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

be perfect. I’ll bet we have fresh coffee brewed upstairs.”

“The brass gets all the goodies. By the way, did you notice there are six desks?”

“Let me guess, you want to hire an assistant.”

“Margret.”

“You wish. She the best we have on the second floor. Hire someone new.”

“George … your George.”

“My assistant?” Evarts laughed. “Okay, you can have Margret. I don’t know how I’ll explain this upstairs, but I gotta admire your moxie.”

“Moxie? That’s a bit dated, chief. Wouldn’t want people to think you’re getting over the hill. The mayor might start looking for a youthful replacement.”

Standish grinned at the expression on his face. She knew she had won this joust. Although standard cop banter, she had hit close to home by reminding him that a woman mayor might prefer a woman heading the city’s most important department. Walsh hadn’t publicly declared her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor, but the news would certainly disappoint Standish. Evarts now had mixed feelings about the mayor, but mayors were a mixed breed, and the next occupant of the office might very well make him long for the good ol’ days of Megan Walsh.

After climbing to the second floor, they found Margret pouring herself a freshly brewed cup of coffee. As always, the leadership breakroom looked spic and span.

“Good morning, Chief, Commander,” Margret said.

“Good morning,” they both responded.

“You’re here early, Margret?” Evarts said.

“Never left. The commander authorized a double shift to get the task force room readied up. Took longer than I expected. Don’t worry, I clocked out at one thirty this morning. With your permission, I’d like to go home for a nap.” She lifted an eyebrow. “Return after lunch?”

“Okay,” Evarts said, “but we’d like to talk to you before you go. By the time we’re done, you can clock in for day shift to make up those uncompensated hours.”

“Sure, thanks. What about?”

“Just a moment,” Standish said as she made for the coffee pot. She poured herself and Evarts a mug and the three of them sat around a tiny, laminate table.

“What gives?” Margret asked.

“First,” Evarts started, “if you say no, I’ll be thrilled. Would you be interested in an assistant position with Commander Queeg, here?”

“Not fair,” Standish protested. “You’re unduly influencing her decision.”

“Excuse me, I meant Commander Standish.”

Margret gazed out the windows which provided a grand view of Santa Barbara. “Damn, I’m gonna miss this view.”

“Ha!” Standish bellowed. “Nice try, Chief, but I have an assistant for the Joint Organizing Group Task Force.”

“Are you sure, Margret. I hear there’re rats in that dank basement.”

“Then I suppose it will be my job to kill them.” She stood. “If that’s all, I’m exhausted.”

“Go,” Evarts said. “By the way, the posting comes with a four percent raise.”

“Thank you.”

She was gone.

“Nicely played,” Standish said with a smile. “I should have thought of that. Now she’ll retain a warm, cozy feeling for you.”

Evarts was done with small talk. “Let’s go to my office. I need to give you a full briefing in private.”

“Sounds ominous.”

“It is.”

Chapter 38

It took two hours to go over the combined notes about the prior evening and answer her questions. Since he needed evidence confirming that the Templar Knights existed, he had revealed their role in the overall picture. Instead of appearing perplexed, Standish acted excited. The task force had a real purpose, and it was, as she said, something right out of a novel.

Her biggest disappointment was that after acquiring new computers, they couldn’t use them to do basic research. The department could disguise IP addresses, but not the fact that the queries took place. An increase in activity would alert the Ikhwan that someone was curious about them. Besides, they only had the skill to camouflage IP addresses, not hide them from unrelenting hunters.

Standish said she would send one of her detectives to various stores and libraries to get books on the Templars, the Ikhwan, Middle East history, Qutb, Muhammad, Freemasonry, Islamic terrorism, Muslim organizations, the formation of Israel, and clandestine banking. Some of that would overlap with Baldwin’s research, but the more eyes, the better.

In the meantime, Standish and her detectives could do interviews and background checks on the arrestees from the prior evening.

Evarts got up from his conference table and returned to his desk. He picked up the phone to call O’Brian.

The general answered immediately. “I expected your call earlier.”

“I had other business. I presume you know about last night.”

“I do not. I only know arrests were made.”

“Mr. Lewis paid another visit. We arrested his getaway team. Some of his team avoided arrest by putting bullets in their heads.”

Evarts automatically avoided using the Templar name on an open line.

“Yes, we’ve had that experience before. What did he want?”

“You know damn well what he wanted.”

“I don’t ask frivolous questions.”

“He wanted us to do sensitive internet searches that would draw attention. In other words, move to the next level in using us as bait.”

“Is that why you’re pissed? Because I didn’t warn you? I gave you enough information for you to be cautious. It was as much as I could do.”

“What’s restraining you?”

“Protocols, superiors, interagency accords, the White House, foreign intelligence agencies, and what I thought was best for your own well-being.”

“With all those anchors holding you in place, I guess you’re useless to me. I need a partner, not a ward.”

“I’m Army, not Navy; we break through lines. But first I need an objective and a battle plan.”

“Let’s discuss both … in person.”

Long pause. “I don’t mean to belittle your police force, but you can hardly be proposing an equal partnership.”

“I am. We thwarted three attacks, we have a contact in Mr. Lewis, and we know more about what’s going on than anyone in Army Intelligence … except for you possibly.”

“I said I wasn’t belittling your police force. No need to disparage the Army.”

“I wasn’t. I’m only saying that protocol requires you to compartmentalized intelligence gathering. No one under your command has the complete picture. We do. Plus, I’ll put my best researcher against your entire staff. In a month, we’ll