Page 15 of State of Alert

Sam had taught him to be as wary about strange circumstances as she was. “This way.” She led Truver toward the morgue. “What’re we telling my detail?”

“We’ll give them a destination and then ask for privacy.”

When he saw Sam come through the morgue door, Vernon jumped out of the SUV to open the back door for her. “This is NCIS Special Agent-in-Charge Carleen Truver.”

“May I see your badge, please?” Vernon asked her.

Truver handed it over.

Vernon studied it with far more intense scrutiny than Sam had given it before he returned it to the agent. “Where to?”

“Navy Yard DC,” Truver said.

Vernon nodded and waited for them to get settled in the back seat before he closed the door.

“May we have privacy, please?” Truver asked.

Vernon shot Sam a look in the mirror.

She nodded.

He put up the divider to seal them off from the front seat.

“What’s this about?”

“What you’re about to learn is top secret and in the highest interest of national security.”

“Does my husband know?”

“He doesn’t and won’t be told until the time is right.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m not at liberty to say anything further until we’re inside a secure facility.”

This had already become the craziest workday she’d ever had, and Sam suspected she hadn’t seen anything yet.

CHAPTER FOUR

As they approached the Naval Yard, Truver made a phone call. “I’m with Lieutenant Holland, arriving at the gate in her Secret Service vehicle.”

They were waved through security and driven a short distance to a nondescript white brick building.

“Right this way,” Truver said.

“You want me to come?” Vernon asked Sam.

“I don’t think so.”

“This is weird.”

“You’re telling me.” Because it was a secure federal facility, Vernon let her go in without him, but she could tell he didn’t want to. They’d come to a fragile accord when she was on the job, and she appreciated him rolling with her even when he didn’t agree with the plan. A less flexible lead agent would’ve made her life a living hell. She was thankful every day for him and the faith he had in her as a fellow law enforcement officer.

They went up two flights of stairs and down a long hallway that reminded Sam of every other federal building she’d ever been in. It was like the designers of these places had set out to make the workplaces as drab as they possibly could. Not thather cinderblock HQ was much better. It’d probably been designed by the same architect.

Truver stopped at the last door on the right side, keyed in a code and went into a generic office. It had four walls with nothing on them, a desk, a chair and a closed laptop. Otherwise, there wasn’t a single other item in the room.

“You’ve stepped into an ongoing investigation, Lieutenant. I need your assurances that everything you learn here will be kept in the strictest confidence. It’s vital that you not tell anyone—not your colleagues or your husband or anyone else—what you’re told here.”

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