The Gatekeeper

The Gatekeeper Read Online Free PDF

Book: The Gatekeeper Read Online Free PDF
Author: Michelle Gagnon
Tags: Fiction, General, Thrillers
eyes. “I was hoping Syd would be here.”
    “I’m sure you were. Unfortunately, I’m the one who needs convincing before we agree to help you.” Jake raised an eyebrow.
    Randall sank an inch lower in his chair. “Operation Snow White was initiated by the Church of Scientology back in the seventies. They wanted to purge any records that cast them or L. Ron Hubbard in a bad light. By the time it was discovered, they’d placed operatives in over a hundred government agencies in more than thirty countries. It was the single largest infiltration of the U.S. government in history. They denied it, but I have it on good authority that the FBI was one of those agencies.”
    “So, what? Scientologists took your daughter?” Jake had to fight an urge to laugh, he had a sudden mental image of Tom Cruise and John Travolta carting off a struggling girl in a duffel bag.
    “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m just saying, such a thing isn’t outside the realm of possibility.”
    “Background checks are a lot more intensive post 9/11,” Jake pointed out. “It’s a whole different ball game now.”
    Randall shrugged. “Who says their guy wasn’t already inside? Anyway, I couldn’t risk it.”
    “And what exactly do they want from you, in exchange for her life?”
    Randall rubbed his eyes with one hand. His jaw was stubbled with at least a day’s worth of growth. “I can’t tell you. It’s classified.”
    “You’re considering handing whatever it is over to the kidnappers. So I don’t see the harm in telling me what they’re looking for.”
    “Does it really matter?” Randall met his eyes sharply. “Would knowing help you find her?”
    Jake shrugged. “Hard to say. I just don’t like going into a case blind. I’m kind of puzzled that they didn’t just snatch you. If you’ve got what they need, why take your daughter instead?”
    “Because it’s not like I have it in my head. They need me to requisition things, pinpoint certain…materials…then gain access to transport records. And they want it done over a period of time.”
    “So whatever they’re after, they want a lot of it, is what you’re telling me.”
    “Essentially, yes.”
    “But you can’t say what.”
    Randall shook his head. Jake tilted back in his chair and eyed him. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something off about this. “Remind me which department you’re with?”
    Randall smiled slightly. “Advanced Defense Capabilities. But Syd would have told you that.”
    “Right, Advanced Defense. Any chance that has something to do with nuclear defense? Or are you folks still working on Star Wars?”
    “Like I said, Mr. Riley…”
    “Right, I know, you really can’t say. And you did your postgrad work in physics?” Randall didn’t answer,dropping his gaze to the table. Jake watched him closely. “What makes you so sure that Madison was abducted? Maybe she ran off with this Shane guy she was e-mailing.”
    Randall pushed a photo across the table, keeping his eyes averted. Jake held it up for a better look. It was a close-up shot of Madison Grant, eyes wide and terrified, printed off a JPG onto regular computer paper. She was lying down against a nondescript gray background.
    “When did this come in?” Jake looked up sharply.
    “This morning. It was in my work account.” Dr. Grant buried his face in his hands and rubbed his cheeks hard. “No one outside the facility has that e-mail address. And I mean no one, any personal exchanges are strictly forbidden.”
    “But they had it. And that got you even more spooked,” Jake said. “I need you to forward this to me.” He considered for a moment before continuing, “This isn’t proof of life, you know.”
    “What?” Randall looked puzzled.
    “Proof of life. Usually in a kidnapping, they have the victim hold up a newspaper so we know they’re still alive, or were on the day the photo was taken.”
    “So you’re saying what, that Madison might already be dead?” The
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