“I, er, I have to talk to someone in the city. It’s important. Really important. But I hope to be back midafternoon. That is, if you’ll still meet me.”

She hesitated. As she caressed my chin with one finger, she said, “I guess we’ll see.”

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The next morning I was rolling early. I had a huge bucket of guilt over missing Alicia as soon as she was out of class. This was one of the harder choices I’d made since leaving the Navy.

I didn’t trust my station wagon to make the trip into the city so I borrowed my brother’s idle Impala. I knew right where I was going. The Jacob K. Javits Federal Building off Broadway in lower Manhattan. If my logic was correct, Cheryl Kravitz worked somewhere in that building. If I wanted to find answers, she was the only one I could think of who could provide them.

I had to park blocks away, which turned out to be good. The federal building was well protected and there was no parking anywhere close. It was best that I approach on foot.

There were barriers along the sidewalk to keep anyone from driving into the courtyard or up to the building. A detachment of NYPD strategic operations members sat in one corner of the courtyard.

I noticed food carts lining the sidewalk just outside the barriers. Everything from Philly cheesesteaks to falafels were offered from the vendors and their trusty carts.

There was heavy security at the front, which included a metal detector. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be seen inside the building. I grabbed a chicken gyro from a woman whose cart was dead center in front of the building, then sat on a low planter where I could see the front door. I was still far enough away to not attract attention, but I noticed everyone coming and going from the building. My hope was that Agent Kravitz didn’t use some secret entrance.

I finished the gyro and grabbed some French fries and a Coke, then returned to my uncomfortable seat on the hard cement planter. An hour later, I ate a hot dog. This kind of surveillance was deadly boring. I appreciated chatting with the different vendors and sampling a variety of food.

About twelve thirty, while I was eating what was supposed to be roasted steak on a stick, I saw Agent Kravitz coming out the front door. Just as she walked past me, I wiped my face quickly and stood up.

I said, “Hello, Agent Kravitz. Remember me?” I could tell the way she faced me, with one hand in her purse, she was always on guard. I respected that. She didn’t have an easy job. And there were a lot of nuts in the world. I guess I didn’t realize she considered me one of those nuts.