CLOAK & CORKSCREW: 28) WASHINGTON, D.C.
My Saturday Evening Post: A Serial Novel of Intrigue & Lunacy
56.
Josh Penner touch-keyed a number that directly connected him with President Hugo Chavez’s senior personal assistant. The movie star explained that he did not need to speak with Mr. President by phone, but wished to schedule a meeting with him in Caracas as soon as possible.
“For what purpose?” the assistant asked, taking careful notes.
“Tell him it is for reasons he requested,” alluding obliquely to his meeting with Jose Hernandez in which Chavez had requested access to additional Hollywood trophies.
Penner’s next call, with Special Agent Jenny Jones at his side, was to Jack Woodward, the State Department blackmailer.
“I called Hugo Chavez’s office to request a meeting a.s.a.p, ”
“When do you expect an answer?” demanded Woodward.
“Chavez wants to see me for other reasons, so it will be soon.”
“How soon?”
“I have no control over that. When I hear something, you’ll be the first to know.” He paused, reading a note penned by Jones. “Do you want to meet?”
“If you don’t hear from Chavez’s office by tomorrow, call them back.” Woodward clicked off.
The FBI now had Woodward under twenty-four hour covert surveillance: cell phone monitored, landlines (at home and work) tapped, e-mail intercepted, physical movements tailed.
57.
A special alert chimed from one of the Dataveillant’s eight computers.
Finally, Josh Penner’s American Express account showed a new charge: The Willard, a luxury hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The movie star had just checked in.
The Dataveillant immediately conveyed this new information to Brooke Holden, TZM chief, who phoned Jeremy Katz and ordered the gumshoe to their nation’s capital.
Arriving late evening, Katz checked into The Willard.
58.
Jose Hernandez was astounded to receive a cable from Caracas advising that Josh Penner had called to schedule a meeting with Hugo Chavez on the issue he had been tasked to manage. Hernandez was none too pleased. Hadn’t he made it clear to Penner that he, Hernandez, was the intermediary? What was it with these unmanageable gringos?
The cable also confirmed dinner one week hence at the presidential palace, to which Hernandez was also invited.
Hernandez lit a cigarette and calmed himself. No point trying to be covert in his dealings with Josh Penner, he reasoned. Why, it was perfectly acceptable that in his cover job as assistant cultural attaché he should mix it up with the icons of popular culture in the United States. So no tradecraft games, a straightforward approach from this point. Don’t do anything that sabotages the main event: CAHUNA.
Hernandez tapped Penner’s number from his office landline.
Fortuitously, Jenny Jones was still conferring with the movie star when his cell jingled and Caller ID displayed Embassy of Venez. He showed it to Jones.
“Answer it,” she instructed. “On loudspeaker.”
“This is Jose,” said Hernandez.
“Thought so,” said Penner. “How are you?”
“I have message from my president about meeting next week…”
“Next week?”
“Yes. You do not know?”
“His guy hasn’t phoned me back yet.”
“Probably they want me to tell you. I go with you.”
Jones scribbled a note: Offer to meet him.
“Would you like to meet and talk about this?” Penner asked Hernandez.
“I cannot fly to Los Angeles, I am very busy…”
“I’m in Washington,” said Penner.
This caught Hernandez off-guard. “Washington?”
“I’m in town scouting locations for a movie. So,” Penner pressed, “when can we meet?”