“I have him sequestered in the little storage room at the end of the hall for now, until he stops snarling at everyone.” The admiral lost the battle to another grin. “Apparently being threatened with court-martial and a firing squad has put him in a bit of a foul temper. Nothing you can’t handle though.”

Margot smiled. “As long as snarling back is acceptable.”

“No arguments from me. Though Camden is an old friend of Lieutenant Elton, apparently—he’s actually the one who suggested I bring him into the fold. If you wish to be kind for his sake.”

Her brows lifted again. “And why would that affect anything?”

“Oh, no reason.” Lips twitching, Hall spun away. “Let me know how it goes. I’m off to meet with the press and convince them to stop lambasting my newest recruit.”

Margot shook her head and picked her pen up again. If the articles she’d read over the past few days were an indication of the journalists’ inclinations, they weren’t going to be happy about letting their prize story go. But DID had the press corps wrapped around his finger. He fed them enough juicy tidbits that they wouldn’t nip at his outstretched fingers now.

Heaven knew these papers spread before her didn’t seem to have any hidden messages in them, just their overt ones. She kept looking for the telltale signs—letters too bold, or not aligned properly—that would alert an operative to a message, but thus far each oddity she had circled hadn’t followed up on its promise.

When the voices of the others began filtering back through the hallways, Margot folded up the newspapers with a sigh. She would keep looking through the old editions she had in a box at home. But for now, training. She certainly hoped this Camden fellow was a quick study.

She gathered up a few newly arrived encoded telegrams, today’s code, paper, and pencils. Then she aimed herself for the room at the end of the hall that had been a storage room. Margot tapped on the door and opened it, nearly dropping her supplies when the occupant all but leapt at her like a caged lion.

“Have you come to let me out of this prison?” He was tall, dark, and seething. Margot noted the features that would have made the secretaries go aflutter—the strong jaw, the chiseled lips, the clear blue eyes, et cetera. But they were secondary to what interested her more—the intelligence snapping in those eyes, and the bad attitude coming off him in waves.

This was sure to be fun.