The Watchmen by Freemantle Brian

Author:Freemantle, Brian [Freemantle, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2000-04-10T04:00:00+00:00

Pamela Darnley assembled her intended task force controllers before 8:00 A.M., too, which was a mistake because the expected list hadn’t arrived from the Pentagon. She started to fill the time briefing the eight male and two senior-grade female agents on what she knew from Manhattan, which was obviously very little. Even more obvious—she guessed to the rest of the incident room as well as to herself—was that she couldn’t possibly have answered at least three consecutive questions from Al Beckinsdale. Irritated, she acknowledged a fact she scarcely needed to remind herself about: that she was in sole supervisory control of a specific task force, without the physical authority of William Cowley, the case officer. She also acknowledged that Beckinsdale had to be at least fifteen years her senior. What she judged to be the first opportunity to justify herself to Leonard H. Ross, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, this chauvinistic son of a bitch saw as showoff sex challenge time. So be it.

“Case this important, I’m surprised we haven’t been able to get things faster from the Pentagon or Immigration, that being the only lead we’ve got after all this time,” persisted Beckinsdale, a fat man who perspired and rarely fastened his collar or tightened his tie. He lolled back in his chair, legs stretched out in front of him.

“The Pentagon computer was sabotaged, as you know,” Pamela said, evenly. “And Immigration’s a physical check through God knows how many individual pieces of paper.”

“Can’t imagine that would have been much reassurance to people who’d lost family if the Lincoln bomb had gone off. Could have killed a lot of people.”

There was an uneasy shift from among the group facing her. One agent said something Pamela couldn’t hear to the man next to him, who smiled.

Pamela said, “But it didn’t go off. We prevented it.”

“Bill Cowley prevented it.”

The two female agents were in head-bent conversation now, looking annoyed.

“Prevented it brilliantly,” agreed Pamela. “But you’re right, Al. It has taken a hell of a time—too long—and none of us is doing anything at this very moment, sitting around here with our fingers up our asses. So here’s what I’d like you personally to do. I’d like you to get over to Immigration and you tell the superintendent in charge—his name’s Zeke Proudfoot—you tell Zeke Proudfoot how pissed off we all are that it’s taking him and his people so long and that’s why you’ve been seconded to them, to put a burr under their blanket. Let’s get that address off the visa application by the end of the day, OK?”

The two female agents were smiling now. None of the men were.

“Now let’s just wait a moment here—” began the man.

“What, Al?” stopped Pamela.

“I thought we had a specific role here. A task force?”

“Of which I’m supervisor, like I’m deputy case officer of the entire investigation.” Pamela smiled. “Which has got to be flexible. I’m open to persuasion and you’ve persuaded me. You give me a call around midday, tell me how you’re getting on: If we’re all out, leave a message with Terry Osnan.

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