Zero Day (28 page)

“
W
HAT THE HELL
are you doing here?”

Julie Carson was not in uniform. She had on jeans and a sleeveless Army green T-shirt and her feet were bare. Her arms were tanned and muscled. She probably hit the gym every day and ran at lunchtime to catch the rays and keep her body lean, thought Puller.

She gazed up at Puller, who stood on the other side of the door to her condo. In his regulation dress uniform shoes he was about six feet five and the breadth of his shoulders filled the doorway.

“Got some follow-up questions.”

“How’d you know where I lived?”

“I don’t mean to insult your intelligence, but I’m an Army investigator and you’re in the Army. Like looking in the phone book.”

“I still don’t like it.”

“Duly noted. Can we do this inside in private?”

“I already talked to you.”

“Yes, you did, and like I said, I had some follow-up questions.”

“I’m busy.”

“And I’m investigating a murder. Of one of your people.”

The door down the hall opened and two young people came out and looked over at them.

“Inside might be better, General,” observed Puller.

She glanced at the young couple, stepped back, and let Puller in, closing the door after him. She led him down the hallway. Puller noted the high-end fixtures, oil paintings, and tasteful furnishings in her condo across from Pentagon City Mall that was only one Metro stop from the Pentagon.

“Nice commute for you.”

“Yeah, it is,” she said brusquely.

They settled in the living room. She’d pointed him to an upholstered chair and she sat on a small loveseat across from him.

On the walls were pictures of Carson with an array of high-ranking military personnel and politicians. Every one of these people, and they were mostly men, had probably been instrumental in her career path. He had noted a similar photo wall in her office at the Pentagon.

“Nice place.”

“I like it.”

“I still live like I was back in college.”

“I’m sorry,” she said bluntly. “Maybe it’s time you grew up.”

“Maybe it is.”

“I’m not sure what sort of follow-up questions you might have.”

“Based on new information.”

“What new information?” she scoffed.

“About Colonel Reynolds.” He stopped and stared at her.

“Okay, I’m waiting, or am I supposed to guess?”

Puller took his time sliding out his official notebook and uncapping his pen. While he was doing that, he was also watching her. He saw Carson run her eye over his ribbon rows. You didn’t wear your ribbons or medals on your fatigues. But the dress uniform showed them in all their glory. And she could not help but come away impressed. Like his SAC had observed, Puller
had
been a stud in the field. The colored ribbons and bits of metal had never meant much to him. The actions behind the official awards were what he remembered. But if the military’s display of bragging rights got someone’s attention in an investigation, they were worth their weight in gold to him.

“You’ve accomplished a lot, Puller,” she said with grudging admiration.

“Only thing I want to accomplish right now is to find a killer.”

“Then you’re wasting your time sitting here talking to me.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Get to the damn point. I’ve got better things to do than this. As I told you, I have to give the briefing tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, I’m kind of surprised you’re not still there making sure it’s perfect for the four-star.”

“That’s none of your damn business. And let’s not forget which of us has the star. I’m beginning to lose my patience. And just so you know, I’ve got good contacts at CID.”

“I’m sure you do.” He glanced up at her photo wall to see the image of the current CID head staring back at him. “And I’m sure they’re better than mine.”

“So get to the point!”

“Talk to me about what Colonel Reynolds told you about what was happening in West Virginia. Specifically what he was concerned about.”

She looked at him in bewilderment. “I already told you that Reynolds didn’t talk to me about anything that happened in West Virginia.”

“I know. I’ve got it written down in my notebook. I just wanted to give you the opportunity to correct the record before it becomes permanent.”

The two stared stonily at one another.

“I don’t like what you’re implying,” she said.

“And I don’t like being lied to.”

“You’re way out of line.”

“What’s out of line is giving me false information that will make it that much harder for me to find Reynolds’s killer.”

“Who told you that I knew anything about this?”

“I’m an investigator. It’s my job to find out things.”

“If people are saying false things about me, I have every right to know.”

“If they’re false. But not if they’re
true
.”

She folded her arms and sat back.

He noted this. Before, her posture was aggressive. Hands on knees, torso angled toward his, just begging to tell the truth and get this over with. Now things had changed.

She must’ve noted his appraisal, because she said, “I helped revise the manual on interrogation techniques, Puller, so spare yourself the embarrassment of trying to read me.”

“Would that be enhanced interrogation techniques, ma’am?”

