Chapter 25: We Are in Business

Monday morning started quietly for us as we were still getting the office in shape, and working on the assigned projects. Randy finally received the Bernoulli boxes I had requested and began installing them on the PC systems. The Bernoulli cartridge could be used to boot up the personal computers and store the confidential data we used in our analysis. The removable disks could be locked up at night and on weekends. This would ensure that no unauthorized people could have access to confidential material.

A courier came to the office with a package for me just as Molly was about to make a snack run for the office. The acceptance receipt required two signatures. Molly and I both signed for it and the courier left. The package came from the White House and was addressed to the Office of Treaty Verification, Attention: Dr. J. Mercer. I thought this was curious at the time as the negotiations hadn’t started and we are already having packages sent to us. I took the package to my cubicle and opened it. It included a note from RR asking me to have my team get familiar with the Russian negotiators. The package was the bios of ten different individuals whom I thought had impressive credentials.

I called Andi and Dr. Frisch over to my desk to explain that we had received package from the White House via courier. I suggested that we go to the conference room and use the table to spread out the various bios and create an organizational chart. This would be a good method for identifying the key players and who answered to whom on their negotiation team.

I didn’t recognize any of the names on the biographies and would have to depend on the others to provide that information. Andi recognized several as hard line members of the Communist Party. I thought they would probably be the ones to drag things out during the negotiation process. Dr. Frisch recognized a few other names, and he held one up, calling that individual a ‘used car salesman’. I found the way Dr. Frisch said it amusing and started laughing. Our usually formal and rigid German-born law expert had finally said something funny. Andi joined me in laughing. Dr. Frisch looked at us both in confusion.

After I had mostly gotten over my laughing spell, I said, “Your comment about the Soviet negotiator as a used car salesman was funny, Dr. Frisch. It was so out of character from who we perceive you to be. It was a surprise to hear you say that. You, Sir, have a sense of humor, and a very good one at that.”

He smiled and said, “Maybe you’ll hear more of it in the future, Dr Mercer.”

“You may address me as ‘James’ if you want, Dr. Frisch,” I replied.

“And you may continue addressing me as Dr. Frisch,” he quickly added. “No, just kidding, you can call me John.”

I could see our very formal and reserved international law expert had a very dry wit that he kept hidden.

I never did understand why Frisch had called the Soviet negotiator a ‘used car salesman’.

We got back to discussing the information the White House had sent after that exchange. I asked Andi and Dr. Frisch if it they worked together and come up with a preliminary organizational chart on the key players. I wanted to adapt the algorithm to predict the influence the key players had on the Soviet response to any American concessions during the negotiations. I could come up with strategic predictor of how the negotiations would go if I could reliably predict how much each individual impacted the negotiations.

I sent a request for additional information on the Soviet negotiating team to the White House at Dr. Frisch’s suggestion. We assumed that the information would come from the CIA and the State Department. In my experience so far in Washington, you went to the top if you wanted something done in a timely manner, so I sent my request for additional information to the attention of the President and his Chief of Staff. A little gasoline thrown on the fire would speed things up.

Andi and Dr. Frisch were out of the office researching the backgrounds of the Soviet negotiators for the rest of the week. The State Department had a very limited amount of background information on the Soviets. Andi informed me that she had gotten the majority of her research done by going through microfilm copies of old Pravda and other Soviet publications at the Library of Congress. The best research data came from the informational requests to the CIA; those people knew the players on the other team. What was interesting was their assessment of the ‘Used Car Salesman’ as Dr. Frisch called him; he turned out to be the Soviet twin of Senator ‘JEB’ Stuart.

Karen wanted to have a get together of our Washington friends, including my office staff. We invited our friends for a cookout that Friday evening, and I came home early to help with preparations. Karen had called a brick mason earlier to check the grill to make sure it was safe. He found nothing wrong that a good cleaning wouldn’t fix. That was my job, according to Karen, and everything was ready by Friday.

Robert who was driving me home had just turned the corner on to our cul-de-sac, when I spotted that blond-haired mystery man. I pointed him out to the Secret Service Agent riding with us as the blonde intruder. The home invader was leaning against a retaining wall across the street from my house. The Agent promptly got on his radio to alert the others members of the protection detail. I watched out the back window of the SUV to see the blond-haired stranger take off running north to the main street through town. I tried to update the Agent riding in the SUV with me on the stranger’s movement so he could pass it along to the detail. An SUV roared past us, turning in the direction the blond-haired intruder had taken. I hoped they would be able to detain him. No such luck, he disappeared before they could spot him. It was frustrating that he got away again.

The completion of the Carriage House remodeling was waiting for the installation of the security system monitoring station. It was hoped the Secret Service Agents would have their monitoring post completed by the end of the following week. There would be a detail of five Agents on duty 24×7 on site for our security when completed.

