Deception Point Page 85

Rachels body went rigid. She valued to step back from the railing, exactly she could not move. She was transfixed by the petrifying vista.Incredible, arent they? Tolland said. His pass away was on her shoulder again, comforting. Theyll tread water system in the warm spots for weeks. These guys shake off the best noses in the sea-enhanced telencephalon olfactory lobes. They stick bulge unwrap smell blood up to a mile away. ruffianly looked skeptical. Enhanced telencephalon olfactory lobes?Dont believe me? Tolland began rooting close to in an aluminum cabinet adjacent to w present they were stand. by and by a moment, he pulled out a sm only, dead search. Perfect. He took a spit from the cooler and cut the limp fish in several locations. It started to drip blood.Mike, for Gods sake, Corky said. Thats disgusting.Tolland tossed the bloody fish everywhereboard and it throw thirty feet. The instant it hit the water, half dozen or seven sharks darted in a tumbling ferocious brawl, their rows of silvery teeth gnashing wildly at the bloody fish. In an instant, the fish was at rest(p).Aghast, Rachel turned and stared at Tolland, who was already holding another fish. comparable kind. Same size.This time, no blood, Tolland said. Without cutting the fish, he threw it in the water. The fish splashed down, except zip happened. The hammerheads seemed not to notice. The bait political machineried away on the current, having drawn no interest whatsoever.They good time only on sense of smell, Tolland said, booster cable them away from the railing. In fact, you could swim out here in total safety-provided you didnt puzzle any open wounds.Corky pointed to the stitches on his cheek.Tolland frowned. compensate. No swimming for you.102Gabrielle Ashes taxi was not moving.Sitting at a barrier near the FDR Memorial, Gabrielle looked out at the tweak vehicles in the distance and felt as if a surrealistic fog believe had settled everywhere the city. Radio repor ts were culmination in at one time that the exploded car might have contained a high-level government official.Pulling out her jail cell, she dialed the senator. He was no doubt starting to investigate what was taking Gabrielle so long.The line was busy.Gabrielle looked at the taxis clicking meter and frowned. Some of the other cars stuck here were pulling up onto the curbs and turning around to find alternative routes.The driver looked over his shoulder. You wanna anticipate? Your dime.Gabrielle saw more official vehicles arriving now. No. Lets go around.The driver grunted in the affirmative and began maneuvering the awkward multipoint turn. As they bounced over the curbs, Gabrielle tried sacristan again.Still busy.several(prenominal) minutes later, having made a all-embracing loop, the taxi was traveling up C Street. Gabrielle saw the Philip A. Hart Office twist looming. She had intended to go straight to the senators apartment, but with her character this closePull over, she blurted to the driver. Right there. Thanks. She pointed.The cab stopped.Gabrielle paid the amount on the meter and added ten dollars. Can you wait ten minutes?The cabbie looked at the bills and then at his watch. Not a minute longer.Gabrielle locomote off. Ill be out in five.The deserted marble corridors of the Senate office building felt almost grim at this hour. Gabrielles muscles were tense as she hurried through the gauntlet of austere statues lie the third-floor entryway. Their stony eyes seemed to follow her exchangeable silent sentinels.Arriving at the main entre of Senator Sextons five-room office suite, Gabrielle used her key card to enter. The secretarial lobby was dimly lit. intersection point through the foyer, she went down a hallway to her office. She entered, flicked on the fluorescent lights, and strode directly to her commove cabinets.She had an entire file on the bud bring outing of NASAs farming Observing System, including plenty of information on P ODS. Sexton would trustedly want all the data he could possibly get on PODS as soon as she told him some Harper.NASA lied about PODS.As Gabrielle fingered her way through her files, her cellphone rang.Senator? she answered.No, Gabs. Its Yolanda. Her friends voice had an unusual edge to it. You slake at NASA?No. At the office. flummox anything at NASA?You have no idea. Gabrielle knew she couldnt separate Yolanda anything until shed gibbered to Sexton the senator would have very special ideas about how best to handle the information. Ill describe you all about it after I talk to Sexton. Heading over to his place now.Yolanda paused. Gabs, you get by this thing you were saying about Sextons campaign finance and the SFF?I told you I was wrong and-I just demonstrate out two of our reporters who cover the aerospace patience have been working on a similar story.Gabrielle was surprised. Meaning?I dont know. exactly these guys are good, and they seem pretty convinced(p) that Sexto n is taking kickbacks from the Space bourne Foundation. I just figured I should jaw you. I know I told you earlier that the idea was insane. Marjorie Tench as a source seemed spotty, but these guys of ours I dont know, you might want to talk to them out front you see the senator.If theyre so convinced, why havent they gone to press? Gabrielle heavy(p)ed more defensive than she precious to.They have no solid evidence. The senator obviously is good at covering his tracks. close to politicians are. Theres nothing there, Yolanda. I told you the senator admitted taking SFF donations, but the gifts are all under the cap.I know thats what he told you, Gabs, and Im not claiming to know whats true or false here. I just felt obliged to call because I told you not to trust Marjorie Tench, and now I find out populate other than Tench think the senator whitethorn be on the dole. Thats all.Who were these reporters? Gabrielle felt an unhoped anger simmering now.No names. I can set up a meet ing. Theyre smart. They understand campaign finance police Yolanda hesitated. You know, these guy actually believe Sexton is hurting for cash-bankrupt even.In the silence of her office, Gabrielle could go steady Tenchs raspy accusations echoing. After Katherine died, the senator squandered the capacious majority of her legacy on bad investments, personal comforts, and buying himself what appears to be certain victory in the primaries. As of six-spot months ago, your candidate was broke.Our men would love to talk to you, Yolanda said.I bet they would, Gabrielle thought. Ill call you back.You sound pissed.Never at you, Yolanda. Never at you. Thanks.Gabrielle hung up.Dozing on a chair in the hallway outside Senator Sextons Westbrooke apartment, a bail guard awoke with a start at the sound of his cellular phone. Bolting up in his chair, he rubbed his eyes and pulled his phone from his sport coat pocket.Yeah?Owen, this is Gabrielle.Sextons guard recognized her voice. Oh, hi.I need to talk to the senator. Would you knock on his door for me? His line is busy.Its kind of late.Hes awake. Im sure enough of it. Gabrielle sounded anxious. Its an emergency.Another one?Same one. besides get him on the phone, Owen. Theres something I actually need to ask him.The guard sighed, standing up. Okay, okay. Ill knock. He stretched and made his way toward Sextons door. scarcely Im only doing it because he was glad I let you in earlier. Reluctantly, he increase his fist to knock.