“Let me speak to your superior.”
She took her hands off her keyboard and crouched forward as if she might leap across her narrow desk and sink her canines in Frank’s throat. “I am my superior.”
“Yeah? And how does that work?”
“The way that works is that as director of the southern district of the NIPC, I hire and fire all personnel. In this office, I’m the supervisor. Special agent in charge of Ms. McIvey and the staff she’s currently meeting with.”
“Sorry.” Clearly he’d stepped into the lady’s personal minefield. “Since you were sitting here—”
“Yes, yes. Since I’m a woman and an African-American, you naturally assumed I’m Ms. McIvey’s subordinate.”
“Since you were sitting at this desk instead of behind that door marked DIRECTOR, yes, I made an assumption.”
“If that’s typical FBI acumen, no wonder we’ve got problems.”
“Hey, could we start fresh?”
“No,” Portia said. “We have too much history already.”
“Yeah, well, I need to speak to Nicole about a drill she’s part of. The time and date’s been changed, and it’s urgent I let her know.”
“So it’s Nicole now?”
Frank looked out at the river, searching for its calming effect. “I’ve known Ms. McIvey for some time.”
“You have a personal relationship with her?”
Frank took a breath, reached up, and massaged the tightness in his jaw.
“Is that a yes?”
“If by personal you mean do I know her outside the office, then yes.”
“By personal, I mean this.” She rolled her chair back a few inches and did two quick pelvic thrusts.
“Jesus, what’s going on with you?”
“So I take it that’s another yes?”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Okay, here’s how it is. I don’t share this information with just anyone, but I know who you are. We’ve attended the same conferences several times, but you’ve obviously never noticed me. That’s fine. I’m used to it. But since you’re a man and in a position of authority, someone who might reward Ms. McIvey’s pattern of behavior, it’s important you know some facts about that pattern.”
Frank had put the name and face together. Conferences. Yes, he’d seen Portia give a couple of presentations on sexual harassment. Her professional sideline—enlightening her fellow employees on the subtle ways such conduct occurred in the federal workplace and its insidious effects on morale and the pursuit of justice. She was passionate and smart and told some damn funny stories that always had a serious kicker.
“For the last decade Ms. McIvey has been using her considerable charms to maneuver her way to her current position. This has badly damaged her own reputation and the reputations of several men with whom she’s served.
“However, now that she works for me, she will no longer be able to employ these skills. And until I see a radical change in her behavior, I consider myself her personal glass ceiling.”
“I see.”
“So if by knowing her ‘outside the office’ means you have succumbed to Ms. McIvey’s allure, then you should be on notice that quite possibly you are being manipulated for professional gain.”
Frank nodded. “Screwed her way to the top, now you’re blocking her.”
“I prefer to think of my role as educational. If McIvey is to advance any further in the federal system, then she’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way.”
“Do a half-assed job.”
“At least half-assed.”
“How about doing me a favor, Portia?”
She cocked an eyebrow at him.
“When Ms. McIvey is out of her staff meeting, have her call me on my cell right away. I need to let her know about the change of plans for the drill.”
“I’ll be happy to, Agent Sheffield. And I certainly hope I haven’t broken your heart. That was not my intention.”
“No, I appreciate your directness. And good luck with your project.”
He was still in traffic, almost to the office, when Nicole’s call came.
“You met Portia.”
“I did.”
“She can be a handful.”
“So I gathered.”
“What’s wrong, Frank? She say something poisonous about me? I’ve heard she does that.”
“No, nothing.” He pulled into a parking lot. This was not a conversation he wanted to have while driving. Might endanger the public.
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“Change of plans. We’re hitting the plant tonight. Meet at the armory in an hour and a half. We’re suiting up at three, going over last-second details. Turkey Point’s been notified, Sheen is fine with it, Claude says he’s raring to go. Their three-day window starts at sundown today. We’ll move in at eleven p.m. Probably be done by dawn.” He could hear her breathing. “So get moving. Can’t be late for this.”