Chapter 6 Suspicion

1700 Zulu, Monday, May 14, 1984, US Capitol Building

Agency Director William Allen, a ten-year veteran having served three Presidents, patiently answers the tough questions of Senator Morris, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Senator from Vermont dressed as always in a pinstriped Brooks Brother’s suit with a bow tie asks questions about the Agency's analysis of the Poland situation. The hearing ends after nearly three hours of questions that add little to the Top Secret Report Allen had submitted at the committee's request.

Allen typically brings one or two junior members of the Agency to SIC hearings. He doesn't need their support, rather he wants them to gain firsthand experience of how hearing are conducted and he wants the committee members to get to know up and coming Agency people. He hopes this helps the committee see the Agency has trustworthy people and not mavericks to be held in check. He also knows Senator Morris wants his own staffers to meet Agency people so they can provide back channel communications if needed. Today Allen brings Jason Speare, the right-hand associate of David Green, the Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence Directorate.

As the hearing breaks up and most of the senators leave Allen signals Jason to follow him as he approaches Senator Morris. "Senator, I'd like you to meet Jason Speare, one of the truly effective members of the CI Directorate."

"Pleasure to meet you, Jason. Let me introduce Mary Sue Lee, who was feeding me the hard questions today."

"Ah’m pleased to meet you, Jason. I didn't mean for the questions to be hard Director, Ah just want to be sure we understand your report."

"No need to apologize Mary Sue. Answering hard questions is part of my job and I also want the committee to understand our report."

Then Senator Morris guides Allen aside and turning back to Mary Sue says, "Excuse us Mary Sue, Jason; I'll leave you two to get acquainted while Bill and I catch up on a personal matter."

As Mary Sue and Jason watch the Senator and Director Allen walk away Jason thinks a chance to talk to Mary Sue is what he hoped for. He noticed her from the moment he entered the hearing room. She is tall, pretty with a slim athletic figure and long blond hair half up and half straight down in one of the current fashions. She is wearing a white pleated skirt at knee length and a light blue high-necked blouse that matches her blue eyes. Everything about her clothes, jewelry, and her makeup marks her as both professional and classy to Jason. Her fragrance entices him so much he barely keeps himself from leaning closer. Then there is her soft southern accent. He thinks it’s like listening to a kitten purr.

Mary Sue turns toward Jason and whispers: "Look at those two; one tall and slim and one short and chubby. They make me think of Mutt and Jeff. Ah bet the senator is asking the director if he is attending this weekend's poker game and bringing some Cuban cigars. Ah overheard him complaining he’s out of the "good" cigars.”

"He may be in luck Mary Sue, office rumor is a ‘special package’ came for the director yesterday in a diplomatic pouch from a country known as a source of Cuban cigars. I didn't know about their poker game"

"It's supposed to be secret and ah understand it's only for cabinet rank and committee heads. So, Jason, you’re in counterintelligence. Does that mean you are monitoring our committee for leaks or moles?"

"Only if the senator asks us to Mary Sue. We have enough trouble keeping in the good graces of this committee without getting caught spying on its members and staff."

"Just teasing you Jason. Would you mind walking with me to the Metro station? This is a safe area but ah feel more comfortable if ah have someone to walk with. Ah’m going to take advantage of this hearing ending to go home on time tonight. We can chat on the way."

"No, I don’t mind Mary Sue, I am about to head for the Metro myself. I left my car near the Rosslyn station. I hate driving in the District."

"Oh, Ah’m going to Crystal City where ah live. Ah'll accompany you as far as Roslyn if you don’t mind. It's better than being alone on the crowded rush hour trains."

“I’d like that Mary Sue"

As they wait for the Blue Line train Mary Sue asks, “Jason, are you replacing David Green as our contact in the CID for backchannel communications?”

“Yes, at least for now. David has taken on more responsibility so I have been asked to take over that role, which I am happy to do.”

Their train arrives and Jason leads Mary Sue to a pair of empty seats. She follows his gesture to sit beside him and continues the conversation. “How long have you been in the same directorate as David?”

“I joined CID in 1980 and I’m delighted to be working with David. We were friends in high school, fraternity brothers in college and I followed him to the Agency after I graduated.”

“Had you always wanted to work for the Agency?”

“No, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I thought maybe business or law. Something analytical so I majored in economics thinking it would give me options. When David told me how much he enjoys his work I thought I’d give it a try. I knew it would make my dad happy; he was in the OSS during the war and knew Director Allen. Luckily the Agency liked that I know several languages and hired me. So, what about you? How did you come to be on the Senator’s staff?”

