AWLL 2 - Book 10 - Bridget
Michael Loucks
Contents
For Stephie
Copyright © 2015-2020 Michael P. Loucks
First publication date: 2019-02-01
First revision publication date: 2020-06-07
You may contact the author at: author@michaelloucks.com
https://a-well-lived-life.com/
Prologue
June 8, 2017, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
"Well, that's ONE way to answer!" I chuckled as John, Mario, Jesse, and I left our seats in the PPG Paints Arena, the new name for the Consol Energy Center, the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"I'll say!" John laughed. "6–0 in the playoffs? With Schultz, Rust, Malkin, Sheary, Kessel, and Hainsey all scoring? And Sid having three assists?"
"Kessel had four points tonight!" Mario said. "He should be series MVP!"
"I agree," I replied, "but it'll be Crosby when the Pens win Game 6 to capture ANOTHER back-to-back Stanley Cup! Mark my words; the league hyped him and fucking Ovi and now they have to run with it."
"Dad hates Ovechkin more than Jágr!" Jesse laughed. "And that's saying something!"
"Don't you have a hot Russian woman who needs your attention?" I asked sternly.
He laughed, "She's back in Chicago with the kids, Dad!"
"You're what now, Jesse, thirty-one?" Mario asked.
"Back in February, yes."
"I remember you being born about seven months after I was hired. You were never interested in your dad's business?"
"No. Computers are tools like a hammer or screwdriver. I just was never into them the way he was when he was young. None of my brothers and sisters were, either. What made you decide to leave NIKA?"
"After thirty years, I decided it was time to retire. Besides, John is a perfect replacement for me as director. He's been my second-in-command for nearly twenty years."
"Not to mention being able to cash out his options," John laughed.
"Jesse knows that part," Mario laughed. "He's my guy at Spurgeon Capital."
"How did you decide on that career, Jesse?" John asked.
"I was just finishing my degree in management, and right before graduation Samantha offered me a job. Larisa and I were living together then, and she encouraged me to be, as her mom put it, a decadent capitalist oppressor of the people, and make a pile of money!"
We all laughed.
"I don't think Tanya Ivanovna is any more of a communist than Lyusya Alekseyevna is!" I replied.
"When she was in Chicago a month ago, she was introducing herself as Lucy Alexa," Jesse laughed. "And talking like a California surfer chick!"
"Only to annoy me," I chuckled. "She knows I hate that."
"Drinks?" Mario asked as we exited the building.
"I'm meeting Tara," I said. "We have some business to discuss."
"Riiigghhht!" Jesse laughed, making air quotes, "'Business'."
"She's a successful campaign consultant who I backed years ago to start her business, including helping her write her business plan AND investing some seed capital."
"You invested 'seed' alright!" Jesse laughed.
"Who's worse, Steve?" Mario asked with a smirk, "Jesse or Birgit?"
"Neither," I chuckled. "It's when they gang up on me I'm in REAL trouble!"
"Now that you say that," Jesse grinned, pulling his iPhone from his pocket, "I COULD call her. She'd LOVE to FaceTime with us!"
"Please, NO!" I exclaimed, to everyone's laughter.
"Tara is the one who helped Albert get his appointment to the Naval Academy with her contacts, right?" Mario asked.
I smiled, "She was. He's been assigned to the Nimitz and is VERY happy to be in Washington State. He's always been an outdoors kind of guy, and loved to hike the Fox River and the forest preserves. He'll be in his element in the Pacific Northwest."
"Your kids have all achieved their dreams, haven't they?"
"Theirs," I replied. "And mine."
I - Victim, Dupe, or Accomplice?
August 2, 1996, Chicago, Illinois
Facing an angry pimp with a knife was not a situation which called for conversation, but I also didn't want it to escalate to the point where the police would be involved. He knew I carried a gun, and I was sure he was convinced he could stick me with the knife before I could draw. What he DIDN'T know was that I was better off WITHOUT the gun at this point. In fact, having the gun on me severely limited my options.
Without a word or any warning, I shifted my feet, then grabbed his wrist mid-thrust. I used an Aikido wrist lock which Mitsuko had taught me, and quickly had the pimp on his knees, with the knife on the sidewalk at my feet. I kicked it aside and put even more pressure on the wrist lock as he struggled against me.
"I'll break it," I warned.
"Fuck you, asshole! You're dead!"
"You've misjudged," I replied calmly, increasing the pressure slightly. "You can agree to walk away or get hurt very badly. Your choice."
"You don't know who I work for."
"I don't CARE who you work for! Now, do I break this wrist, or do you back off?"
I pressed a bit harder, causing what I was sure was severe pain. He clearly didn't believe me, because he lunged. I calmly snapped his wrist, and he went down in a heap, howling, and clutching his arm with his other hand. Not wanting any further trouble, I turned, picked up my obviously broken cell phone, and knowing Kara would be worried, just as I was worried about her, I turned to walk back to the office, ignoring the stares of the few pedestrian witnesses.
