by Kate James
“He got the explosives through security. How did that happen?”
“Yes, he breached security,” Ariana said, finally finding her voice. “If you’d let me explain—” But Calvin cut her off again.
“You’ll have a chance to explain to the board.” There was a pause as he checked his watch. “I’ve got to get ready for the media conference. Ariana, be in the boardroom in an hour and a half. Does that give you enough time to do what you need to do here?”
She nodded slowly.
“Don’t be late,” he said. “And make your explanation a good one.”
She let out a strangled sound after Calvin walked out, then quickly glanced around to see if anyone had heard. If they had, they were pretending not to have. Only Logan was watching her, and he gave her an encouraging smile.
“All right,” the FBI special agent chairing the meeting cut it.
Ariana could tell he’d run out of patience with the interruption, and she was thankful for it.
“Let’s review where we were?” he said.
The rest of the debrief took nearly an hour. At this stage of their investigation, they couldn’t discount terrorism, and decided to operate on the assumption that it was. That meant the FBI, with responsibility for counterterrorism, retained the lead.
They agreed to heightened surveillance and other defensive measures, as well as regular coordination meetings for the foreseeable future.
The blue residue on the bottom corner of the second note stumped them. They didn’t know if it was relevant but couldn’t ignore it. The letter was taken by Homeland Security for testing.
Ariana purposefully avoided Logan at the conclusion of the meeting. She left while he was having a conversation with Rick and Max. Cowardly perhaps, but she didn’t have the energy to face him just then. She made it to the boardroom with only minutes to spare, without time for preparation.
The normal procedural matters associated with convening the meeting were dispensed with quickly.
“How could this have happened at our airport?” Ralph Sterling, the chairman of the board, demanded of Calvin. “That was a secure area. If someone can get into that area with two live explosives, what does that say about our security?”
“I understand and share your concern, Ralph,” Calvin responded. “I can assure you no one is more troubled about it than me. I’d like to redirect that question to our chief of security.” He turned cold, hard eyes on Ariana.
“We’re continuing to work with the various law enforcement agencies—”
“Don’t give us any of that BS,” Ralph interrupted her. “Just answer the question.”
There were a couple of coughs, some sounds of agreement, including from those directors who were participating in the meeting by teleconference. “Let me repeat. How could this happen?”
“Sir—” Ariana tried to keep her voice from shaking “—we haven’t determined that yet.”
“What?” he boomed. “What if there are more explosives?”
“We’ve eliminated that possibility. We’re investigating, in collaboration with the appropriate law enforcement agencies, through the multiagency security committee. We will—”
“Let’s try this, then,” Ralph interjected. “Why did it happen?”
“Right now, the security committee is operating on the assumption that it’s an act of terrorism.”
“Terrorism?” Ralph repeated, an appalled expression on his face. “I ran into the TSA head on my way in. Angus, I think his name is. He said he agreed with the SDPD that it’s most likely a disgruntled individual trying to prove something. Ariana, you think otherwise?”
Yes, Logan had said that in the meeting, but it was speculation. Angus had no right to say that to the chairman of the board. “We’re still in the early stages of our investigation, but the committee is treating it as an act of terrorism for now.”
“You should get your stories straight. You have no idea how they breached security?”
Ariana wanted to snap back. How could they know? Didn’t Ralph understand how large the airport was? How complex its operations? And that security screening was a TSA responsibility and not under her direct supervision, regardless of how often she wished it was? But she knew there was nothing to be gained by pointing any of that out. She thought about mentioning the possibility of an insider being responsible, but that was based only on probabilities and they had no specific evidence to corroborate it. If she raised it, she expected it would only increase the level of agitation in the room. “No, sir. Not yet.”
“Let’s move in camera with our CEO,” Ralph responded dismissively. “I need a motion.”
With the vote unanimous, Ariana left the boardroom. As she was walking out, Calvin called to her, asking that she wait outside.
She checked in with Max. There were no new developments. She tried Logan’s cell phone. It rang numerous times and went to voice mail.
She paced restlessly for interminable minutes while the board deliberated behind the closed doors. Periodically, she heard a raised voice, but the soundproofing prevented her from making out what was being said.
Marlene, Calvin’s executive assistant, suggested she take a seat. Several times she offered her coffee or water. Ariana declined all three.
When the door swung open, Ralph hurried past her, barely sparing her a glance, followed by the other two directors who’d been able to attend in person.
Calvin stood in the doorway, his face pinched. “Ariana, can you join me, please?”
She took a fortifying breath and followed Calvin into the boardroom, feeling very much like a lamb being led to slaughter.
