would even know what I had in there?”
“Looks like someone knows a lot more than we do,” Natan says.
“Let’s focus on the most important issue here…the symbol shadings,” he replies.
“We’ll find them,” she tries to reassure him.
It doesn’t help. “They may be as important to this as you are. Did you catch up with him or find any clues, at least?” he asks.
“Clues? Who am I? Cagney or Lacey?” Natan retorts.
“You know what I mean,” Josh looks away.
“He was carrying a gun…government issue.”
“So?”
Natan continues, “The guy was carrying a gun reserved for certain branches of the federal government, like the F.B.I., C.I.A., D.E.A., N.S.A., among others.” Josh raises his shoulders with a vacant look.
Natan shakes her head, “I can understand how you were arrested in Mexico .
It means someone from the government is interested in you.”
“Who?”
Natan replies, “That is the question. And, if we can answer that, we’ll be able to get the symbols back and piece together the rest of the pieces of this photo puzzle.”
“So what do we do now?” Josh is devastated by the loss.
“We wait,” she says, “And I’ll have the lab check for any forensic evidence on the package in the meantime. I’ll be in touch.” Natan leaves the office. Just as the door closes there is a knock.
Amanda pops her head back in and addresses Josh, “Do you have a moment? I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
“Just one,” he replies, “I’m on my way out.”
Amanda enters the office. “How do you know that N.S.A. woman, Josh?”
“Amanda, I need you to keep your meeting today with Agent Natan confidential.”
“Why?”
Josh replies, “Could you just do this for me? It’s important.”
“Josh, what’s going on?”
Josh doesn’t answer.
Amanda continues, “Okay. I’ve been incredibly patient here. I mean, first you get me to loan you my brother’s G.P.S. with no explanation…which you bring back all dented and scratched…”
Josh interrupts her, “I told you I was sorry about that.”
“Yeah,” she continues, “but you wouldn’t tell me how it happened.”
“I told you I dropped it when I was hiking.”
“Hiking where? Mexico ?” she probes.
“How did you know that I went to Mexico ?”
“You left a copy of your itinerary in the lounge. I slipped it under your door last week. Didn’t you see it on the floor?”
Josh looks around, “No. I don’t remember seeing it.”
“And, you know that Ryan is going to come back from Iraq and kill me himself because his equipment is jacked. I was never supposed to loan it to anyone.”
“I seriously doubt he’ll kill you,” Josh replies to the melodrama.
“Josh, this isn’t funny. You know he’s the only one in my family still speaking to me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m dealing with my own things right now,” he says.
Amanda continues, “And now you’re involved with this woman from the N.S.A. Are you in trouble or what? What was in your bag? Why is a man snooping around here?” Amanda touches Josh’s arm. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I’m not in any kind of trouble. I can’t go into detail right now. Just keep this under wraps for the time being, all right?”
“Josh, I need a better explanation than that,” she says.
Josh grabs Amanda by her arms. “I need you to trust me.”
A stunned Amanda relinquishes. “Okay, fine. But I’m just worried about you. You know that you can trust me, right?”
“Don’t worry. I do trust you, Amanda, and I appreciate your concern…”
Amanda jokes, “Just remember that next time you schedule me for back-to-back T.A. assignments.”
“Sure thing.” Josh gathers his keys and jacket, “Now, I’ve got to run. Lock up for me, will you?”
“If I do, that agent won’t be back to question me again, will she?”
Josh
“Looks like someone knows a lot more than we do,” Natan says.
“Let’s focus on the most important issue here…the symbol shadings,” he replies.
“We’ll find them,” she tries to reassure him.
It doesn’t help. “They may be as important to this as you are. Did you catch up with him or find any clues, at least?” he asks.
“Clues? Who am I? Cagney or Lacey?” Natan retorts.
“You know what I mean,” Josh looks away.
“He was carrying a gun…government issue.”
“So?”
Natan continues, “The guy was carrying a gun reserved for certain branches of the federal government, like the F.B.I., C.I.A., D.E.A., N.S.A., among others.” Josh raises his shoulders with a vacant look.
Natan shakes her head, “I can understand how you were arrested in Mexico .
It means someone from the government is interested in you.”
“Who?”
Natan replies, “That is the question. And, if we can answer that, we’ll be able to get the symbols back and piece together the rest of the pieces of this photo puzzle.”
“So what do we do now?” Josh is devastated by the loss.
“We wait,” she says, “And I’ll have the lab check for any forensic evidence on the package in the meantime. I’ll be in touch.” Natan leaves the office. Just as the door closes there is a knock.
Amanda pops her head back in and addresses Josh, “Do you have a moment? I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
“Just one,” he replies, “I’m on my way out.”
Amanda enters the office. “How do you know that N.S.A. woman, Josh?”
“Amanda, I need you to keep your meeting today with Agent Natan confidential.”
“Why?”
Josh replies, “Could you just do this for me? It’s important.”
“Josh, what’s going on?”
Josh doesn’t answer.
Amanda continues, “Okay. I’ve been incredibly patient here. I mean, first you get me to loan you my brother’s G.P.S. with no explanation…which you bring back all dented and scratched…”
Josh interrupts her, “I told you I was sorry about that.”
“Yeah,” she continues, “but you wouldn’t tell me how it happened.”
“I told you I dropped it when I was hiking.”
“Hiking where? Mexico ?” she probes.
“How did you know that I went to Mexico ?”
“You left a copy of your itinerary in the lounge. I slipped it under your door last week. Didn’t you see it on the floor?”
Josh looks around, “No. I don’t remember seeing it.”
“And, you know that Ryan is going to come back from Iraq and kill me himself because his equipment is jacked. I was never supposed to loan it to anyone.”
“I seriously doubt he’ll kill you,” Josh replies to the melodrama.
“Josh, this isn’t funny. You know he’s the only one in my family still speaking to me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m dealing with my own things right now,” he says.
Amanda continues, “And now you’re involved with this woman from the N.S.A. Are you in trouble or what? What was in your bag? Why is a man snooping around here?” Amanda touches Josh’s arm. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I’m not in any kind of trouble. I can’t go into detail right now. Just keep this under wraps for the time being, all right?”
“Josh, I need a better explanation than that,” she says.
Josh grabs Amanda by her arms. “I need you to trust me.”
A stunned Amanda relinquishes. “Okay, fine. But I’m just worried about you. You know that you can trust me, right?”
“Don’t worry. I do trust you, Amanda, and I appreciate your concern…”
Amanda jokes, “Just remember that next time you schedule me for back-to-back T.A. assignments.”
“Sure thing.” Josh gathers his keys and jacket, “Now, I’ve got to run. Lock up for me, will you?”
“If I do, that agent won’t be back to question me again, will she?”
Josh
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