I walked quickly, and just after I crossed the Kennedy Expressway a Chicago Police Department cruiser drove up with its lights on.
"You in the blue sports coat!" came a voice over the loudspeaker. "Stop right there and keep your hands to your side!"
I did as commanded and waited while the officer got out of his car and drew his weapon. I quickly raised my hands about halfway, palms facing the officer. He stood with his gun on me for several seconds until a second cruiser arrived.
"Keep your hands where I can see them!" the first officer commanded.
I nodded and watched as an officer climbed from the second squad car and walked to me.
"Are you armed?" the second officer asked.
By both city and state law, I had to not only declare that I was armed, but also surrender the firearm to the police officer for the duration of my interaction. Failing to do so would cost me my state CCL and both Chicago permits.
"I have a 9mm pistol in a shoulder holster. I have my FOID card, CCL card, Chicago handgun permit, and Chicago concealed firearm permit in my pocket."
"Is the safety on?"
"No."
"Using your thumb and two fingers of your right hand, carefully remove the firearm and hand it to me."
I complied, and he engaged the safety, then put the pistol on the hood of the other officer's squad car.
"Do you have any other weapons? A knife? Anything?"
"A small utility pocket knife, but the blade is short. It's in my right pants pocket."
"That's it?"
"Yes, officer."
"I'm going to frisk you."
"Officer, I know the law about firearms, which is why I complied. What's your probable cause for frisking me?"
"You were identified in an assault which took place by Union Station less than ten minutes ago. Your height, build, hair, and clothing match."
I nodded, "OK."
He found the knife, exactly as I'd described, along with my wallet, business card holder, Lucy nickel, keys, and the permits, which were in my coat pocket. He also found the remnants of my broken cell phone.
"Mr. Adams?" he asked, looking at my Chicago handgun permit.
"Yes."
"Is this address current?"
"Yes, Officer."
"Would you like to tell us what happened?"
"Am I under arrest?" I asked.
"No."
Which meant I could refuse to talk to him and walk away, but I suspected doing so would likely cause him to arrest me. Melanie, and all the other lawyers, always admonished me about talking to the police in this kind of instance, but there were several considerations - First, I needed to talk to Kara, and if I refused to cooperate and was arrested, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon; Second, my gun would most certainly disappear, never to be seen again, and if the cops were jerks, I risked losing my Chicago handgun and carry permits; Third, I hadn't done anything other than defend myself, using reasonable force.
"I was walking north on Clinton and a black man, about 6'2", two hundred pounds, wearing white slacks and a black shirt, with a couple of gold chains, and a white hat, struck me, knocking my cell phone from my hands and breaking it. He threatened me with a knife. I disarmed him, and when he lunged at me, I defended myself, and left the area as quickly as I could."
"Where were you headed?"
"To a business Lunch at a diner on Lake Street."
"So why come this way?"
"I was coming back to my office, which is about a block from here, to call home. I was on the phone with the woman I live with who was trying to tell me about some kind of problem when that guy knocked the phone from my hand. It broke when it hit the sidewalk."
"Do you know why this man would attack you?"
"I had a run-in with him a few weeks ago inside the station. He was accosting a young runaway and I took her away from him and called a licensed clinical psychologist I knew who got her into a shelter program that same day."
"His story matches the radio call, Nelson," the first officer said, lowering his gun and holstering it.
"May I ask how you got here so quickly?" I asked.
"A pedestrian called 9–1–1 on their mobile phone and described what happened, what you were wearing, and which way you'd gone. We were both close."
"And the other guy?"
"Disappeared into Union Station. We have officers looking for him."
"Try a hospital or doctor's office," I said. "I'm pretty sure I broke his wrist."
"You didn't draw your pistol?"
"No. He was too close. By the time I could have cleared it from the holster, he'd have had that knife in my chest or stomach. I chose a wrist-lock which was effective in disarming him and forcing him to his knees."
"You practice martial arts?"
"I'm an instructor at JM Martial Arts in Hyde Park," I answered. "Officers, if I'm free to go, would you return my pistol and other items? I need to call home and find out what's going on."
"Steve?" I heard Eve call from about half-a-block away.
"My office manager," I said to the officers.
"Miss, please stay where you are," the first officer commanded.
Eve stopped immediately and waited.
"Where can we find you if we need you?" the second officer asked me.
"I'll give you my business card and write my home number on the back. I'll make myself available any time you need."
"Thank you, Mr. Adams."
They returned my things, handing me the pistol last. I left the safety on and put it back into the holster. The two officers got into their cars and I walked over to Eve.
"What the hell?" she asked.
"The pimp I rescued that girl Willow from accosted me. He has a broken wrist for his troubles. Let's walk back to the office; I need to call home."
"Kara called the office. That's why I was coming towards you. She heard someone call you an asshole then the phone went dead."
"He slapped it from my hand from behind. He should have stabbed me without a word."
"I'm glad he didn't."
