Capitol Conspiracy Read Online Free PDF
Author: William Bernhardt
him. With the dark sunglasses, it would be impossible for a spectator to know exactly where he was looking.
“About Marshall?”
“Yeah.”
“You worried?”
Gatwick scanned the Oklahoma City skyline surrounding the memorial complex. “I don’t think it’s worrisome. Weird. But not worrisome.”
“He’s always played point man for presidential appearances in the past.”
“Because he wants to, not because he has to. He knows he can trust us.”
Zimmer subtly stepped forward, adjusting his gaze ever so slightly to examine a Middle Eastern–looking woman wearing an overcoat about three people deep behind the rope. An overcoat on a warm Oklahoma City spring day? That was more than enough to raise his suspicion. He whispered into his sleeve, sending three agents to check her out. “So you think that’s it? He’s decided he can let the little birds fly free?”
Gatwick shrugged. “Who the hell knows? Maybe he got tied up in some Senate meeting. It’s happened before.”
“Congressional oversight of Homeland Security was a big mistake.”
“You’re preaching to the choir, bro.”
Beyond the rope, Zimmer saw his agents approach the woman in the overcoat and quietly search her and run a metal detector over her body. Through his sleeve receiver, he heard the result. She was clean. Claimed she had some weird disease that lowered her body temperature. Like some kind of human lizard—she was cold even when the sun was shining. Still, Zimmer told them to take down her name and address.
Returning his attention to his partner, he noticed that Gatwick was scrutinizing the first lady.
“I don’t like where we’ve got her,” Gatwick said flatly.
“Who? Juliet?”
“Right. Too close to Samson.”
“She’s to the right and two feet back. Exactly where Samson likes her. So when the cameras shoot him from their assigned station, she can be seen in the background beaming at him with adoring eyes.”
The tiniest of smiles cracked Gatwick’s stoic facade. “I’m moving her.”
“What? Why?”
He tucked his head forward in a quick and almost imperceptible nod. “Only skyscrapers in range are to the south. She doesn’t need to be in the potential line of fire.”
“Don’t we have snipers up there?”
“Yeah. But still—I’m moving her.”
Agent Zimmer’s brow creased. “I thought it was agreed—Domino Bravo.”
“I’m making a slight alteration.”
“Don’t you think you should get approval first?”
“From who? Marshall’s out.”
“Then Deputy Director Lehman.”
Gatwick bristled. “I’m in charge, at least on site.” He whispered a few terse commands into his sleeve. “I’m just moving her to the other side of the stage. What difference can it make?”
Zimmer exhaled slowly. “I suppose it can’t hurt anything.”
“Course not.” At the front of the stage, two agents carried out their new instructions. “This is Oklahoma City, for God’s sake. What could happen?”
Ben was pleased to see the first lady move to his side of the stage. He was a good deal more comfortable around her than her husband. He knew in his heart that the only difference between the two was one of methodology, not purpose. Still, when she smiled at him, he couldn’t help but feel she was sincere, even when his brain told him not to be so naïve.
She leaned back toward Ben, smiling. “So where did you two go on your honeymoon?”
Mike covered his mouth.
“Uh…here.”
The first lady gave him a long look. “Your bride must love you very much.”
Ben fingered his collar uncomfortably. “Something like that.”
The governor of the state of Oklahoma, the same man who had appointed Ben to replace Senator Glancy, was the first to speak. He made several gracious remarks, commented on how lovely the first lady looked, then toned down his smile to establish the appropriate gravitas for the commemorative service to follow. “As Oklahomans, we are a proud and stubborn
“About Marshall?”
“Yeah.”
“You worried?”
Gatwick scanned the Oklahoma City skyline surrounding the memorial complex. “I don’t think it’s worrisome. Weird. But not worrisome.”
“He’s always played point man for presidential appearances in the past.”
“Because he wants to, not because he has to. He knows he can trust us.”
Zimmer subtly stepped forward, adjusting his gaze ever so slightly to examine a Middle Eastern–looking woman wearing an overcoat about three people deep behind the rope. An overcoat on a warm Oklahoma City spring day? That was more than enough to raise his suspicion. He whispered into his sleeve, sending three agents to check her out. “So you think that’s it? He’s decided he can let the little birds fly free?”
Gatwick shrugged. “Who the hell knows? Maybe he got tied up in some Senate meeting. It’s happened before.”
“Congressional oversight of Homeland Security was a big mistake.”
“You’re preaching to the choir, bro.”
Beyond the rope, Zimmer saw his agents approach the woman in the overcoat and quietly search her and run a metal detector over her body. Through his sleeve receiver, he heard the result. She was clean. Claimed she had some weird disease that lowered her body temperature. Like some kind of human lizard—she was cold even when the sun was shining. Still, Zimmer told them to take down her name and address.
Returning his attention to his partner, he noticed that Gatwick was scrutinizing the first lady.
“I don’t like where we’ve got her,” Gatwick said flatly.
“Who? Juliet?”
“Right. Too close to Samson.”
“She’s to the right and two feet back. Exactly where Samson likes her. So when the cameras shoot him from their assigned station, she can be seen in the background beaming at him with adoring eyes.”
The tiniest of smiles cracked Gatwick’s stoic facade. “I’m moving her.”
“What? Why?”
He tucked his head forward in a quick and almost imperceptible nod. “Only skyscrapers in range are to the south. She doesn’t need to be in the potential line of fire.”
“Don’t we have snipers up there?”
“Yeah. But still—I’m moving her.”
Agent Zimmer’s brow creased. “I thought it was agreed—Domino Bravo.”
“I’m making a slight alteration.”
“Don’t you think you should get approval first?”
“From who? Marshall’s out.”
“Then Deputy Director Lehman.”
Gatwick bristled. “I’m in charge, at least on site.” He whispered a few terse commands into his sleeve. “I’m just moving her to the other side of the stage. What difference can it make?”
Zimmer exhaled slowly. “I suppose it can’t hurt anything.”
“Course not.” At the front of the stage, two agents carried out their new instructions. “This is Oklahoma City, for God’s sake. What could happen?”
Ben was pleased to see the first lady move to his side of the stage. He was a good deal more comfortable around her than her husband. He knew in his heart that the only difference between the two was one of methodology, not purpose. Still, when she smiled at him, he couldn’t help but feel she was sincere, even when his brain told him not to be so naïve.
She leaned back toward Ben, smiling. “So where did you two go on your honeymoon?”
Mike covered his mouth.
“Uh…here.”
The first lady gave him a long look. “Your bride must love you very much.”
Ben fingered his collar uncomfortably. “Something like that.”
The governor of the state of Oklahoma, the same man who had appointed Ben to replace Senator Glancy, was the first to speak. He made several gracious remarks, commented on how lovely the first lady looked, then toned down his smile to establish the appropriate gravitas for the commemorative service to follow. “As Oklahomans, we are a proud and stubborn