Detective Danny Cavanaugh 01 - The Brink

all these events are happening together?” Jack replied loud enough for the rest of the room to hear him. “The dirty bombs, Fantroy’s plane, and now this? They all have to be related.”
    Simon sucked air in through his nose and then nodded.
    Jack lowered his voice so only Simon could hear him. “Besides, why would Cavanaugh hold her hostage and then throw away the gun as soon as she gives up a piece of paper?”
    Simon expressed his theory. “He wants to show us that he’s not a threat.”
    Jack agreed and then added his two cents. “It’s not about what he wants. It’s just like the break-in at Monticello and the attempted robbery at the Library of Congress. It’s about whatever is on that piece of paper. It’s about the written word.”

Chapter 75
    Danny sat next to Sydney on one of the two couches inside the Oval Office. He crossed his legs uncomfortably in a borrowed suit from one of the Secret Service agents. He checked his watch, which was given back to him after being examined by the Secret Service agent hovering over them. Danny was still surprised that his plan had actually worked, but here they were.
    He trailed his eyes over to Sydney, wondering just how much she was made to take off during the standard Secret Service search procedures. Danny held a chuckle inside. That woman just can’t keep her clothes on.
    A section of wall on the far side of the office swung open. The president of the United States and his chief of staff strode across the room. As they did, the agent came to attention and whispered into his wrist radio. “Devon has POTUS in Oval.”
    Danny stood up, and Sydney followed his lead. “Mr. President,” he said, extending his hand.
    President Jack Butcher switched the folder in his right hand over to his left. He shook his guests’ hands. “Sergeant Cavanaugh, Ms. Dumas. This is my chief of staff, Simon Shilling.” After everyone pressed the flesh, the president motioned for everyone to sit. He looked at his Secret Service agent.
    “That will be all, Peter. Thank you.”
    “Yes, sir.” The agent walked out of the room and closed the door behind him without a sound.
    A nervous warmth filled Danny’s gut. He couldn’t believe it. Regardless of his situation, he was in the White House, in the Oval Office for that matter. If only his dad could see him now.
    President Butcher eased back into the rocker at the head of the coffee table. He glanced at the door the agent just used. “That was Peter Devon, the head of my Secret Service detail. He informed me of the extreme measures you’ve taken to get here.”
    “Yes, sir,” Danny said.
    “I feel obligated to listen to you, since you’ve risked life and limb to gain my attention.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “I especially liked that neat trick you pulled outside, Sergeant. Stripping down to your skivvies.”
    Danny couldn’t help smiling as he acknowledged the president’s praise. “I wanted your people to know that other than the gun in my hand, I wasn’t otherwise armed or wired with anything.”
    The president chuckled. “I’m sure you also got every woman watching the news clip of your stunt all hot and bothered in the process.” He unfolded a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and laid it down on the coffee table. The president allowed Danny to scrutinize it for a moment before continuing. “You know how the ladies love bad boys.”
    The warmth in Danny’s stomach gave way to a clutched panic. At the top of the paper was the title:

    FBI TEN MOST WANTED FUGITIVE

    Below it, there were three pictures of Danny: one from the academy with a crew cut, one of him in his dress blues taken when he was still with the Houston Police Department, and one he didn’t recognize. It was the most recent of the three, and he was crossing a city street dressed in a long sleeve shirt and jeans. It looked to him like a surveillance photo.
    Danny’s description was listed beneath the photos: his height, weight, eye color, date of birth—everything down to the scar on his knee from arthroscopic surgery. He was surprised that his aerophobia wasn’t listed. Below his description, his three stints in law enforcement were listed: Houston Police officer, Dallas Police detective, and sergeant with the Texas Rangers. Below all of that, the word “CAUTION” had been centered in bold blue typeface. The next part listed Danny’s crime:
    Daniel James Cavanaugh is wanted for murder. Cavanaugh allegedly killed an FBI agent in Laredo,