"Me, too. What's going on at the house?"
"Kara said there was some guy hanging around the house, as if he was casing it. I told her to call Katya Anisimova and she said she would."
"Good call. Let's go inside and call her. I'm missing my lunch with Murray Matheson from Spurgeon, but that can't be helped. Once I talk to Kara, I'll try to call the diner and see if he's there. Also, Alec Glass called earlier and says he can't get in touch with Lisa or her bodyguard."
We started back towards the NIKA offices.
"All these things at once?" she asked. "Do you think there's a connection?"
"Between a pimp, Noel Spurgeon, some guy casing my house, and Lisa? I don't know what ties all of them together."
"Outfit?" she asked quietly.
"Noel Spurgeon? That makes no sense."
"The common thread would be young girls."
I chuckled, "Including me?"
"You said it, not me!" she laughed. "But I meant with his predilection for underage girls, who knows? Sure, the ones you know about were the society girls. What if there were others?"
"You mean like runaways?"
"There's a market in runaway girls; Bethany told us about that when the stuff with Willow went down."
"But why attack me on the way to my meeting? And why involve Lisa?"
"Maybe it doesn't make as much sense as I thought."
"The pimp did threaten me about retaliation from his employers. He warned me that I didn't know who he worked for."
"You suspect Outfit there, right?"
"Possibly, but it could be a street gang. Somebody like the Gangster Disciples or Vice Lords, though the Lords are into credit and mortgage fraud, more than street vice, these days. It won't be the Gaylords because they're a white street gang and would never use a black guy. But the way he said it, I have to think Outfit and corrupt cops."
"Back to that again?" she asked as we reached the office.
"It's a common link to everyone but Noel Spurgeon, and who knows, he may have some ties to corrupt CPD officers. They weren't the ones who arrested him - that was the Cook County Sheriff and the Glencoe Police Department."
"Steve, there was a call for you," Kimmy said.
She was sitting at the front desk, covering for Lucas while he was at lunch. I'd reminded her repeatedly she didn't have to do that, but she volunteered to take her turn every week.
"Mr. Matheson?" I asked.
"Yes. I tried your cell but it went right to voicemail."
I took the shattered phone from my pocket and handed it to her.
"You'll need to have this replaced, please; today if possible. I'll explain later. Did Mr. Matheson say what he wanted to do?"
"He asked that you call his mobile. He left the number."
"Call him back and ask him if we can reschedule. I need to deal with an issue at home."
"Will do!"
Eve and I went into the interior office, up the stairs and to my office where I picked up the phone and hit the speed dial button marked 'Home'.
"Kara, it's me," I said.
"Steve! What happened?"
"I'll explain after you tell me what's going on."
"Some guy was walking around the block and stopped both in front of the house and in the alley by the coach house. He did it at least three times, and the last time, he was taking pictures. That's when I got nervous!"
"The kids?"
"Are all in the house with Jessica and me."
"Keep them there. What did Katya say?"
"She's sending someone to the house. They'll be here in about an hour."
"OK. Use the master key from my office and go up to Elyse's room and get the shotgun. Load it, and then get the 9mm from the lockbox in my desk as well. You and Jess both know how to shoot. If that guy, or anyone else you don't recognize comes into the house, shoot them. Do you hear me?"
"Yes."
"Eve and I are on our way right now. We'll come in the back door, but Eve will call you from her mobile before we come in."
"OK. Should I call the police?"
"No. There's something strange happening with Lisa Glass right now that has Alec worried and I'm not sure what's going on. My cell phone is broken, but Kimmy is having it replaced. See you in twenty minutes."
She acknowledged that and we hung up. Eve and I hurried downstairs and I let Kimmy know we were headed to the house. I asked her to have my replacement phone couriered to the house, and she promised to do so.
"Any further thoughts?" Eve asked.
"There's a tenuous set of links - Noel Spurgeon to Lisa Glass to the Outfit. Then there's the pimp who could be recruiting girls for the outfit, either on their payroll or as a broker, so to speak. And then whoever is scoping the house could be Outfit, too. But it could also just be a bunch of coincidences. But then there are those cops who broke into the offices, who work for the Outfit. And Peter Scuderi."
"You don't suspect Anthony and Connie, do you?"
"No. He's has his restaurant, gambling, loan sharking, and escort action going in Newport and Covington, and he's helped the Feds nail two large drug shipments from Detroit. Joyce and Connie buried the hatchet as well. Cincinnati is not part of this, I'm sure."
I snapped my fingers.
"There MIGHT be another link between Lisa Glass and Noel Spurgeon and that's Hart-Lincoln."
"One of the lawyers? That could explain the break-ins, too, as well as the guy at the house. But that leaves out the pimp."
"If it's what I think it is, the pimp was incidental. If this is all about Hart-Lincoln, then EVERYTHING falls in line. If the pimp works for the Outfit, it'll get back to Theo and I'll deal with it. But I'm betting he's with either the Vice Lords or Gangster Disciples the more I think about it. Those are enemies we don't want, but one crisis at a time."
