“Then an early tea. Either way, please vacate the office.”
Annabelle’s unease grew as she watched Miss Abernathy collect a handbag, shoot the general a chilly glare, then slam the door on her way out of the reception area. General Molinaro strode out and locked the reception area door before returning to his shadowy corner in Dr. Norwood’s office.
“Please, have a seat,” General Cornell said kindly.
She didn’t trust him. She didn’t understand why she’d been summoned here, and she looked to Dr. Norwood for direction. For once the elderly man paid no attention to his orchids and only looked at her in tense expectation.
“Thank you for joining us,” Dr. Norwood said after she sat in one of the old leather chairs opposite his desk. “I could not help noticing your association with Gray Delacroix has continued, even after learning he does not possess the rare vanilla orchid we hoped for.”
Was that a crime? “Yes,” she admitted. “We are friends.”
“What sort of friends?” the shadowy general asked.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” She might look and sound like a hayseed, but these men had no right to probe into her private life.
General Cornell held up a hand as if to pacify her. “Forgive our bluntness,” he said. “A matter of national importance has come to our attention. Before we begin the discussion, I need your assurance that this conversation will go no further than the walls of this office.”
“I can’t promise you anything,” she said. “I don’t understand what you’re asking of me.”
General Cornell casually lit a pipe, the sweet scent of tobacco filling the room. “Then let me explain. It has come to our attention that Gray Delacroix holds highly critical views of the American government.”
That was an understatement. “He’s no fan of the Department of Agriculture, that’s for sure.”
General Cornell drew on his pipe with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “What have the farmers and bean counters over at the ag department done to rouse his ire?”
“He believes the government is giving valuable information away for free, and he resents it. He is completely irrational about it, but it’s harmless.”
The shadowy general leaned forward. “What if you learned it wasn’t harmless? That thousands of American lives might be in danger because of Mr. Delacroix’s views?”
“Because he doesn’t like the Department of Agriculture?” She felt silly even saying such a thing.
General Cornell set down his pipe, and he wasn’t smiling anymore. “Miss Larkin, I must ask for your complete confidentiality. What we are about to say may not leave this room, and you can be held accountable if it leaks. Especially if it leaks to Mr. Delacroix.”
She stood. “Then maybe I should leave now.”
Dr. Norwood moved to block the door. “Don’t be hasty,”he said. “We need your help. If you cooperate with the government, I am certain a permanent and well-compensated position can be found for you here in Washington. General Molinaro is correct. I am very much afraid this issue puts thousands of American lives at risk, and we need your help.”
She sat back down. Were they playing a joke on her? What could a specialist in cereal grasses do to save lives? General Cornell’s scrutiny made her uncomfortable, and suddenly it felt very chilly in here.
“Aside from his hostility to the Department of Agriculture, have you heard Mr. Delacroix make other statements hostile to the American government?” the general asked.
“Sometimes,” she admitted. Actually, he’d said a lot. Dating all the way back to his childhood, when Union troops destroyed his ancestral home.
A quick glance was exchanged between the two generals. “Tell us more.”
“Not until you tell me what’s going on,” she replied. “This entire conversation is alarming.”
“Fair enough,” General Cornell said grimly. “We have reason to believe Mr. Delacroix is tightly involved with a group of insurgents fomenting rebellion against the American occupation in Cuba. Last month a rebel leader in Havana was arrested, and his house was searched. Among the man’s papers were the address of Mr. Delacroix’s home in Alexandria as well as that of his business holdings in Fairfax County. The rebel leader had received payments issued from Mr. Delacroix’s bank in Alexandria. All this leads us to believe he is funneling money, information, and support to the Cuban insurgency.”
Her mouth dropped open. This couldn’t be true. “I don’t believe it,” she stammered, but even as she spoke, misgivings arose. Gray had mentioned his fierce opposition to the Spanish-American War and his dislike of the president. Would it run so deep that he would actively engage with the enemy?
“Delacroix has spent too many years abroad,” General Cornell continued. “He’s no longer loyal to the United States. His sister has secured a position in the White House, and she may be part of the plot as well. We have been monitoring telegrams sent to his Alexandria townhouse that make it obvious he is in communication with members of the Cuban insurgency. Gray Delacroix is notoriously reclusive, but he has allowed you unprecedented access to his home. We need you to look for the names of his contacts in Cuba.”
While she sat in stunned disbelief, General Cornell relayed how they’d been watching Gray and noticed his newfound relationship with Annabelle. The army had approached Dr. Norwood for his help in recruiting Annabelle to the investigation.
“If you help us, you will be rewarded,” Dr. Norwood said. “Even if you are unsuccessful, we need you to scour his library and his desk for the names of the insurgents. The army has offered funding to create a permanent position for you here at the Smithsonian.”
“Do you think I would spy for ajob?” she cried out. “Why don’t you just offer me thirty pieces of silver?”
