Chapter 10
Thursday morning Kam glanced down at her ringing phone but didn’t recognize the number. Very few people had her private cell phone number. It was a local area code, though, so she accepted the call. “Special Agent in Charge Kameron Hood speaking.”
“Good morning, ma’am. I’m Yeoman Carlson with Vice Admiral Maddox’s office on Coronado Navy Base. The admiral would like to see you this afternoon at three-fifteen. Will you be able to make that appointment?” Although the voice sounded young, the woman seemed succinct and efficient.
Kam wasn’t about to turn down an appointment with the vice admiral but didn’t want to assume it was about her teaching SEALs Brazilian jujitsu.
The original call concerning the situation at Miss Nami’s house of whores had come from him.
He may have more information about the case.
She needed to clarify if she was coming in the official capacity of her job with Homeland Security. “May I ask what this concerns?”
“Yes, ma’am. The information I’ve been given indicates contracting. Would you be able to make the three-fifteen appointment?” she pressed.
Kam mentally went through her calendar for the day.
Thankfully, her afternoon was light, and she’d be able to reschedule her plans.
She might also be able to drop in on Mike to express her condolences in person.
“Yes, I can be there.” It took several minutes for the woman to explain the process of entering base, specific directions to the SEAL headquarters, and where to park as well as an exchange of information that included Kam’s driver’s license number.
“Ma’am, I’m told you’re a federal agent. Will you be armed?”
Hell, yes. “Of course, we’re required to be armed while on duty and our meeting will be during working hours.” That answer led to several more minutes of rules and regulations for carrying a weapon onto a military base which included her federal badge number and the serial numbers on her weapons.
Half an hour later, Kam completely understood the frustration with bureaucratic red tape. She began to wonder if Mike had been kidding when he talked about paperwork two inches thick that she would have to complete just to teach a few Navy SEALs some Brazilian jujitsu basics.
“Ma’am, I want to thank you for your time. Completing this paperwork prior to your arrival will make access to the secure base easier. You are to report directly to Ms. Marta Merkel.” There was that no-nonsense tone once again.
“Thank you.” Kam wondered if there was more. “Please tell Ms. Merkel that I will see her at three-fifteen.”
“No, ma’am,” she clipped. “You are to see Vice Admiral Maddox at three-fifteen. Please meet Ms. Merkel at least fifteen minutes ahead of your appointment. She will have forms that you will be required to complete.”
Fuck . The woman could have started with those instructions. Kam shifted her afternoon plans another fifteen minutes. “Okay, then, I’ll meet Ms. Merkel at three o’clock.”
“Exactly. Do you have any questions?”
Oh, so many I’m not sure where to start. Why did I agree to do this? “I believe you have been extremely thorough. Is there a phone number I can call if I run into problems?”
“Yes, please call Ms. Marta Merkel.” The yeoman then rattled off the phone number. Thank God Kam had an excellent memory for numbers. As soon as she finished the call, she programmed in the phone number for Ms. Merkel.
By two forty-five that afternoon, Kam was so thankful she had taken such detailed notes and given herself an extra hour to find her way to the headquarters building. She was sure the guard at the gate was seconds from pulling his weapon on her. That would’ve ended very ugly.
When she stepped into the building, her favorite pistol strapped to her thigh and back up at her ankle, she was very glad she’d moved her badge to the chain around her neck.
She was surprised to see so many people armed but they all wore naval uniforms. Per the explicit directions, she easily found the desk of Ms. Marta Merkel.
Kam cautiously approached the woman in her early fifties.
She was on the phone and tapping her computer keyboard at the same time, yet her demeanor was casual as though she multitasked constantly.
When she glanced up, she gave Kam a welcoming smile and two fingers, the universal sign she should be finished shortly.
A uniformed young woman who looked to be twenty-ish handed the busy administrative assistant a huge stack of papers. Ms. Merkel glanced at the top sheet and set it to the side, never missing a beat in her conversation. As she hung up the desk phone, the woman stood.
“You must be Special Agent Hood. I’m Marta Merkel, administrative assistant to both Vice Admiral Maddox and Rear Admiral Finger.
” Her gaze darted to her desk before meeting Kam’s eyes.
“Vice Admiral Maddox will meet with you in twelve minutes. I understand you prefer to be called Kam, if I may be that casual.”