"So what's the end game? How does Noel Spurgeon benefit?"
"Good question. I can see some lawyer, or lawyers, from Hart-Lincoln trying to find something which lets them walk away, and if they have ties to Noel Spurgeon, maybe there is some back-channel thing they can try with him. I have no idea what it would be. As for Lisa, I guess they could try to get her to recant, but I don't see that happening, because she'd go back to jail instantly for perjury. They'd have her for lying in a deposition, lying on a clemency application, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Heck, I bet she'd NEVER get out in that case, even if they couldn't rescind her clemency, which I think they'd have a very good chance of doing."
"Then they'll kill her," Eve said flatly.
"I'd say you're right, because if she reported them threatening her, and whichever thugs are doing it could be tied to lawyers from Hart-Lincoln, things would be even worse than they are now."
"So explain why nobody has come after you."
"If you think about it, there are logical reasons why we helped the Feds, and they know we're at least friendly with the FBI. They'd have to figure that we'd report overt threats. But as they run out of other options, they may see they have less to risk."
"But they found nothing during the break-in, right?"
"Right. The only thing we can't be sure of is that nobody accessed our records at Iron Mountain. I need you to go there on Monday and visually inspect everything. Make sure every box is still sealed with its tamper-proof seal and that nothing is missing."
"What about remote access? You know, hackers?"
I laughed, "I wouldn't say that within Sam's earshot!"
"Nothing is impossible."
"Very true, but the servers with source code or sensitive customer data are not connected to any outside networks, just our corporate WAN, and Sam has logging and monitoring in place. The security team did a full audit as one of their first tasks and identified a couple of areas where we could improve, but didn't find any real problems.
"The customer portal is available via the Internet, but other than company names and contact information, there is no sensitive data there. That database is populated by an export from our master database and transferred by CD-RW every Friday afternoon. It's air-gapped, so there isn't a way to hack into the support system and get into the internal administrative systems."
"An inside job?"
"As you say, nothing is impossible, but there are enough controls that it would require a concerted effort by at least two employees, if not three. If you tell me THAT is an actual risk, then I think it's time to shut the company down and open my own dojo."
"No, I don't think so, but besides checking Iron Mountain, I think we should do a complete review of our internal procedures. A problem in that area could ruin our business with law firms."
"Indeed. Get together with Deborah and make it happen."
"Permission to break the rules?"
I laughed, "Since when do YOU need permission?"
"Ever since I promised not to say what I want to say."
"Go on."
"Stuff like this makes me HORNY and I want you to FUCK ME HARD!"
"Got it out of your system, now?" I grinned.
"NO!" she said, laughing. "I want to get it INTO my system!"
"I'll take your request under advisement," I grinned.
"When you get to Woodlawn, drive around the block a couple of times so we can take a look."
"Good idea," I replied.
Two minutes later I turned onto Woodlawn and did as Eve had suggested. We didn't see anything the first time, but the second time she spotted a guy with a camera.
"Pull over," she suggested. "Let's have a chat."
"I'll have to double park," I said, coming to a stop.
I put on the flashers and pulled on the parking brake but left the BMW idling. We both hopped out and quickly went to the sidewalk.
"Excuse me," Eve said. "What are you doing?"
"What's it to you?" he asked.
"You took photos of my house without my permission," I said.
"It's a free country. I can shoot anything I want."
"Me, too," Eve said, pulling back her light jacket to reveal her holster.
"Easy now," the guy said, taking a step back. "Let's not get crazy. I'm doing neighborhood pictures."
"For whom?"
"Myself. I free-lance. I'll sell them to real estate companies, development companies, relocation companies, and so on."
"My house isn't for sale; why shoot it?"
"To get the feel of the neighborhood."
A horn beeped and I turned to see a truck which wouldn't be able to get by my double-parked car.
"OK. Eve? Let's go."
She nodded and we got back into the car. I turned off the flashers, released the parking brake, and pulled away.
"He's lying," I said.
"Obviously," she laughed. "He never asked WHICH house!"
"Bingo. He'll show up on the videotape and we can get Ted Farley to get us a still from his video guy."
"OK. So now we know this wasn't innocent," she replied as I pulled into the driveway.
"Correct. Please call Kara and let her know we're coming in. If I'm going to get my balls blown off, I want it to be for a GOOD reason!"
Eve laughed, "Your wives let you fuck pretty much anyone you want, and you don't go after married women, so who the hell is going to blow YOUR balls off?"
"A pissed off dad?"
"You graduated from teenagers some time ago, right?"
No, but, yes, I thought. Sakurako wasn't 'some time ago', and neither was Pippa. But Eve didn't need to know about those.
"Yes."
"Then not much risk there, unless it's some whack-job fundamentalist, and THOSE daughters need to be fucked into the current century!"
