, Mr. Carpenter,” Cole said, directing the man’s attention back to him. “Did you want me to wire your computer for two monitors while I’m at it?”
“I don’t need two monitors. One is more than enough.”
While Carpenter’s back was turned, CJ reached out, snatched the small device from the USB port and slipped it into her pocket.
Carpenter crossed to his desk, grabbed a file folder sitting on the corner and turned toward the exit. “Just move the desk and credenza. Everything else needs to stay the same. I’ll be back later this afternoon.”
Carpenter left the room and joined the other man waiting in the outer office, holding up the file. “Got it.”
CJ followed them to the door. “If you need anything, Mr. Carpenter, all you have to do is call,” she said.
He ignored her and disappeared down the hallway.
Once the Homeland Security Advisor was out of sight, CJ returned to the inner office. “Need help moving that furniture?”
He nodded. “Let’s do it.”
It took longer than expected to empty out drawers and shelves before they could move the furniture and reconnect the computer to an electrical outlet and ethernet port across the room. When they were done, it was noon.
“I’m going to get some lunch,” CJ said. “Care to join me?”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Cole gathered his tools into the bag Jonah had equipped him with and they left Carpenter’s office and exited the West Wing.
As they walked toward the food trucks lining the street for the lunch hour, Cole asked, “Think they’ll miss you when you don’t return from lunch?”
“I left a note on Carpenter’s email telling him that I had been called to fill a permanent position and appreciated his understanding of the change.” CJ grinned. “Hopefully, he won’t be looking for me, or asking HR about me.”
Cole dug his phone out of his pocket and placed a call. “Jonah, Cole here. We’re out of the West Wing.” He paused, listening. “Good. Then we’ll head to Carpenter’s home next. Thanks for taking care of it.” He ended the call and nodded at CJ. “Jonah’s on it. He shows Charlotte Jones as having been terminated from the HR database as of today, with the reason that you found other employment.”
“Good. So, we’re off to visit Carpenter’s home next?”
“We are. Roger has what we’ll need staged in a van off F Street, three blocks down. Everything is in that van.”
“Address?” she asked.
“In Foxhall Village. Not far from here.”
“Then let’s do this.” She picked up the pace, eager to get to Carpenter’s place with the hope they’d find something, anything, that would lead them to the head of Trinity.
“What if Carpenter isn’t our connection?” CJ said.
“Then we would mark him off the list and keep looking. I have to believe that text to Tully has to lead somewhere.”
“He said he didn’t have his phone that day.”
“He could have lied,” Cole pointed out.
They paused at a crosswalk and waited for the walking-man signal to blink on.
CJ was careful to check both directions. After Dr. Millicent Saunders had been run down crossing just such a street, they couldn’t be too careful.
They made it across the street and hurried down F Street. At the third block, a white van was pulling out of a parking garage. The lettering on the side read Bug-B-Gone. Roger Arnold was at the wheel, wearing a white coverall with a patch with the same Bug-B-Gone logo embroidered over the right breast.
The side door slid open and Mustang waved them in.
CJ stepped in first, followed by Cole.
As soon as they were inside and the door was closed, Arnold headed for Foxhall Village. Next stop was Carpenter’s home. CJ hoped they struck information gold. They needed a break. John Halverson had spent years searching for the answers. It was time to lay Trinity to rest. Preferably in a graveyard.