John Windsor waited until Mitch and his team had sat down and closed the door before he gave them the classified information which formed the background of the case. He gave the necessary precautions in relation to the information he was about to share. Mitch tapped impatiently.
“There is an American-born citizen by the name of Ulric Adler.” John spelt the name out as the team jotted it down. “He is of German descent and has come to the attention of the FBI through one of our Hate Crimes Working Groups. An investigation has been launched by that team.”
“What’s his connection?” Mitch pushed.
“That’s the catch and why this information wasn’t revealed to you yet. Adler is a socialist and a local independent candidate who has expressed interest in running for the office of President in the next elections. Alder has a formidable support team and our insider information tells us that his campaign funds are unprecedented. Some may say his party has neo-Nazi tendencies. We are still in the process of understanding who he and his party are and more importantly what they stand for,” John said. “Hate itself is not an offence as you know, so at this stage, you are not to approach him directly, as he is under surveillance. If we were to get this wrong, it would be a disaster.”
“So there’s a chance that the Benjamin Hoefer incidents are linked to Adler?” Mitch frowned.
“It may have nothing to do with Adler, but with someone in his party. We don’t have evidence of this yet, but Adler was seen in security footage at the Holocaust Memorial Museum book launch and just as quickly disappearing out of sight.”
“And we’re just hearing this now?” Mitch asked.
“Mitch, your job is to exhaust all other avenues connected to Benjamin Hoefer as the Adler angle is already being investigated. The Hate Crime Investigation Team is watching him. If both teams connect the dots, so be it, but we have to play this very carefully and there can’t be any possible risk of a public or media leak, given his connection.”
Mitch nodded. “So we need to continue investigating why Eli or Benjamin Hoefer might be targeted and …”
“Yes, you need to continue exactly as you are,” John stepped in. “Continue your investigations to find out if Eli Hoefer was really Eli Hoefer, why Benjamin is being targeted, and what it is about that book that is causing these hate incidents, but under no circumstances approach Adler or his office.”
“Benjamin didn’t mention anything about Adler when Mitch and I spoke to him just now,” Ellen said, “but clearly he knew Adler or was possibly being threatened by him if he was at that first book launch.”
“He’d be too terrified to mention it I imagine,” Mitch said. “Anything else we need to know?”
“That’s it, but I will be getting updates from the other team and I will feed your reports to them, Mitch, so I’ll keep you updated.”
Mitch, Adam, Nick and Ellen rose to leave.
“Mitch, stay a minute,” John said.
Mitch’s team left and John closed the door. Mitch sat back down in front of John’s desk.
“You understand your orders here don’t you?” John said, rising and moving to the same side of the desk. He leaned against it.
“Of course,” Mitch said. “We won’t be going anywhere near that side of the investigation.”
“Good.” John crossed his arms in front of his body. “Mitch, don’t pull that annual leave bullshit on me again or you’ll be answering to Ellen, understood?”
“John, if we get to the stage where you need to demote me, I’ll do us both a favor and leave. Why couldn’t you just tell me there was more information but it was classified? At least then I’d have gotten the idea that there’s a bigger picture and just kept drilling away.”
John thought for a moment. “And you don’t think you would keep at me for it?”
Mitch frowned and didn’t answer.
“I give you what I can when I brief you. It’s in my interest to make sure you have the best brief you can get for your safety and effectiveness. So don’t second-guess me,” John said and before Mitch could respond, he continued. “I’d let me have the last word on this too.”
Mitch nodded and said nothing.
“Okay, you can go,” John said. “And don’t forget you have your first counseling session in thirty minutes.”
Mitch rose and left John’s office.