Along with the security detail, Mr. Levi had completed the dog training for Beast and the two Dobermans. There were times when I had my doubts that the dogs would work out, but they persevered and became a good protection team. Beast was the laziest of the three dogs, but I think he was the most loyal. Beast stayed at our side when called, and the other dogs would follow his lead. Watching Grandma Jorgenson go to the market up the street became humorous. Beast went with her, and the Dobermans tagged. All three dogs would be off leash and fanned out around her. People gave her a wide berth when she and her escorts would pass by,. The dogs would make sure there wasn’t a repeat of what happened a few weeks earlier.

Our dinner guests began to arrive at 6:30 PM. Beast and the Dobermans formed the welcoming committee, greeting each newcomer at the door. A few of the guests expressed trepidation at seeing them. They quickly overcame their initial fear as the dogs left them alone. Beast and the other dogs did get their share of attention from those who knew them, of course.

Karen was busy giving tours to our friends, showing off ‘her’ house while I was preparing the grill. Several came out to join me around the grill and talk shop or other current events. The last guest to arrive was Dr. Frisch, who came with his wife. Mrs. Frisch was just as spectacular as Karen and the other women. The women were in the kitchen, gossiping and helping Grandma prepare the sides while I grilled the hamburgers and brats, with the assistance of the men at our gathering. Grandma had me grill extra hamburgers as she planned on passing a plate out to the Agents on duty that evening. “It was only right,” she said.

I had mentioned my VW collection and my motorcycle that I had yet to ride since being in DC during the dinner conversation. Dr. Frisch’s interest was aroused when I mentioned VW, and he asked to see my collection. The others were interested in the motorcycle. I led the those wanting to see my toys to the carriage house after we ate and cleaned up. Dr. Frisch made a comment that the Beetles were in showroom condition and asked where I had acquired such quality-restored cars. I told him about the company that I had dealt with in Seattle. He expressed interest in getting a Beetle for himself. He missed the one he drove as a university student. I did mention that I had another VW, the camper bus. Frisch asked why it wasn’t here. I explained that Robert was temporarily storing it for me.

There was also a lot of interest in the motorcycle. I related that I had previously ridden it from Chicago to Seattle four years ago, to the gathered crowd. Randy commented that he couldn’t believe I had ridden that distance on such a small bike in that short period of time. He was glad it was my backside on that seat instead of his. The others laughed at his comment, and I mentioned that I wouldn’t be doing it again for a while. Randy asked if I had found a safe ride in Washington, and I replied that I hadn’t had a chance to look. Scotty volunteered to go riding as soon as he got back from his honeymoon. Jean and he couldn’t wait any longer and were planning for a private civil ceremony at the mayor’s office the following week. I asked if they had plans for a reception. They hadn’t thought about having one, so I volunteered the use of our backyard to hold a reception. Scotty excitedly went to find Jean and tell her what I had offered.

We rejoined the others on the back patio after poking around in the carriage house. Our get-together broke up around 11 PM. Our last guests were Scotty and Jean who were coordinating the reception with Karen and Grandma. Grandma was excited, and she volunteered to prepare the food for the reception. Karen would act as hostess. They decided on a guest list of no more than thirty. The entrance to the reception would be through our side gate. Grandma didn’t want strangers wandering through her kitchen. Plus, keeping guests out of the house would make it easier to maintain security. This could have been a security nightmare for the protection detail keeping track of all the people wandering around. The rest of the weekend was spent on the back patio, and it was quiet with no surprises.

The week of Scotty’s and Jean’s wedding was a busy one for everyone in the office, and one that was frustrating for me. Andi and Dr. Frisch were compiling information and ranking the Soviet treaty negotiators. My algorithm appeared able to predict the Soviets response at the negotiation table. I set up an initial matrix using made up data to see how well my numerical predictor would work. We were moving in the right direction if it did as I hoped, but there were still too many outside variables to show its accuracy. It would need more work.

Karen called me at work on Wednesday afternoon; she was at a loss for what to give the happy couple as a wedding gift from our family, and wanted to know if I had any ideas. After giving it some thought, I suggested we could give them a weekend in a suite at our second home in Washington. We always had a pleasant stay when we used the hotel. Karen liked the idea and said she would make the necessary arrangements. Scotty and Jean would have an enjoyable weekend as the suite would be top rate, the restaurant with award-winning food, and the beautiful park along the Potomac for romantic walks. Karen loved the idea and thought it would be perfect for them.

I made some progress on the algorithm Thursday morning, and I decided I wanted a soft drink as a reward to myself. I had just stood up when Molly called back to me, Karen was on the phone, and she sounded upset. I quickly moved to pick the phone up.

