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“All I know is that they heard from their source that the group was planning a big incident. Something so catastrophic, it could surpass 9/11.”
I stopped eating and peered at her. She was dead serious.
“The mole found out that the fellow who was doing research for you was giving you information,” she continued. “They assumed it was for your book.”
“Yes,” I said, my voice weighted with guilt. “I think he died trying to help me out. So, is the group really working on a weapon more powerful than an atom bomb?”
Liz frowned and her eyebrows dueled briefly with one another. “Is that what your book is about?”
“Well, yes, it’s a thriller about a scientist who’s researching a theory that Einstein was wrong, that the speed of light is variable, and that under his new theory, it’s possible to build a weapon many times stronger than the H-bomb. The scientist dies under suspicious circumstances. It’s supposed to be an accident. Blah, blah, blah. Never mind all that. Is that what the group is doing?”
Liz raised a finger. “That’s the thing, Jess. We don’t know. Homeland Security only knows this radical group is worried about you. The group must have killed Fred, thinking he was passing you information about their plans.”
“Well, the cops haven’t gotten that memo, have they? They think I did it.”
She shook her head. “No, they were told to issue that statement. They wanted to take you into protective custody without revealing their plans to the group.”
I opened my mouth, but only a guttural sound of disbelief came out, at first. “So all this time, I thought I was a murder suspect and I wasn’t?” Those assholes!
Liz looked ready to cry. “I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. Attorney-client privilege. I’m only telling you this now, because the Feds want your cooperation.”
My jaw dropped and, for a moment, I stared at her. “What?”
“Jessica, I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t essential. And we’re talking about a huge catastrophe. Who knows how big.”
I managed to close my mouth and gather my wits. “Does this have anything to do with the situation at the Golden Gate Bridge?”
“Possibly.”
“That’s it? That’s all you can say?”
“It’s all we know, Jess. Really!” Liz stared off, looking almost as dazed as I was. But that wasn’t going to deter me from probing further, because the whole thing smelled fishy to me.
“If it affects the Bay Area and it’s that catastrophic, how come they aren’t
evacuating San Francisco?”
Liz reared up and glared at me, as if I’d hurled an insult at her. “I told you it was only a possibility. We can’t go causing a general panic based on a mere possibility. That’s why the Feds need your help.”
I sighed and asked, “What do they want from me?”
Liz hesitated and then said, “They want to use you in a sting operation.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Jessica
I stared at Liz in disbelief. “You must be joking, right? Tell me you’re joking. I mean you can’t possibly be serious. No way, no way. You can’t be serious!” The more I spoke, the faster my words came and the more hysterical I sounded.
Liz wouldn’t return my look. She propped her elbows on the table and kneaded her temples with both hands. “None of this is my idea, Jess. I don’t like it any more than you do. I haven’t liked any of this.” Her voice dripped with disgust.
“Oh, yeah. Well, I’ve been enjoying it even less, okay? So you and your goddamned federal government can just kiss my ass!”
Liz stopped kneading long enough to venture a look my way. Her eyes were tired, pleading with me for understanding. “It’s your government, too, Jessica. And this catastrophe could kill hundreds of millions of innocent people.”
“Hundreds of millions?”
Liz leaned toward me. “Would you believe entire countries?”