I chuckled thinking of Kara, and just how true that was. Eve took out her phone and dialed the house. When Kara answered, Eve told her we were coming in. We were greeted by two wives who looked as if they were at the Alamo, facing off with Santa Anna!
"Barricades?" I chuckled.
Couches had been moved so that they blocked direct access from the back door, as well as via the front foyer. Jessica was armed with the shotgun, and Kara with my 9mm.
"The kids are all in the basement or the boys' room," Jessica said.
"I think we're safe," I said. "We saw the clown on the street and now he knows we know. I'm sure he'll tell whoever sent him."
"What's going on, Tiger?"
"Our guess is that it's related to Hart-Lincoln, the Mafia law firm where John Lentz used to work which the FBI raided."
"What happened with your cell phone?" Kara asked.
"That was different, we think. The pimp from whom I saved Willow confronted me on the street. He slapped the phone from my hand, but he managed to drop his knife and break his wrist in the process."
Kara laughed nervously, "And?"
"The police came to talk to me before I got back to the office, but the witnesses said the same thing I did so they let me go. I called you right after that."
"So what do we do now?"
"I need to talk to this guy from Spurgeon Capital I was supposed to meet for lunch today. I think he's the key to all of this."
"You think it's all related to Lisa Glass?" Jessica asked.
"No, I think it's all related to Hart-Lincoln. That's the common thing between them all. One thing none of you know - Lisa was one of Noel's girls when she was fifteen. But it was in Monaco, and it wasn't videotaped, so she wasn't part of the investigation."
"Whoa!" Eve gasped. "That could explain a LOT. That's another link you didn't tell me about."
"I hadn't thought about that in ages and it just popped into my head now. I didn't even think about it when I saw Noel at Big Muddy River Correctional Center. Now things are starting to make sense."
"You think Lisa and Noel might be up to something?"
"I sure wouldn't put it past them," I said. "Which means my response with regard to the house was a bit of an overreaction."
"Even with the guy taking pictures?"
"I think so. The security system is strong, the cameras are obvious, and most importantly, they haven't asked me for anything. That was what today's meeting was about."
"What are they going to ask for?"
"I have no idea, but I think I know the endgame."
"Non-extradition country?" Eve asked.
"Has to be," I said. "I'd pick the UAE, but Bahrain would be another choice."
"Why those?" Jessica asked.
"UAE is obvious, I think, because it's becoming a big financial center; Bahrain only slightly less so. If he needs a third option, Qatar. If he has the kind of money stashed I think he does, or can get access to, it'll be a no-brainer and the Muslims won't give a damn about his thing for teenage girls, so long as the girls aren't Muslims."
"How do you know all of that?"
"Because I make damned sure I'm aware of everything I need to be in case there are ever any issues which require me to know that information. But we'd go to Russia. There's no extradition treaty from there, either, nor any risk, especially given the people I know."
"Seriously?" Kara asked.
"Asks the woman who used my own contingency planning against me?" I asked with a grin.
"The Arab countries would be OK with your harem!" Eve laughed.
"I promise the Russians won't give us a hard time, either. But forget all that, at least with regard to us. I think the end result is supposed to be Noel Spurgeon on the beach earning 20%."
My wives and Eve all laughed at the Die Hard reference.
"But how?" Jessica asked.
I shrugged, "I have no idea what the plan is, but I'm sure it involves a shitload of cash and a private jet. My only question is about Lisa - is she a victim, an accomplice, or a dupe?"
"Victim?"
"She's not answering her phone and neither is her bodyguard. That could be because she doesn't want to or she can't."
"So what are you going to do?" Kara asked.
"See what Noel's game is by meeting with Murray Matheson. But first, I'm going to have a chat with Melanie, and then with Agent Stone of the FBI."
"Now that's not something I expected," Jessica replied.
"It makes sense, Jess," Kara said. "Noel hurt Samantha so Steve is going to make sure he stays in jail."
"What's his plan?" Eve asked. "Get out on a federal warrant like Ray McDeere? Hitch a ride with an Elvis impersonator?"
"I know it sounds like it's straight out of The Firm, but think about how much money the man has. How tough would it be to buy someone off a la Franz Sanchez in Licence to Kill? Granted, I don't think Noel Spurgeon has 'drug lord' level resources, but ten mil? Easy. SOMEBODY will take it. Heck, he could probably afford a helicopter escape from Big Muddy like they've done in South America. Look, I know it's all far-fetched, but sometimes life imitates art!"
"Steve, can I have a word in private?" Eve asked.
"If it's OK with my wives."
"Sure," Kara replied with a smile. "We'll put the artillery away and move the barricades and let the kids out."
"OK. Eve, let's got to my study."
We started for the study when the doorbell rang. I squeezed past the couch and opened the front door.
"Mr. Adams, I'm Wade Yellens. Yekatarina Sergeyevna sent me. She said to tell you she first met you in a hotel in Chicago in 1981. She was a major then, and asked you about a weapon, and said she trusted you to tell her the truth."
I nodded, "Your bona fides check out."
