2 hours left…
7:29 p.m.
I found no connections to Director Rodale in Basque’s files.
Figuring that Ralph and Margaret would be looking more closely into that tunnel, I turned my attention back to the relationships we were aware of.
I typed: Vice President Fischer is tied to Lansing. Lansing is tied to Basque. Basque is tied to Lebreau. Lebreau is tied to Rodale. Rodale is tied to…?
As I was puzzling over the list, I heard footsteps, light, quick. I looked up to see Lien-hua on her way toward me. She read the weariness, the frustration on my face. “You look whipped.”
“Well, at least my looks aren’t deceiving.”
“Did the custody meeting go all right?”
I realized I hadn’t spoken with her about it yet. “It was okay. I think things will work out. You heard about Basque? That he was there?”
“Yes.” She seemed distracted. Something was on her mind. “And I heard that Anderson lost him.”
I refrained from commenting, just nodded. “Ralph’s on his way back. Should get in a little after 9:00. Oh, and Rodale knows Lebreau.”
“I heard that too-listen, Pat.” She lowered her voice until she was speaking to me almost in a whisper. “I may have found out why the dog didn’t bark.”
“Go on.”
“Let me get my files. I’ll meet you upstairs. Room 413.”
Curious now.
Very curious.
“Why upstairs?”
“Trust me. Five minutes.”
She left, I checked my text messages and confirmed that Tessa was all right. As I was collecting my things, one of the agents dialed up the volume of a television screen mounted near the ceiling at the far side of the room.
“Unnamed sources,” the announcer was saying, “have confirmed that Congressman Fischer has made significant contributions to the Gunderson Foundation. In light of the Foundation’s application for government funding for controversial nanotechnology research, Republican lawmakers are calling the news ‘striking’ and ‘revealing.’ We’ll have more as things develop…”
Federal funding.
Nanotechnology research?
Interesting.
A cavern I hadn’t thought of.
I jogged up the stairs to hear what Lien-hua had to say.