Chapter Forty Nine
2:30 p.m. EST
Leaving Jim in the make shift office, the sky a reflected ashen yellow, black clouds ominously low, the air thick with humidity, Zack approached the Palm ATM machine. He lit a Camel, stripped Jim’s credit card through a slot and accessed the Washington DC white pages. Thinking, what will I tell the Senator, how will I explain this? I’ll sound like aa what? A fruitcake. So what else is new? He typed in Beno’s name and hit enter.
Waiting, he recalled Jim’s admonition about Mary. “Twenty guys waiting in line.”
He looked at the video lettering popping up on the screen—SENATOR NANCY BENO. He listened to a recorded message.
“Thank you for calling the office of Senator Nancy Beno. The Senator is not in right now. If you must speak to someone please enter 555-BENO.”
Zack entered the number. It rang twice and the Senator’s name and number appeared on the screen.
A pleasant male voice: “This is Senator Beno’s office.”
“Hello, this is Zackary Stearn, editor of The Boca, Miami. What, no video at the Senator’s office?”
“Not on weekends, holidays, and now the emergency. This is a special VIP answering service.”
“That’s refreshing. Listen, I must speak to Senator Beno.”
“Sir, it is holiday recess, and with the emergency, DC is shut down. The Senator is not available.”
“You don’t seem to understand, I’m Zackary Stearn, editor of The Boca.”
“Sir, forgive me, but even if you are who you say you are, how do I know you are who you say you are?”
“What is this verification nicety every place I call the past few days? I’m Zackary Stearn, I must talk to the Senator.”
“Sir”
“Please, she’ll know who I am.”
Pause. “Well, all right, I will relay the info to the Senator. If she is available. If she can be reached. As you must know, all phone service is being monitored for terrorist activities”
“That’s a lie.”
“I beg your pardon”
“Nothing.”
“If available, may the Senator call you back at this number?”
“What number?”
“My caller ID is displaying 305-555-1234.”
Zack paused, thought about Armstrong’s goons, looked around, thought, At some point you have to have a little faith. “Yes, hurry, I’ll wait.”
After a pause: “Okay, I’ll call her, but I can’t promise you anything.”
“Thank you immensely. What is your name?”
“I’m Boston Smith.”
“Boston, thank you, you are going down in history.”
“What?”
“Forget I said that. I’m saying too much lately. Ah, please, call the Senator. I am Zackary Stearn, editor of The Boca, thank you.”
“We’ll see. Have a nice day.”
Sweating, Zack wiped the top of his head then ran his hand over his face. “Need a shave.” He took a deep breath. “Need a shower, too.” He thought, MORE or Camel? “Okay, Camel.” Senator will think I’m crazy. You are crazy. He thought of what Jim had said about Mary as he lit a Camel. “Twenty guys waiting in line”
A little gray-haired lady with a folded red cane umbrella approached the ATM.
Zack began tapping the camera, the monitor, punching buttons. He smiled at the lady and said innocently. “Broke.”
“Maybe you’re overdrawn, bucko.”
“No, phone, broke as in broken.”
The phone rang, the screen flashed and Zack said, “Must be working.”
A pleasant picture of Senator Beno appeared. She looked into the camera, her face round with warm, discerning eyes, Franklin reading glasses hanging from a thin gold chain around her neck, jet-black hair combed now with a pompadour wave in front, she said, “Hello.”
Zack: “Senator, thanks for calling. I’m Zack”
“I know who you are, of course. I’ve read your newspaper. Like it very much. What can I do for you, Mr. Stearn?”
“Thank you and it’s Zackary. Please call me Zack.”
“All right, what can I do for you, Zack?”
“Listen, Senator Beno, I have something, I” He turned to the lady behind him. “This is going to take a few minutes”
“Better not, sonny.”
“Okay, but”
“Hurry up,” Gray Lady said. “I have to call my son in California. Goddamn Floridaeverybody is sun stroked.”
Zack turned to the camera.
Beno said, “Who is that lady?”
“Waiting to use the phone. Senator, where are you?”
“Well, I’mlet’s just say I’m in the Washington DC vicinity. My residence here iswell, you’ve seen the news.”
“Can’t get into DC, huh?”
“Mr. Stearn”
“We may not be private?”
“I see her behind you.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Gray Lady taped Zack’s shoulder with her umbrella. “Hurry up”
Zack said softly to Beno, “I meant you are more than likely being monitored, under surveillance.”
“I beg your pardon?” Beno said.
“Your are being monitored.”
“How do you know that?”
“I just know.”
“Not likely. Besides, I’m at a friend’s house.”
“This number the answering service gave to you.”
“Boston called me on a secure line.”
Skeptical, hoping maybe Armstrong’s goons had missed the pay phone he was on, Zack wiped his face.
“Senator, this is going to sound bizarre. I don’t even believe it myself. I must see you. Utmost urgencytonight, if possible.”
Senator Beno chuckled. “Zackary, I can’t do that.”
Gray lady shouted, “Hurry up, sonny boy.”
