Page 58 of A More Perfect Union

More detail than sheneeded, but Rook was happy for it. Now if she only knew whether Zoey had readher note and would heed her warning about Sharp. When she hung up from Blakeshe stared at the phone. She could call Zoey and check in, but she didn’t knowanything about the phone system at the Pentagon and whether whoever answeredthe phone could stay on the line and listen in. A vague text would be betterthan an overheard call. She pulled her cell out of her pocket and cued up hertext app to see she had a new text from Zoey. She readWTFand knew shewas in for trouble, but by the last few words, she realized things werespinning out of control. She should have expected the fallout. After all, Sharpwas Zoey’s mentor. Springing the news the way she had had been thoughtless.

A text wasn’t goingto do. She needed to call Zoey and risk whatever happened. She picked upJulia’s phone and had the operator connect her with the Pentagon. After a fewconnections, she finally reached a Lieutenant Louden who informed her thatMajor Granger wasn’t in. She declined his invitation to leave a message as hermind sifted through possibilities for where Zoey could be since Blake had lastseen her.

Before she could giveit any further thought, Julia came back in. “Change of plans,” she said.

“What’s up?” Rookasked.

“Can’t tell you, butPresident Garrett and I have to get to the situation room.”

Rook went on highalert. “Related to this?”

“Something completelydifferent.” Julia pointed at the door. “One of the deputies from the NSA iscoming in and you and your hacker are going to fill him in on everything youtold me. He’ll want copies of all the files you have, and when this is over,someone over there is getting fired because they didn’t catch this before yourguy did.”

“Don’t even thinkabout trying to hire Eric.” Rook had an idea. “I know you want me running pointon this, but Eric really is better equipped to explain and it would be easierif the tech geeks talked one-on-one.”

“You have somewhereyou need to be?”

Rook considered alittle white lie, but Julia had been her friend way longer than she’d been theWhite House chief of staff. “I’m a little worried about Major Granger—Zoey.Sharp has been a mentor to her, and I kind of sprung the information about hispotential involvement abruptly. I need to go see her. Plus I want to make sureshe doesn’t talk to him until we figure out what to do next.”

Julia cocked her head.“You really like this one, don’t you?”

“It’s not aboutthat,” Rook lied, hoping the warm blush curling up her neck wasn’t showing.

“Right.”

“Don’t you have to besomewhere?”

Julia started backtoward the door, but stopped before she left. “You know, I used to think Icouldn’t have it all, but look at me now. I’m in a relationship with the mostamazing woman in the world, and I manage to make it work while running thecountry at the same time.” She grinned. “A slacker like you should have iteasy.”

Julia was gone beforeRook could shoot off a retort, leaving Rook to reflect before the NSA showedup. She knew Julia was kidding about the slacker part, but she’d been sincereabout the rest of it. The short daydream Rook had had earlier about lying on abeach with Zoey came roaring back, but Rook realized for the first time shedidn’t want to share only fun and sun. She wanted to wake up in the same bed,discuss the day ahead over coffee at the kitchen table, share a ride towork—the little building blocks relationships were made of, and she wanted toshare all of those things and more with Zoey.

* * *

Zoey walked into heroffice and switched on the light. Only yesterday she’d let herself imagine thisjob was permanent, that she’d finally found a place to settle down—things thatweeks ago she didn’t even realize she wanted.

And then last nightwith Rook, the possibilities broadened further, opening the door to fantasiesabout making a home, having someone to share it with, being in love.

She’d been foolish. Foolishto believe her assignment here would be different from any other. Temporary andtransient—those were the hallmarks of her existence, with her career thecentral core. Now even that was starting to fail her.

She’d read Rook’snote a dozen times and still it didn’t make sense. When had Rook uncovered thisso-called information and why hadn’t she shared it? And was Zoey reallysupposed to believe General Sharp was involved in a Russian spy ring? That waslaughable. Rook was so used to representing reprehensible people, she’d eitherlet her imagination run wild or she’d allowed her loathing for the military tobleed over into her work. Whatever the case, Zoey wasn’t going to sit aroundand wait for something to happen. The best way to get to the bottom of aproblem was to confront it head on. She left her office and headed for Sharp’s.

The corridors stillconfused her, but she managed to shave some minutes off her usual time. Whenshe arrived at the office suite, she practically ran into a captain who wasrushing out the door. “The staff’s all at Colonel Duncan’s retirementbreakfast,” he called over his shoulder as his brisk strides carried him downthe hall.

Zoey stood in thecenter of the quiet office space and contemplated her next move. Louden wasn’tat his desk and Sharp’s door was closed. For a brief moment, she consideredbacking away, but she decided to press on and risk interrupting, just in caseSharp was in. She raised her hand to knock on the door but stopped when sheheard the raised voices within.

“She knows. It’s onlya matter of time before your cover is blown.”

“If I go down, you gowith me. Besides, you don’t know the full extent of what she knows. It was yourname on the recording, not mine.”

A loud slam. “We canonly hear half of what they’re saying thanks to your slipshod listeningdevice.”

“We were lucky to getany information at all. The driver almost never leaves his car. Our agent onlyhad a moment to place the device, and she had to do it with him watching her.”

“Whatever. Your carelessnessis going to get both of us arrested.”

The last voice wasSharp’s. Zoey was certain of that, and she was pretty sure the other voice wasLouden’s. Zoey leaned closer, careful not to make any noise. The conversationwas riveting and strange and private, and she couldn’t walk away withouthearing more. She didn’t have to wait long.

“What are you doing?”Sharp asked.

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