Stuart Woods: D.C. Dead

Back in the airplane, he retrieved his Apple AirBook. He had a strong signal from the FBO’s wireless network. He logged on to the CIA mainframe and sent a single e-mail, then he put away the computer, started the airplane, taxied to the runway, and took off to the south, not turning on his transponder. He flew low until he was sure he was out of Washington Center’s airspace, then he climbed to eight thousand feet, set the autopilot, and entered the code AVL into the GPS. He pressed the DIRECT button on the GPS, then the NAV button on the autopilot, and let it fly him toward Asheville Regional Airport, in North Carolina.

Now, flying through the smooth night air, the starry sky above him, the green landscape below, he allowed himself to weep for Lauren Cade, and what he had lost.

Holly woke up at six and slipped out of bed, leaving Stone still dead to the world. She showered and put on fresh clothes, stuffed the other things she had left at the hotel during Stone’s stay into her bag, then she tiptoed out of the suite and went down to her car.

The drive to Langley went? hotel quickly, since rush hour was not in full force, and back in her office she found a pastry in the kitchenette she shared with Lance Cabot, then made some coffee.

She took breakfast to her desk, switched on her computer, and while it booted, she shuffled through the mess in her in-box. She had some catching up to do, she reckoned, and she had to go and see the director at nine.

She had just stuffed a large bite of cheese Danish into her mouth when a message slowly materialized on her screen. This was not an ordinary e-mail, and she wondered who had sent it. She did not wonder for long.

Last night, your minion Todd Bacon, while trying to murder me, instead killed Lauren Cade, who was your friend. Apparently conscience-stricken, Bacon took his own life in the wee hours of this morning.

I will pay you the compliment of believing that you have honored our arrangement, that the attempt on my life was an act of Bacon’s own devising, without reference to you or Cabot, and I will conduct myself accordingly. Should you wish to reach me again, place an ad in the Arts section of the national edition of the New York Times, addressed to Wanderer.

Good luck to you.

Holly attempted to print the message, but when she touched a key, it gradually disintegrated and disappeared from the screen.

Lance looked in, his briefcase still in his hand. “Good morning.”

Holly was still staring at the screen and did not respond.

Lance stepped into the room, set down his briefcase, and took a seat across from her. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’ve just had a communication from Teddy Fay,” she replied. “I tried to print it, but it disappeared.”

“And what did he have to say for himself?”

“Apparently, Todd Bacon went off the reservation last night and went after Teddy. He didn’t get him, but, as a result, Lauren Cade was collateral damage.”

“Good God,” Lance said, his face darkening. “Is Teddy going on another rampage?”

“No, he said he didn’t blame you or me, but I think he killed Todd and made it look like a suicide.”

“Thank heaven for small favors. Find out if he was telling the truth.” Lance picked up his briefcase and went to his own office.

Holly looked up Todd Bacon’s home number and called it. She got an answering machine. She tried his office extension and got voice mail. Maybe he was on his way in. It was nearly nine, so she went to the director’s office and was shown in immediately.

“Thank you for coming, Holly,” Kate Lee said, motioning her to a chair.

Holly sat down and prepared herself for a rebuke.

“I wanted to tell you that I think your idea of bringing Stone and Dino down here was exactly the right thing to do.”

Holly let out the breath she had been holding.

“Frankly, I had expected them to conclude that Brix murdered his wife before killing himself. I am astonished, of course, to see how this has played out, but I don’t want you to think that yo?ludu are in any way responsible for the events following Stone’s and Dino’s arrival.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Holly replied.

“I am, of course, going to be leaving the Agency next year, when Will’s term ends. I will resign.”

“I’ll be sorry to see you leave,” Holly said.

Kate smiled. “You can be sure that Lance is already preparing the ground for a shot at this chair, after I go.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Holly said.

“I don’t know if he’ll get it. That will be up to a new president, but if he does, I’m sure he’ll bring you up here with him. If he doesn’t, I want you to know that your personnel file will contain the highest possible personal recommendation from me, and I will make a few phone calls, too.”

“That’s very kind of you, ma’am, and I appreciate it.”

“The president has asked me to tell you that he is very grateful for your work over the past days, and that you may always use him as a reference, whatever you may decide to do. That goes for me, as well.”

“Thank you, Director, and please convey my gratitude to the president,” Holly said.

“Okay, get back to work, girl.” Kate opened a file on her desk and began to read.

Holly went back to her office, and Lance buzzed her to come into his office. “Where have you been?” he asked.

“The director asked me to come up to see her.”

“And?”

“She thanked me for bringing Stone and Dino down from New York.”

“That’s all?”

“She said nice things about me.”

“What about me?”

“She said you’ve probably already begun to do the groundwork for getting her job when she goes.”

Lance chuckled. “She knows me well. I have planted the idea in a few places on Capitol Hill, and with a couple of likely candidates for president. And if I get it, I’ll want you with me.”

“Thank you, Lance.”

“Now, what are we going to do about Todd Bacon?”

“I think we should do nothing,” Holly said.

“Don’t you want to know if he’s dead?”

“Yes, but I’m not going to ask. If he is, he’ll be discovered in due course. Nobody in this building doesn’t not show up for work unless he’s called in. If Todd doesn’t show, someone will find out why.”

“All right, let that sleeping dog lie,” Lance said.

Holly went back to her office, and her phone was ringing. “Hello?”

“It’s Stone. We’re out of here. Dino and I are flying directly to New Haven for Peter’s opening tonight.”

“I’d send him a telegram if there were still such a thing,” Holly said. “Tell him I said break a leg.”

“Will do. What should I do with the car?”

“Leave it at the FBO at Manassas, with the keys under the seat. It will be picked up.”

“Thank you for such good company while we’ve been here,” Stone said.

“We both needed that, I think.”

“Coming to New York anytime soon?”

“You’ll be the first to know.”

“Take care, then.”

They said good-bye and hung up.

Holly was working at her desk just before lunch when her phone rang. “Yes?”

“It’s Tank Wheeler, in Tech Services.”

“Morning, Tank. What can I do for you?”

“Todd Bacon is dead.”

Holly took a long beat before answering. “How?”

“When he didn’t come in this morning and didn’t call, I sent some people over to his place. They broke in and found him in the bathtub with his wrists slit.”

“Did Todd seem suicidal to you?”

“Nope. He seemed to be enjoying his work. He had something on his mind, though-he had been preoccupied for a few days.”