AllFreeNovel
Share Us
14
WASHINGTON, D.C.
GEORGETOWN
SAVICH HOUSE
SUNDAY MORNING
DAY AFTER HALLOWEEN
Savich and Sherlock left Sean with his grandmother and Senator Monroe, a longtime fixture in her life, to attend church, eat his grandmother’s fried chicken and potato salad for lunch, and play Frisbee in the small park across from his grandmother’s house. As they left, they heard Sean explaining in great detail how Marty, his future wife and next-door neighbor, had dressed as Wonder Woman and lassoed all the adults and made them tell the truth, which made them laugh and got them more candy.
“At least he didn’t make himself sick,” Sherlock said as she slid into the Porsche.
“Through no fault of his own,” Savich said as he closed her door and walked around to ease into the driver’s seat. He started the engine and smiled when his beauty roared to life. “I’ll bet he and Marty stuffed themselves before coming back into the house. And then they chowed down on popcorn while they watched that Scooby-Doo movie.”
She laughed, leaned her head back against the sinfully soft Porsche leather. “I think if I see that movie one more time I’ll be able to say all the characters’ lines. We’ve seen it with him, what, half a dozen times already?”
“Nah, no more than four.”
Sherlock sighed. “I’d have enjoyed playing Frisbee with Sean in the park with your mom and the senator. The senator’s gotten pretty good, says Sean keeps him on his toes. He’s gotten lots of practice what with his seven grandchildren. Well, if he and your mom get married, he’ll have a step-grandchild, too.”
The thought of a stepfather didn’t give Savich a jolt like it once would have. “I doubt marriage is in the cards. Mom told me last month she likes things the way they are between them. Like me, she misses Dad. On the other hand, the senator is quite a debater, and he’s smitten, a big point in his favor. And he’s proven he can stick. They’ve been seeing each other nearly three years now.” Savich slowed and carefully steered around a dozen bicycles, mostly tourists weaving in and out, having too much fun to be careful. Thankfully, traffic was lighter on Sundays.
Sherlock said, “I wonder what Congressman Manvers thinks about Agent Griffin Hammersmith protecting his wife. An alpha male in the same house as another alpha, only this one is twenty-five years younger and so good-looking he stops traffic.”
“Griffin won’t be there all day. About now, he’s leaving for his command performance at Jessie Tenley’s surprise birthday party for her eighteen-year-old daughter, Paige. He looked hunted when I told him about his assignment. Of course, I also told him his sacrifice meant we got Agent Cinelli on loan. He sighed and accepted his fate.”
“And you thanked him for taking one for the team?”
“Yes. I told him he was bound to get cake, and maybe that’d make his sacrifice worth it.”
She laughed. “I can’t wait to meet Rebekah Manvers. You said her husband won’t be there? He’s up to his ears in meetings, even on Sunday?” She gave him a sideways grin. “Imagine, having to work on a Sunday.”
Savich steered around an SUV filled with a family, obviously tourists, the driver moving slowly enough to see the sights with his family. “We need to speak to her husband, find out what he knows, what he’s gotten out of Rebekah. You’ll find this interesting: Rebekah claims her husband never trashed Zoltan, never questioned her about seeing a medium. He wouldn’t be human if he didn’t have strong feelings one way or the other. And after her attempted kidnapping, I imagine he got in her face about telling him what happened, about what Zoltan said, what her grandfather supposedly told her.”
“He might not believe her attempted kidnapping had anything to do with Zoltan and this Big Take.”
“And he could be right.”
“But you doubt it.”
“Yes, I do. I’m about ready to bring Zoltan in for questioning, see what shakes out. Regardless, Congressman Manvers will have a lot of questions. I know I would in his position.”
“Do you think she told her husband everything?”
“If I were her, I would have. We’ll see what happens. But you know, I’m surprised Zoltan’s played her cards this way. Even if Rebekah’s kidnappers had succeeded, it would have painted a big X on her chest.”
Twenty minutes later, Savich pulled into a wide driveway behind Rebekah’s Beemer on Belmont Road NW in beautiful Kalorama Heights. Savich had long thought the Heights was the prettiest place in Washington. He and Sherlock occasionally walked here with Sean, and, of course, visited the ice cream shop in Kalorama Circle. The lots were big and filled with trees, denuded now on November 1. “The silver Beemer, that’s Rebekah’s car,” Savich said. “Behind it is Griffin’s new Range Rover, isn’t it?”
“Yes, an identical twin with his last one, but with that lovely new car smell. I wonder if the story about his now-deceased Range Rover going over a cliff was a new one for the insurance company.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Nah, I bet they’ve heard it all.”
Sherlock got out of the Porsche and looked around. “This is quite a place.” The house was two stories, with ivy climbing up the age-mellowed redbrick walls. The grounds were beautifully maintained, like the rest of the yards in the neighborhood. The house itself looked well settled, probably more than a hundred and fifty years old. Sherlock said, “I bet before the War of 1812, this site was probably a lovely wooden Colonial. But after the Brits burned Washington, wood was out, only brick.”
“At least in this old neighborhood.”
Griffin answered the door, greeted them, and turned to Rebekah Manvers, standing behind him. Savich introduced her to Sherlock.