"She said I'm to stay here as long as you need me. I'm a former Army Ranger and I'm armed."
"Come into the house. We don't think there's an issue now, but I'd like you to stay for a few hours."
"OK. Where would you like me?"
"Make yourself comfortable in the great room. I have a bit of business to conduct. Come on, I'll show you."
I walked him to the great room and introduced him to Kara and Jessica, then went to my study to speak with Eve. I shut the door behind me and then leaned against the desk.
"What if the hit on Littleton was part of THIS, and not Scuderi?" she asked.
"There's no link between Littleton and Hart-Lincoln or Lentz."
"That we know of. Think about it, though. It makes a LOT more sense that Littleton was whacked to keep him quiet rather than in retaliation for blowing off Anthony and Connie."
"That actually does make some level of sense. Let me call Melanie and explain what's going on, and then I'll set up a meeting with Agent Stone."
"Shouldn't you call Kimmy first?"
"Yes, of course. Good point."
I dialed Kimmy's direct line.
"He wanted to meet you today, but I told him that wasn't possible. He asked for lunch tomorrow at the same diner at noon."
"Call him back and confirm," I said.
"I will. Alec Glass called and said he still hadn't heard from Lisa and asked you to call him if you did."
"Thanks, Kimmy."
I hung up and dialed Melanie's office. They said she'd left for the day so I dialed her cell phone.
"Melanie Spencer!"
"It's Steve," I replied.
"What's up?"
"I need something from you. What are you doing right now?"
"Heading to pick up Jonathan from school to take him to his soccer game. What's up?"
"I need to have a conversation with the FBI about someone who might be trying to flee the country."
"Are you implicated in any way?"
"None that I can possibly think of."
"OK. When were you hoping to meet with them?"
"Before noon tomorrow."
"I don't think I can swing that. Pete's parents are in town and they're taking us to dinner after Jonathan's game."
"What do you think about me talking to them by myself?"
"What do you THINK I think about that?"
"That it's a bad idea."
"Obviously. I know you're buddy-buddy with them now, but I'm assuming the worst."
"Which you get paid to do."
"Call the office and ask for Grace. She just passed the Bar in March and she can handle a simple meet."
"I'm not sure I can pay her fee!" I chuckled.
Melanie laughed, "If THAT is how you pay, I might decide to skip the soccer game and dinner."
"No chance, Melanie!"
"Give her a call. If there's an problem, she can call me. I'll have my cell on all night."
"Thanks."
I hung up and consulted my address book and dialed the FBI office. They put me through to Agent Stone.
"It's Steve Adams. I need to see you right away."
"About?"
"I'd rather not say it over the phone. I'm at home. I can be in your office an hour from now."
"Do that. I'll see you then. Remember you can't bring your firearm into the building."
"I could if you got me a federal permit."
"No can do!" he replied. "See you in an hour."
I thanked him, then dialed Kassan, Spencer & Associates. I asked for Grace Smith and was put right through. I explained what I needed and told her Melanie had suggested I call her. She agreed to meet me at the Dirksen Building at 3:00pm.
"Do you want me with you or here?" Eve asked.
"With me. Let's head to the office so I can speak to Deborah and fill her in."
I checked with my wives to ensure everything was OK, and then Eve and I left for the NIKA office, where we were immediately accosted by Elyse.
"What the heck is going on?" she asked.
"Sorry; things were hectic and my cell phone was broken. Come join the meeting with Deborah, please. That way I only have to relate everything once."
We went to Deborah's office where I explained the events of the day and my suspicions about how everything was linked, including Littleton's murder.
"Deborah, I'd have taken you with me to meet the FBI, but I need someone with a law license. Unfortunately, you don't take the exam until next week, and the results aren't published for a month or so."
"I'm not up on criminal defense, so I'm not sure I'd have been the right choice."
"This is mostly about having someone who is an Officer of the Court to take my side if the FBI were to try to pull a fast one or renege on any verbal commitments. If there was any risk to me I'd wait for Melanie to be available. Eve's going to walk over with us because I have to leave my pistol here."
"Kimmy said she'll have your replacement phone by 5:00pm," Elyse said. "I'll bring it home with me, if that's OK."
"That's probably a good idea. I'm not sure how long we'll be at the Federal Building."
"What's your plan?"
"I don't have one other than to tell the FBI about my suspicions. I suspect they'll ask me to go along with whatever Murray Matheson proposes and take it from there. But as discussed, I won't wear a wire because of the risk to NIKA should that kind of thing get out."
"Are you going to tell Samantha?"
"I think I need to hear what the FBI and Matheson have to say, first. I seriously doubt she's involved in this, but she might feel the need to warn her dad."
"Which would stop it, right?"
"Maybe, but as I said when I explained this, I don't know all the moving pieces. It's better to keep her out of it until I know more. We need to get going. Elyse, I'll see you at home; Deborah I'll fill you in on Monday morning. You're spending the first part of next week reviewing, right?"
