standing, and I thought she might grab Leecy and leave, but she didn’t move a muscle. I wondered what Leecy was thinking. And then I stood and faced Agent Porter.
“I heard those rumors, too. Did you hear that this guy used some Indian war chant or something like that before he killed his target? That he did all his wet work with a knife and tomahawk?”
I let that hang there in the air for a moment. Then I laughed. “Those stories have been floating around for a long time. Long before I even started at the agency.” And then, leaning in close to Agent Porter’s ear I said, “But if I was that guy, I would be a real dangerous man, wouldn’t I?”
Agent Porter stopped himself from backing away from me. He covered his reaction well by shifting his weight from foot to foot, saying, “Yeah; it was just a crazy notion. You’re right; those stories are ridiculous. Just rumors. CIA legends. I just thought with your heritage you would find it interesting, that’s all. Good day again, Grangers.”
He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. I looked from Valerie to Leecy and saw no sign of concern or worry about what Agent Porter and I had said to each other. That was a good thing, because I didn’t want to talk about it anymore, at least not in the police station.
“You guys ready to get out of here and get started with Val’s big birthday plans?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah, but first you need to know there’s a problem with the FBI’s take on this home invasion,” Valerie said.
“What problem?” I asked.
“Tell your dad what you told me before we ate breakfast,” Valerie said to Leecy.
“The guy that pulled me from my room called me by my name. He knew who I was and where to find me,” she said, and then, “The FBI is wrong.”
Valerie and I looked at each other and with a glance between us, decided to keep that information to ourselves.
Leecy continued. “I didn’t say anything to Agent Porter because those other two guys, the ones with the same last name, made me uncomfortable. The one across from me kept checking me out as he pretended to read. What a weirdo! No, I think we need to find out what’s going on, but first you two need to spill on the secrets because Dad, ‘classified till 2035’ isn’t getting it done. And the rumors aren’t rumors, are they?And as far as I’m concerned, Mom, Agent Porter is right about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Even a genius like you doesn’t learn to shoot like you can shoot from her dad. So spill it. How did you learn to shoot like that?”
Valerie laughed and then continued in the whispered tone we’d been using as I walked toward the door. “Not here and not now, but I promise to tell you everything.” She pushed Leecy toward the door. “We need to get out of here and go see your grandmother. The phone in my pocket hasn’t stopped vibrating. I bet she’s called twenty times.”
“Okay, but I’m holding you to that. And Dad, you have some explaining to do. Don’t think I will forget; you know I remember everything.”
The three of us left the meeting room and were passing the bathroom door when Leecy informed us, “I need to make a pit stop.”
“All right,” I said, “I’ll wait for you by the front doors.”
“Look, guys, I’m going to call my mom and let her know we’re on the way. I’ll be outside,” Valerie said as she walked toward the front door, and Leecy entered the unisex bathroom.
“Okay, meet you in a bit,” I said to both of them.
I walked slowly to the front of the police station and sat on a bench against the wall opposite Officer Johnson at the dispatcher’s desk. Suddenly, Chief Rawling’s office door opened and out came the Chief, slamming the door behind him. I watched as he waddled up to the dispatcher’s desk and spoke to Officer Johnson. Without a word to me at all, the Chief walked out the front door. Officer Johnson shrugged his shoulders at me and said in a
“I heard those rumors, too. Did you hear that this guy used some Indian war chant or something like that before he killed his target? That he did all his wet work with a knife and tomahawk?”
I let that hang there in the air for a moment. Then I laughed. “Those stories have been floating around for a long time. Long before I even started at the agency.” And then, leaning in close to Agent Porter’s ear I said, “But if I was that guy, I would be a real dangerous man, wouldn’t I?”
Agent Porter stopped himself from backing away from me. He covered his reaction well by shifting his weight from foot to foot, saying, “Yeah; it was just a crazy notion. You’re right; those stories are ridiculous. Just rumors. CIA legends. I just thought with your heritage you would find it interesting, that’s all. Good day again, Grangers.”
He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. I looked from Valerie to Leecy and saw no sign of concern or worry about what Agent Porter and I had said to each other. That was a good thing, because I didn’t want to talk about it anymore, at least not in the police station.
“You guys ready to get out of here and get started with Val’s big birthday plans?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah, but first you need to know there’s a problem with the FBI’s take on this home invasion,” Valerie said.
“What problem?” I asked.
“Tell your dad what you told me before we ate breakfast,” Valerie said to Leecy.
“The guy that pulled me from my room called me by my name. He knew who I was and where to find me,” she said, and then, “The FBI is wrong.”
Valerie and I looked at each other and with a glance between us, decided to keep that information to ourselves.
Leecy continued. “I didn’t say anything to Agent Porter because those other two guys, the ones with the same last name, made me uncomfortable. The one across from me kept checking me out as he pretended to read. What a weirdo! No, I think we need to find out what’s going on, but first you two need to spill on the secrets because Dad, ‘classified till 2035’ isn’t getting it done. And the rumors aren’t rumors, are they?And as far as I’m concerned, Mom, Agent Porter is right about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Even a genius like you doesn’t learn to shoot like you can shoot from her dad. So spill it. How did you learn to shoot like that?”
Valerie laughed and then continued in the whispered tone we’d been using as I walked toward the door. “Not here and not now, but I promise to tell you everything.” She pushed Leecy toward the door. “We need to get out of here and go see your grandmother. The phone in my pocket hasn’t stopped vibrating. I bet she’s called twenty times.”
“Okay, but I’m holding you to that. And Dad, you have some explaining to do. Don’t think I will forget; you know I remember everything.”
The three of us left the meeting room and were passing the bathroom door when Leecy informed us, “I need to make a pit stop.”
“All right,” I said, “I’ll wait for you by the front doors.”
“Look, guys, I’m going to call my mom and let her know we’re on the way. I’ll be outside,” Valerie said as she walked toward the front door, and Leecy entered the unisex bathroom.
“Okay, meet you in a bit,” I said to both of them.
I walked slowly to the front of the police station and sat on a bench against the wall opposite Officer Johnson at the dispatcher’s desk. Suddenly, Chief Rawling’s office door opened and out came the Chief, slamming the door behind him. I watched as he waddled up to the dispatcher’s desk and spoke to Officer Johnson. Without a word to me at all, the Chief walked out the front door. Officer Johnson shrugged his shoulders at me and said in a
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