Page 78 of Blind Trust
“A journalist published an article after interviewing a man identifying himself as Michael O’Sullivan, who says he was an informant for the CIA. I was there and I know who our informants were, but this guy has details about what took place in London with Connor. I need to know if our assignment back in Omagh has come back to life.”
“Myassignment in Omagh was put to bed.” Bob sighed. “You left the light on when you went back of your own accord.”
“I had no choice.”
“I know you believe that, and I wish the outcome had turned out better, but that wasn’t a sanctioned CIA operation.”
Tom’s chest ached with the painful memory as if he were back there all over again. The stench of smoke and gasoline filling his lungs as his friend’s blood stained his hands.
Flexing his fingers over the steering wheel, he had to keep his promise. “I’m not asking you to break any rules, Bob. I know everything is black and white to you.” Tom pressed his lips closed, hating the bitterness in his tone. “I just need to make sure the file on what happened in London...doesn’t exist.”
A few seconds passed until Bob muttered something Tom wasn’t sure he wanted to decipher. “It’s a redacted file—no names, no details. If this O’Sullivan guy has something, it’s because he was there.”
“Can we find that out?”
“You said your team is investigating this?”
Tom exhaled. “You mentioned my team is being watched.”
“Tom, you know every inquiry made into our nation’s security is going to be monitored. I know your agency has the ability to skirt around the red tape that hems most of us in because we have rules to follow and congressional boards to answer to. If your team has looked into any person or group the rest of us have eyes on, it’s going to get attention.”
“Which is why I’m giving you our intel.”And keeping my team safe. Flashing orange lights warned Tom of road construction ahead, and he slowed down. “I’ve asked my team to stop their investigation, and I can send you our file.”
“And why would you do that?”
“To make the CIA look good.” Tom smiled to himself. “And because it’s personal.”
Bob groaned. “You know this quid-pro-quo thing never works in my favor. Always adds more work to my life.”
“If you didn’t love it, you’d already be on that boat of yours.”
“My wife points that out every morning when I roll out of bed.”
The GPS suggested an alternate route, and Tom took the exit to avoid a construction zone on the turnpike. A beep echoed, indicating an incoming call from Special Agent Bailey Hutchins with the Secret Service. “Bob, I have to take a call, but I appreciate your help on this.”
“Capitals tickets. Two.”
Intel always had a price. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Tell Lyla they’re for my grandson’s sixteenth birthday.”
“Good night, Bob.” Tom ended the call and knew Lyla didn’t need to be coerced into getting tickets to a hockey game for Bob. He answered the incoming call. “Hey, Bailey.”
“Hello, sir,” the young man answered. “I’m sorry to call so late, but I have the information you asked for.”
“Go ahead.”
“The details around Eamon Flannery’s arrest are correct. He was caught at the Belfast airport carrying a bag with more than a hundred thousand in supernotes. He claims he didn’t know they were fake, but Interpol was tipped off when Flannery was tracked entering the North Korean embassy.
“What’s interesting is that three men were arrested this morning at the Miami airport after they were stopped by Homeland Security agents. The agents discovered nearly half a million dollars in supernotes hidden across four suitcases.”
“Coming into the country or leaving?”
“Heading to Colombia, but the men are Venezuelan and claim they are humanitarians bringing money to help the Venezuelan and Colombian citizens caught in the violence at the border.”
“Where’d they get the money from?”
“They don’t have a name.” Bailey’s frustration was evident in his tone. “They flew to America from Bogotá, were given directions to a hotel and a room key. They arrived to find the suitcases already packed with clothes and toiletries, along with instructions to head to Arauca once they returned home.”
