The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

across something that enabled the DGSE to bag a bunch of Action Directe people,'
Goodley explained. He was somewhat uncomfortable with his role of designated
informer.
The National Security Advisor didn't like to be kept waiting, but there was no
sense in pressing the young scholar, was there? Her face took on a wry smile.
'Am I to assume that you have started admiring the man?'
'He's done fine work, but he's made his mistakes, too. His estimate on the fall
of East Germany and the progress of reunification was way off. He had not
managed to learn that everyone else was, as well. Goodley himself had guessed
almost exactly right on this issue up at the Kennedy School, and the paper he'd
published in an obscure journal was something else that had earned him attention
at the White House. The White House fellow stopped again.
'And . . . ?' Elliot prodded.
'And there are some troubling aspects in his personal life.'
Finally! 'And those are?'
'Ryan was investigated by the SEC for possible insider-stock trading before he
entered CIA employ, It seems there was a computer-software company about to get
a Navy contract. Ryan found out about it before anyone else and made a real
killing. The SEC found out – the reason is that the company executives
themselves were also investigated – and examined Ryan's records. He got off on a
technicality.'
'Explain,' Liz ordered.
'In order to cover their own backsides, the company officials arranged to have
something published in a defense trade paper, just a little filler item, not
even two column inches, but it was enough to show that the information upon
which they and Ryan operated was technically in the public domain. That made it
legal. What's more interesting is what Ryan did with the money after attention
was called to it. He cut it out of his brokerage account – that's in a
blind-trust arrangement now with four different money-managers.' Goodley
stopped. 'You know what Ryan's worth now?'
'No, what is it?'
'Over fifteen million dollars. He's by far the richest guy at the Agency. His
holdings are somewhat undervalued. I'd say he's worth closer to twenty myself,
but he's been using the same accounting method since before he joined CIA, and
you can't critique him there. How you figure net worth is kind of metaphysical,
isn't it? Accountants have different ways of doing things. Anyway, what he did
with that windfall: He split it off to a separate account. Then a short while
ago it all moved out into an educational trust fund.'
'His kids?'
'No,' Goodley answered. 'The beneficiaries – no, let me back up. He used part of
the money to set up a convenience store – a 7-Eleven – for a widow and her
children. The rest of the money is set aside in T-Bills and a few blue-chip
stocks to educate her children.'
'Who is she?'
'Her name is Carol Zimmer. Laotian by birth, she's the widow of an Air Force
sergeant who got killed in a training accident. Ryan has been looking after the
family. He even signed out of his office to attend the birth of the newest child