While Justice Sleeps(93)

“Where is the office?”

    “Just down the hall.” Noah pointed to the far end of the corridor. “Office space is in short supply, and the hearing is Monday.”

“Wait and I’ll summon another guard.” Agent Leighton lifted her wrist to her mouth.

Noah began to protest, but Avery gave a short shake of her head. “Thanks, Agent Leighton. I appreciate you pulling another agent in from the field.”

“No, I’m redeploying one of the three assigned to this detail.”

Jared asked, “So the lobby will be unprotected?”

“Not at all. I’ll move the agent at the elevator down to Ms. Keene’s position.”

“But from my experience, the elevator is a blind spot, isn’t it?” Jared countered dramatically. “If there’s a danger zone, it’s the elevator.”

Slightly annoyed, Agent Leighton exhaled and decided to retake control of her post. “I have a clear sight line to the office down the hall. Mr. Fox will escort Ms. Keene there and return to his office. No one will be reassigned.”

Avery and Noah headed to the empty office, and Agent Leighton stared down the hall at Avery’s position. Noah angled himself to block a clear view. “Let me know if you need anything.”

Timing her movement, Avery waited until Noah had nearly closed the office door, then darted out and around the corner, into the firm’s library. Per Noah’s instructions, she located the exit door on the other side of the space, and she hurried into the stairwell.

She hoofed down the first five flights with ease, but by the tenth, she was grateful for her choice of jeans and sneakers. The door opened near the coffee shop, as Noah had described. Avery eased into the crowd of morning customers and moved toward the alley with her head down. A block away from the building, she hailed a cab. “The Lincoln Memorial, please.”

The driver plowed through traffic, and Avery dialed Gary Stewart’s office. “Gary, it’s Avery.”

“New phone?” His morning coffee unusually alcohol-free, Gary gulped down the hot brew. “Smart move. I see you’ve been a busy girl.”

“I’m not—”

“I know,” he interrupted. “So does the Chief. We talked after your mother’s visit. Figured this would be the next salvo.”

    “What should I do?” Avery slumped in the backseat. “They know I was suspended.”

“Which is why Matt Brewer has been terminated.” The note of satisfaction was difficult to hide. “Apparently, he got a nice advance from a rag to do a tell-all interview. Parts leaked out to PoliticsNOW.”

“What? How did you find out it was him?”

“I’ve been in this game a long time,” he reminded her balefully. “Brewer’s out, but you should be worried about Scott Curlee.”

“I am. The custody hearing is Monday, Gary. I was thinking of putting out my own statement. Maybe doing an interview to set the record straight.”

Gary had mulled over the same idea. Already, his desk was littered with interview requests. “Best bet is damage control, Avery. Your lawyer ask for another postponement?”

“He’ll try, but I’m not sure if it will work,” she said. “Judge McAdoo is probably being pressured by Celeste’s attorneys to move quickly.”

“I might have an ex-boyfriend over there who owes me a favor,” he hedged. “Let me make a call.”

“Thank you…”

“Let me call, Avery—don’t thank me yet.”





THIRTY-SEVEN


Avery stepped out of the cab a block from the Lincoln Memorial. Quickly, she made her way through the summer morning crowd and down to the exhibit. Entering the space, she scanned the milling visitors for a red scarf and a blue column. Avery located the columns first. A check of her watch said 8:59. Right on time. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the square of red cloth. Draping the kerchief around her throat, she pretended to read the panels inside the glass cases. And waited.

Ten minutes later, Avery remained alone.

At 9:30, she was antsy. By 9:45, impatience had transmuted into worry. Realizing she’d already pushed her luck with the FBI, Avery turned to leave. She bumped into a man strolling around the other side of the pillars and nearly lost her balance. His hands closed on her arms to steady her.

“Very sorry,” she muttered in apology, and she rushed away, wondering what had happened to Betty Papaleo, a.k.a. Wilma.



* * *



—

Ling and Jared looked up as Avery came inside. Aware of Agent Leighton’s attention, Ling asked, “Finish what you were working on?”

“Couldn’t find what I was looking for.” She took a seat and dialed Agent Lee.

He answered on the first ring. “Ms. Yin?”

“No, it’s Avery.”

“Good. I was about to come and visit you.”

    “Good news?”

“Nope.” From the blocked-off corridor, Agent Lee signaled to his team to fall back from the apartment. “We did an external sweep so as not to alert your videographer, but Mr. Wynn was correct. Your place is wired like a Christmas tree.”

“When did they get inside?”