Page 4 of The Valiant (Spy Girl 4)
After I end the call, I open Clarice's journal and start reading. Clarice was very clearly a free spirit in all ways, including the men she slept with and wrote about in entirely too much detail for my liking.
Most of the journal reads like an erotic novel. I'm surprised Ari wasn't glued to its pages. Maybe he has more substance than I originally thought. I haven't seen him this morning, making me wonder what he's up to.
I come across a small entry in the diary about Ophelia. I tag the page and keep going, marking anything that I want to refer back to. By the time I'm done, my stomach is growling, and my phone is ringing.
A look at the time tells me I've been so enthralled that I completely missed lunch.
"Wow, two calls in the same day. To what do I owe this pleasure?" I ask Daniel, genuinely shocked to be hearing from him again.
"There's something I didn't tell you when we talked before. Our government keeps an eye on its citizens when they are in other countries."
"Are you saying the United States government is watching me?"
"I can say that you are a person of interest," he says seriously but then adds, "and by that, I mean, your ass is of great interest to me. I don't want it to end up dead."
"Why are they watching me, Daniel?"
"I would assume it's because you are Ares Von Allister's daughter."
"Even though I didn't believe it at first, we've proven it."
"What do you mean?"
"We found DNA from his home, which was used in a test. Seriously, Daniel, why would they care about me?"
"I can tell you that they watched your father."
"My father sold products to our government that helped protect its soldiers," I counter.
"Do you even understand his business? Or are you just having fun spending his money?"
I put my head in my palm and rub my eyes, trying to stick with my cover. "The latter, of course. We have stock holdings in companies from what I understand, but it's not like we have a say."
"You do when you own the majority, Huntley. And a vote is coming up. Were you notified?"
"Um, no." I squint my eyes, wondering why we haven't been.
"A lot of the things your father invented were done with research dollars from the US government. With that came exclusivity agreements, meaning he could only sell those cutting-edge products to us for a set amount of time. Many of those deals are coming to the end of their term."
"Which means it's not cutting edge anymore. What's the big deal?"
"They trusted Ares for the most part, but the government has requested an extension on a couple of their more sensitive contracts. They are worried they won't get it. It's believed you might have been informed of the board meeting via a letter that you probably won't receive until after the vote."
"Daniel, how do you know this? Are you working for our government?"
"My father's the president; I'm not."
"I mean, the CIA, Daniel," I say seriously.
"Um," he stutters, meaning he clearly isn't trained, probably just recruited for this.
"I see," I say disappointedly.
Whether or not I want to admit it, the fact that Daniel might be my friend only for information bothers me. And it shouldn't when, clearly, I set out to use him to advance my mission.
"It's complicated, Huntley," he says with a sigh.
Even though I know exactly how he feels, I have to say, "I bet it is. Bye, Daniel."
"Wait. Don't go. I don't work for them. I don't get paid or anything."
"Just doing your civic duty? Getting information from me and passing it on to them?"
"Remember, in the bathroom, when I invited you to the White House?" he asks, indicating when I told him the truth about Ophelia. "That's when it started."
"Not before?" I ask, my heart hoping he's telling the truth.
"Like I have time for that shit, Huntley. It's only a few days until the Olympic Trials. Do you know what a disgrace it would be for me not to make the team? I'm not as fast as I was last year. My trainer says I've gained too much bulk, and it's weighing me down in the pool, so I'm trying to lose weight and stay strong and eat. It's my focus. You of anyone should understand my commitment. And it would mean a lot to me if you came to Omaha. From a civic-duty standpoint, I need you to meet with my dad. I need you to understand what's going on in your father's company, and I need you and your brother to wield the power that your father gave you to help us."
"Why don't you tell Mike to give me a call himself?"
"You know the director of the CIA?"
"Yeah, we've met a few times. He tried to recruit me in fact."
"Well, that pisses me off. He acted like he didn't know you."
"You should never trust a spy, Daniel," I tell him, feeling bold. "Next time you see Mike Burnes, tell him to be a man and ask me himself."
"You're crazy," he says with a laugh.
"I don't want you mixed up in anything dangerous."
"Why not?"
"Because I happen to like your body just the way it is regardless of what your trainer says. As does most of the world. As long as you make the team, just showing up at the Olympics in that little patriotic swimsuit will make all the women in America happy. We really don't care that much if you win; we just like to watch."
I can practically hear him rolling his eyes.
"See you soon, Huntley. Just for the record, I'm glad you're not dead."
"I love you, too."
"You and every other woman," he teases as he hangs up.
I close my eyes and absorb everything Daniel said and didn't say, my eyes shooting open.
I pick up the journal and run down to the basement.
When I get there, I find Terrance tacking photographs up on a bulletin board, and my brother is writing locations on the whiteboard next to it.
"What if my mother was investigating Ares?" I blurt out.
Ari turns and points the marker in his hand in my direction. "What makes you say that?"
"I got a call from Daniel; something he said just made it all click. And I've been reading Clarice's journal. I found some things."
"Ellis should be bringing us a late lunch down shortly," Terrance says, taking a seat and motioning for Ari and me to do the same.
But Ari continues to pace. I think it's how he does his best thinking.
I set the journal on the table and open it to the first page I marked. "Okay, so we're starting with last May. I'll just read it aloud.
"1 May
"Today, we celebrated Montrovia's national holiday. Ophelia is becoming unbearable. She's already a bossy know-it-all, but now, she acts like she will be queen someday.
"I told her, if I were ever called upon to serve, I'd abdicate the throne. Too much responsibility, too many people watching you with high expectations. No, thanks. But she told me that I should think deeper about all the things I have rambled about being interested in--from the protection of animals to living in peace--and how it could all be possible with the right person in charge. That made me laugh.
