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

“I have some information, but Yousef has the rest. I need to talk to him in private.”

“Bullshit. You know you’ll never speak with Yousef in private. You better hope what you do know will allow us to stop this bombing.”

“It won’t. I must speak to Yousef.”

Evarts noticed that this time he didn’t say in private. “Write down what you know first. Then I’ll talk to Agent Adams.”

“But if—”

“That’s final. Make up your mind. I have only three minutes.”

“I can’t write. Yousef will see. Set your phone to record and lay it on the table. I’ll tell you names verbally.”

Evarts did as he asked. Kamil spoke in a low voice and listed five names. He spoke slowly and distinctly. It took less than a minute, but by the time he finished, he was sweating profusely. He took the tip of a shaky finger and slid the phone away from him.

“What is the target?”

“I don’t know. I supervise intelligence only. In case of problems, I can redirect to a backup plan, but then execution would be totally in Yousef’s hands. The cell leader has freedom on approved targets, timing, and duties.” Evarts started to say something, but Kamil went on. “I cannot tell you what I do not know. Each of us only knows their tasks. Surely, you understand that. You work the same.”

Evarts did understand and he believed Kamil. He nodded, then smiled. “Congratulations, you’re now an official FBI informant. I’ll do the paperwork this afternoon.”

“No, no. What does that mean? You said nothing about this.”

Evarts slipped the phone in his pocket.

“It means nothing … unless the Ikhwan has infiltrated the FBI. In that case, you’d be a dead man.”

Evarts saw unbridled fear in Kamil eyes.

Chapter 63

The FBI arrived with six agents. Campus police also showed up to discover what all the ruckus was about. The lead FBI agent was a take-charge guy named Matt Crenshaw who didn’t like civilians at the scene. Evarts explained that he and his wife represented Army Intelligence on a joint task force that included the FBI, but with only civilian ID, that didn’t mollify him. Evarts pulled out his phone, held it in the air to ask if he could call Lieutenant General James O’Brian. After a hurried conference among several of the agents, they gave him permission. He stepped out of earshot.

O’Brian answered immediately. “Speak,” he said without preamble.

“We have a situation here. I need you to do your general thing with some FBI agents. They want to throw us out … or possibly arrest us. The operation has been a success and we have secured high grade intel.”

“Hand the phone to the agent in charge.”

Evarts did and the conversation was typically short. O’Brian seldom wasted words. Evarts received his phone back with a dirty look. Again, he stepped out of earshot.

When he acknowledged being back on the line, O’Brian asked, “What did you get?”

“Two Ikhwan leaders. Hostile attitude. We have first names only: Yousef and Kamil. Egyptian nationals who are lecturers at the conference. I secured from Kamil a verbal list of five names who he alleges are members of a terrorist cell. He appeared properly terrified, so it’s my assessment he wasn’t lying. I don’t believe they know anything about any other cells, but I’ll tell the FBI to focus their interview on that line of questioning. May I play the five names for you.”

“One moment.” The phone went silent for only a second or so. “Okay, ready to record.”

Evarts played the Kamil recording. After it was done, O’Brian said, “I’ll have background checks to you soon. What’s the target?”

“Unknown. One of those five cell members is supposed to know. If we strike out there, it’s back to the drawing board.”

“Understood. Anything else?”

“Kamil didn’t say it directly, but I baited him, and his reaction indicated that the Ikhwan has infiltrated the FBI.”

“Not news, but it confirms our suspicion. Anything else?”

“To secure the intel I used some of our knowledge about this operation. Yousef and Kamil must be held incommunicado until we wrap this up.”

“Hand the phone back to the agent in charge,” O’Brian said.

Evarts did and the resulting conversation appeared contentious. When it ended, the agent tossed the phone back at him. He was obviously displeased that someone outside his chain of command was giving him orders. Evarts didn’t care. He walked over to an untended coffee urn in the hotel lobby to find it stocked and hot. He motioned to Baldwin and she signaled that she would like a cup. He brought over the two cups and handed one to her. She was in a group discussing Yousef.

Crenshaw said, “Please everyone, a quiet moment. As I understand it, we have two Egyptian nationals, one who got royally pissed and drew a gun on agents of the FBI and … and what? That’s it? If so, take them to headquarters and interview them.” He gave Evarts a nasty look before adding, “Keep them separated. That means separate cars to headquarters, separate interview rooms. Separate interview teams. No phone calls.” He looked at Evarts. “Okay with you?” After Evarts nodded, he continued, “Agents Adams and Meadow, you lead the interviews. Your collar, your responsibility. See if you can get anything useful out of them, but so far, this seems like a lot of resources applied to a misunderstanding. Remember people, there’s a level one threat. Anything that distracts us from that effort is helping the bad guys.” He looked around authoritatively, then said, “Okay, let’s wrap it up here and get back to work.”

“Where’d he get a gun?” Evarts asked.

“Is that important?” Crenshaw asked.

“It’s important whether he smuggled it passed Egyptian and American airport security or acquired it from an accomplice here in the United States.”

“Adams, you get right on that, okay,” Crenshaw said.

Smug, he started for the door.

“A moment alone, agent Crenshaw?” Evarts asked.

He appeared reluctant but stepped to the side.

“Listen,” Evarts spoke in a low voice, “I haven’t had a chance to brief you on my interview with