Shattered Lies (Web of Lies #3)(64)
Lizzy stood up and took the phone into her hand. She put it to her ear. “This is Elizabeth,” she said as she walked down the street far enough so that Cromwell wouldn’t be able to hear her conversation.
“I got hold of Alex. He’s minutes away. He has information with him that connects Governor Benning to Mollia Domini. I want this information to get to Cromwell, but he can’t know where it came from. I want to see Orson in handcuffs in front of the camera crew he’s bringing along.”
“What’s going on, Birch?” Lizzy asked, dropping her voice.
“Orson is on his way there with the New York National Guard. He’s declared martial law as well as declaring me a terrorist sympathizer and demanding the immediate reopening of the exchange. Alex found illegal payments from Manuel Hernandez, along with emails outlining a conspiracy to have me overthrown through a military coup. CBL Services Group and Brandon Locke play into his plan as CBL will be taking over security in place of the feds.”
“Well, you won’t have to worry about Locke. He’s dead.” Lizzy paused. “And so is Jason.”
Birch was quiet for a long moment. “How?”
“He shot Locke so he couldn’t detonate the bomb, and then with seconds remaining on the timer, he took the bomb and stuffed it into a large cement planter. It helped minimize the damage. Because of his actions the people running from the exchange’s side doors were saved and the building itself was saved. There’s damage, but it’s superficial. Dalton is with his body.”
“I’ll make sure I put in an order for Jason and Dalton to clear the medical examiner’s office ASAP and arrive home with full military honors,” Birch sighed.
“He told us he was finally free to be with Michelle again.” Lizzy turned her back to the FBI and wiped the tears forming in her eyes.
“They will both be honored. I swear to it.” Birch paused again and took a deep breath. “I’ve also gotten a phone call from Sebastian and a message from Bertie Geofferies asking when the stock exchange will reopen. The president of the exchange was smart enough to defer to me for the time being, but those two are putting immense pressure on him to reopen as soon as the building is cleared.”
Lizzy pushed the hurt and pain of loss back down inside of her and focused on the now. “I know why. Their artificial intelligence software must be ready. The best time to test it is when the market is headed toward a big movement. And it’s going to most likely plummet if it’s reopened too soon.”
“The question is, did they know about the attack?” Birch asked, finally addressing the possibility that his best friend could be the head of Mollia Domini.
“I don’t know, but I have a plan.”
“The operation is in your hands. Take them down by any means necessary. Now.”
Lizzy took a deep breath. “Consider it done.”
26
“This is real?” Agent Cromwell asked as he looked at the stack of papers Roxie had shoved in his hands before running off.
“Governor Benning is guilty of treason,” Lizzy said matter-of-factly as her team surrounded Cromwell and handed him back the papers after reviewing them. No other agents were allowed near them. They were too busy keeping Orson away from the active crime scene. “You have the authority to arrest him. Verify the information, personally, right now and then see what Director Kirby has to say. I would say it would make your career, but I’ve heard about you from other agents. You’re not the kind to care about that.”
“No, but I am the kind to care about treason.” Cromwell said in his graveled, no-nonsense voice. “I’m guessing you’re not going to tell me how I was suddenly handed this?”
“Nope. And since you don’t know the person who handed it to you, you can honestly testify to it being from an anonymous source,” Valeria pointed out.
“I haven’t figured you out yet. I’ve run background on you all. You’re active military, you’re a disgraced DEA agent who works as a bartender, and you’re a disgraced FBI agent who owns a bar while working for SA Tech. Yet you have access to extremely sensitive information and the president wants to talk to you.”
“Does it matter?” Lizzy asked with a shrug.
“You of all people should know I can’t let this go.” Cromwell thought about it. “I got it. You work for SA Tech. Sebastian Abel’s company. The same Sebastian who just so happens to be friends with the president.”
Lizzy smiled but didn’t say anything.
“You’re not going to say anything, are you?”
“I’m a civilian now. There’s nothing to say. I don’t have the power or the authorization to do anything. But when I see a wrong, I try to right it. It’s in my FBI blood after all.”
Cromwell looked at her, but before he could ask more questions a helicopter landed a block away, and Director Kirby and his staff hurried toward them. Conrad Kirby had obtained his job as director because of his connections with the late President Mitchell, but Dalton had discovered Kirby and Senator Epps were actually trying to investigate Mollia Domini. Well, Kirby and Epps had investigated as best they could while confined to legal restraints Lizzy and her team didn’t necessarily follow. Now, standing next to Agent Cromwell, they appeared to be two peas in an FBI pod. Kirby was a decade older but had the same crew cut as Cromwell. The main difference was the mustache Kirby sported.