第95节

l officer appeared at Bart's elbow.

'Marshal Bradlee? I'm Colonel Halliday." He gestured towards Annie.

'Is this S.A.O Brickman?"

'It is."

'Good. Would you both follow me, please?"

'Sure. G'Bye, Steve. You take care now, huh?" The mad blue eyes

widened as they shook hands.

As Bart turned away with Halliday, Annie embraced Steve, planted a

hurried kiss on his cheek and whispered: 'They've given Lucas to me!'

She slipped from his grasp and was gone before Steve had time to

react.

He stood there and watched her walk away flanked by Colonel Halliday

and the forbidding white-suited figure of Crazy Uncle Bart.

They've given Lucas to me... What the hell was he supposed to make of

that? Who was this mystery child who shared his name... ?

Steve exited into the lobby served by six elevators and hit one of the

down buttons. The elevator announced its arrival with a soft ting. He

stepped inside and was followed by just one other person.

'Captain Brickman?" It was the young staffer from C.N.O. Bradman's

office. Her face was drained of colour. She spotted a couple more

customers and hit the Door Close button before they could enter.

The elevator started down. Steve stood against the opposite wall with

his hands clasped together in front of him and waited for the next

move. She hit the emergency stop button - halting them in the shaft

between two floors.

He read off her name tag, then eyed her quizzically.

'What's going on, Sutton?"

She stayed pinned against the wall by the lift controls and grimaced

nervously. 'Listen, Captain. If anyone finds out I've been talking to

you, they'll shaft me. I mean I'm dead, right?"

'I'm listening."

'Look, I made a big mistake, back there. I checked again, and there's

no entry for Lucas Brickman. I don't know how the mix-up happened. It

was just one of those days. So, look - I know I have no right to ask

you this but please, please, don't take this query any further.

Because if it gets back to Bradman it's going to make all kinds of

trouble for a lot of people who don't deserve it." She turned and

slammed her hands against the wall. 'Fucking computers!" 'Did Bradman

send you? Tell me the truth, Sutton- or I will report this

conversation!" 'Yes, sir. That information was supposed to have been

wiped."

'So who is Lucas Brickman?" He saw the terrified expression on

Sutton's face. 'Don't worry, I promise you this won't go any

further."

'He's... he's the baby that the woman in Room 18 gave birth to. The

one you saw was a..."

'... a substitute? What's going on here?!" 'Ohh, shit,' groaned

Sutton. 'Please, Captain! Don't ask me any more! That's all I

know!

It was all taken care of by people from the White House. I'm nobody!

I made a mistake and I'm in way over my head!" Steve made a calming

gesture. 'Okay, okay. I'm not going to make any waves. Hit the

button."

Sutton did so.

'Now ruffle your hair and undo that front zip."

Her eyes widened. 'Beg pardon, Captain?!" 'Just do it! When we reach

the next floor, people are going to be wondering what happened in

here.

We'll both live longer if they think I've been inside your pants. Or

would you rather I told 'em you've been passing me state secrets? I'

Sutton yanked down her front zipper- revealing a good firm pair of

breasts under a green T-shirt.

Steve ruffled her bobbed hair and pinched her cheeks.

'Now try and look as if you enjoyed it."

They switched lifts at the next floor. Any questions people in the

lobby might have had died on their lips when they saw Steve was