I, Alex Cross (Alex Cross 16)

“Detective Pontano says that you mentioned something about a specific client at Blacksmith? And maybe Katherine. Lauren, tell me about the client.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe. I mean—I know what Katherine told me. But that place was all rumors all the time.”

I kept my voice even and as calming as possible. “What did she tell you, Lauren? We’re not going to arrest you for anything you say in here. You can believe me on that. This is a big homicide case. I don’t give a damn about vice.”

“She said she had a private scheduled with someone, a big hitter she called Zeus. That was the last time I ever talked to Katherine.”

I wrote it down. Zeus?

“Is that some kind of alias? Or was it Katherine’s code for the client?”

She dabbed at her eyes. “An alias. Almost everyone uses booking names. You know—Mr. Shakespeare, Pigskin, Dirty Harry, whatever strikes their fancy. It’s not like you don’t end up face-to-face. But it does mean nobody’s real name gets written down anywhere. Believe me, it’s safer for everybody that way.”

“Sure it is.” I nodded. “So, Lauren, do you know who Zeus is? Any idea?”

“I don’t know. Honestly. This is what I’m saying, trying to say. Supposedly, he had something to do with the government, but Katherine could be gullible that way. I didn’t even think twice about it when she told me.”

My mind was racing ahead a little now. “Gullible how? Can you expand on that for me? What do you mean?”

Lauren sat back and pushed both hands through her hair, away from her face. I think finally talking about Katherine was a relief for her—if not for me.

“This is the thing you need to understand,” she said, and leaned in closer. “Clients lie about what they do all the time. Like, if you think they’re more important than they really are, you’ll work harder, or let them go bareback or whatever crazy shit it is they’re fantasizing about. So I never believe half of what I hear. In fact, I just assume that the ones who talk about their lives are lying. The men with the real power? Those are the ones who keep it all to themselves.”

&nbs

p; “And Zeus?”

“Honestly, I don’t even know if he exists. It’s just a name. The name of a Greek god, right? Greek? Maybe that’s a clue? His sexual preference?”

Chapter 75

I NEVER GOT to make up my own mind about what I thought of Lauren’s story—because the next morning, it was made up for me.

I was gassing up my rental at a 7-Eleven on L Street near home, mostly thinking about how I missed my own car. It was in the shop for new glass after the shootout in Alexandria, and I wanted it back—yesterday. There’s just no substitute for familiarity, the old faithful comfort zone, even the cup holder in just that spot where you automatically reach.

When the cell phone rang, it was a blocked number, but I’d been answering everything since Nana went into the hospital. I didn’t even think about it.

“Dr. Cross?” It was a woman’s voice, a little formal, no one I knew. “Please hold for the White House chief of staff.”

Before I could respond, I was put on hold. I was stunned—not just by the call itself but by the timing. What the hell was going on here? What now? The White House was calling? Could this be for real?

It didn’t take long for Gabriel Reese to come on the line. I recognized his distinctive voice right away, probably from seeing him on the news and the occasional Sunday morning show like Meet the Press.

“Hello, Detective Cross, how are you today?” he began in a chipper enough tone.

“I guess that depends, Mr. Reese. May I ask, how did you get my number?”

He didn’t answer, of course. “I’d like to meet with you as soon as possible. Here in my office would be best. It’s all been cleared up the line. How soon could you be available?”

I thought about Ned Mahoney and how agitated he had been the other day. How paranoid he had seemed about the records from the investigation getting out. Well—I guess they were out.

“Excuse me, Mr. Reese, but what is this about? Can I at least ask that?”

There was a pause on the line, carefully chosen, maybe; I wasn’t sure. Then Reese said, “I think you already know.”

Well, I did now.

“I can be there in about fifteen minutes,” I said.