Douglas Gray read the note Ethel had left by the coffeepot. It was seven thirty, and he was due to relieve a fellow agent at the vice president’s residence at ten. He thought he was the only one in the house, and then heard a chair squeak upstairs as it scooted across the hardwood floor. Lisa must have been working at her desk. She’d been extremely quiet, as had he, not wishing to disturb anyone. Now he realized Ethel and Jesse were gone, and Lisa could have been awake for hours.

He walked to the bottom of the back stairway and called up, “Lisa, I’ve got coffee ready. Want me to bring you a cup?”

“Thanks, but I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Douglas poured a cup from the fresh pot and sat at the kitchen counter. He’d caught up on texts and emails and decided to enjoy a few uninterrupted minutes of peace by keeping his government phone in his pocket.

The respite was short-lived. His phone buzzed. His personal phone. The screen displayed an unfamiliar number. His first response was to send what was probably a spam call to voicemail, but it was early for spammers, and not that many people had his personal number.

“Yes?” he said cautiously.

“Is this Douglas?”

The voice sounded familiar.

“Yes.”

“This is Cory Bradshaw. Can you talk without being over-heard?”

Douglas immediately tensed. The director of the Secret Service wanted to speak to him, a lowly rookie agent. And on his personal phone. Had he said something during Ethel’s meeting the previous night that had irritated his boss?

“Yes, sir. Lisa’s in the house, but I can step out back.” He moved as he spoke.

“Ethel doing her workout?”

“No, sir. She and Jesse have gone into Old Town for a morning walk.”

“Really?”

“She left a note to that effect.”

“Look, Douglas, I don’t mean to put you in an awkward position, but I’d like you to take on a special assignment.”

Douglas stepped off the back porch and looked around as if he were about to receive the nuclear codes. “Certainly. What do you need?”

“Your eyes and ears as well as your brain. Ethel is a great woman, and I have the utmost respect for her.”

He paused, and Douglas said nothing, waiting for the “but.”

“But she’s strong-willed, and I know her well enough after thirty years to tell you she won’t sit on the sidelines. Whether she has additional insights or evidence in this case, I don’t know. But I want you to watch her. Jesse, as well.”

“Full-fledged surveillance?”

“No. Ethel would spot that in a heartbeat. Tell her you’ve been pulled off protection and back into counterfeiting. You were on the original case that generated the stolen bills and are the contact person for any that might appear in circulation.”

“Will I be reporting to Norwood?”