secretary doesn’t feel he can simply ask us for the information. On both incursions into my files, they’ve only gone after the reports Cotton has made from that cruise.”
“They want to know how close he’s getting.”
“To what?”
“I don’t know, but it’s time to find out.”
Harriett located her phone and punched in a number. The unit was on speaker, and her boss laid it on the table as the line rang and a female voice answered, “Office of the Secretary of Treasury.”
“It’s the attorney general of the United States. I need to speak to the secretary.”
“I’m sorry but he—”
“Please tell the secretary that either we speak now, or he can speak to the president later, after I report everything I know on Paul Larks.”
A full two minutes passed before a male voice said through the speaker, “All right, you have my attention.”
Everything that had happened was reported, then Harriett said, “Joe, we set your man up to see how far you were willing to take this.”
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. This is not my forte.”
“What’s going on?”
“Just like my agent said, we believe Larks copied some sensitive documents from Treasury archives. The breach was only recently discovered, and we want them back.”
“What kind of documents?”
“The classified kind.”
“I need more than that, Joe.”
“Not on this phone.”
Stephanie realized that classified did not necessarily mean “top secret.” Still, you didn’t discuss either on an open line.
“We’re after a fugitive,” Harriett said. “That’s all. He was indicted in federal court for tax evasion, tried and convicted in absentia. He fled the country just after his trial started, and really pissed off the local U.S. attorney. His name is Anan Wayne Howell. For us, this isn’t a big deal.”
A few moments of silence passed.
“Unfortunately for me, Harriett, it is a big deal. There’s more here than you realize.”
Stephanie heard the strain in the secretary’s voice.
“I gather that,” her boss said. “But you’ve gone about this all wrong.”
“Perhaps. But it had to be done.”
“How does Kim Yong Jin figure into the equation?”
That was a new name. Twelve hours ago Harriett had specifically directed her to send Malone inland to observe a North Korean cash transfer. Some background intel on an insurance fraud scheme had been provided, which she’d passed on to Cotton. But there’d been no mention of Kim.
Harriett said, “You told me about that money transfer and that Kim Yong Jin was in the neighborhood. You asked if I had an asset near Venice, knowing, of course, that I did. Then you asked me to send that asset over to witness the transfer.”
More news to Stephanie.
“What I wanted was to get Malone off that ship.”
It seemed the man on the other end of the line definitely knew more than they did.
“Can you be at the DC federal courthouse at 11:00 P.M. ?” the secretary asked. “Sixth floor. I’ll leave word with security to admit you.”
“I’m bringing Stephanie with me.”
“I’d prefer you not.”
“That’s non-negotiable. She’s my eyes and ears.”
Another pause.
“All right, Harriett, we’ll do this your way.”
The call ended.
“You never told me about Kim or that Treasury wanted Cotton at that money transfer.”
“I was told not to. Stupid me respected that request.”
“How did Treasury know Cotton was even on that ship in the first place?” she asked. “Their first contact with Terra came after the cruise left port.”
“I’m assuming they have someone there, watching Larks, too. Once they tagged Malone, they zeroed in on the Billet.”
Thankfully, she’d taken precautions and ordered Luke Daniels to provide backup in case Cotton ran into trouble. Still, she was baffled. “What’s going on? This is a lot of trouble for some copied documents. What’s so important?”
“I don’t know. So let’s get our butts to Washington and find
“They want to know how close he’s getting.”
“To what?”
“I don’t know, but it’s time to find out.”
Harriett located her phone and punched in a number. The unit was on speaker, and her boss laid it on the table as the line rang and a female voice answered, “Office of the Secretary of Treasury.”
“It’s the attorney general of the United States. I need to speak to the secretary.”
“I’m sorry but he—”
“Please tell the secretary that either we speak now, or he can speak to the president later, after I report everything I know on Paul Larks.”
A full two minutes passed before a male voice said through the speaker, “All right, you have my attention.”
Everything that had happened was reported, then Harriett said, “Joe, we set your man up to see how far you were willing to take this.”
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. This is not my forte.”
“What’s going on?”
“Just like my agent said, we believe Larks copied some sensitive documents from Treasury archives. The breach was only recently discovered, and we want them back.”
“What kind of documents?”
“The classified kind.”
“I need more than that, Joe.”
“Not on this phone.”
Stephanie realized that classified did not necessarily mean “top secret.” Still, you didn’t discuss either on an open line.
“We’re after a fugitive,” Harriett said. “That’s all. He was indicted in federal court for tax evasion, tried and convicted in absentia. He fled the country just after his trial started, and really pissed off the local U.S. attorney. His name is Anan Wayne Howell. For us, this isn’t a big deal.”
A few moments of silence passed.
“Unfortunately for me, Harriett, it is a big deal. There’s more here than you realize.”
Stephanie heard the strain in the secretary’s voice.
“I gather that,” her boss said. “But you’ve gone about this all wrong.”
“Perhaps. But it had to be done.”
“How does Kim Yong Jin figure into the equation?”
That was a new name. Twelve hours ago Harriett had specifically directed her to send Malone inland to observe a North Korean cash transfer. Some background intel on an insurance fraud scheme had been provided, which she’d passed on to Cotton. But there’d been no mention of Kim.
Harriett said, “You told me about that money transfer and that Kim Yong Jin was in the neighborhood. You asked if I had an asset near Venice, knowing, of course, that I did. Then you asked me to send that asset over to witness the transfer.”
More news to Stephanie.
“What I wanted was to get Malone off that ship.”
It seemed the man on the other end of the line definitely knew more than they did.
“Can you be at the DC federal courthouse at 11:00 P.M. ?” the secretary asked. “Sixth floor. I’ll leave word with security to admit you.”
“I’m bringing Stephanie with me.”
“I’d prefer you not.”
“That’s non-negotiable. She’s my eyes and ears.”
Another pause.
“All right, Harriett, we’ll do this your way.”
The call ended.
“You never told me about Kim or that Treasury wanted Cotton at that money transfer.”
“I was told not to. Stupid me respected that request.”
“How did Treasury know Cotton was even on that ship in the first place?” she asked. “Their first contact with Terra came after the cruise left port.”
“I’m assuming they have someone there, watching Larks, too. Once they tagged Malone, they zeroed in on the Billet.”
Thankfully, she’d taken precautions and ordered Luke Daniels to provide backup in case Cotton ran into trouble. Still, she was baffled. “What’s going on? This is a lot of trouble for some copied documents. What’s so important?”
“I don’t know. So let’s get our butts to Washington and find
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