Page 62 of State of Suspense

“Are you serious?”

“Let me talk to Nick, but I’m sure he’d agree that having you guys there would be way better than having it sitting empty. The Secret Service ramped up security big-time there when Nick was VP, so it’d be much safer than where you are now.”

“Sam… That’d be incredible. Your place is gorgeous.”

“What do you pay for rent now?”

“Thirty-eight hundred.”

“A month?”

Gonzo laughed. “That’s the going rate these days.”

“Holy shit.”

“You’ve been out of the rental market for a while.”

“Apparently. That’s shocking to me.”

“What’s the rent at the White House?”

“Hahaha. We pay for all our own food, not to mention a huge nonfinancial price to live there.”

“I wouldn’t trade what you guys deal with for free rent. No way.”

“No such thing as a free lunch. I’ll text Nick and let you know.”

“Even if it doesn’t work out, thank you for the idea.”

“It’ll work out.”

“You’re the best.”

“I know!”

He walked out laughing, and she felt good about the idea she’d come up with. She sent a text to Nick outlining her thoughts on Ninth Street and then got to work reviewing the work and personal emails between Cox and Forrester. They’d spoken in a cryptic language, which had probably been intentional. Maybe they’d known their messages would be reviewed someday. She could hear Forrester saying, “Why make it easy on them?”

She learned they’d played tennis, sailed Cox’s boat, had dinner with their wives and families, participated in baseball and football fantasy leagues together and had lunch at least once, if not twice, per week. By any measure, Forrester appeared to have been Cox’s best friend. So why hadn’t Cox told her that when she’d asked about their relationship? Why would he want to hide that fact from her?

Had their friendship soured?

Had Bryant been the cause of that?

After thinking it through for a few minutes, she picked up the phone and called Leslie Forrester.

A man answered the phone.

“This is Lieutenant Holland with the MPD. May I please speak to Leslie Forrester?”

“She’s lying down at the moment. Could I have her call you?”

“I’d really like to speak to her now, if possible.”

After a long silence, the man said, “Let me see if she’s able.”

Resigned to waiting, she pressed the speaker button on the phone, put down the receiver and continued to read the message traffic between the two men, becoming more confused with every message that made no sense to her.

A rustling in the background on the call preceded Leslie coming on the line.

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