Free Cloud Dust: RD-1 by Connie Suttle

profile points to his being a follower, not
a leader."
    "I believe he wanted to commit suicide and appear a hero
to his adopted religion," Rafe said quietly. "Colonel Hunter, I'd
like a private word with you when we're done, here."
    "What about?" Dalton began.
    "A private word," Rafe insisted.
    "Can I be there?" I asked. "I think Rafe and I
may have something similar to say."
    "You think so?" Rafe lifted an eyebrow and gave me a
skeptical frown.
    "I think so," I said, toying with my fork. We had
prime rib sitting in front of us; I'd barely touched mine, although it was
quite good.
    "Then we'll talk after dinner," August agreed.
"The three of us. Privately." He challenged Dalton to disagree.
Captain Dalton Parrish didn't argue with Colonel August Hunter. Sometimes, rank
really did have its privileges.
    * * *
    "The British Ambassador's interpreter isn't who she says
she is."
    "She's a spy-for-hire."
    Rafe and I attempted to speak at the same time the moment the
door closed behind August. He'd chosen a small meeting room in our shared
bungalow for the private conference. August didn't display shock often, but he
wore a concerned expression now.
    "What the hell are you talking about?" he sputtered.
    "She's—well—she's wormed her way into that position for a
reason," I said. Rafe stared at me as I offered that information.
    "I was about to say the same thing, only I can say that
I've seen her before, and disaster always follows close behind. Somebody wants
information, and she's getting it for them," Rafe sighed.
    "Let me talk to some of the others. You'll both be on
call, tonight, in case I can get a meeting." August stalked from the room,
slamming the door behind him.
    "That went well," I muttered.
    "You know we'll have to talk to the President
tonight," Rafe said.
    "Yeah."
    * * *
    "I don't know what her real name is," Rafe answered
the President's question later. It was nearly midnight; Rafe's and my
exposition of the interpreter in question had raised some eyebrows and caused a
flurry of investigations. "I've never seen her use the same name
twice."
    "I'd doubt your information, if Corinne hadn't pointed
her out as well," Madam President shook her head.
    "I understand your reluctance to believe anything I
say," Rafe acknowledged. "That doesn't alter the fact that this
woman, who currently uses the name Mary Evans, is quite adept at changing
identities and nationalities—as the situation requires."
    "How do you know so much about her?" the President
asked.
    "Because she was hired by the Soviet government on at
least two occasions. I have nothing but contempt for her."
    "This changes things," the President flung up a
hand. "Look, I've got several agencies investigating her background—photographs,
information, you name it. What I have so far shows she's really good—otherwise,
she'd never have been hired by the British government."
    "As you see, other governments have hired her," Rafe
said. He was suggesting that the British government hired her for their own
purposes.
    "I don't believe for a minute the Prime Minister knows
about her," I snapped, causing Rafe to turn swiftly in my direction.
"You said she was gathering information for somebody. It's not the British
government."
    "If we grab her now, we'll never know what she's up to,
or who hired her," August pointed out. "Besides, what would we charge
her with? All we have is information that we can't substantiate." He
jerked a thumb in Rafe's and my direction.
    "Look, I'm having her phone tapped, and we'll have
someone checking phone calls, in and out. We'll set up somebody to follow her
and report on every movement from now on. I don't want to alarm the Prime
Minister if we can help it," the President said before turning to me.
    "Corinne," she said, "Is there anything you can
give me to get the French Ambassador and his President off my back?"
    I froze. Rafe now stared at me. August shook his head and
looked away. "No, Ma'am," I lied. The panic attack came