Jon Reznick 02 Hard Kill by J. B. Turner

Author:J. B. Turner [Turner, J. B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-12-04T05:00:00+00:00

The New York office of the State Department was housed in a monolithic twenty-six-story concrete tower across the street from the UN in Midtown. It housed the US mission to the UN, where hundreds of diplomats and support staff worked behind thirty-inch concrete walls and no windows on the first seven floors, specially designed to withstand explosives-laden truck bombs on First Avenue.

Meyerstein was dropped outside a side entrance on 45th Street at 9.26am. “I won’t be long, twenty minutes max,” she told Chisholm, who was sitting up front beside the driver, talking to one of his team on his cell phone. She turned to Reznick, who was sitting in the back seat. “Let’s see what Froch has to say. Wish me luck.”

Reznick stared at her long and hard before he smiled. “Good luck.”

She strode up to the entrance, flashed her ID at the armed guard and was ushered inside to go through security. She walked through metal detectors and was searched by a poker-faced female guard.

“She’s clean,” the woman said. “Sorry, ma’am, but it’s the same for everyone.”

Meyerstein looked at the woman and smiled. “Not a problem.”

She rode the elevator alone to the eighth floor and was escorted through a maze of corridors to Froch’s office by an attractive twenty-something female intern.

Froch was sitting behind his desk, leafing through some papers. He stood up and pointed to the chair opposite. He blew out his cheeks as Meyerstein sat down. “One minute early. You want a coffee?”

Meyerstein said, “Good morning, Ed. Black coffee, please.”

The intern left the room to make the coffee. Froch made small talk. The high humidity, plans for vacations. When the intern returned, she placed the coffee on the desk, in front of Meyerstein. “Ma’am,” she said.

Meyerstein said, “Thanks for that.” She sipped some coffee, enjoying the caffeine taking hold. She was so tired.

Froch said, “Gillian, can you shut the door behind you? Make sure I’m not disturbed.”

The door shut and Froch let out a long sigh.

“Thanks for making it at such short notice.” He leaned forward and steepled his fingers. “Firstly, I want to say that any State Department involvement does not impinge on your role as leading this investigation. I was briefing the secretary of state and she is being kept in the loop, as you can understand.”

Meyerstein nodded. “I would expect nothing less.”

“There are one or two people within the State Department who say this should be led by Counterterrorism. But the feeling is that you have that base amply covered with Sam Chisholm being on board.”

Meyerstein smiled but said nothing.

“Here’s where I’m at. I’ve already dispatched an old family friend of the Liebers to calm the waters. He heads up the State Department’s Office of Global Intergovernmental Affairs.”

“Charlie Stanton?”

“The very man. He’s known the Liebers for over thirty years. He’ll be asking for seventy-two hours’ grace.”

Meyerstein sighed. “You kidding me? Ed, I need more time.”

“That’s all that’s on the table. Charlie believes we can get that seventy-two hours. Nothing more.”

Meyerstein shook her head. But she knew it was a take-it-or-leave-it.

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