She tried Chandler’s office. She wanted to know definitively if Agent McKenna had been stationed at Fort Plessy, or if it had been simply someone else with the same name. She couldn’t believe two McKennas would be involved here, but she needed to be sure. Unfortunately, Chandler wasn’t in. Who else could she call who would have that information? Jansen might be able to find out, but it would probably take him a while. She tried his number anyway, but there was no answer. Who else? It suddenly hit her. She dialed the number. After three rings a woman answered. It was the housekeeper.
“Is he in? It’s Sara Evans.”
A minute later Jordan Knight’s voice came on the line.
“Sara?”
“I know this is terrible timing, Senator.”
“I heard what happened today.” His tone was cold.
“I know what you must think, and I’m sure nothing I could say would change your mind.”
“You’re probably right about that. However, for what it’s worth Beth feels terrible about what happened. She was one of your strongest supporters.”
“I appreciate that.” Sara held the phone away from her ear as she struggled to hold her nerves in check. Every second counted now. “I need a favor.”
“A favor?” Jordan sounded perplexed.
“Some information on someone.”
“Sara, I hardly think this is appropriate.”
“Senator, I will never, ever call you again, but I really need to know the answer to my question, and with all your information resources, and your personal clout, you’re the only person I can think of to ask. Please? For old times’ sake.”
Jordan pondered this for a moment. “Well, I’m not at my office right now. I was just settling down to a late dinner with Beth, in fact.”
“But you could call your office, or maybe the FBI.”
“The FBI?” he said loudly.
She hurried on. “A phone call would be all that it would take. I’m at home. You can even have the person call me back directly. You and I won’t even have to speak again.”
Finally, Jordan relented. “All right, what’s your question?”
“It’s about Agent McKenna.”
“What about him?”
“I need to know if he ever served in the Army. Specifically at Fort Plessy during the seventies.”
“Why in the world do you need to know that?”
“Senator, it would take me far too long to explain.”
He sighed. “All right. I’ll see what I can do. I’ll have someone from my office check and then call you. You’ll be at home?”
“Yes.”
“Sara, I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“If you can believe it, Senator, I really do.”
“If you say so,” he replied, not sounding convinced.
When he went back into the dining room about fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth looked up at him. “What in the world did Sara want?”
“The strangest thing. You know that FBI agent fellow? The one you were complaining about?”
She tensed. “Warren McKenna? What about him?”
“She wanted to know if he had ever served in the Army.”
Elizabeth Knight dropped her fork. “Why would she want to know that?”
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t tell me.” Jordan looked over at her curiously, noting her tension. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. This has just been the day from hell.”
“I know, honey, I know,” he said soothingly. He looked down at his cold meal. “I guess our relaxing evening just went out the window.”
“What did you tell her?”
“Tell her? I told her I’d check. And that I’d have somebody get back to her. That’s what I was doing, calling my office. I guess they can check on the computer or something.”
“Where is Sara?”
“At home, waiting for the answer to her question.” Elizabeth got up, her face pale.
“Beth, are you all right?”
“A headache just hit me. I need some aspirin.”
“I can get it for you.”
“No, that’s all right. Finish your dinner. Then maybe we can finally relax.”
A worried-looking Jordan Knight watched his wife go down the hallway. Elizabeth Knight did indeed get some aspirin, since she did have a very real headache. Then she slipped down the hallway to her bedroom, picked up the phone and dialed a number.