Chapter 65
Billycan reached the kitchen counter to find his cup and coffeepot set beside the morning paper—as usual. He stared at the front page.
OUR US ATTORNEY WARNED!
He sat down and grumbled a “good morning” to Melinda, his housekeeper. She was busy preparing some poached eggs, ham and toasts behind him.
“Good morning, Mr. Lucien,” she replied distractedly. “Your picture look good.” She took the eggs out of the poacher, placed them over the ham and turned around, taking the plate from beside the stove to set it in front of the man for whom she had worked for nearly twenty years—since his wife died. “What they warning you about?”
Billycan was already reading the article on page two. “Nothing much. Thanks.” he said when Melinda deposited the plate beside the cup.
She swivelled on her heels, shrugging her shoulders. Melinda knew not to question the man any further when he was in a “groaning” mood. She would have a chance to get her own paper anyway, later on when she went to get the groceries.
“It just says that a man told me to “watch my back” yesterday when we came out of court. That’s about it.” Billycan started eating and kept on reading. Yet, that wasn’t all of it. The article went on to describe the man who accosted the US Attorney and they even had a photo of the guy beside it. A piece of toast in hand, Billycan got up and went to the phone, which he brought back to the counter and punched the number.
“Van Dams here,” he heard the Deputy Director say when he picked up the phone.
“Top of the morning to you, Mr. Van Dams. Billycan here.”
“I’m on it, Billycan,” Van Dams answered gruffly.
“On what?”
“I gathered you’ve seen this morning’s paper and the photo of your alarmist—and that’s what you’re calling about. Right?”
“Right. When will you get an answer for me?”
“In a couple of hours—if he’s still in town.”
“Not good enough, Van Dams. Make that 9:00AM, before I get into court. And I’m not interested in who he is as much as I want to know where he comes from—what’s his relationship with Mossad, if he’s got any. You understand what I’m saying?”
“How do you know he’s Mossad?”
“Long story, Van Dams. I just do, and that’s all you need to know.”
“Okay, I’ll call you back before 9:00—if I’ve got your answer. If not I’ll leave a message.”
“Good enough. Oh, and before I forget; you should send me those communication records you’ve got between Lypsick and Sadir, which you seemed to have omitted to transfer to my office before the trial started.”
Not waiting for an answer, Billycan hung up and went back to eating his breakfast.