The Bricklayer

TWELVE

WHEN VAIL GOT TO THE OFFICE THE NEXT MORNING, HE FOUND KATE busy at her computer. He sat down across the desk from her while she continued to type. She looked up briefly and nodded, a little too casually, he thought. Maybe she was trying to undo any feelings exposed the night before. He smiled to himself and then became lost in the efficiency of her hands. Like her, they were athletic, quick but unhurried. When she finally pushed away from the keyboard and looked up, she said, “How’d you sleep?”
“On my stomach.”
“I meant, did you sleep?”
“I think so.”
“How’s the back?”
“Actually a little less sore than my shoulders and arms.”
“Your little ceiling walk was pretty impressive. A lot of people around here are talking about it.”
He laughed a single grunt. “When the director calls, I’m going to make a suggestion that the next drop we use million-dollar bills.”
“Do compliments embarrass you or are you just annoyingly modest?”
“I’ve found people who have their heads turned by compliments have them turned by criticism.”
“So you don’t want anyone to say anything to you.”
“I’m sorry, I meant annoyingly modest.”
Kate laughed. “Do you need some coffee?”
“I’m good,” Vail said. “On the way up here, I checked the pen on Bertok’s phone. Nothing. What’s going on out at the tunnel?”
“LAPD did find explosives at the entry hatch. And on a photocell trigger. C-4 packed with some of those two-inch nails they used to make the punji boards.”
“That’s probably why it didn’t detonate when I set off the Claymore at the other end. Too far away. I don’t suppose they were considerate enough to leave any evidence.”
“No latents, but we’re working on the boards and nails, trying the lumberyards around to see if someone ordered the pieces cut to those lengths. We’re also checking to see if there have been any recent thefts of Claymores or C-4.”
“That would be a little too easy.”
“They are an inconsiderate bunch,” Kate said. “I didn’t want to ask you last night, but what was it like in the tunnel?”
“Dark, but enlightening.”
“How very paradoxical,” she said playfully.
“I was just going for cute.”
“Enlightening, how?”
“It’s interesting how much you can learn about an adversary when your life depends on anticipating his—or her—next move.”
“Now, that’s cute.”
Don Kaulcrick walked in, followed by the SAC and Allen Sabine, Bertok’s supervisor. Kaulcrick said, “The director hasn’t called yet?”
“No,” Kate said.
“I’m sorry, Steve, how are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. How are you doing?”
Kaulcrick forced a smile. “Other than being three million short for the week, I’m okay.”
The phone rang and Kate pushed the speakerphone button. “Kate Bannon.”
“Good morning, Kate,” Bob Lasker said.
“I’ve got you on speakerphone, sir.”
“Please tell me who else is in the room.”
There was something insistent in the director’s voice that told her he wasn’t simply taking roll. She started with Vail and then listed everyone present in descending order of rank.
Lasker said, “Steve, I called the hospital last night but you had already left. How’s the back?”
“It’s superficial. I’m fine.”
“That was an incredibly courageous thing you did.”
“I’m not sure self-preservation is all that courageous.”
“I’m too pleased to argue semantics. Let’s just say I’ve never been so impressed by self-preservation. Or happy to give away three million dollars. So someone bring me up to date on what’s going on out there. Let’s start with the tunnel.”
The Los Angeles SAC spoke up, telling the director what the agents at the scene had found so far. He then filled him in on the minimal evidence that had been recovered and what the LAPD’s bomb squad had found.
“Explosives, that’s new,” Lasker said. “Steve, do you think it has any significance?”
“I think whoever is responsible for this is trying to keep us off balance. It keeps a pattern from forming. Patterns can be analyzed and eventually turned into names and addresses, and the Pentad has been very good at preventing that so far.”
“Hopefully, the money being delivered means the end of the killing. Mark, tell me what else your agents are doing.”
“Well, sir, we’re doing neighborhood investigations all around the tunnel. The group had to find and dig out those entrances. Hopefully someone saw them. We’re tracking down the kids who we’re told play in that lot regularly. We’re sending the punji boards back to the lab. Also we’re checking with the hardware stores and lumberyards in the area to see if anyone ordered boards cut to those specific lengths or a large quantity of the particular nails used.”
“Sounds like you’ve got everything covered. Keep at it. Hopefully, now that they have the money, they’ll go on the run. Chasing people is our strength.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got some headquarters business I need to discuss with Don and Kate. Steve, you may as well stay.”
The SAC motioned to Sabine that they were leaving. Once the door closed, Kaulcrick said, “Yes, sir.”
“Do you need anything—more manpower, lab services, anything?”
“Right now there’s just not a lot to go on, so, no, we don’t need any help. When we get a break, I won’t be shy about asking.”
The director didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “That’s not exactly encouraging, Don. I was hoping once we paid them, there would be leads. Steve, have you got anything on Bertok?”
“We’re working on a few things.”
“Like what?”
Vail glanced at Kate. “Stuff,” he said, the reticence in his voice a warning.
“Ooookay,” Lasker said, hesitating a few moments to consider the possible illegalities that were being kept from him. “Well, people, this is where we wanted to be. Without a threat of someone else being murdered. This is where I say, pull out all the stops and catch them. Are there any stops to pull out?”
“I guess that depends on whether you want to reveal this to the media or not,” Kaulcrick said. “If you do, hopefully we can get the public back on our side.”
“It’s not an easy call. With all the evidence against him, we know that Bertok is involved, but what we don’t know is whether he’s acted alone. Maybe there is a Pentad. Maybe it’s just one other person, but it could be ten. Nothing was ever said about us letting it out after they got the money. I don’t want to risk them using it as an excuse to start killing again. Later, if we’re getting nowhere, we can think about going public. I don’t know. Steve, what do you think?”
Vail felt his phone vibrate. He looked down at the screen. “711” was typed in. It was the code he and Demick had agreed upon. Someone had called Bertok’s phone. “I’m sorry, sir, Kate and I have to go.”