“Shut the door,” Calvin instructed as he moved over to the coffee station and poured them each a cup. She thanked him but was horrified to find that the cup rattled in its saucer as she carried it to the table. The slight noise was enough to draw Calvin’s attention to her shaking hands.
What was wrong with her? She usually handled stress well and calmly. She worked best under pressure. It was one of the traits that made her good at her job. It wasn’t the incident that had flustered her. Nor her injuries, she concluded.
It was the apparent lack of confidence in her abilities topped off by the lengthy in-camera deliberations by the board of directors. She had no answers for them, but they should have realized that it was virtually impossible to know so soon after an incident exactly how and why it happened. Clearly, the chairman of the board didn’t understand or chose not to accept that.
“Ariana,” Calvin began in a detached tone, “the board is understandably perturbed about such a significant breach of security and resultant passenger injuries.”
“As they should be. I’m also very concerned about it and we’re cooperating fully with the investigation being undertaken by the authorities.”
Calvin sipped his coffee without taking his eyes off Ariana. She sat motionless and straight-backed under her boss’s intense scrutiny. She wished he’d just get to the point. “The in-camera session was long,” Ariana observed to fill the uncomfortable silence.
Calvin nodded. “Yes, they had quite a debate.”
“About what?” She felt a tickle at the back of her throat and resisted coughing.
Calvin leaned back. “I’m not going to lie to you. In camera or not, these matters have a way of getting back to people. The board is deeply troubled about what happened today. They are, of course, concerned about the passengers first and foremost, then about the airport operation. Frankly, they’re anxious—and rightfully so—about their own reputations. They want to know how, exactly, the security breach occurred, and what we’re doing to prevent a reoccurrence.
“Ariana, you came to us highly recommended by George. George had held your position for nearly two decades before he retired. He’d done a good job.” Calvin sighed heavily.
“The board trusted and respected George. You came in and wanted to make improvements. You said we needed them, and I supported you. Although we’ve had to cut spending overall because of our economic realities, I found the money for you for most of the security improvements you said were critical.
“Yet here we are, with an unprecedented breach. The most significant security incident the airport has experienced in my time as CEO. You can understand why the board would be concerned.” Calvin rose and walked to the windows overlooking the airfield and stood with his back to her. “Ariana, I won’t hold information back from you. There was talk of bringing George back on a fee-for-services basis. To help you out. Get things back on track.”
“What?” Ariana’s voice was thin and barely above a whisper. If Calvin did that, he’d effectively be taking away her authority. Undermining her with her team, ruining her hard-earned reputation with the law enforcement organizations she had to work with. It didn’t matter if it was George or someone else. The outcome would be the same.
“You should know that it was only by a narrow margin that they decided not to have me immediately ask George to help us out.”
Ariana felt light-headed. This job meant the world to her and she loved what she did. She saw everything she’d worked so hard for slipping away.
“I recommended that they leave it up to me,” Calvin said. “I convinced them it was an operational matter. For the time being I’ll hold off.”
Ariana heard her own voice as if from a distance. “I appreciate it.”
After Calvin dismissed her, she went directly to the south stairwell and outside to the airfield. She stood with her back against the wall and took several deep, fortifying breaths. She had work to do, but first she needed some fresh air and quiet time alone.
Ariana didn’t wallow in self-pity easily. As she calmed, she rallied. She’d gotten this far on her knowledge, skill and strong work ethic.
It troubled her that the improvements she’d been making were being brought into question. She wondered if she’d be able to implement the remaining ones, including the improved video management system.
A few more deep breaths and she was feeling distinctly better. She’d get through this and come out stronger. She would show the board that she could manage a crisis of this magnitude.
This would be the second major test of her career. Recalling the first, when she’d been operations manager at Sector Security and had sent Bryan Carpenter, a young guard relatively new to his job, on an assignment that had ultimately cost him his life, caused her confidence to waver again. She couldn’t dwell on that now.
Steadier and ready to go inside, she pulled out her restricted area identity card, turned the corner and smacked solidly into a hard chest. A little dazed, she felt strong hands clasp her upper arms and she stared up into bemused blue eyes.
She blinked to make sure her throbbing head wasn’t causing her to hallucinate.
It was definitely Logan. After her confrontation with Calvin, she couldn’t help wanting to melt into his arms. The reaction unsettled her to such a degree that she did the opposite, swiftly stepping back.
As she did, she noticed Boomer. Logan must’ve gone back to get the dog. She had no idea why he and his dog were there. She stuffed her card back into her pocket and prayed for calm.
She leaned forward and shouted over the roar of a jet readying for takeoff. “What are you doing?” Realizing how close she’d come to his dog, she took another step in retreat. “And how did you get out here?” she demanded.
Logan eyed her pensively. “Your second in command gave me access. I’m here because this might’ve been where our subject of interest entered.”