Karen called me in panic; Grandma had gone to the market as usual. The dogs acted nervous on the way home, and Beast kept looking behind them. He would stop, growl, and show his teeth at someone. Grandma, concerned, had turned around to see what was bothering the dogs. She spotted a young blonde male, whom she described as in his early 30s, following them. She told Karen about the man following her, and the dogs’ reaction, when she got home and safely inside.

Karen said she went out to inform the Agent stationed near the front door about the person following her grandmother, and then called me. I wasn’t taking any chances when I got off the phone with Karen; I sent Scotty, Jean, and Randy to my house. I had Scotty and Randy back up the protection detail. I asked that Jean stay inside with Karen and her grandmother.

Worried, I felt that I wasn’t doing enough to protect my family. We had the Secret Service detail that I didn’t feel confident in. There were three companion K9s that would defend us to death. It was then that I remembered I had asked about a license to carry a concealed weapon almost two months ago. I called the number the Secret Service gave me when I applied for my permit. I wanted to know the status of my license to carry a concealed weapon in Washington, DC. I got nothing but a bureaucratic runaround. I hung up, frustrated by the Washington bureaucracy. Thinking like a Midwesterner, I was used to getting immediate results. It was time to put pressure on the bureaucrats.

I got my address book out and called the special number I was only to use in an emergency. It was answered on the second ring; I explained the situation and what steps I had already taken to protect my family and myself. I then said that it didn’t seem to be enough, and the person on the other end of the phone line agreed. The President became agitated when I informed him of what I had asked for and hadn’t received a response to my request from two months earlier yet. He asked me for the number I called, then asked me to give him an hour. I was then to call that number back. I thanked the President and promised that I wouldn’t call unless it was necessary. He chuckled at my promise. He then asked how I was coming along on my project, and I answered his question as best I could. He was pleased with our progress and said that he looked forward to seeing me soon. We ended the call on a much more positive note than what I expected.

I waited the hour as requested and called the number at the Secret Service Office. I got a very different response this time. What I had requested would be issued and couriered over to my office in the morning. The person on the phone apologized for any delays and told me not to hesitate in calling if I needed any further assistance. I chuckled to myself after I ended the call with the toady. Someone up the chain of command must have come down hard on him. It pays to know who to call to get things done in this town. I felt like the favored, spoiled, older son, and made a mental note to myself to tone down my using presidential influence to get what I wanted.

I called Karen back and told her to dig her revolver out and get it cleaned and oiled. I would tell her more when I got home. I also told her to keep the dogs nearby in case she needed them. Karen told me that Grandma was especially grateful for Beast and she was feeding him his favorite treat of scrambled eggs and bacon bits. He was one happy dog.

The blonde-haired intruder was the subject of conversation at supper that night. I asked Grandma to describe him as best as she could. I was convinced it was the same individual when she finished describing the miscreant that followed her.

Now, I would be less worried if the Secret Service could only track him down and question him. Karen and I needed to find a range where we could practice. I knew Karen and I were rusty in our shooting skills. It had to be well over a year since either of us had been to a range. I would call Scotty after eating to see about finding a range for us. I also wanted to call Mr. Levi and see how difficult it would be to train Beast or one of the other dogs to track. If the Secret Service kept losing him, then maybe Beast could find him by following his scent.

Scotty and Jean were too wound up in their upcoming wedding to be of much help. Scotty suggested that I call Randy and see what he would suggest. I called Mr. Levi about teaching Beast tracking skills after the call to Scotty. Levi was all for it, he felt Beast would be a good tracker. I ended the call after Levi said he would get back to me when he could start working with Beast.

My last call was to Randy. He was stumped when I asked him about a range where Karen and I could practice. He said he would have to think about that one. He would let me know at work in the morning. I went up to our bedroom after completing my calls, got my Walther, the cleaning kit, and a box of ammunition for the Walther out. I unloaded the pistol, took it apart, and cleaned it, paying close attention to the trigger group. I didn’t need a buildup of lint in the trigger group to keep the pistol from functioning. I reassembled the Walther and loaded fresh ammunition into the magazine when I was satisfied with the cleaning I had given the pistol. I racked the slide, loading a round into the chamber. I made it safe using the decocker. The Walther went back into its holster and was placed in the nightstand drawer.

A package was couriered to the office, to my attention, the next morning. The package was labeled confidential, only to be opened by the addressee. Curious, I opened the package to find it held two credential cases. One was for Karen and the other for me. I opened one of the credential wallets, and a shield-shaped badge that said US Federal Agent was on one side, and a photo identification card was the other side. I wondered where they had gotten the photo for my ID until I realized it was from my diplomatic passport. The other credential wallet for Karen had her photo, which made her look younger. I reasoned that it had to be from a college yearbook photo since she looked so much younger.

