“But according to my sources you have been by to see the lady that was staying there. Funny, she’s gone too. What can you tell me about her?”

“Not much.”

“Let’s start with a name.”

Alex drew a shallow breath. This could get real complicated real fast. “What’s her involvement? Or my friend’s?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out. Her name?”

“Susan. Susan Hunter.”

“Do you know where she is?”

“No.” At least that’s the truth.

“What’s your relationship with her?”

“Just friends.”

“And why is your friend gone now?”

“Who knows? Here today, gone tomorrow. She’s just that sort of person.”

“Your other friend Oliver Stone received a commendation from none other than the FBI director for helping to break up a spy ring here in D.C.”

“That’s right. I was involved in that at the end. But he deserves the credit.”

“And he used to have a tent in Lafayette Park. A White House protestor. And he was caretaker at a cemetery. And he helps break up spy rings. Interesting career choices.”

“He’s an interesting guy.”

“What else can you tell me about this interesting guy? Like his connection to Carter Gray?”

“Carter Gray?” Alex did his best to appear baffled even as the sweat gathered under his armpits. By lying to a federal officer he’d already committed several felonies. He was digging his professional grave deeper with each word.

“Yeah. Carter Gray. Stone went to see him on the night his house was blown up. You came out the next day with him to the crime scene. I’ve talked to the FBI agents who were out there with both of you.”

“Right, right. Well, I knew that Oliver had gone to see Gray because he told me he had. I don’t know why. He asked me to come with him to meet the FBI agents. So I did. As far as I know that’s where it was left.”

“How’d you two meet?”

“Anybody who’s pulled White House Protection Detail knows about Oliver Stone. He was a fixture in Lafayette Park for a long time.”

“You happen to know his real name, or is the famous film director moonlighting?”

“I don’t know his real name.”

“I thought Secret Service agents were more inquisitive than that. Guy was right across from the White House and you don’t even know his real name?”

“It’s a free country. He never did anything threatening. Just exercising his right to protest. We just thought he was an eccentric.”

“So the name John Carr ring any bells?”

Alex had been expecting that follow-up question. “No, but it sounds familiar for some reason.”

“It was the name of a soldier whose grave was dug up at Arlington Cemetery. On Gray’s orders.”

“That’s right. I read about it in the papers. I wonder what the hell that was about?”