“Director, it’s Holly Barker.”
“Hello, Holly. Has anyone ever put that to music?”
“No, but someone once wrote dirty lyrics to the tune of ‘Hello Dolly’ for my fortieth birthday party.”
“I suppose that was inevitable.”
“Apparently so.”
“What have you to report?”
“I have screwed the lid down a little tighter on Kelli Keane. One of our New York people has equipped James Rutledge’s apartment for video and sound.”
“Do they lead lives of quiet desperation?”
“Hardly, ma’am. You wouldn’t believe their sex life.”
Kate roared with laughter. “Be sure and copy me on the sauciest bits.”
“Certainly, ma’am.”
“Has the woman spilled any beans yet?”
“Not on our tapes, but our man discovered that the place had already been bugged with audio devices before he got there. Unfortunately, we were not privy to what was heard before our equipment arrived.”
“Any way to find out?”
“We can try to find out who purchased the previous equipment.”
“Please do. I worry about the New York station having too little to do.”
“It does seem very quiet whenever I’m there,” Holly admitted.
“It occurs to me that you always seem happiest when you return from New York. Is there something there that entertains you?”
“You might say that,” Holly replied.
“It occurs to me that you might manage this particular task more easily if you were at the New York station for a time.”
“Your suggestion is my command,” Holly said. “I’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
“And we may reach you at Stone Barrington’s number?”
“Nice try, ma’am. I’ll be reachable on my cell at all times.”
“Enjoy yourself, then, and let me know if there’s any change in the position of the lid on Ms. Keane.”
“Certainly, ma’am,” Holly replied. “Have a nice evening.”
Kate hung up.
“How’s that thing going?” Will asked.
“Holly appears to have a grip on the problem. So far, she’s getting video from the apartment of a lot of bedroom action.”
Will laughed. “So that’s what you were talking about: seeing the ‘saucy bits.’”
“It’ll have to do for fun, until we can have more non-D.C. sex,” she replied.