“You know as well as I do that the Army adheres to the Geneva Convention.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

But she sat still farther back and her eye contact was not as direct.

He decided to press his advantage. “Was Reynolds a good soldier?”

“Yes, he was. I told you that.”

“And good soldiers follow chain of command?”

“Yes.”

“So if I told you that Reynolds had told someone else of his concerns who was not in his chain of command, it seems likely, does it not, that he would have told his direct superior as well? Meaning you? He’s the eagle cluster. You’re the one-star, as you so clearly pointed out to me.”

She crossed her legs, her chin dipping slightly. “I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Sure you do. The truth will do just fine.”

“I can have your ass in the stockade for a statement like that.”

“But you won’t.”

“Why? Because of your old man? He’s long gone from the ranks, Puller. So don’t try that leverage on me, legend or not.”

“That’s not what I was thinking.”

“Sure it was. Your poker face leaves a lot to be desired.”

Puller continued on as though he hadn’t heard her. “Actually, I was thinking of that star on your shoulder.”

Her features hardened even more. She actually looked like she might jump up and attack him. But to an experienced interrogator such as Puller, he could see just beneath this hard shell the beginnings of fear in the woman.

“Why?” she said. “Thinking of trying to knock it off? Don’t even bother. I worked my ass off for it. I earned it.”

“Actually, ma’am, I was thinking that your shoulders look broad enough to carry that star and probably at least one more.”

This tactic had clearly surprised her. Carson uncrossed her arms and legs and sat forward. She eyed the notebook.

Acknowledging this subtle gesture, he said, “This will all go in the report as though it took place at our initial meeting at the Pentagon.”

“Frankly, I didn’t expect that sort of nuance from you, Puller.”

“Probably most people don’t.”

She looked down, her fingers nervously rubbing together. When she looked up she said, “You want to go grab a cup of coffee? I feel like getting some fresh air.”

He rose. “My treat.”

“No,” she said quickly. “I think I’ll buy, soldier.”

T
HIS SECTION OF
A
RLINGTON
had a million places to get coffee within walking distance. Puller and Carson passed several such establishments, but all were crowded with yakking teenagers and their smartphones and laptops. They passed these and entered one off the beaten path where they were the only customers. The humidity had broken and the air was crisp and refreshing. They sat next to an open window in the café.

Puller placed his hot cup of coffee down after taking a sip and studied her.

Before leaving the condo she’d slipped on a white long-sleeved T-shirt and Nike sneakers. There were lines around her eyes, crow’s-feet that were stamped in more deeply than a civilian’s. Leading people who carried weapons just did that to a person. Her blonde hair stood out starkly from her tan. She was quite attractive and super-fit and carried herself like she was well aware of both. He knew she was forty-two and had worked her butt off for the one star. He had no desire to derail her career. Everyone was entitled to one professional mistake, and this was probably going to be hers.

“You wear your dress greens well,” she said quietly. “Special occasion?”

“Army and Navy Club. Little function.”

She nodded and sipped her coffee. “Matt called me about four weeks ago,” she said quickly, as though she just wanted to get this over with. She didn’t look at him. She kept her gaze on the tabletop.

“And said what?”

“He’d stumbled onto something. That was his word.
Stumbled
.
It wasn’t planned. And I certainly hadn’t sent him out there on a mission. He was just commuting to be with his wife and kids. His call to me came out of left field.”

“Okay.” Puller took another drink of coffee and set it down.

Carson said, “He’d met someone who was involved in something. Correction, he met someone who had
found out
something.”

“What and who?”

“I don’t know the who.”

“How did he meet this person?”

“By accident, I think. Anyway, it wasn’t planned.”

“And do you know the what?”

“It was big, whatever it was. Matt thought it so big that we might have to call in someone on our end.”

“And why didn’t you?”

Her words came fast. “Because I didn’t know enough. I didn’t want to pull the trigger on something and have it blow up in my face. This was totally off mission. Not my jurisdiction. Hell, I don’t even think it had anything to do with the military. I was out of my comfort zone, Puller, you have to understand that. I had no control over the information flow and no way to verify it. Neither did Matt. He was relying on people he didn’t know.”

“You still could have gone to the police. Or had him go.”

“And tell them what? Matt didn’t have enough info either, at least according to what he told me. A lot of it was gut.”

“Did he think this person might have been working undercover?”

“Undercover?” she said with genuine surprise. “You mean like a police officer?”