"Yep. Locked in my office with the study guides Jamie has given me."
I removed my holster, safed the pistol, then handed both to Elyse to bring home. After checking in with Kimmy, Eve and I left the office and headed to the Dirksen Federal Building where we met Grace Smith, who I hadn't seen for a couple of years.
"Grace, this is Eve, my office manager and part-time bodyguard. Eve, this is Grace, a former Petty Officer who until recently was Melanie's paralegal."
They greeted each other, and Eve went to find a place to sit in the shade while Grace and I went into the building. After going through security, we took the elevator up to the 11th floor, and were escorted to a conference room where Agents Stone and O'Toole were waiting for us. I introduced Grace as one of Melanie's associates and then the four of us sat down.
"So what do you have?" Agent Stone asked.
"A strong suspicion," I said. "I believe Noel Spurgeon is going to try to escape custody and flee the country."
"He's a state prisoner, right?"
"Yes."
"So why not go to the State's Attorney?"
"Is that a serious question?" I asked. "I think the CPD is involved, I think it's related to Hart-Lincoln, and I think the Littleton murder might be related as well. And if you want to make it federal, I think he's evaded taxes. In other words, it's ALL Outfit-related, which makes it yours."
"CPD? What makes you think that?"
"You remember the break-in at NIKA? Two CPD recruits did that. We didn't know at the time, but my own investigations lead me to believe that was part of the John Lentz, Hart-Lincoln, and Littleton investigations. My other evidence is today, the day I was supposed to meet with someone Noel Spurgeon requested I meet with 'immediately', Lisa Glass dropped out of sight. Her dad doesn't know where she is, and the security company who provided the bodyguards can't reach either of them or her."
"How do you link her to Spurgeon?"
I smiled, "She had a sexual relationship with him when she was fifteen, during a trip to Monaco."
"Jesus," Agent O'Toole whispered. "The missing link we NEVER could have found. Why not tell us before?"
I shrugged, "At the time I didn't think it was relevant. There was no Outfit link, and everything else was state charges - his for statutory rapes and filming underage girls; hers for murder. Then she gave you Hart-Lincoln on a silver platter."
"Who is this Matheson guy?"
"He's someone who has worked for Noel Spurgeon for decades and has been described as someone who wouldn't betray him if you pulled his fingernails out with a pair of pliers."
"What made you go visit Spurgeon at Big Muddy?"
"He asked me to visit when he was at Samantha's wedding. I felt I at least owed him one conversation."
"The relationship between you and Ms. Spurgeon?"
I smiled, "Is not part of this investigation. And she has NO idea I'm here. I don't know for sure what she would do with the information, though I seriously doubt she'd help him flee. But you never know with family."
"Very true," Agent Stone agreed. "People who would never otherwise even consider criminal activity will commit outrageous crimes to help their loved ones."
"When is your meeting with Matheson?" Agent O'Toole asked.
"Noon tomorrow at a diner on Lake Street, just west of Clinton."
"I take it you won't wear a wire."
"Correct. My plan was to hear him out and then come back to you guys for guidance. I'm pretty sure they're going to try to co-opt me somehow."
"And Ms. Glass?"
"As I said, I'm not sure if she's victim, dupe, or accomplice. I suppose I'll have a clue tomorrow."
"Do you suspect she's being held against her will?"
"Maybe. The bodyguard not answering her phone makes me suspicious. My ex-KGB friend is looking into that for Alec Glass. It's up to him if he wants to bring in law enforcement."
"And what makes you think Littleton's murder is related?" Stone asked.
"That one I don't have direct proof of, but it makes more sense than anything else I can come up with. We know he was dirty. And if this is all Outfit-related, maybe he's part of this too. I guess I'm telling you to look for more links."
"Go to your meeting tomorrow. I'll give you my mobile phone number so you can call me after the meet. We'll probably want you to come in and talk."
"Understood."
"Now, just for my own sanity - why come to us?"
"I thought we were friends," I grinned.
"Call it 'aligned interests' in certain situations," Agent O'Toole laughed. "I don't believe for a second you think we're friends!"
"Fair enough," I chuckled. "But if this IS related the way I think it is, it puts my family and my business at risk. And that, Agent O'Toole, is something I simply will not tolerate. Let's just say the enemy of my enemy is my friend."
He nodded and Agent Stone gave me his business card with his mobile number written on the back. We shook hands and left the conference room. At the elevator, we shook again, and then Grace and I got into the elevator.
"That seemed simple," Grace said. "You seem like old friends."
"We started as adversaries but found a modus vivendi."
She opened her leather satchel, took out an envelope, and handed it to me.
"Melanie just bills my retainer," I said.
"This is my PERSONAL invoice," Grace smirked.
I opened, read it, and all I could do was shake my head. How DID I get myself into these predicaments?
II - An Offer I CAN Refuse
August 3, 1996, Chicago, Illinois
"Murray Matheson."
"Steve Adams."
