[Deborah Jones 02.0] Dark Waters Page 21
The men left the building by a side entrance.
The basement office in Camp Peary smelled of stale coffee and donuts. The six men sat around the oval table, studying the restricted report. Satisfied that everyone had finished, the chairman of the group leaned back in his seat.
‘The Saudis are furious this has come out, not surprisingly’ he said. ‘But they’ve calmed down, realizing that it’s in no one’s interests to disturb the mutually beneficial prospects for growth and security over the next decade that our group has outlined. Besides, they need us as much as we need them.’
‘What about Charles?’ Redditch asked.
‘What about him?’
‘How is he?’
‘He’s fine. Being looked after. But there will be no electronic footprints from Charles which can be traced back to any of us. Nothing at all.’
Redditch nodded.
‘But we’re not out of the woods yet.’
A few shrugs.
‘I’m sorry to report that Senator Harry Steinberg has made a formal request to my office, asking me to appear in front of his committee in a fortnight’s time. Deborah Jones will also be giving evidence.’
The air-con unit growled low in the background.
‘I think she’s piecing this together. I’ve even heard whispers within the Pentagon that she’s got a log of all my cellphone calls to Charles.’
Silence.
‘I’m afraid, gentlemen, they’re going to try and pick us off one by one. Unless…’
‘Unless what?’ asked Redditch.
‘Unless one of us contacts Steinberg.’
‘Steinberg? Why him?’
‘He has the power. Influence. He alone can guide the committee. You know that.’
‘What do you propose?’
The chairman opened his briefcase and handed round five copies of another restricted file. ‘All men have secrets, they say. Some darker than others. Harry Steinberg is no different.’
Later that night, with the six men safely back on board the plane and heading to a global security conference in California, the chairman made a call to an unlisted number at an underground office fifteen miles southwest of Baltimore. It was an NSA number. ‘Any update for me?’
‘It’s all in hand. We’ve got plenty on your Senator.’ The chairman clicked off the call. Then he leaned over and relayed the message to Redditch.
Redditch called up a number from his cellphone and sighed. ‘Good evening, Senator. This is Bud Redditch, national security adviser. You fancy meeting up for lunch next week? My treat.’ A pause. ‘Great. How are the kids?’ A pause. ‘And Kathleen?’ A pause. ‘Of course, Senator. I look forward to that. Good night to you.’
He hung up.
The chairman stared out at the darkness.
‘What contingency plans have you drawn up for Steinberg?’
‘He’s booked a seven-night break in Aspen ahead of the hearings. Very fond of off-piste skiing with his new intern, so I’m led to believe.’
Redditch closed his eyes and smiled.
Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank Paul Sidey, who not only helped me define the book, but was also a great sounding board as the story developed. Many thanks also to Caradoc King.
Special mention must go to Oxblood Ruffin, a technology expert and human rights activist, who gave me a couple of ideas about how to hack into a smartphone. In addition, the work of Seymour M. Hersh in the New Yorker magazine I found not only fascinating, but informative as I wrote this book. His portrayal of military and security matters in Iraq, and abuses inside Abu Ghraib, I found compelling. I also found ‘Read Between the Lines of Those Missing 28 Pages’ by Robert Scheer in The Nation, July 29, 2003, highly informative.
Many thanks also to Billy Martin in Washington DC and the experts at the Everglades National Park in Florida.
Regards to the great Ash Swanson and Stuart Chisholm in South Beach, and the regulars and irregulars at Mac’s Club Deuce bar on 14th Street, Miami Beach. Not forgetting Melissa, Kenny and Colin.
Finally, my wife Susan and my two boys, Robbie and Ewan, for the inspiration and keeping me sane.
About the Author
J.B. Turner is the author of the acclaimed Jon Reznick action thriller series: Hard Road, Hard Kill, Hard Wired and Hard Way (Thomas and Mercer). The fifth book in the series, Hard Fall, is due for release in early 2018. He is also the author of the forthcoming Nathan Stone thriller, American Ghost, which is due for release some time in 2018, as part of a new thriller series. Turner also penned the Jon Reznick novella, Gone Bad, and the Deborah Jones crime thrillers, Miami Requiem, and Dark Waters. He began his writing career as a journalist. He is married and has two young children.
Check out his website at www.jbturnerauthor.com
Follow him on Twitter @jbturnerauthor