“An unusual path. Like you ah was an economics major before law school but ah took a minor in theater with every dance class available. Ah thought it would teach me how to move effectively in a courtroom. That led to me having a dancing part in a summer play at the Monomoy Theater on Cape Cod. The Senator has a cottage on the Cape and came to the play ah was in. He chatted with us after the play and when he heard my southern accent he asked where ah’m from. When ah said Kentucky he said his wife is from Kentucky. Turns out we’re from the same home town. He asked what ah was planning after college. When ah said law school he said to come see him after ah finished. Ah took him up on his offer and here ah am.”

“Mary Sue I’ll bet you went to Ohio University.”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“My older sister Jane went there and was a theater major. She spent two summers at Monomoy Theater and was always talking about Chris and Char Lane and how great they were to the students.”

“They were nice to us and ah appreciated that Professor Lane understood my desire to learn to move on a stage or in a courtroom. He taught me a lot and ah had fun that summer. Do you like the theater like your sister?”

“Not really, I am more into sports. I played baseball and soccer in college and now I play a little softball in the summer. I find I need to have something active to do on weekends after being behind a desk all week. I also jog now but don’t like it in the cold weather. I am thinking of taking up skiing in the winter. Do you still dance or act?”

“No, ah don’t have the time. Ah do jog on weekends but like you ah don't like it in winter. Skiin’g sounds interesting. Maybe ah should try it.”

“I am surprised David didn’t talk you into skiing. He’s a nut about it.”

“He did invite me a couple of times but ah didn't have anyone to go with and ah wouldn’t have enjoyed trying to learn to ski by myself. Ah’m sure David and Nancy would have helped me but it would have interfered with their skiin’g.”

As the train stops at the Roslyn station Jason stands up to leave and says, "I sure enjoyed talking with you Mary Sue and I'd like to talk more sometime. Perhaps over dinner?"

"Oh my; how about a jog and coffee after instead?”

“I’d like that.”

 “Alright, I’ll give you my home phone number."

Mary Sue quickly jots her home number on the back of one of her business cards and gives it to Jason saying "Goodbye and do call." As the train continues on to Crystal City she thinks to herself Jason is a handsome, athletic-looking and well-mannered guy she enjoys talking to. He didn’t seem to be trying to impress her; she liked that. Yes, she‘d like to get to know him better. She isn’t ready for dinner with him but a jog and coffee afterward will be fun and give her a chance to learn more about him. If that works out ok she’ll go for a dinner. Maybe she can get him interested in the theater.

When they are far enough from anyone not to be overheard Senator Morris speaks softly to Allen: "Bill, I want to bring up a touchy subject I want to stay between us. I hope I can trust your discretion."

"Certainly Senator, I'd like to believe we have developed that kind of trust over the past ten years."

"Yes, Bill I think we have. Let me give you a brief summary of the issue. Over the last year or maybe two I have begun to suspect critical intelligence is leaking. Our adversaries in Eastern Europe have made moves that seem based on information that should be known only to us. Sometimes I think our friends in Western Europe know about secret plans before we announce them. That's the main reason I asked for the special report on Poland. Any one or two of these events could be chance but as I see more and more of them I am getting suspicious. I am concerned we have a mole in our system. I'm not blaming it on your Agency Bill; for all I know the mole could be in this committee's staff if there is one."

Director Allen pauses for a moment and then replies: "Senator, my gut also tells me something is wrong. Like you, I can't put a finger on any concrete evidence but I’m uncomfortable. As I think you know I plan to retire next year. I've had a good run and I'd like to make it easier for the next administration to put their own team in place without second guessing by the media. I would like the honor of retiring without having a big public scandal that’ll result if a mole is found in the Agency on my watch."

"This is my last term and I have the same feeling as you, Bill. I don't want my legacy to be the committee I head was duped by a mole in any part of the intelligence community."

"Senator, I have been mulling over how I might handle this without creating a fuss. What I have in mind is likely to be something neither of us wants to own. Now that you have shared your suspicions it tells me maybe my gut feeling is correct. I am going to think about it for a day or two and then let you know if I am ready to take action or if I think we need to watch a while longer. Will you be at the Sunday night game?"

"I'll be there Bill; by the way any chance you'll bring some of those special cigars?"

The Director pauses as he thinks and then says: “Yes, I'll bring some. If I give you an even number it means I am ready to take action now; if I give you an odd number it means I think we should watch a while longer. If something comes up in the meantime that makes you think my choice is wrong give me back one cigar or ask for another one. I'll continue the same way of keeping you informed over the next couple of months. An even number means I am proceeding, an odd number means I have not made progress or stopped and you should ask me to come to the hill for some questions. And I assure you I will be very discrete as it's in both of our interests. Will that work for you?"

"Excellent Bill, I’m glad I shared my suspicions. See you Sunday and bring lots of money, I plan to pad my retirement with winnings from you."

"If you win too much Senator I may have to charge you for the cigars at what they actually cost the taxpayers.”