Orchid Blues

He followed Jimmy out the door and back toward Peck's house, looking for someplace to ditch the plastic bag and the note. He was going to have to hide the phone, too. He didn't like having it on him.

52

Ham had breakfast with John and Peck, and he hoped to hear more about what they wanted him to do, but nothing was said. He felt nervous about having the phone on him, and he was made more so when John brought up cell phones again.

"I checked this morning," he said, "and there's an ante

"The van was gone?" Peck asked.

"Yes. There was just the ante

"I've got a man stationed at the sca

"You know," Ham said, "it's not inconceivable that they would install a new cell on that road, since it co

"Maybe," John said.

"I expect one of these days soon they'll have every square mile of the country cowered," Peck added. He turned to Ham. "You shooting today?"

"I thought I might take the rifle down to the lakeshore and practice firing back toward the woods to the west. There's a breeze today, and I'd like to see how it shoots with windage."

"Good idea. I'm tied up this morning, but I'll send somebody with you."

"I don't need any help," Ham said. "I don't even need any targets. I'll shoot at trees."

"Okay," Peck said, digging in a pocket and coming up with some keys. "Take the jeep." He turned to John. "I've got a class to teach. I'll see you later."

"Right," John said, and he seemed preoccupied.

When Peck had left the table and Ham was alone with John, he lowered his voice. "John, about the cell phone business."

"Yes?"

"My assumption is that you're worried about somebody reporting our plans for Monday."

"That's right."

"I assume you've kept that information close, the way you do everything."

"You're right about that."

"I mean, I don't know the details. Does anybody besides you and Peck know what's going down?"

"No."

"I just wondered," Ham said. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I've got some shooting to do." He left John sitting alone at the table. That'll give him something to think about, Ham thought. He went to the armory in the cellar, drew the Barrett's rifle and some ammunition, got the jeep and drove down to the lakeshore. It was Friday; three days to go.

Harry bent and looked over Eddie's shoulder at the computer screen. "Have you come up with anything?"

Eddie shook his head. "Monday's a real quiet day," he said. "No sports events, nothing at all that would draw an important visitor. I mean, there's a convention of furniture dealers in Miami, and a literary festival in Key West, but it's not like the president-or anybody else important-is attending either of them. There's a citrus grower's meeting on Tuesday, and God knows, there's always something going on at Disney World, but we're looking for a prominent target, aren't we?"

"Yes."

"Can you check with the Secret Service and see if the president is pla

"I'll take care of it," Harry said, then he jumped.

"What's the matter?"

Harry was clawing at his belt. "My phone just goosed me." He snapped it open. "Yeah?"

"It's me," Ham said. "This thing is working, huh?"

"Are you scrambled?"

"Yes. And a good thing, too, because they're monitoring cell phone use with a sca

"Yes, we installed a portable cell. I take it John noticed."

"Right."

"Where are you now?"

"I'm out by the lake. Hang on a second."

Harry listened, and suddenly, the phone seemed to explode in his ear. "Ham?"

"Yeah? Sorry about that; I'm supposed to be practicing shooting."

"Is it safe for you to talk?"

"Yeah, but let's make it quick. I don't have any more information about what they're pla

"We got that over the smoke detector," Harry said.

"I'll call you back if I get any more information. Tell Holly I'm okay." Ham broke the co

Harry snapped his phone shut. "Ham got the phone. Thank God for that."

"Anything new?"

"Nothing. I'd better call the White House."

Ham sat cross-legged, the Barrett's rifle resting on a tripod attached to the gun's barrel. He unplugged the earphone, wound up the cord and stuffed it into a shirt pocket. He dropped the tiny phone in, too. It hardly made a bulge in the baggy fatigue shirt pocket.

He watched the movement of the trees, made a guess about the wind and fired again. He hit a tree, but not the one he was aiming for.

53

Ham finished firing for the morning. He stowed the rifle in the rear of the jeep and was about to get in when he saw a roll of duct tape on the floor of the rear seat, and it gave him an idea.

He lay down on his back in the footwell of the driver's seat and looked under the dash. Satisfied, he tore off a strip of the duct tape, stuck the phone and the three batteries to it, and taped them to the underside of the dash, satisfied that even hard bumps wouldn't dislodge them. Feeling better, he drove back to Peck's house for lunch.

Harry knew the head of the White House Secret Service detail, so he cut some red tape and called him directly. He got a voice mail tape and left a message. Five minutes later, his phone rang. "Hello?"

"Harry, that you?*

"Chip, how are you, boy?"

"I can't complain, except they're working my ass off. I'm traveling just about all the time. Good thing I'm already divorced,"

Harry laughed.

"I heard you got the Miami job. That right?" Chip asked.

"It's right, and I'm away from home right now, too."

"Where?"

"Little town called Orchid Beach, in a rented beach house."

"Sounds like tough duty. What's up?"

"I got a question for you. Is the president going to be in Florida next Monday?"

"Why? You want to take a shot at him?"

"Doesn't everybody?"

"Well, Harry, I can tell you that the president has no official visits outside Washington pla

"What about unofficial visits. Anything that's not on the published schedule?"

"What's this about, Harry?"

"I just need to know. It's something I'm working on."

"It sounds like something the Secret Service should be working on," Chip replied.

"Come on, Chip, you know I'd call you if I thought there was a credible threat."

"Do I?"

"Sure you do. I'm not about to get my tit caught in that wringer."

"Let me put it this way, Harry: if the president had an unofficial visit to Florida pla

"I understand, Chip, but you could tell me if he didn't have an unofficial visit pla

"That depends."

"All right, Chip, what's this going to cost me?"

"The best di

"Oh, so now I'm pimping for you, huh?"

"You think of it any way you like, Harry. That's my price."

"All right, done. Now answer my question."

"I will. If you'd bothered to check the White House website or read the published schedule, or even watch the evening news, then you'd know that the president is receiving the prime minister of Israel and the head of the PLO at the White House on Monday morning, and talks are scheduled for all day."