Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
I’m not surprised by his knowledge of the Society. He is, after all, the President of the United States. Other pieces of this puzzle, however, do not make sense, which is why I go digging. “What role did Murphy play in trying to eradicate the Society if not to lead the charge himself?”
“The Society is a terrorism threat,” Ellis supplies, “that falls under Homeland, but we had crossover as we tried to pick away at their domestic crimes. He believed you were close enough to the evil to help defeat those in power. Pocher, specifically.”
“He seemed committed to the cause,” President Arden adds. “Almost too committed.”
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“We know Murphy started playing double agent with the Society,” he replies. “Taking risks that could have led to his murder until Marie was killed. She wasn’t involved in the Society takedown at all.”
“How do you know he wasn’t loyal to them?” I ask. “A double agent is tricky to read, and I, too, believe that’s what he became.”
“Why?” Ellis asks. “Why do you feel he was dirty? Because that’s what you’re saying.”
This is where I pause. If I tell them Murphy claimed he loved my mother, I might get long yearned for answers. But if I tell them he might have killed her, I become a suspect in his murder. I have a lot of buried bodies to consider and only about thirty seconds to decide just what to dig up.
Chapter Thirty-Six
President Arden and Director Ellis want to know why I suspected Murphy was dirty.
Bringing up the idea that Murphy might have killed my mother could turn me into a suspect in his murder.
I decided buried bodies are best left underground.
“It was a gut feeling,” I say. “I was working to validate my suspicions, but now you’ve done just that for me.”
“We have questions about Murphy,” Ellis says. “Just as we do Calvin Adams.”
I eye Ellis. “You told me Calvin didn’t know about the Society,” I accuse. “He claims he does and was a Murphy confidant.”
“He told me that this morning,” President Arden replies. “It was news to me.”
“And me,” Ellis replies.
“That’s not confidence building,” I say. “Where was the intel?”
“I don’t believe the part about him being a Murphy confidant,” Ellis replies. “He found out things we don’t think he should know, but my concern is that it was not from Murphy. Murphy knew the FBI director was going to step down. He was helping us vet a replacement. It would be unlike Murphy to run his mouth about things we’d declared confidential.”
“Why was Murphy helping you set-up Adams to be director? Why wasn’t Murphy being considered?”
“He didn’t want it,” Ellis replies. “He wanted to be able to focus one hundred percent on the Society, and as director, that would not have been possible.”
“Circling back a bit,” the President says. “I do not like the fact that Adams didn’t confess his extensive knowledge of the Society until I told him I was meeting with you today. Until he knew there was a risk you’d tell me what he had not. Tread carefully with your Interim Director. Right now, his role is temporary. He does not have to become Director, and at this point, I’m looking at other candidates. There is too much that doesn’t add up. The FBI director has too much power for me to take risks with his placement.”
“Okay,” I say processing this and biting back all kinds of things I would say if I wasn’t sitting in the Oval Office, which is a new experience for me. I shift my body toward Ellis. “You also told me his record was squeaky clean, which it is not. There are rumors about him crossing lines.”
“The rumors were planted by us to influence the Society’s view on him. We want to encourage them to approach him. This allows us to evaluate him while he’s in this temporary role.”
“He told me he and Murphy planted the rumors,” I counter.
Ellis shares a look with the President and then answers. “That’s partially true. Murphy was involved. I just don’t know how Adams knew.”
“Someone told him,” I say. “And why didn’t you tell me about the planted rumors?”
“Murphy sang your praises,” Ellis replies, “but we needed to know how resourceful you were.”
“I’m not sure me finding out something as simple as a rumor about Adams proves anything,” I counter.
“Call me a simple man, Lilah,” the President says, “but I still believe how you do anything is how you do everything. Your track record is strong. Your ability to weed through bullshit is fast and efficient. I like these qualities. We need these murders solved, and no one in this town is capable of doing that without ten layers of political hogwash.”
“Hogwash? That sounds old. You know, you’re never going to get the younger voters using words like hogwash.”