“Sometimes civilians go undercover on their own.”

“How often?” she said skeptically.

“Once is enough.”

“Well, Matt never mentioned anything like that.”

“And what did you tell him to do? Follow up? See what he could find out? You thought maybe this might be an opportunity for career advancement? Outside the normal scope of work?”

“You put things pretty bluntly, but you’re right. And the next
thing I knew he was dead. His whole family was dead. Wife, kids… everybody.” Her lips started to tremble. When she tried to pick up her coffee cup, her hand was shaking so badly the coffee spilled on her.

Puller took the cup from her, set it down, wiped the coffee off her with a napkin, and then gripped her other hand.

“Look, ma’am, maybe you didn’t play this the best way possible, but no one can every time. And I know there was no way you ever intended for any of this to happen.”

She glanced quickly up at him and then just as abruptly looked away. She turned to the side and used another napkin to dry her eyes. Puller waited until she’d composed herself and turned back to him.

She said, “Sorry about that, Puller. Generals aren’t supposed to cry.”

“I’ve seen them tear up over the bodies of their men.”

She smiled resignedly. “I was talking about
female
generals.”

“Okay. When you found out what had happened to the Reynoldses, what did you do?”

“Quite frankly, I freaked. And when I calmed down, the only thing I could think of was the potential blowback to me. Doesn’t paint a very flattering picture of me, but it’s the truth.”

“And you figured that the murder of the head of J23 would generate enough interest on its own? You knew there would be a lot of backdoor maneuvering from people in slots way above either one of us. And maybe you dropped some hints that until they knew for sure what was behind it all it was better to go in light with just one CID agent, treat it like a normal homicide investigation? See where the chips fell?”

“I’m not sure my plan was that refined. But I realized as soon as I said anything that it might come out anyway and I would look really bad. It’s been a hole in my gut ever since.”

“I can understand that. But you might have been closer to the truth than you thought. You said he fell into it by accident?”

“Yes. Matt also said he thought it might have national security
implications. I mean, he really did say that to me. I had no way to verify it, but I know he believed it.”

“You ever been to Drake, West Virginia?”

She shook her head.

“Well, it’s not exactly a hotbed of terrorism, if that’s what we’re talking about.”

“All I can tell you is what Matt told me.”

“Fair enough. And someone did kill him because of it.” Puller thought some things through while Carson stared miserably down at her hands.

“Don’t beat yourself up too hard, ma’am. You were just seeing if maybe you could get something done, something to help the country.”

“Let’s just call a spade a spade, Puller. I thought I could use this to help get the second star. I was selfish and myopic. And now four people are dead who shouldn’t be.”

Seven
, thought Puller.
Actually seven people are dead
.

“Okay. Anything else you can think of that might help me?”

“Matt did say that he thought whatever it was would happen soon.”

“Soon because they were afraid of exposure? Or soon because the plan had been in place for a while and it was time to execute?”

“Probably both, considering they felt the need to kill Matt and his family.”

“I’m surprised that he didn’t provide you more details.”

She said, “He didn’t leave any evidence of who the person might be? You’re sure?”

“We didn’t find much of anything. We do think a soil sample might be involved.”

She looked at him with a quizzical expression. “A soil sample?”

He nodded. “The killers may have come back for it, in fact. So it must’ve been important. That ring any bells with you?”

“Well, he did say that this thing might have far-reaching implications.”

“But he never said how?”

“No. Now I wished I had pushed him for more details. I just never thought it would end like this. I guess I should have. The Army teaches you to provide for every contingency.”

“We’re human, so that means we’re not perfect.”

“The Army expects us to be perfect,” she shot back.

“No, they just expect us to be better than the other side.”

She eyed the notebook. “How will your report read?”

“That you were very cooperative and provided me with valuable intelligence.”

“I owe you, Puller. I had you all wrong.”

“No, you probably had me pegged right. But your aim was a little off.”

“Hustling for a star and being a female can add up to a lonely life.”

“You’ve got a big family around you. It’s called the United States Army.”

She smiled weakly. “Yeah, I guess so. When this is over, look me up. Maybe we can have a drink.”

“Maybe we can,” said Puller as he closed his notebook and took his leave.

On the way to his car he glanced at his watch. He had one more stop and then he could be back in West Virginia by taking a morning flight.

Unfortunately, he probably wasn’t going to make it.

The four men had surrounded him.