Zack to Beno: “You don’t understand, I have a recording you must hear.”
“And what might that be of?”
“The current situation, the Miami TV station’s video that started all thislast Thursday, it’s a fakeI have a recording”
Gray Lady: “Not you, too, on that goddamned videohurry up”
Beno frowned. “I don’t understand. Why do you have to see me? Why don’t you call your Florida Senator, Senator Fawcett?”
Gray Lady: “Fawcett is a dork.”
“I can’t be sure of him,” Zack said.
“Zackary, this is sounding very strange.” Beno tilted her head.
Gray Lady tapped the back of Zack’s head. “Hurry up”
Zack said, “Senator, I have to see you tonight.”
“But that’s impossible. Besides, you’ll never get a flightMr. Stearn, I”
“Zack, call me Zack. I’ll get there.”
The gray-haired lady becoming more impatient, “Hah, Zackary. Hurry up, Zack, or I’ll bean you good.”
Beno said again, “ButI don’twhat can be so important that you have to see me tonight?”
Zack said, “Can’t say over the phone. But it islet’s say your job is at stake.”
Beno: “Zackary, this is sounding fishy.”
“Please, I’m begging you.”
Gray lady shouted, “Goddamn it, Beno, tell him yes.”
There was a long pause as Beno flipped pages of an appointment book. “Well, ah, what about next week?”
“Senator, you do not understand. This is about an imminent threat, national security.”
“Is it now?” Beno took her glasses off, letting them dangle from the chain around her neck. “Mr. Stearn, have you been drinking?”
Gray Lady: “Smells like a doghouse.”
Zack said, “No, no, I haven’tplease believe me.” He put his face close to the camera lens. “Senator, please, I’m not making this up.”
“Where are you?” Beno said.
“A bank’s ATM phone, Miami area.”
Senator Beno pressed her lips together and studied Zack’s face.
Gray Lady: “I’m calling the goddamn police.” She left.
Beno said, “A few of us here in Washington are meeting next week to deal with this present emergency”
“Too late, Senator. There is something terribly wrong. It involves the President. I must see you. I have a recording you must hear.”
Beno tapped her lips with her fingertips. “Well, I, ah, let me seehow do you propose to do that?”
“I’ll call you when I get there.”
“Can you tell me more? I mean”
“Not on the phone. I’m not surethey may be listening to us now.”
“Are you serious?”
Gray Lady returned. “You’re in for it now, pup.”
“Please, Senator.”
The Senator put her glasses on and took a pen to write. “All right, all right. When willyou will call when?”
“Tonight. I’ll call when I arrive. I’ll take a cab to your”
“You’ll never get onethis emergency” She paused. “Ah, look, why don’t I just have my driverwe’ll pick you upbut where?”
“I’ll call you”
“Alright, then, I’ll await your callbutnever mind.” She made a note.
“Thank youand Senator, I don’t know who may have been listening”
Gray lady rapped him on the shoulder, “I am, buddy boy, and the fuzz is coming.”
Beno said, “Who is that lady?”
“F.B.I.”
Gray Lady hit him. “Liar Dork Hurry up”
Beno said, “I understand. Tonight, then. Goodbye.”
“Wait Where will I call you?” Zack said.
She gave him a twelve-digit number that he scrawled on the inside of a match book cover and put it in his shirt pocket.
Gray Lady hit him on the back. “Police Police”
“Thank you and goodbye,” Zack said to Beno.
“Goodbye.”
He pressed phone then entered Mary’s iphone number. Gray Lady saw him and began pounding his head with her umbrella.
“Oh, no, you don’t Help Help”
Thunder clapped and a tropical downpour began. Zack squeezed under the tiny shelter.
The lady raised her umbrella. “Goddamn you”
After six rings Mary answered. “Hello.”
“Mary, turn on your video, it’s me.”
Gray Lady began rapping his head with the edge of her umbrella.
Mary looked distraught. “Zackary, where are you?”
“I”
Gray lady: “Help Help Rape”
Mary said, “Who is that lady hitting you?”
“I don’t know, wants to use the phone.”
“Where have you been all weekend?”
“Can’t say, have to go out of town, talk to you when I get back.”
“Where are you now?”
“Can’t talk.”
“Zackary, are you at that Palm Bank ATM by our offices?”
“Can’t talk.”
“I’ll be right down. I want to see you.”
“No, you don’t, not now.”
“Why?”
“Not necessary, sit tight.”
“Where are you going?”
“Out of town”
“Better not be Ms. Elizabeth in California.”
“Can’t say, talk to you when I get back.”
Mary said, “Wait a minutecan’t say. When will you get back?”
“Soon.”
“What is that, ‘soon’? What the F is up? Who is that lady beating on you?”
“Soon. Sit tight.”
“Where are you going?”
“Have to see a guy about a computer.”
“What?”
“Have to see a guy about a computer.”
“Bullshit.”
“Okay.” He hung up and turned to Gray Lady. “All yours, ma’am.”
She screamed, “Police Police”