Free The Zimmer Doctrine (Corps Justice Book 11) by C. G. Cooper Page B

you.” The large man’s unease grew with every word. Cal could tell it was taking enormous effort for the man to get the syllables out of his mouth. Now the whole room was standing.
    The president’s calm demeanor slipped for just a moment.
    “There better be a damned good reason for this.”
    This time the special agent actually gulped.
    “Sir, she’s here with the Israeli Ambassador.”
     

Chapter 13
    Wild Dunes
    Isle of Palms, South Carolina
    August 28th, 11:49am
     
     
    The young woman walked into the room preceded by the Israeli Ambassador, flanked by two Secret Service agents. Her eyes darted around the room. She looked like a caged animal, afraid and disheveled. Zimmer noticed the manila envelope she had clutched tightly to her chest like a mother protecting her baby.
    Zimmer’s musings were cut short by the Israeli Ambassador, who the president considered a friend.
    “Mr. President, I am so sorry for disturbing you.” His accent was pure American English. He’d lived in the U.S. since he was a child due to his father’s diplomatic posts in and around Washington, D.C. In many ways, Sandy Ullman was as American as the rest of the men and women in the room. He was also a career diplomat and if he was concerned by the amount of muscle in the room he didn’t show it. “Is there a place we can talk privately?”
    Maybe it was the hangover or maybe the fact that he wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries but Zimmer was in no condition to play games.
    “Anything you need to say to me you can say in front of my friends.” He felt a stinging headache coming on. “How did you know I was here, Sandy?”
    “The CIA,” Ullman replied, as if it were no big deal.
    It was no secret that Israel had a long history of spying on the United States. From commercial innovation to military intelligence, their forces were well-entrenched in American society. But to hear that the CIA had given Ullman his private location…
    “I am simply here to make the introduction. Mr. President, may I present Maya Eilenberg?”
    There were no handshakes, only nods from Eilenberg and the president. Zimmer could feel the rest of the room looking on with unabashed curiosity.
    “Why don’t we have a seat at the table, Ms. Eilenberg,” Zimmer said. A way parted between the rest of the observers. “Can I get you anything?”
    “Thank you, no,” she answered in a hoarse voice.
    Zimmer poured her a glass of water anyway, and Top produced a plate of Danishes.
    “Mr. President,” the Ambassador said, “I’ll leave you to chat with Ms. Eilenberg. My return flight to D.C. is waiting.”
    “But aren’t you going to…?” Zimmer started to ask.
    Ullman put his hands in the air. “I was instructed to make the introduction and, in case you were wondering, I do not know what Ms. Eilenberg is going to discuss with you. My friend thought it would be best.”
    Zimmer didn’t argue. He was safe with Cal and the rest of The Jefferson Group in attendance. Besides, he was more than a little curious as to A) why the Israelis would go to such lengths to find him, and B) what this young woman had clutched so tightly in her hands.
    “We’ll make sure she gets back to D.C.,” Zimmer said.
    Ullman nodded and left without another word. All eyes were fixed on Maya Eilenberg. Zimmer found it interesting that even though she looked like she’d been through something traumatic, she did not cower. There was fear in her eyes, but it wasn’t directed at him or the other people in the room.
    “May I call you Maya?” Zimmer asked.
    “Yes, Mr. President.” She had but only a slight accent.
    Zimmer smiled. “Why don’t you tell me why you’re here, Maya.”
    With the envelope still held against her chest, Maya said, “I had the whole flight over to think about what I should say, and now that I am here I do not know what to say.”
    “Why don’t you start at the beginning?”
    Maya exhaled and the envelope was lowered slowly to the table.
    “For the