Alex looked toward the other vehicle and saw a fourth man seated in back, but couldn’t make out his face.
Valac?
Or maybe Hopcroft?
The big man waved his weapon and gestured her forward again, directing her toward the other car as his colleague moved to it and opened the rear passenger door.
“Get in.”
“Tell me who you are. What do you want? I took a wrong turn, is all. I didn’t realize I was doing anything—”
“Get in.”
She started for the passenger door and was halfway to it when she remembered where she’d heard that voice. It had come from behind a ski mask on a moonlit beach in Key Largo. From a man wielding a knife.
What the hell?
As she climbed inside the car, she suddenly knew she had been set up from the very beginning. The e-mails. The phone calls. The walk on the beach. The chance encounter at the Cajetan Cafe.
Because the man sitting on the backseat was Thomas Gérard.
She clenched her jaw. “You’d better have one hell of an explanation for what’s going on here, because I’m in no mood to be kind.”
He showed her that killer smile. “It’s quite simple, Alex. Your father sent me.”
CHAPTER 23
A park bench at the National Mall was not their normal meeting place, but when McElroy made the request to get together, Mr. Gray had chosen the spot, saying it would do them both good to get a little sun.
When McElroy arrived, Gray was seated on the bench, peering into the sack lunch in his lap as he dipped a hand inside and rooted around. After a moment, he produced a flip-top can of pineapple chunks and a plastic fork, removed the lid, and dropped it back into the sack.
He held up the fork and can as McElroy sat down. “Would you like a taste?”
“I’ll pass, thank you.”
“I prefer this over fresh pineapple,” Gray said. “I’ve no explanation for it. I suppose it could be the syrup that I’m addicted to, but I don’t think so. There’s something sublime about the texture and taste of canned pineapple that always keeps me coming back for more.”
“I’m happy for you. But I’m not here to discuss your culinary quirks.”
Gray stabbed a chunk and popped it into his mouth, chewing as he spoke. “You know, you worry me, Jason. Your obsession with work will be the end of you.” He swallowed. “When was the last time you sat down to dinner with your lovely wife?”
“I don’t have a wife. Lovely or otherwise.”
“Of course you don’t. Divorced, I take it?”
“Like everyone else in DC.”
“Don’t be so cynical. I’ve been married for over thirty years.”
“The exception that proves the rule,” McElroy said. “But I didn’t come here to discuss your family life, either.”
“Very well, then I suppose we should get down to it. Your call sounded urgent, so what’s plaguing you on this fine day? A problem with the acquisition?”
“Considering what’s at stake, you seem pretty calm.”
“I’ve learned never to fret over things that are only partially in my control. I’ve put my trust in you and your people, and I have no doubt you’ll get the job done, one way or another.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” McElroy took the manila file folder from under his arm and held it out to Gray. “But while you’re blowing smoke, you want to explain this to me?”
Gray took another bite, chewed, sipped a bit of the syrup, then reluctantly returned his snack and fork to the paper sack and set it to the side. He took the folder from McElroy and opened it.
Inside were the side by the side head shots of Eric Hopcroft that Cooper had sent McElroy, along with a printout of Stonewell’s file on the man.
“I’m surprised it took you this long,” Gray said. “Does Ms. Poe know about this?”
“That’s why I’m here. She thinks this has something to do with me wanting to catch her father. Cooper says she went off half-cocked, so there’s no telling what she might do.”
“I’m sure it’s not a concern.”
“Why would you say that?”
“For someone who works with the woman, you seem to know so very little about her. As I told you before, we’ve been watching her on and off for quite some time, and based on our observations, she may get the occasional hair up her ass, so to speak, but she usually does the right thing in the end. So I’m sure she’ll come to her senses about this little wrinkle before she allows herself to do anything rash.”
“You knew about her connection to Hopcroft, didn’t you?”
Gray nodded. “Of course we did.”
“Is that why you got her involved?”
“If you’re a student of human nature, you know that when an asset has a personal connection to an operation, they tend to hone their focus and up their game. Like an athlete playing in honor of a recently fallen teammate. It’s true that Ms. Poe happened to be in the right place at the right time, but we knew of her family history, and hoped that Hopcroft’s involvement in the matter would only strengthen her commitment to the task at hand.”
McElroy leveled his gaze at Gray. “Sounds like more smoke to me.”
“Take it however you like, Jason. As much as I value our relationship, what you think means little to me in the larger scheme.”
“Thanks for being honest for once. And while you’re at it, why don’t you tell me the truth about Hopcroft?”
Gray offered him a benign smile. “I’m afraid that’s classified.”
“You have clearance,” McElroy said, “and you’ve trusted me before. Have you ever gotten any blowback because of anything you’ve told me?”
“Next, I suppose you’ll be asking me about the codes.”
McElroy shook his head. “I don’t give a damn about what those codes are for. You made sure of that by dangling Valac as a reward. But contrary to your speech about human nature, this thing with Hopcroft is threatening the acquisition of a very big prize, and I think I have a right to know what’s going on.”
“And if I don’t feel like sharing?”
“I’ll tell my team to withdraw and let you deal with this mess.”
Gray’s eyes hardened. “That would be a very big mistake.”
“No, the mistake was you people getting greedy. You could have stopped Favreau even before he went to St. Cajetan, but instead of a safe single, you went for the double. Get the codes back and take down a man who’s been sticking his thumb in your eye for decades.” He smiled. “Don’t think I’m not grateful for the chance to make all that happen and leave you blameless if anything goes wrong. But Stonewell doesn’t live or die on the strength of a single acquisition, or work with a single client, and while walking away may be painful, it won’t be fatal.”
Gray said nothing for a long moment, no doubt weighing the pros and cons of showing his hand. Then he said, “Hopcroft is deep cover.”
McElroy’s brows went up. “He’s working for you?”
“His assassination in Yemen was meant to facilitate his entry into a terrorist network and give him the freedom to move without restriction.”
McElroy was incredulous. “So he’s been undercover for twelve years?”
“He’s very committed. He started out as a kind of freelance fixer slash security man, and built up quite a reputation as someone who delivers.” Gray smiled. “With our help, of course.”
“How long has he been working for Valac?”
“Four years now. He began as a free agent, but was able to gain Valac’s trust and was brought in full time. And in those four years he’s managed to work his way into a senior position. He’s next in line of succession after Valac.”