“Yes, please. Call me Kam.”
“Okay, let’s see exactly what we need to get you started.
” Ms. Merkel picked up the two-inch stack that someone had just laid on her desk.
“They’ve got to be kidding,” she said just above a whisper as she sat the ream of paper down in front of her.
“Why don’t you have a seat here next to my desk as we go through this waste of perfectly good trees. ”
Kam gave her a nod of agreement as she sat down.
Ms. Merkel picked up the first piece of paper, turned it over, and set it aside. “You don’t need a welcome letter from the U.S. government, do you?”
“No, ma’am.” Kam took a few minutes to watch the woman next to her. Although she wouldn’t call her pretty, Marta Merkel was attractive, especially for her age, which looked to be only a few years older than Kam.
In some ways, they were quite similar. Both were definitely fit but in different ways.
Kam had harder features about her and knew it.
Marta looked more feminine, not just because she wore her hair down curling around her shoulders or the pantsuit that subtly accented her feminine curves. No. Perhaps it was her mannerisms.
Kam walked more like a man than a woman. She most often sat knees spread apart, rarely crossing her legs at the knee. Her job required her to wear her hair scraped back into a bun and she understood why. Hair could easily become a handle and when someone pulled your hair it hurt fucking bad.
Frowning, Ms. Merkel shuffled through the next ten sheets.
“Nobody needs this stuff.” She set it off to the side with the first sheet.
“Ah, finally, something the government actually needs.” She handed Kam the standard I-9 form for employment and returned her attention to the dwindling stack, shaking her head.
“Idiots,” she mumbled. A few seconds later she brightened.
“Here, since you’ll be working on base, you’re going to need to obtain a contractor’s permit.
Read these and on the last page there’s information about your vehicle that’s required.
The military police will issue you a sticker for your windshield and a temporary ID that you must show the gate every time you come through. ”
It only took a few minutes for Ms. Markel to separate the stack.
Kam had a total of ten pages, five of which were base rules and regulations. She glanced at the discarded pile. “Are you sure there’s nothing else in there I need to fill out?”
When the woman lifted her chin ever so slightly, she commanded an air of power.
Even though there couldn’t be but a few years separating them in age, Marta Merkel demanded respect.
“If anyone gives you grief about this paperwork, you send them to me.” She tapped a manicured nail on the wooden desk in front of her.
“We’re not sending you undercover on a covert mission.
You’re here to train a group of our senior SEALs. ”
She turned back to her keyboard. “Now, when would you like to start?” Minutes later, they had established ten training sessions lasting two hours each. “Perfect timing.” Ms. Merkel smiled at her and stood. Kam automatically stood as well.
The door behind her opened and a distinguished-looking older gentleman with three gold stars on his collar led a middle-aged man in a dark suit out of the room.
“Senator, it was a pleasure to meet you.” The vice admiral gestured to a commander who seemed to appear out of nowhere. “Enjoy your base tour.”
As soon as the two men stepped away, Kam was fascinated by the silent exchange between Ms. Markel and the vice admiral. Neither seemed pleased with the last visitor.
“Sir, you remember Special Agent in Charge Kameron Hood. Kam, I believe you’ve met Vice Admiral Trevor Maddox.”
He held out his hand and gave her a warm smile.
“Nice to see you again, Kam. Last time we were together, we were both standing in front of cameras. Not my favorite place to be.” He shook his head.
“I’m so pleased that ugly business is behind us.
At least I hope it is for me. I understand that you face those situations daily.
Thank you for the much-needed job you do.
” Sincerity wove through his deep voice.
“Thank you, sir.” She stepped toward the room indicated by the vice admiral just as the door next to his opened. “We’re still sifting through details and following leads. Unfortunately, we didn’t capture the man they call Big Daddy.”
The man who exited the next room whipped his head and glared at Kam.
“But we’ll get him,” she said with more confidence than she felt.
“Do you need something from me Rear Admiral Finger?” Vice Admiral Maddox asked in a not-so-friendly tone.
“No…sir. I have an appointment off-base.” He closed the door behind him and slowly turned as he scraped his gaze over Kam. She instantly felt as though she’d been mentally undressed and suddenly needed a shower. He scowled at her before his face went blank. “I’ll see you all in the morning.”