The Overseer by Jonathan Rabb Read Free Book Online Page B

and Sedgewick?”
    “I don’t think anything,” she answered. “I simply asked if his name had come up in your research.”
    Jaspers stared across at her. “I see.” He paused. “It hasn’t.”
    “Have I said something wrong?”
    “Wrong? No. Of course not. It’s just that throwing Votapek into the mix makes Tieg’s connection to the Coalition somewhat more unnerving.”
    “Really?” She needed to see how far she could lead him.
    “Well, now there’d be someone who really does have an interest in education, wouldn’t there? A pretty frightening interest, and not just as a political stepping-stone.”
    “ If there’s a connection,” she reminded.
    “Right.” His eyes remained on hers. “If.” For a moment, neither said a word. “Now you’ve got me thinking.”
    “Sorry.” She smiled.
    “I’m sure you are.” He began to fiddle with his spoon. “Trouble is, everything I’ve told you is speculation. I don’t know about Votapek, but there’s nothing in what the other two are doing that even hints at extremism. No neo-Nazis burning synagogues, no white supremacists making inane demands. That’s why I label it ‘decent.’” Again, he paused. “Votapek, however, would change that.” He looked at Sarah as if expecting a response; she merely raised her eyebrows as the waiter arrived with the check. “Anyway,” he said, tapping the spoon against the saucer, “that’s the most detail I can give you. I think there’s a link between Tieg and Sedgewick, but that’s only what I think. And even if Votapek is involved, I still couldn’t tell you what they hope to achieve. To be honest, as long as all three of them remain separate entities, there really isn’t anything to worry about.”
    “But if they do somehow connect—”
    “You’ll have to ask why.” He stopped playing with the spoon and looked directly at her. “What do they want? I’m not sure that’s a question I’d like to answer.”
    “You make it sound so sinister.” Sarah was finishing off the last piece of her cake.
    “I hope Lundsdorf’s right. He keeps telling me to concentrate on what I know and leave the conspiracy theories to the tabloids. Maybe I’m overreacting.” Xander had finished his second cup and was trying to drain the last vestiges of tea. Finding none, he placed the cup on the saucer and said, “I’ll leave the sinister side to you. Unfortunately, I do need to get back—”
    “Of course.”
    “But I don’t want to cut you off. Was there anything else?”
    Sarah slipped the pad into her briefcase, snapped the locks, and reached for her purse. “I don’t think so, but if we need to talk again—”
    “Absolutely. After all, I wouldn’t mind seeing your files.”
    She smiled and pulled out a ten-dollar bill before he had a chance to reach for his wallet. “I know Professor Lundsdorf wouldn’t approve, but this is on the government.” Xander conceded, more to the lovely smile than to protocol, and reached behind to grab his coat. As he stood, Sarah remembered something. “Oh, there was one other thing. This might sound strange—”
    “I’m sure it isn’t.” He began to put on his coat.
    “Enreich. Does that mean anything to you?”
    Xander reached into his pocket and pulled out his scarf. He flung it around his neck as he repeated the name to himself. “Enreich?” He shook his head. “Doesn’t ring a bell. I could look through some old stuff, but I think I would have remembered something like that. Sorry, not much help there.”
    She shrugged and stood, placing the briefcase on her chair and slipping into her coat. “If anything does come up”—she took a card from her purse and wrote the number of the hotel on the back—“give me a call.”
    “Will do.”
    She handed it to him along with his pen, picked up her briefcase and purse, and nodded to Xander to lead the way. Weaving their way back through the tables, they moved quickly to the counter, where he bought a box of the