“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You get to work with me full-time.”
“Doesn’t change my answer.”
“Thanks a lot.”
The door opened and the lead agent walked in, followed by President Cole and the rest of his detail. Sean and Michelle instantly rose to their feet and waited until Cole sat across from them before resuming their seats.
Cole stared across at them.
“Blogger?”
“Yes, sir,” said Sean.
“What do you know about it?”
Sean didn’t answer right away. He was trying to size up the question and the intent behind it. “George Carlton. Independent. Not tied to any news agency.”
“You went to see him?”
“So your people have been following us?” asked Michelle.
“No. They had Carlton’s place staked out. You showed up. One reason that prompted this meeting.”
Sean studied Cole. The man seemed to have aged ten years since they had last seen him at Camp David.
He’s thinking this is his Watergate, thought Sean.
“I’m surprised that the Feds hadn’t already visited him.”
“Free speech. Fourth Estate,” responded Cole. “Tricky thing. I’m not looking to censure the media. I get accused of enough crap without fueling that fire. But you’re not the government. You maybe can do things we can’t do.”
“And then share them with you?” asked Michelle.
Sean glanced nervously at her.
Cole said, “I thought we agreed that that’s exactly what you would do? Work this thing together. Starting with finding Sam Wingo by using your connection with the son.”
Sean glanced again at Michelle but said nothing.
Cole added, “And if you’re covering for your buddies at Hoover, I already know the FBI lost the boy.”
“We apparently don’t have buddies at Hoover, sir,” said Michelle.
Cole shrugged. “This ends right, it’s no harm no foul, as far as I’m concerned.”
“That’s very generous of you, sir,” said Sean, although the look on his face did not match his words.
Cole did not seem to notice, or if he did, he did not seem to care.
Sean said, “So Iran? That’s what we were doing?”
“Not as simple as that, no.”
“Money for weapons to fuel insurgents in Iran. With North Korea next on the drawing board?”
“Who told you that?”