Jeffery Deaver - The burning wire

The CEO picked up the phone and asked her PA to summon two employees to her office. The request was polite. While some people in this position would have barked the order, Jessen remained in control and reasonable. Which, to Sachs, made her seem all the harder. It was the weak and insecure who blustered. Happened in the policing business all the time.

Just a moment after she hung up, one of the men she'd asked to join them arrived. His office might've been next door to hers. He was a stocky, middle-aged businessman in gray slacks and a white shirt.

"Andi. Anything new?"

"A few things. Sit down." Then she turned to Sachs.

"This is Bob Cavanaugh, senior VP of Operations. Detective Sachs."

They shook hands.

He asked Sachs, "Any headway? Any suspects?"

Before the detective could answer, Andi Jessen said stoically, "They think it's somebody inside, Bob."

"Inside?"

"That's what it's looking like," Sachs said, and explained what they'd learned so far. Cavanaugh too seemed dismayed that their company might possibly be harboring a traitor.

Jessen asked, "Could you find out from Steam Maintenance who's been assigned to inspect the pipes down the manhole near MH-Ten?"

"For how long back?"

"Two, three months," Sachs said.

"I don't know if we'll have the assignment sheets, but I'll see." He made the call and requested the information then he turned back to the women.

Sachs said, "Now, let's talk a little more about the terrorist connection."

"I thought you were accusing an employee."

"It's not unusual for a terror cell to recruit an insider."

"Should we look at Muslim employees?" Cavanaugh asked.

"I was thinking of the protesters outside," Sachs said. "What about ecoterrorism?"

Cavanaugh shrugged. "Algonquin's been criticized in the press for not being green enough." He said this delicately, not looking Jessen's way. This was apparently a familiar and tedious issue.

Jessen said to Sachs, "We have a program for renewable energy. We're pursuing it. But we're being realistic about the subject, not wasting our time. It's politically correct to wave the renewables flag. But most people don't know the first thing about it." She waved her hand dismissively.

Thinking of the severity of some ecoterror incidents in the recent past, Sachs asked her to elaborate.

It was as if she'd pushed an ON button.

"Hydrogen fuel cells, biofuels, wind farms, solar farms, geothermal, methane generation, ocean wave generators… You know how much they produce? Less than three percent of all the energy consumed in the country. Half the electrical service supply in the United States comes from coal. Algonquin uses natural gas; that's twenty percent. Nuclear's about nineteen. Hydro's seven percent.

"Sure, the renewables will be growing but very, very slowly. For the next hundred years, they'll be a drop in the bucket of juice, if I can quote myself." The president was growing even angrier. "The start-up costs are obscene, the gadgets to create the juice are ridiculously expensive and unreliable, and since the generators're usually located away from major load centers, transportation is another huge cost. Take solar farms. The wave of the future, right? Do you know they're one of the biggest users of water in the power business? And where are they located? Where there's the most sun and therefore the least water.

"But say that out loud and you get jumped by the media. And by Washington and Albany too. You hear about those senators coming to town for Earth Day?"

"No."

Jessen continued, "They're on the Joint Energy Resources Subcommittee, working with the President on environmental issues. They'll be at that big rally in Central Park Thursday night. And what'll they be doing? Beating us up. Oh, they won't mention Algonquin by name, but I guarantee one of them'll point our way. You can see the smokestacks from the park. I'm convinced that's why the organizers put the stage where it is… All right, those're my views. But is that enough to make Algonquin a target? I just don't see it. Some political or religious fundamentalists going after the American infrastructure, sure. But not eco."

Cavanaugh agreed. "Ecoterror? Never had any problems that I can remember. And I've been here for thirty years-I worked with Andi's father when he ran the place. We burned coal back then. We were always expecting Greenpeace or some liberals to sabotage us. But nothing."

Jessen confirmed, "No, we tend to get boycotts and protesters."

Cavanaugh gave a sour smile. "And they don't see the irony that half of them took a subway over here from the New Energy Expo at the convention center, courtesy of Algonquin-generated current. Or made their little posters last night by the light provided by us. Forget irony. How's hypocrisy?"

Sachs said, "Until we get some communication from somebody, though, or learn more, I'd still like to consider ecoterrorists. Have you heard anything about a group that starts with the words 'Justice For'?"

"For what?" Cavanaugh asked.

"We don't know."

"Well, I never have," Jessen said. Cavanaugh hadn't either. But he said he'd check with the regional offices of Algonquin to see if they had heard anything.

He took a call. He lifted his eyes to Andi Jessen. He listened then disconnected and said to Sachs, "No service in the steam access manhole for over a year. Those lines're shut down."

"Okay." Sachs was discouraged at the news.

Cavanaugh said, "If you don't need me, I'll go check with the regional offices now."

After he left, a tall African American appeared in the doorway-the second of the men she'd summoned-and Jessen motioned him to sit. She introduced them. Security Director Bernard Wahl was, Sachs realized, the only nonwhite she'd seen in the company not in worker's overalls. The strongly built man was draped in a dark suit and white shirt, heavily starched. His tie was red. His head was shaved and glistened in the overhead lights. Glancing up, Sachs saw that every other lightbulb was missing from the ceiling fixtures. An economy move? Or, given her anti-green stance, had Jessen decided that reducing energy use would be advantageous from a public relations standpoint?

Wahl shook Sachs's hand and snuck a glimpse at the bulge on her hip where her Glock resided. Somebody who'd come out of policing would not have any interest in her piece, which was just a tool of the trade like cell phones or ballpoint pens. It was the amateur cops who were fascinated with armament.

Andi Jessen briefed him and asked about access to the codes for the computers.

"The codes? That's just a few people. I mean, they're very senior. You ask me, it'd be too obvious. You sure we weren't hacked? Those kids're real smart nowadays."

"Ninety-nine percent sure," Sachs said.

"Bernie, have somebody check on access to the safe file room beside the control center."

Wahl pulled out his mobile phone and placed a call, told an assistant to handle the request. He disconnected and then added, "I've been waiting for a terrorist announcement. But you're thinking it's from the inside?"

"We think it was either inside or with the help of somebody inside. But we did want to ask about ecoterror threats."

"Not in my four years here. Just protesters." A nod out the window.

"Have you ever heard of a group called Justice For something? Having to do with environmental issues?"

"No, ma'am." Wahl was placid, exuded no emotion whatsoever.

Sachs continued, "Any problems with employees who've been fired recently, who've had complaints with the company?"

"With the company?" Wahl asked. "They tried to take out a city bus. It wasn't the company they were after."

Jessen said, "Our stock's down eight percent, Bernie."

"Oh, sure. I didn't think about that. There're a few. I'll get the names."