“But this is a secure area, too. Anyone in here would have to have a restricted area identity card, and at a high clearance level. Are you positive?”
Logan gave her another appraising look. “Watch.”
With a hand signal, he directed Boomer, and Ariana backed up against the wall as the dog scented the area. She might not have trusted dogs—and with good reason—but she knew enough about how service dogs worked to realize that this dog had found something.
“So I believe this is where he brought the explosive devices through, or at least some of its components.” He glanced around. “Assuming he had an access card, how would he have gotten here?”
If it was true, it was more troubling because of the number of highly sensitive restricted areas the perpetrator had to have passed through, but she turned her mind to Logan’s question. “There’s no direct, easy access.” She inhaled deeply. “He had to know what he was doing, where he was going and, as we just discussed, he had to have high-level security access.”
Logan glanced up and around.
She knew he was searching for cameras. “We should be able to see him on camera...unless he somehow disabled, blocked or avoided them. We’ll also check for security card access,” she continued. “See who might’ve entered this area in the time frame in question.”
“Good. Thanks,” he said. The small, encouraging smile he gave her settled her further. She knew what she was doing, she told herself, regardless of what her CEO or the board thought.
They’d conduct the investigation and find out what happened. The first step was to see what the cameras had picked up.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ARIANA HAD BEEN right about the video footage. After Logan put Boomer in his SUV, they watched the video file on the monitor in her office. She tried very hard to concentrate on the images. With Logan so close, she could smell the woodsy scent of his soap and practically feel the warmth of his body. She tried not to let it distract her and focused on the screen.
This time it wasn’t snow. She’d expected that would’ve been too much to manage with the number of cameras involved. They had no trouble picking out the suspect, although they didn’t get much. There were no obvious distinguishing characteristics.
“I’d say he’s between five-ten and six feet, average build, good posture, confident gait,” Logan said.
That was her assessment, too. She would’ve added cocky, based on the bounce in his step. Facial features and skin color were indeterminate. He’d worn dark clothes—a maintenance uniform to blend in, with a hoodie underneath. The cowl was pulled low, obscuring most of his face. What was visible was in shadow, but she was almost certain he was smirking. He wore work gloves, had a tool belt around his waist and carried a large-diameter pale green PVC pipe that he transferred from one arm to the other to block his face from the cameras.
Not once did he glance up to check for them. He’d obviously memorized the locations to know precisely where they were without seeking them out. A plan like that wasn’t readily accessible. Someone who worked at the airport—an insider, as they had contemplated during the debrief—was now the highest probability.
It troubled Ariana to think that the person responsible might be a person she knew and trusted. Someone she might have hired.
“He knows where the cameras are,” she said, stating the obvious, and glanced over her shoulder at Logan.
He nodded. “That’s evident. Any seriously disgruntled employees lately? Anyone that you know who might’ve experienced a personal crisis or otherwise been susceptible to radicalization? Or might hold a grudge against the airport?”
“Radicalized, no. We watch for the behavioral signs. Change in disposition. A personal tragedy they’re having difficulty handling.” Then Dave Langdon came to mind. “I recently had to terminate one of our security supervisors. He’s a former SDPD officer. He’d worked for us for ten years.”
“When did you fire him?”
“A couple of weeks ago.”
“Why?”
“He’d had a negative attitude for some time. What tipped the scales in the end was that he compromised airport security.”
“How?”
Ariana explained the situation about the propped-open security door.
“He’d know where all the cameras were, correct? Or at least have had access to plans?”
“Yes.”
“You got his access card back?”
“Of course. The permit control office canceled it. I took care of that personally.”
“Does Langdon have any specialization in electronics or cybersecurity?”
She shook her head. “Not that I’m aware of. Not beyond a basic level of knowledge he’d gained in his job. I don’t think he’d be able to override cameras, if that’s what you mean.”
“Okay. Do you have facial recognition capabilities here?”
“Rudimentary, but yes. It’s one of the things I’m planning to upgrade.”
“Run him. See if he pops.”
“Okay.”
Logan rose. “Thanks.” He hesitated as if he was about to say more. Instead he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ll be in touch tomorrow. If you find him, call me right away.”
She nodded and watched him walk out her door.
As soon as he was gone, Ariana called Max. In under thirty minutes, they were back in the emergency operations center.
“Oh, my God,” Ariana murmured as she watched the security camera footage. “There he is. Even with the jacket and ball cap, I recognize him. Max, come look at this. See if you agree.”
Max watched with her. “Yeah, that’s Langdon. No question.”
Ariana swiveled her chair to face Max. “You’ve known Dave much longer than I have. Do you think it’s possible that he’d do something like this out of spite?”
