Home Free - Fern Michaels [84]
“I hope not,” Gus said sincerely.
“They will. I should have retired last year, but I couldn’t bring myself to walk away. The board will just tell me to leave, and I won’t argue. Now, did you just come to visit, or do you need my help on something?”
“Both, sir. I’m sorry I don’t have any Jack Daniel’s. Maybe tomorrow I can get a friend to smuggle some in. I was going to start on my research, and I can’t find anyone who knows anyone named Jody Jumper. I tried Googling it, but nothing came up. Is it a nickname?”
“That’s been his name for as long as I can remember. He works in some dark, strange places, was the story I got. In the bowels of buildings where no one goes, and he’s free to do whatever the hell he wants. That’s called real power, son, when you don’t answer to anyone but yourself. The story I was told was, when he crawled out for air, he would jump all over the place. Stupid, if you want my opinion, but there you have it. He’s worked everywhere, State, Treasury, and I think he did a stint at the Office of Management and Budget. I told you previously this guy knows where all the bodies are buried. He’s your Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, and Tim Geithner, and then some, all rolled up into one. The son of a bitch is a sneak. No one likes him. He doesn’t answer to anyone, not even the president, and do not ask me where he got his power, because I don’t know.”
“What’s his real name?”
“Owen Orzell.”
Gus thought he was going to black out in relief now that he had a real name. He could hardly wait to get back to his room so he could call Maggie. He hoped she would do that cooing thing in his ear.
The general’s eyes were drooping. Gus hoped he didn’t fall asleep on him. “Can you give me a clue as to the best way to get in touch with him? If I’m understanding you correctly, the man is invincible as well as invisible.”
“Stalk him, son, would be my advice.”
“But, sir, I need a jumping-off place. A go-to person who can tell me where he hangs his hat.”
“Son, I can’t help you there. Maybe you could hire one of those fancy D.C. private-eye firms.”
Gus started to say something, but then he realized the general had fallen asleep. He offered up a crisp salute, turned his chair around, and headed for the door. He had to struggle to get the door open, but he managed. At the nurses’ station, he stopped to say good night and to thank the red-haired nurse. “The general fell asleep.”
The nurse nodded. “He’s on some pretty powerful pain meds. Take care, Gus. Come back and visit, and I don’t mean operation-wise. The general will be glad of the company. His wife . . . she doesn’t stay long. Hospitals depress her, she said. All they do is fight. At least they did when he came in for his initial surgery. Shhh, don’t say anything.”
“My lip is zipped,” Gus said as he wheeled himself to the elevator.
Back in his room, he whipped out his cell, called Maggie, reported his news, and waited to see if she would coo in his ear. She didn’t; instead, she hung up on him. He was so disappointed, he wanted to bawl. Instead, he brushed his teeth and stripped down. He was in bed with the lights out ten minutes later. Maybe he could dream that Maggie was cooing in his ear.
Isabelle relayed Maggie’s information to Abner as Maggie was giving it to her over the phone. Abner’s fingers flew over the keyboard. He sat back and waited. It took exactly forty-seven minutes to gather the information on the phantom known as Owen Orzell.
Abner was so gleeful, Isabelle couldn’t help but laugh. “Is this our reading material for the evening?”
“It is. And it will wrap up my assignment for your . . . people. Then we can start to enjoy the Christmas season.”
“I hate to burst your bubble, Abner, but my job will just begin