ADX Praxis (The Red Lake Series Book 3) Read online

  Harry raised the back of his lounge chair. As he looked around he declared, “I love it out here.” Paula handed him a drink. They touched rims. “Cheers!”

  She sipped the margarita. “When do you think we can go home?”

  Red Lake was only two miles down the lake..

  “Any day now. They will run out of news in Red Lake.”

  Paula stretched her long legs out on the chaise next to him. Harry ran his fingertips up her thigh to the edge of her yellow bikini bottom. She slapped the back of his hand,

  “Later big boy,” she teased.

  Harry sighed and returned to working on his tan and enjoying his margarita.

  Paula stirred her drink with one finger.

  “What about Barton?” she asked.

  “He’s out of the country.”

  “I’m sorry I missed saying good bye. Where did he go?”

  “I don’t know. Probably somewhere dark and dangerous.”

  That night the air was warm. The dinner had been delicious, the sex later that night was even better. They lay together on the queen size berth in the master stateroom. A faint breeze stirred the curtains at the portholes. Small waves lapped the hull. Among the darkness onshore came the yellow glow of dozens of fireflies, trying to light up the night, as they sought a mate.

  Harry lay near Paula, not quite touching. They both seemed to need space after making love. He thought she was asleep until she asked, “Harry, how much are you like him?”

  Harry knew whom she meant.

  “I don’t know. Enough to worry me at times.”

  “Me too.” Paula said almost apologetically. She snuggled close and laid her head on his chest. A moment later he felt a warm tear fall on his chest.

  Chapter 73

  The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearings convened. A few minority Senators tried to blame the Carrington Administration, but the Director of the Agency was a carryover appointment from the President’s predecessor who was of the other party.

  They quickly decided to appoint a special sub-committee to look into the issue of Lee Harvey Oswald’s alleged involvement with the CIA. This effectively took the Kennedy assassination out of play.

  Claus Van de Meer was subpoenaed. Hundreds of reporters and dozens of cameras awaited his testimony. Seventy two times while under oath he responded, “I refuse to answer under my constitutional rights against self-incrimination.”

  Senators of the Committee took turns acting stern and expressing their sorrow at his lack of cooperation. He was scheduled to continue the next day but the hearings were postponed after the Washington Post reported,

  “Claus Van de Meer, who was a CIA employee and implicated in the DPIO scandal committed suicide at his residence. An unidentified domestic discovered him when she came in to work. She reported he was still breathing when she found him in his bed. An empty vial of prescription drugs was nearby. Doctors reported he was breathing when he arrived at Walter Reed Hospital but passed away a half-hour later. “

  Around the Capitol this news caused many men and a few women to breath a sigh of relief.

  The committee spent a great deal of time upon Darwin and ZhenZhoung. It was stressed that the Senators regretted that this highly successful spy ruse was revealed. It was also unfortunate that Chet Parker was unable to testify due to poor health. His doctor said his physical condition would not permit travel.

  Jaden Qudar left the country unexpectedly and it proved impossible to serve him with the Congressional summons.

  The CIA men who traveled to Red Lake with Claus Van de Meer each testified but only said they were going on a training retreat and that they were sworn in as Deputy US Marshals and therefore permitted to carry and transport arms interstate.. They swore they knew nothing of plans by their superior to meet with Harry Grim or any persons other than Warden Calder Hill. When it was pointed out that Sheriff Gavin Gaines’ sworn statement said their names did not appear on the United States Marshal list the day of their detention, rather than disparaging Gaines, they testified that he was correct. They were not on the list because of a clerical error.

  Calder Hill was on his way to Washington DC when he collapsed in Dulles Airport. His testimony was scheduled for the next day but instead of appearing to testify, it was announced he had been pronounced dead at the Reston Medical Center following a myocardial infarction.

  When Harry finally testified he noticed a definite lack of interest in exploring certain issues. There were more questions about his acts and deeds and less interest in the CIA. Numerous Senators overtly expressed concerns about the possibility of his having wire taped or otherwise engaged in illegal electronic activities. Others expressed their fear that, “Mr. Grim’s actions had endangered covert operations or persons working for the United States”.

  Even the FBI, which initially took pleasure in the CIA’s troubles pulled back and dropped their vocal criticism of their domestic activities.

  Director Furgeson of the Department of Homeland Security announced the appointment of a committee to review inter-agency cooperation and oversight.

  The House decided to not investigate until after the Senate report was finished. It would be out in six to eight months.

  *

  In Red Lake, Lisa Ames called on Harry Grim. Paula sat at her desk filing her nails. She nodded at the inner door.

  “Mr. Grim?” she said hesitantly at the door.

  “Come in,” he said affably.

  “I wanted to apologize.”

  “For what?”

  “I thought you were cheating me. I complained to the sheriff because I thought the house explosion was an accident and you were using it to scare me and take my money.”

  “Apology accepted.” Harry was eager to get back to tying trout flies.

  “There is another thing. The government approached me about settling any claim for wrongful death. They offered me three million dollars. I accepted the money, do you think I should have fought for more justice for Eddie?”

  Harry looked her in the eyes. “The men who were responsible are dead. There would be nothing else to do. Enjoy your money.”

  Lisa Ames rose. She drew an envelope from her purse and laid it on his desk. “I want you to have this. Thank you again, Mr. Grim.”

  The office door closed behind her.

  Paula heard a long whistle come from Harry’s lips.

  “You call?” she asked looking in from the doorway.

  Harry waived a check. Her eyebrows rose. “How much?”

  “Fifty thousand dollars!”

  Chapter 7 4

  Deep in the bowels of the Central Intelligence Agency the maintenance crews were finished painting. The new furniture was in place. The secure data links were active. A sign on the door read, “Devan M. Clauseer.

  He was the new man. Someone said he came over from the Defense Intelligence Agency, another said no he was active in the Baghdad Bureau and recently reassigned. It was uncertain what his role was but that was the nature of the business.

  The new Director of Threat and Mitigation Assessment arrived. He set his briefcase down. Fall had come early in Washington and the mornings were cool. He carefully hung his coat in the closet.

  He was corpulent man, his skin a pale milky-white from too much time spent in his office. His tailored suit was snug, the result of too many dinners and too little exercise. Thinning hair swept over his head. The gray muted by a stylist. His blue eyes were cool and impassive pools.

  He pressed the intercom button for his secretary in the adjoining room, he asked, “Miss Whelks, please come in.”

 

 

 
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