The Templar Reprisals (The Best Thrillers Book 3) by James Best (free ebook reader for ipad .TXT) 📗

radical webpages. They can attend whatever mosques they choose. They can even contribute money to organizations that support terror. As long as they remain passive physically, we ignore them. This is far more generous than your FBI counter-terrorism tactics.”

“I don’t believe you,” Evarts said. “How could you know when a cell is planning an attack if you don’t infiltrate them? You must have penetrated all kinds of Islamic organizations, neighborhoods, and mosques.”

Lewis shrugged. “True, but we take no action until we have proof of intended violence. We have safeguards in place.”

“Something doesn’t jibe. Before I returned to the hotel, I met with Army Intelligence, and—”

“We know,” Lewis interrupted. “That’s why you’re in town.”

“And they told me that our intelligence services estimate that the Templar Knights number only about a thousand. If they’re all your age and physical condition, it’s hard to imagine that you can gather sufficient global intelligence and field strike forces wherever needed.”

Lewis chuckled. “Your intelligence services overestimate the number of Knights.”

“You avoided my question,” Evarts said.

“I’ll explain. The Templars of old were organized into three ranks: knights, sergeants, and chaplains. They also hired squires, tradesmen, and mercenaries who were not part of the order. We’re not so different today.” He laughed. “Except, as you may have guessed, knights are no longer the primary warriors.” He patted his stomach again. “That responsibility has been relegated to the sergeants. As for intelligence, it comes from three sources. We have a few of our own spies, infiltrate government departments, and use paid informants.”

“In other words, you’re a bunch of old men who hire mercenaries.”

“That would be an unkind way of putting it, but I guess we’ve decided to be straightforward.”

“Since we’re being direct,” Evarts said, “what the hell do you want from me?”

“That should be obvious. We want you to join us. Not today. Sometime in the future. After you’ve earned the privilege of an invitation. Today was an introduction to encourage you to pursue us.”

“Pursue you? You mean seek a Master Mason degree?” Evarts asked.

“Not necessarily. We want you to be a sergeant. That doesn’t require that you’re even a Mason.”

“A sergeant? A combatant?” Evarts laughed. “I’ll pass.”

“Today perhaps. But who knows what tomorrow will bring?”

“Hopefully, not more clichés. By the way, your name’s not Jim Lewis, is it?”

“Of course not. We old men have a few tricks left.”

“Your tricks and your double-secret little club doesn’t interest me. To use a cliché of my own, you’re barking up the wrong tree. I do have a final question, however. Why did you even try to recruit me? You must know it’s risky. I just met with Army Intelligence. They want to hunt you down and throw you in irons. If you had investigated me, you would’ve known I wouldn’t be interested. Your whole modus operandi goes against my nature.”

“We have our reasons,” Lewis said. “Besides, the risks were mitigated.” He looked off into the distance. “We had your shadow shadowed. We may be in your neck of the woods, but we have more resources than you have covering this meet.” He smiled. “At dinner tonight, please convey our best wishes to General O’Brian.”

They were almost to the hotel. A navy-blue Escalade suddenly pulled to the curb with brakes screeching. Evarts put his hand on his gun, but he didn’t pull it out because Lewis smiled as he gestured with his thumb like he was hitchhiking. The rear door opened, and Lewis put his foot inside. Just before climbing in, he turned back to Evarts.

“In answer to your final question, we tried to recruit you because the terrorists you foiled on Pont Neuf have put a price on your head … and on your wife’s. A big price … with separate rewards for each of you. They’re going to kill you … both of you.”

Lewis jumped the rest of the way in, the door slammed, and the Escalade was gone in an instant.

Chapter 20

Evarts arrived at the Oak Steakhouse in Alexandria an hour early. He needed a drink.

As soon as Lewis had been whisked away, Evarts called his station and had two officers dispatched to UCSB to watch over his wife. Next, he called his wife. She immediately insisted that she didn’t want cops in or around her classes or office. She argued that campus police would be enough, and that if there was a price on her head, it might be months before someone tried to collect. He understood student and faculty animosity toward cops but reminded her that his rejects made up the bulk of campus police. It didn’t matter. She believed students would perceive town officers as threatening. He had blown up and the argument had turned ugly. He yelled that student protests had resulted in disarming the campus police and that this was a serious threat requiring serious protection, not disarmed amateur rent-a-cops. She wouldn’t give. He lost the fight and reassigned his officers to patrol the perimeter of the school.

His next call was to General O’Brian to give him a debrief. When Evarts finished, O’Brian said he wanted to check a few things and would meet him at the restaurant.

When he arrived, the restaurant appeared empty, but the bar crowded. Evarts selected a high table in the corner away from government workers who had left the office early. He wanted to be alone to think.

Before he settled comfortably in his seat, O’Brian slid onto the barstool beside him.

“You buying?” he asked.

“Sure. What’ll you have?”

“Macallans 18, neat.”

Evarts laughed. If they intended to get drunk, this would be an expensive evening. The eighteen-year-old vintage of his favorite scotch was pricy by the bottle, outrageous in a bar.

“Okay, I’ll do the same, but with an ice cube.”

“Blasphemy,” O’Brian said.

After ordering, Evarts asked, “Why are you early?”

“You’re my most important remaining task of the day. When I was informed that you had left the hotel and instructed the cabbie to bring you here, I left the Pentagon and came right over.”

“How’d you know what I told the