Chapter Fifty-Eight

Leah sat in a chair in her executive office with an obstinate frown, her arms and legs crossed and one foot tapping the air. Trapper sat in the chair at the front side of her desk listening intently to the questions asked by Agent Allen after he hung up from a phone call and her answers.

“Apparently, Ms. Haverty, you have a high-level government clearance. Redstone Arsenal? NASA?” asked Agent Allen.

“My first assignment after I went back to work was to create a database of the telecommunications systems at Redstone. In order to do that, an inventory had to be taken of the equipment and cabling, and in order to do that, I had to be on the premises. My second assignment was to update the programs for the interactive displays at George Marshall Space Flight Center, and to do that, I had to work in their control room. Because my company frequently works on government contracts, they actively renew my clearance in the event they need me in that capacity.”

“So this encryption you suggested…it’s something you wrote for the government?”

“No. I have always used the standard government encryption on all my government jobs. They didn’t want to pay me for a better encryption solution, so I didn’t develop it for them. The private sector has always thought it was too advanced for their needs. So I developed it on my own while I wasn’t working. I’ve only tested it. I’ve never implemented it in a business application.” She breathed deeply before she continued. “If I use it here, it will become the property of my company. My contract with them contains an intellectual property clause.”

“Dr. McIntyre, I understand you live in an active area of San Francisco…across from a park. Does any of your family live with you?”

“No, I live alone. Why are you asking?” asked Trapper suspiciously.

“Dr. Applebaum has agreed to stay at a nearby hotel. He has family at home and doesn’t want them to be involved in any problems that might arise from keeping Ms. Frank here. You and Ms. Haverty apparently live alone, but your house is much more exposed than her guest house.”

Sitting up straight and moving her arms to her desk, Leah asked, “How do you know I live in a guest house?”

Agent Allen looked at the floor for a moment as he snorted, and then looked back up. “It appears you have people watching out for your welfare, Ms. Haverty. We contacted your company and were referred to Doug Manning.” An uncomfortable chill ran down Leah’s spine. Picking up on her dismay, Trapper tensed. “He told us your office and your home could be easily isolated,” said Agent Allen.

Her agitation slowly grew into feelings of anger and betrayal. She hadn’t told the company about the office or her new address. “Excuse me for a moment,” she spat as she stood and left the room. Sticking her head in Arnold’s door and finding him gone, she entered, closing the door behind her. She picked up the receiver of the phone and started to dial, but stopped and pushed down the switch buttons. It was Albert who gave her the name of the realtor for the guest house. Instead of dialing Doug’s number she dialed Albert’s.

“Hello, this is Leah Haverty Lewis. I’d like to speak with Mr. Shaeffer, please. Yes, I’ll hold.”

“Leah, it’s good to hear from you. What can I do for you?”

“I just need some answers, Albert, regarding my home. What prompted you to call me with the name of a realtor when I first moved to San Francisco?”

“Your boss, Doug Manning, asked me to help you find a nice place that was secure. He called me again only a week or so ago. I just happened to have a friend who was looking for someone to rent their pool house, and you met their qualifications, and of course, I gave you an excellent reference.”

“Do you know anything about my executive office at the hospital?”

“No, but Mr. Manning did mention that he didn’t like you in the basement with no one around you.”

“Do me a favor, Albert. If Doug asks you to do anything else for me, would you please let me know?”

“Why? What’s wrong?” asked Albert, sounding alarmed.

I can’t be absolutely sure, but it seems Doug’s arranged for my housing, and now it appears he’s arranged for a more visible office. He knows things…private things…about me that he shouldn’t. Have you mentioned anything to him about my portfolio?”

“No, other than to say that you don’t have to work. That’s all confidential. I wouldn’t do that. But do I need to do something about Doug?”

“At some point, maybe. But for right now, don’t do anything, and if he calls you again, feign ignorance, but let me know what he wants.”

“Leah, what else does he know?”

“Personal things, Albert. Things about my close relationships here. He’d have no way of knowing that from where he is…in New York…unless he has someone watching me.”

“Do you want me to find that out for you? I have an excellent investigator.”

She had no idea what she would do with such information, but it might be good to have, just in case. “Yes, Albert. I think I would like you to do that.”

“Consider it done. I’ll let you know as soon as we find anything.”

Leah had been looking out of Arnold’s window and didn’t hear Trapper quietly enter the office. “It seems you have a problem.”

Spinning around, her eyes were wide for a moment before she calmed down and hung up the phone. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to hear that you’re boss could be stepping over a line. What are you going to do?”

“Nothing at the moment,” she said, moving her hand to her forehead. “Why is he spying on me?”

Trapper smiled and approached her, taking her hands in his. “I’m sure it’s nothing sinister.” Lowering his head, he looked into her eyes, seeing her angst. “He probably just wants a jump on someone trying to steal you away. You seem to be a hot commodity with government experience.”

She gazed at him inconsolably. “What has the job got to do with you?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, putting his arms around her .

“The last time I spoke to Doug, he said he knew about you. Why would he care about you?”

“Maybe he sees me as someone who could steal you away.” She exhaled and let her head fall back. “Think about it,” he said, pulling her into him. “Without friends…” He bent to whisper in her ear. “Or lovers…he has your full attention; the perfect employee. What does your contract say?”

Shaking off a chill of a different kind, she answered, “My contract is on an assignment basis. I have no obligation to the company other than that…except that anything I develop during my tenure belongs to the company as intellectual property. But I find it disturbing that he can find out things about me so easily, and that he’s apparently perfectly willing to share,” she barked, waving her hand at the door. “I really don’t want to work for him anymore.”

“Then don’t.”

“I have a contract.”

“Okay. Finish your contract, and then leave. I’m sure you can find work somewhere else. You can always use me as a reference, and I’m sure Arnold would give you a reference as well.” He caught her eyes and raised his brows.

“I suppose,” she said with a slight smile.

“Now, Agent Allen has proposed that instead of me staying at my house, I stay with you.” He winced before he continued. “It seems that your employer told him we’re an item, so he didn’t think either of us would have a problem. That way, he can put one man in the front and another man on the stairs to the beach, and no one will be able to get to us since the house is fairly isolated on a cliff.”

“You realize that will give us no privacy, don’t you?”

“Yes, well, I think it’s time for you to hang curtains,” he said, leading her to the door.

When he opened it, two men in black suits were waiting for them outside Arnold’s office. “Agent Allen and Mr. Slocum are waiting for you.” Glancing at each other with portentous looks, both headed for the conference room.