The Crimson Code by Rachel Lee

Author:Rachel Lee [Lee, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Suspense
ISBN: 9781426883651
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-12-01T06:00:00+00:00

19

Washington, D.C.

The letter in the mailbox outside the door appeared innocuous enough. Miriam looked at it, wondering who would have bothered to write to her from New York. These days, the phone and e-mail had all but replaced the letter as a way of communication.

She studied it for a moment, not recognizing the handwriting, and almost tossed it as one of those "hand addressed" sales things. But she paused before she let it drop into the trash can. First-class stamp, not a postal meter. Return address "White Rose," without a street number.

Suddenly her heart was hammering. This had to be from Tom Lawton. He had promised to let her know he was still alive from time to time by sending a rose. Beyond that, all contact had ended, leaving a small hole in her life and a larger hole in her heart.

Tom had a new life and a new name now, and she didn't really know what to expect inside the envelope. Was he in New York? Did he want to meet?

Her fingers trembled with excitement as she slit open the envelope and drew out the single sheet of paper. Inside was a typed message.

A friend needs to meet you. Thursday, 8:00 p.m. Chez Peter. He will carry something from me. T.

Her hands still trembling, she burned the letter and put the remains down the garbage disposal. This wasn't innocent, she thought. Something serious was going on or Tom Lawton wouldn't have broken his silence.

For a few seconds she wondered if she should tell Terry. Then she decided against it. If she was getting into something dangerous, she didn't want to drag him in with her.

She looked at the envelope she still held and realized she needed to burn that, as well. No e-mail, no phone call, no cell phone. Nothing the NSA might listen in on or pry into. Nothing that would leave a permanent trace of the note that had been delivered by what was still the most private transmission system in the world: the good old-fashioned U.S. Mail.

She started to laugh as she lit the corner of the envelope, letting it fall into the sink and burn as the letter had.

And she thought she had been paranoid before?

She was still laughing when Terry arrived home. He wanted to know what was so funny, but she only shook her head. "I'll tell you sometime, love. I promise."

* * *

Sometime was not good enough for Terry. He said nothing but, "Hurry home," the next morning when she announced she was going to a late meeting in Georgetown and wouldn't be home directly after work.

He watched her go out to her car and begin the long commute to D.C., and thought that they really needed to move closer to the city. Neither of them needed this kind of commute every day. Sure, they liked their apartment and their church, and the feeling that they were really "away" when they were off duty. But this was a bit too far away.

He

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