The Templar Reprisals (The Best Thrillers Book 3) by James Best (read any book txt) 📕

do major damage to that building. More than could be carried in by hand without arousing suspicion. It would need to be a delivery to the loading dock. Before we—”

“What if they’re only looking for a symbolic attack?” Baldwin asked. “Purposely small. Kill and maim a few patrons in the Main Reading Room. Remember, the purpose is to deflect attention away from the big show on Friday.”

Evarts and O’Brian looked at each other.

Finally, Evarts said, “Better make that call.”

As O’Brian called the FBI and Capitol Hill Police, Evarts thought about the other three teams. He assumed the FBI would canvass Woodbridge, Ellicott City, and other Muslim heavy suburbs. Would they hide in a Muslim community or stay away from the obvious search targets? Or stay even further afield? Maybe another state. Then he remembered how the backup caliph blended into an academic setting. He used his phone to do a search and quickly discovered an active seminar at the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University. He showed his phone to Baldwin and whispered for her to call Georgetown to see if there were visiting Islamic dignitaries at the seminar. She nodded, catching on immediately.

Now O’Brian and Baldwin were both on calls and Evarts couldn’t think of any other avenues he could investigate from an office in the Pentagon. He refocused on the Templars. Methow was dead. Would someone else contact him? He doubted it. At least not for several days or weeks. Then he remembered that O’Brian had a team looking at former associates that had worked at the Methow law firm: associates who were Masons who may’ve been recruited by Methow before scattering to other firms.

When he finished his call, O’Brian asked who Baldwin was talking to on her phone. Evarts told him and he seemed intrigued by the idea of terrorists hiding in plain sight. The conversation appeared chatty, so Evarts and O’Brian refilled their coffee cups and returned to the conference table.

“Are you still looking into ex-associates of Methow?” Evarts asked.

“Yes and no. We have a team on it, but they’re junior. Why?”

“The FBI and your military police can look for the Ikhwan teams. I thought my best contribution might be to make a new contact with the Templars.”

“Greg, there’s a reason we have rookies on that angle. What good are the Templars at this stage?”

“Among other things, they had one of their senior members assassinated. Do you think they’ll let that rest? They could muck up your plans.”

“We have today. They won’t move that fast.”

“Then give me an assignment for today. One that doesn’t involve sitting around a conference table. I can—”

“Bingo!” yelled Baldwin as she ended her call. “Dozens of Islamic scholars and graduate students are here from all over the world for this seminar. No vetting. Just four thousand dollars a pop to attend. Here’s the best part. Several foreign presenters were recommended by Ali as-Saad.”

“Greg, you have your assignment,” O’Brian said. “Get over to the Hoover building and accompany an FBI team to Georgetown. I’ll call to set it up. You’re my eyes and ears. Keep me posted by text messages. Go.”

“Trish is coming with me,” Evarts said.

“She’s not trained law enforcement. I’ll find work for her here.”

Evarts grew exasperated. “Jim, we’re going to a university, the natural habitat of a professor. She can help.”

“I’m going to have to cash a lot of chits to get you on the team. Now, more than ever, I need a good relationship with the FBI.”

“I have good table manners,” Baldwin said.

“It’s not a matter of politeness, it’s a matter of jurisdiction. Both of you can’t birddog an FBI team.”

“I’m not birddogging, that’s Greg’s job. I’ll liaison with the academics. My job is to smooth the way for the FBI in hostile environs. Academics dislike police. Islamists hate police. I can help the FBI get answers to their questions.”

O’Brian rubbed his chin. “That’s a good sales pitch. Perhaps you can help.”

Evarts turned to his wife. “Can you be kept away?”

“No.”

Evarts smiled at O’Brian. “I guess that settles it.”

“I guess it does,” answered O’Brian.

Chapter 59

The taxi dropped them off at the J. Edgar Hoover Building on Pennsylvania Avenue. The location put the FBI between Congress and the White House. Evarts always thought the FBI had picked the spot so they could keep an eye on both. O’Brian had pre-cleared them under their aliases and informed FBI security that they were authorized to be armed. Weapons were required to be surrendered every time Evarts and Baldwin entered a federal building, and it was no different at FBI headquarters. Evarts asked how they could retrieve their weapons if they exited through the underground garage. The security officer said the garage was restricted to agents, but after hearing that they were to accompany agents to Georgetown University, he made a call to his superiors. When he hung up, he said he’d have the weapons transferred to the garage security station.

An agent escorted them to a conference room on the second floor. They were left alone, so Evarts tried the doorknob. They weren’t locked in. He sat back down and examined the walls but could detect no cameras. Since Evarts wouldn’t allow civilians free rein inside his own police building, he assumed that they were in an area designated for visitors.

After a ten-minute wait, agents entered and introduced themselves as Chet Adams and Avery Meadows. Both men were in their twenties. They appeared fit, scrubbed, and capable. Evarts had removed his light-weight windbreaker and was surprised the agents were dressed identically to him with comfortable slacks and polo shirts. Shoes were the only discernable difference. Evarts wore leather sneakers, and the agents wore lace-up business-casual shoes.

As Adams sat down, he said, “General O’Brian vouched for you, but perhaps you could explain your involvement with this case.”

Evarts sat forward and folded his hands in front of him. “I can’t fully explain our connections to this case but let’s say we’re consultants to the task force. This particular