While Justice Sleeps(15)
Avery held her ground. “I don’t know anything else.”
“I will decide that.”
Moving closer, Vance focused on Avery. The girl was taller than he’d expected, nearly six feet tall in the absurd heels women her age wore. More attractive too. Ripe for seduction by a powerful man like Wynn. If sex was at the core of this decision, she could be dealt with fairly quickly in the age of social media. “When did you last speak to Justice Wynn?”
Avery folded her arms obstinately. “Homeland Security has a broad mandate, but I didn’t know it reached inside the Supreme Court.”
“We go where the questions are. We can continue this conversation here, or I will find more suitable surroundings.”
Hearing the threat, the Chief said to Avery, “You’ve been given a grave responsibility. Surely you understand why there’d be questions.”
“Questions, yes. Accusations, no. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Saying nothing, Vance simply watched Avery. The file he’d pulled on her from the National Counterterrorism Center had created more questions than it answered. A useful system, the NCTC retained data about U.S. citizens, drawn from DMV records, flight data, local law enforcement, and even dragnets from cell phone records, casino employee lists, and any information source that could not justify denying Homeland Security access. Under the rubric of antiterrorism, the NCTC analyzed their findings for suspicious patterns of behavior.
Justice Wynn’s choice of guardian had not been explained by a review of her NCTC file. The records indicated a dead father, a drug-addicted mother, and the hint of a gambling habit. How she’d made it into the Supreme Court after a background check baffled him, but not everyone in government leveraged NCTC to its fullest potential. No doubt Justice Wynn, a libertarian hippie, refused to access the system he’d publicly criticized.
More than likely, the cursory background check he’d allowed had homed in only on her peripatetic if exemplary educational history and her previous stint as a clerk at the DC Court of Appeals. To Vance, though, her predilections coupled with her new authority moved her high on his list of problems to eliminate.
“If you’ve done nothing wrong, then you shouldn’t mind answering my questions. Honestly.”
“Major Vance,” the Chief interjected before Avery could. “Howard’s decision is a shock to everyone, especially Avery. There is no need for this to become hostile.” She turned to her. “Help us figure out what Howard intended.”
“I don’t know what else to tell you. In two years, the most personal conversation we’ve ever had was about my preference for steak versus shrimp at some boring function. Justice Wynn barely tolerated me. I haven’t a clue why he’d give me his power of attorney.”
Vance asked, “Do you know his son? His wife?”
“I’ve met Mrs. Turner-Wynn.” Avery recalled her as a sharp-faced, pencil-thin woman swathed from head to toe in the fashion last decreed to be au courant. A pit viper of a human who’d spent much of the evening abrading her husband, flirting with Matt, and needling Avery. “She and I didn’t have much in common. But I thought they were getting a divorce?”
“Did he tell you that?” Vance pressed.
“Justice Wynn told me nothing about his personal life. I read it in the Washington Gazette.” She declined to mention the gossip hotline that ran through the Court. In a cloistered place like this, few secrets were kept, and almost none were kept well. “He never discussed his marriage with me.”
“What about his son, Jared?”
“No.” According to the grist, Justice Wynn hadn’t spoken to his son since the death of his first wife. Then-ten-year-old Jared Wynn had been sent to live with his aunt and uncle a week after his mother died. Suddenly a thought occurred, and her head whipped toward the Chief. “Do they know about Justice Wynn?”
The Chief nodded. “Jared and Celeste will have been notified of Howard’s condition by the doctors.”
“I should go to the hospital.” Perhaps the doctors could tell her when he’d regain consciousness. She scooted forward, intending to rise, but Vance shifted to block her.
“Not until we understand exactly what’s going on with this POA. If you head over now, there will be questions.”
“Like how long I will be his guardian.” Before Vance could respond, she held up a hand. “I know comas are not predictable; but given his condition, they must have some idea of when he’ll be better. When is he expected to wake up?”
“Avery, right now he’s at Bethesda Naval Hospital, where they are running tests on him. A coma is often the final stage of the disease.” She drew in a breath. “He may not wake up again.”
“Oh, God.”
“So you can understand our concern that his law clerk holds his power of attorney.” Vance gave her a steady, cold look. “This would be easier for everyone if you would relinquish your position. Allow his wife to perform her duty.”
The Chief responded before she could: “According to Howard’s wishes, Avery is his guardian. Not Celeste.”
“For reasons we cannot verify. Unless Ms. Keene can give us a clearer explanation, we have every reason to suspect this document is a forgery.”
The Chief stiffened, her chin lifted imperiously. “His reasons should be fairly obvious. Howard is estranged from his son and in the process of divorcing his wife. Clearly, he decided that he required an alternative solution.”