Death of an Intern (37 page)

I
rang Beth Carr's doorbell and felt a spurt of apprehension, realizing I knew nothing about this woman. The door opened and Carr met me with an expression of surprise.

“Beth, I'm Laura Wolfe. We met last Thursday at an accident in D.C.”

“Yeah, I thought I recognized you. How you doing?” Her tone was friendly.

I appreciated the concern, always a good icebreaker. “I'm fine. Kat and I appreciate all you and your friend did for us.”

“I wondered about her. She was in bad shape,” Beth said earnestly.

“Thanks to you two, she's going to make it.”

“You're a reporter, right?”

“Yes. And that's why I'm here.”

“Oh? Doing a piece on your own accident?” her tone flippant, but friendly. She smiled at her little joke.

I returned the smile. “Well, that and a couple of other things. May I come in? Standing on my feet in one place gets to my back.”

“Ah, umm, well, I'm expecting someone.” Beth looked at her watch. “Maybe for a couple of minutes.”

“That'll be fine.” I stepped in and Beth closed the door.

“Can I get you something to drink?”

“No, I carry my own water. Longtime habit.”

“Have a seat. You're pregnant, right?”

“You have a good memory. Yes, about two months.”

“W
e don't need this,” Nielssen said to her partner. “Grayson's coming.” She clicked on her headset. “Oversight, Watcher Lookout. A known, but uninvited guest was just given entry to One's nest.”

The FBI caravan was parked in the Pentagon south lot when Watcher Lookout's message came in. Everyone was wearing headsets. Max kept his transmission switch in the off position. “Two bits I know who that is.”

Davis looked at him. “You've got to be kidding. Besides—” He interrupted himself and switched on. “Watcher Lookout, is it the reporter?”

“Affirmative.”

Max grinned.

Off mike, Davis groaned. “Damn. How'd I not know that?”

“What?” Max asked.

The special agent gave Max a shy look.

“You were following her?”

“For her own protection. She's done it this time.”

“Oversight, this is Home Base. Hawk is out of the big nest.”

Davis switched back on. “Roger, Home Base. Check on Lobo Watcher's situation. All right people. All the birds are flying.” He switched off and punched in a number on his cell phone. It was immediately answered.

“They are all in the air, sir. There is an unexpected guest at One's nest.”

He paused, listening. “Yes sir, it's a complication, but we'll hold the course.”

He listened again. “We will advise.” He clicked off.

“Lobo?” Max asked.

“Wolf for Wolfe,” Davis answered. “Damn. This was a great opportunity to get everybody in the same place away from the White House. No publicity. No embarrassment to the Vice President or anyone else. Now…” He let his thought hang.

“She shook one of your guys? She's been on the lookout since her two near misses. When I tell her it was FBI…” He laughed softly. “She does have a penchant for putting herself where the action is.”

“She doesn't know when she's well off,” Davis said tersely.

“She told me earlier at headquarters that Beth Carr was a compelling story. I should have locked her up right then and there.” Max chuckled.

“What?” a miffed Reed Davis asked.

“She is following a story. It has nothing to do with what you are doing.”

“Oversight, Sparrow is exiting at Glebe Road.”

“Roger,” Davis responded. “We have a complication at One's. We'll need you to deploy after arrival. Watcher Lookout will advise.”

“Roger.”

“Have you notified Arlington PD?” Max asked, his mike still off.

Davis turned his transmission switch off. “No. We thought this would be a quiet operation.”

“I wish, but Ms. Grayson hates Ms. Wolfe.”

B
eth Carr was incredulous. “What are you saying about Lisa? And how would you know her or anything about her?” “Did you know she went through what happened to you?”

“I didn't know…nothing happened to me.”

I asked. “How about sex in Grayson's Alexandria townhouse?”

Carr leaped to her feet. “Get out of here!”

Carr's vehemence caught me off guard. “Beth. Your van was used by the serial killer.”

“How did you know about…what van?”

I decided to play my trump card. “The van Frankie Grayson bought and put your name on.”

Beth's face was red with rage. “What the hell are you talking about? You come in here and—”

“Calm down and listen!” I stood to face her. “I'm here to help you. Manchester is at Frankie Grayson's townhouse…”

“Manchester? Here?” Carr's fear flared.

“Why would they call him? What does he do for them?” I implored.

Carr looked scared. “Forget that. You gotta get out of here.”

A
gents Wallace and Nielssen continued to scan the area around Carr's townhouse from their third-floor perch. People were getting home from work. A jogger or two had gone by. Cars were pulling in, people coming and going. This could get sticky.

The revelation about the van being owned by Beth had blindsided her. Nielssen had been with Beth the night Alvarado was killed. Her boss had advised her that Beth might know the killer without knowing that person was the serial killer.

A black SUV pulled into the parking pull-off that fronted Beth's townhouse row of eight units and pulled into an available slot. A figure wearing dark slacks, a zipped up dark blue windbreaker, a black baseball cap, and dark glasses emerged. Not the typical look in Fairlington. In addition, Nielssen did not remember ever having seen that vehicle before. She could not make out the individual's gender.

“Wallace.” She beckoned him to join her at the window.

“There,” she pointed. “The black SUV. Dog, do you see…?”

“We're ready to exit the car, make like residents.”

“Roger.”

Their conversation was heard by all on the network. Davis came on. “Watcher Lookout. Any ideas?”

“Negative. Dog, split up. One go east and then go around behind the townhouses to near One's backdoor. Partner hold tight and observe visitor. Keep an eye out for Sparrow.”

“Roger.”

“Could be nothing, maybe a neighbor,” Wallace observed.

“Not one I've seen around, but let's hope you are right,” Nielssen answered, but she was worried for Beth.

“P
lease, Beth, I can help. You and your friend came to Kat's and my aid. You are being used, maybe being made the patsy.” Beth was pacing.

I decided to press on. “Who's Frankie worried about, you or herself? Does she have something to worry about? What will she do if she's pushed up against the wall? How does she react to threats on her brother?”

“Stop it! You've dealt with her, right? He's her life.”

I felt Beth's desire to push me out of her house had waned a little. She confirmed that when she abruptly went to the back of the townhouse without saying a word. I waited a moment and didn't hear anything, so I followed. At the doorway to the kitchen, I saw Beth standing in front of an open refrigerator, staring into it.

I spoke very softly. “Three women have died, including Janet. Why?”

“A serial killer,” Beth replied flatly.

“Who had access to your van?”

“Nobody.”

She just confirmed her ownership. Her loyalty to Grayson was amazing. “Did Rick Grayson get Janet and Sarah pregnant?”

Beth whirled on me. “I don't know anything about anything except that Frankie Grayson is coming here any minute, and you don't want to be here when that happens.”

That was a shocker, but I maintained my composure. “Why?”

Beth went back to the open refrigerator.

“Are Manchester and Grayson both coming?”

“I don't know. You're the one who told me about Manchester!” She slammed the refrigerator door closed.

D
avis asked, “Sparrow Watcher, your location?”
“We're in Shirlington. Sparrow went into a deli.”
Davis continued. “Watcher Lookout, report.”

“The two individuals in the nest have moved to the rear out of our vision. Unknown visitor is heading for One's nest.”

Davis clicked off and looked at Max. “I don't like this.” He clicked back on. “Oversight is moving. ETA at Watcher Lookout, five minutes.”

“This is Sparrow Watcher. We are moving again. ETA nest two minutes.”