I made sure to call the number back to thank them for sending the credentials over so quickly. The person who answered accepted my thanks and quickly ended the call. I imagine that I wasn’t his favorite person and the less he had to do with me, the better.

I placed both credentials in my messenger bag and went back to work on the algorithm. It was completed, and now came the troubleshooting, looking for bugs. I estimated that it would take the rest of the week to find and correct any errors, then beta-test it to determine if the results were what we were hoping to glean from the data.

Randy came to my cubicle before lunch and said he inquired about a Washington area gun club that was open to new members. It was expensive, yet there was no worry about range Nazis, as he described overzealous members. The ones who take it upon themselves to police the firing line. As long as we were safe in our shooting practices, no one would bother us. I chuckled at the name ‘range Nazis’, very self-descriptive in my opinion. He left me with the phone number of the club and the membership fee for a family. He was right, it wasn’t cheap. Another good thing was that it was 20 minutes from my house.

I shared lunch with Scotty and Jean, going over their plans for Saturday, the day of their wedding. The ceremony would take place at 11 AM in a park close to our house. They decided on an outside wedding ceremony instead of a ceremony in the mayor’s office. There would be room for those invited to witness Jean and Scotty exchange vows. They were even able to find a minister willing to preside over their wedding at the last minute. The minister had been the chaplain of one of the units Scotty had been assigned to during his time as a SEAL, and a friendship had formed during Scotty’s time with the unit. The former chaplain was now a junior pastor at one of the megachurches in the DC area. He gladly accepted the role as the celebrant at the wedding ceremony when contacted by Scotty.

The reception would be right afterwards on the back patio and would last from noon to whenever. The married couple planned to leave the reception for a three-day honeymoon at 3 PM. I could expect them back to work on Tuesday. They let it slip that they were staying at a cabin in a state park near Thurmont, Maryland. I told them to enjoy themselves, and I would see them back at work on Tuesday., I took out the credential wallet that had been couriered over that morning while I was sitting with Jean and Scotty, and asked their opinion. Both of them said it looked legit and would allow me to carry anywhere in DC except the White House. I then asked about the gun club that Randy recommended. Their opinion was that it was expensive and exclusive but had a good reputation. The elite of Washington belonged there, and only the right people got in. I wondered whom Randy knew that wrangled my invitation to join.

At home that evening during dinner, both women were excited about the wedding reception in our backyard. Karen said Jean had called and coordinated about the size of the crowd we could expect and an initial list of guests with her and Grandma. Karen said she knew most of them when looking over the list, and didn’t see any problems with those invited. The majority were from work, along with Jean’s and Scotty’s families. Grandma said the dogs would be on their best behavior or else when I asked about them. She looked directly at Beast, who was lying on the floor close to her. I swear I heard him gulp.

The wedding went off without a hitch Saturday morning. I had Robert drive us to the park, and Robert had one of his drivers drive the wedding party to the reception as a special favor to the wedding couple. The reception started well at noon, and the Secret Service Agents checked the invited guests off on the guest list before allowing them to come through the gate. There would be no gatecrashers. Even though we requested no access to the house, Karen did show the interior off to a few of the women.

The food served by Grandma Jorgenson was up to her usual high standards. She had the food served up buffet style so people could take as much as they wanted. I did catch Beast trying to beg for food several times. He would give his mark the pitiful puppy that was down on his luck look, acting as if he went hungry. All I had to do was say “Beast,” and he would go pout in another part of the yard. The two Dobermans stayed at the fringe of the party, keeping watch and accepting occasional pats from the guests.

The happy married couple left with the well-wishes from the assembled crowd at 3 PM. Things began to wind down around 5 PM. Randy and Olive stayed to help clean up after most of the guests left. There wasn’t really much to do except bag up the trash and give the back patio the once-over with the broom. Beast had hoovered up any leftover food before we were able to throw it away.

Randy and Olive joined us for supper that night; the fare was leftovers from the buffet. No one complained about eating Grandma’s cuisine. Randy and Olive stayed until 8 PM and then left. I told Randy that I would see him at work Monday.

Karen and I had just gotten upstairs when the dogs began barking. I immediately went for my gun and rushed downstairs to see what caused it to upset Beast and the Dobermans. The dogs were all at the backdoor. I opened the door, and they were out in a flash. The motion detector lights had come on, and I carefully peered out. Beast and the two dogs had the intruder pinned against the wall, and they weren’t letting go. Each of the Dobermans held tightly on to a limb. Beast was up in the individual’s face, pressing with his front paws against the person’s chest. I yelled for Karen to alert the protection detail to come to the backyard. I cautiously approached the person with my Walther centered on the intruder’s head. Beast was in the way, so I wisely kept my finger off the trigger. I called off the dogs, and the injured person they had cornered slumped to the ground. It was the blonde-haired intruder.