CHAPTER SEVEN: Keep Moving
It was nearly time for the President’s daily meeting with Voyles. By now he was tired of the whole business; he just wanted to get his men into the Supreme Court. Coal was telling him something, but he wasn’t really listening. Voyles and Coal hated each other so much now that Coal had to leave the office whenever Voyles came. They had nearly fought last time. It didn’t matter to Coal whether he was in or out of the office; there were enough hidden microphones and cameras for him to listen and watch any conversation there.
The President felt better knowing that Coal was at least watching. He greeted Voyles warmly at the door and led him over to the sofa for a friendly chat. Voyles was not impressed.
‘Denton,’ the President said, ‘I want to apologize for Coal’s be-haviour last time.’
‘He can be stupid, can’t he?’ Voyles said, knowing that Coal was listening.
‘Yes. He’s very clever, and works amazingly hard, but he goes too far sometimes. Anyway, that’s all behind us now. I want you to tell me all about this Pelican Brief. How seriously are you taking it?’
Voyles tried not to smile. This was great – he had managed to get Coal and the President worried. ‘We are investigating all suspects, Mr President,’ he replied. ‘We have fourteen men on this one.’
‘I don’t have to tell you, Denton,’ the President continued, ‘how much damage this theory could do if the press heard about it.’
‘We won’t tell the press, Mr President.’
‘I know. All I’m saying is that I want you to pull back from this one. The theory is crazy anyway, and I could really get hurt. Do you understand what I’m saying?’
‘Are you asking me not to investigate a suspect, Mr President?’
‘I’m just saying that you must have better things to do with your men. The press is watching this investigation closely. You know how they are – they don’t like me at all. So why don’t you leave this one alone and chase the real suspects?’
‘Is that what you’re asking me to do?’
‘I’m not asking you, Denton; I’m telling you to leave it alone for a couple of weeks. If you need to go back to it later, of course you must. But I’m still the boss around here, remember?’
Gavin stayed near Voyles’s office until the secretary let him in. He couldn’t believe it when Voyles and Lewis told him that they were no longer investigating the Pelican theory.
‘My best friend is dead because of that brief,’ he said. ‘He was killed by a car bomb. Someone is worried about the brief, don’t you think?’
‘The brief has already been very valuable to us, Gavin,’ Lewis said.
‘Yeah, it let you play some games with the White House,’ Gavin said bitterly. ‘But there’s a girl out there running for her life. What am I going to tell her?’
Darby made sure she could not be followed in the crowds in the shopping district. She bought some new clothes and hid her hair under a hat. She went into the Sheraton Hotel and found a row of pay phones. First she called Mrs Chen, who lived in the apartment next to hers: no, she had not seen anything; yes, there had been a knock at her door early this morning. Then she called Gavin.
‘Where are you?’ he asked.
‘Let me explain something. For now, I’m not going to tell you or anyone else where I am. Clear?’
‘Yes, but don’t go home.’
‘I’m not a fool. They’ve already been there. What did Mr Voyles say?’
‘I haven’t been able to see him.’
‘You’ve been at the office for four hours, Gavin. I expected you to do better.’
‘Be patient, Darby.’
‘Patience will get me killed. I’ve got to keep moving.’
She saw a face. He walked among the tourists at the hotel’s front desk. He was trying to look as though he belonged here, but his eyes were searching. The face was long and thin, and he wore round glasses. He was a little over six feet tall.
‘Gavin, listen to me,’ she said. ‘I have to go. I can see a man I’ve seen before, about an hour ago.’
‘OK. Take care, Darby, and call me again soon.’
‘I’ll try.’