Patriot games - Tom Clancy [124]
"And Jack says ?"
"Same as Jacobs and the FBI evaluation: O'Donnell is a counterintelligence type by training. The Provos want his hide on the barn door, and the best way to keep his hide where it belongs is to have people inside to warn him if they get too close."
The Admiral nodded agreement, then looked away for a moment. That was only part of an answer, his instincts told him. There had to be more. "Anything else?"
"The training stuff. He hasn't sifted through all the data yet. I think we should give him some time. But you were right, sir. He's pretty sharp."
Murray lifted his phone and pushed the right button without paying much attention. "Yeah?"
"Dan? This is Jack Ryan," the voice on the phone said.
"How's it going, teacher?"
"Not bad. Something I want to talk over with you."
"Shoot."
"I think the ULA has the PIRA infiltrated."
"What?" Murray snapped upright in his chair. "Hey, ace, I can't-" He looked at the telephone. The line he was talking on was- "What the hell are you doing on a secure line?"
"Let's say that I'm back in government service," Ryan replied coyly.
"Nobody told me."
"So what do you think?"
"I think it's a possibility. Jimmy came up with the idea about three months back. The Bureau agrees that it makes sense. There is no objective evidence to support the theory, but everybody thinks it's a logical-I mean, it would be a smart thing for our friend Kevin to do, if he can. Remember that the PIRA has very good internal security, Jack."
"You told me that most of what we know about the ULA comes from PIRA sources. How do they get the info?" Ryan asked rapidly.
"What? You lost me."
"How does the PIRA find out what the ULA is doing?"
"Oh, okay. That we don't know." It was something that bothered Murray, and James Owens, but cops deal all the time with anonymous information sources.
"Why would they be doing that?"
"Telling the Provos what they're up to? We have no idea. If you have a suggestion, I'm open to it."
"How about recruiting new members for his team?" Ryan asked.
"Why don't you think that one over for a few seconds," Murray replied immediately. Ryan had just rediscovered the flat earth theory.
There was a moment of silence. "Oh-then he'd risk being infiltrated by the Provisionals."
"Very good, ace. If O'Donnell's got them infiltrated as a security measure to protect himself, why invite members of the group that wants his ass into his own fold? If you want to kill yourself, there're simpler ways. Jack." Murray had to laugh. He could hear Ryan deflate over the phone.
"Okay, I guess I had that coming. Thanks."
"Sorry to rain on your parade, but we buried that idea a couple of months ago."
"But he must have recruited his people from the Provisionals to begin with," Ryan objected belatedly. He cursed himself for being so slow, but remembered that Murray had been an expert on this subject for years.
"Yeah, I'll buy that, but he kept the numbers very low," Murray said. "The bigger the organization gets, the greater the risk that the Provos will infiltrate-and destroy-him. Hey, they really want his ass on a platter. Jack." Murray stopped short of revealing the deal David Ashley had cut with the PIRA. CIA didn't know about that yet.
"How's the family?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Fine."
"Bill Shaw says he talked to you last week " Murray said.
"Yeah. That's why I'm here now. You've got me looking over my shoulder, Dan. Anything else that you've cued in on?"
It was Murray 's turn to deflate. "The more I think about it, the more it looks like I got worried over nothing. No evidence at all, Jack. It was just instinct, you know, like from an old woman. Sorry. I think I just overreacted to something Jimmy said. Hope I didn't worry you too much."
"Don't sweat it," Jack replied. "Well, I have to clear out of here. See ya."
"Yeah. 'Bye, Jack." Murray replaced the phone in the holder and went back to his paperwork.
Ryan did much the same. He had to leave by noon in order to make his first class of