Read Online Severe Clear by Stuart Woods - Free Book Online Page B

got shipped off to Rome, and Stewart Graves, who was ADDI, was packed off to London.”
    “Sounds like a shake-up,” Mike said.
    “Sounds to me like Kate is paving the way for Lance Cabot to replace her when she goes.”
    “That’s interesting, if she can pull it off,” Mike said. “But for that to happen, the Democrat would have to get elected to replace Will Lee, and it would have to be a Democrat whose ear Kate has.”
    “I think our beloved veep, Stanton, has the inside track for the nomination, don’t you?”
    “Well, yes, because he’s veep. There’ll be some competition, though.”
    “Lance has done some major cultivation in the garden of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence,” Hipp said. “Lance might get it, even if a Republican is elected.”
    “Well, if anybody could work both sides of the street, it’s Lance. I wouldn’t be upset if he got it.”
    “Neither would I,” Hipp said. “I can’t say I’m fond of Lance, but I don’t hate him, and that’s something.”
    “I’m fond of him on some days, and I hate him on others,” Mike said. “But I’m fond of Holly all the time.”
    “I don’t know her all that well, but I hear good things.”
    “She’s gotten some of the credit for the way Lance has smoothed out operations.”
    “You think that if Lance gets the job, he might pick her to replace him at ops?”
    “Nobody’s closer to Lance than Holly.”
    “Well, we’ll see what we shall see, won’t we? Gotta run.”
    “See you, Scott. Keep me in the loop, will you?”
    “Sure.” Hipp hung up.
    Mike switched off his scrambler and called Stone Barrington.
    “Hey, Mike.”
    “Just got some news, Stone: shake-up at the Agency. Stewart Graves and Greg Barton are out.”
    “I know the names, but not the people,” Stone replied.
    “The big news is that Holly is replacing Barton in Kate’s office, with the title of assistant director.”
    Stone made a whistling sound. “Big jump!”
    “I read the changes as Kate’s paving the way for Lance.”
    “I’m sure Lance would like nothing better.”
    “And if he gets it, Holly could be the next DDO.”
    “You know,” Stone said, “if Holly ever leaves the Agency, you should pounce on her.”
    “I’ve thought that ever since I saw the way she ran the air transport company. She made me wish we still owned it.”
    “Well, if Lance doesn’t get Kate’s job, Holly will be at a dead end at the Agency. That’s when you should go after her.”
    “That’s good advice.”
    “She still has a New York apartment from when she did that thing for Lance here a few years back.”
    “I didn’t know that.”
    “Nice place, on Park.”
    “No relocation costs!” Mike laughed.
    “Where are you?” Stone asked.
    “In L.A. I had dinner last night with Rifkin, the Secret Service detail honcho.”
    “Any news from him?”
    “If he had any news, he wouldn’t share it. They’re like that.”
    Mike told him about the cell call from L.A. to the watch-listed website. “That’s why I’m not telling him about that, or anything else. They’ve already doubled their efforts at The Arrington, and that’s all I want from them. At the moment.”
    “Does this cell call from California worry you?”
    “Not at the moment. Time will tell.”
    “Thanks for the news about Holly. I’ll drop her a note—she’ll be impressed that I know.”
    “You do that, and congratulate her for me.”
    Stone hung up, called Dino, and told him the news.

 15 
    H olly Barker spent the morning unpacking her things, hanging a couple of pictures, and registering the Agency desktop to her identity. Her new office was more than three times the size of her previous one and contained a small conference table, a sofa, and a pair of comfortable chairs and more bookcases. She had indeed been given a prime parking spot, one that would cause envy among the Agency’s hierarchy, and she liked it.
    “Getting settled in?” Kate Lee said from behind her.
    Holly