2:10 p.m. EST
Five minute after he had left, Ted ambled back into Zack’s office with a puzzled look on his face, “Okay, folks, look at this little ditty that sat in the fax machine all by its lonesome.” He handed the message to Zack. “Think it’s for you.”
Zack read the fax aloud: “Champ, the up is down. First to know. One Bohemia coming up. Call for J.C. at T. T. C.’”
After thirty seconds of pondering, reading the fax a third time, Zack handed the message to Jim.
Jim read it then said, “I don’t get it.” He handed the fax to Mary.
Mary read the message and dropped her hands to her side. “‘Call for J.C. at T.T.C.’ What is that—somebody found Jesus Christ?”
Ted smiled.
Jim shook his head.
Preoccupied, Zack closed his eyes, opened them, turned to his video phone, thought a minute, began to press a number then stopped. Joe Case’s presence strong, he turned the phone off.
“What’s the matter? Who were you going to call?” Jim asked.
Zack paused. “Well, let’s just think about this.” He hesitated and thought, Okay, I’m paranoid, but is this office bugged? He looked around. Could be. He picked up a pencil and printed large letters on a yellow pad: COULD THIS OFFICE BE BUGGED? He showed it to the group.
Ted rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Why?”
Mary tilted her eyes in disbelief. “What did you boys drink for lunch?”
Jim smiled. “Zackary, come on.”
Left index finger to his lips, right index pointing to Jim then the door, Zack signaled that he and Jim would leave. He indicated that Ted and Mary were to stay. His eyes asked for acknowledgment.
Amid a mix of confused, amused, amazed and concern-for-your-health glances, they all nodded agreement.
Zack spoke. “Well, lady and gentlemen, this fax is obviously from some crackpot who wants to sell us an exclusive eyewitness account of something.” He looked out the window at the growing columns of black smoke on the horizon. “Mary, how about seeing if you can get some reaction from one of our dear Florida senators. They’ve been very quiet.” He turned to Ted. “And Ted, why don’t you track down the mayor.”
Ted said, “She’s on her way back from Rome.”
Zack, ignoring him, said, “See what she has to say about this latest development.” He cued Jim. “Jim, let’s go downstairs and check on that extra.”
Jim said, “But I”
“Let’s just go.” Zack put his cell phone on his desk and pushed Jim through the door.
Jim, stumbling: “But Zackary, I”
“Just go.” They walked down the rickety stairs, past the pressroom, past the receptionist desk, through the front door and outside.