We shook hands and he pointed to an empty booth. There were menus in a metal holder on the table and we each took one and quickly scanned it. The waitress came by a minute later.
"Chef's salad," I said. "No croutons; bleu cheese dressing; ice water to drink."
"Double cheese-burger platter with a Coke," Matheson said.
The waitress read back the order and left.
"Health food nut?" he asked.
"Minor medical condition that means I need to limit my carbohydrate intake."
"Diabetes?"
"No. They don't know what it is. Screwy metabolism and a hormone imbalance, but they don't know why. It stays under control if I limit simple and complex sugars."
"You seeing specialists?"
"Mayo Clinic."
"They're among the best."
"So, what can I do for you?"
"We'll get to that," he said sliding an envelope across the table to me.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
I did and saw some numbers and dates, when I reached the last line I knew what it was supposed to be. I wondered how he had tied it to me, but that was immaterial.
"So?" I replied.
"That's just to make sure we communicate clearly. If we do, my copy of that, which also has the original account owner's identifying information, goes into the shredder. If not, some friends of yours will get the detailed copy. With ALL transaction codes."
I tossed the paper onto the table.
"Blackmail?" I laughed. "Really?"
"He thought you might feel that way," Matheson said, sliding another envelope to me.
I opened it and saw pictures which had obviously been taken of the house by the clown Eve and I had confronted the previous day. The cars changed between shots, so it was clear they were taken over the course of two days. I looked him directly in the eyes.
"Anyone who shows up there is going to be VERY sorry they did. And you will personally be very sorry. Well, actually, you won't, because you won't be in any condition to be sorry, unless you have some relationship with some god. And if you do, I'd suggest you get your affairs in order with him or her right this second."
"Think so? See those two young cops over there? Think they'll lift a finger if another customer happens to shoot you in the back of the head while we're sitting here? Well, I mean, other than to swear you drew your gun first."
I laughed, "And you'll be dead before they can move."
That was because sitting in the booth behind him was Eve, though she'd used some of Matthew's theatrical dye to color her hair black and was wearing a pair of glasses with thick clear lenses.
"Bullshit."
I shrugged, "You apparently need me. Whoever told you threats would work, or that you could get the drop on me, was a complete fool. And that makes YOU a bigger fool, because you'll never walk out of here alive unless I allow it. You'll be dead before those cops even know what happened. All it will take is a simple, innocent hand gesture. That said, I'm a businessman and I'd prefer not to have to have your blood and brains splattered all over me. Make me a proposition."
"Fuck me," he laughed. "He was right. He said you had brass balls and couldn't be threatened. But he also said you were an unbridled capitalist."
"Well, whoever HE is, you should have listened because it's going to cost you FAR more, now that you've threatened me and my family."
"He said that, too."
"So you decided blackmail was the better choice? Against his advice?"
"It's cheaper and it works."
"Not this time. I'm listening."
"He says you're smart and you'll guess what's going on."
"UAE, Bahrain, or Qatar? My bet, after sleeping on it, is Bahrain."
Matheson laughed, "Very good."
"What is it I'm supposed to do to further this plan?"
"You carry coded messages to Noel Spurgeon. We know the FBI trusts you. We know you have a friend in the Marshals Service. You have friends who are senior Naval officers in the JAG corps. In other words, you are beyond reproach. But we also know the FBI isn't your friend because they've liked you for a number of things, including espionage and murder."
They hadn't liked me for Littleton's murder, but perhaps that's how it had been spun internally when they tested my gun, and I was fine with that. I knew the CPD was dirty. Heck, everyone knew that the CPD was dirty. But somewhere in the Federal government, there was a leak - FBI, Marshals Service, or the US Attorney. Stan Jakes had hinted he thought there was a dirty Deputy Marshal, but I didn't believe it. He and I had discussed the theory and I'd rejected it, but he was still looking.
"It's not that simple," I replied flatly.
"Of course not. We'll tell you the next steps when it's time."
"What's the rest of the plan?"
"Not how much?"
"We'll get to that."
"Right now all you need to know is what I've told you. I don't have all the details."
"Ten."
"Greedy bastard."
I shook my head, "All the money will go to charities of my choice, verifiable by me."
Matheson laughed again, "Fuck me! He even predicted THAT."
There were two possible suspects for the identity of 'he' - Noel himself and Alec Glass, and one off-the-wall suspect, Theo. Maybe there was someone else, but I couldn't imagine who it might be. The problem with Alec was that I couldn't understand why he would put Lisa at risk. And Matheson had specifically said it was a 'he'.
"Well, you should have listened to him and not made the threats, Mr. Matheson. Because those I don't forget. There's one more condition - you destroy the documents you just showed me, and any copies, immediately."
"I'll ask."
"Don't ask, do it," I said firmly.
"Fine."
"When do I need to carry the first message?"
We'll let you know. It won't be too long."
"Borrowing Samantha's plane regularly is going to be tough," I said.
"We'll make arrangements."
"Too often will be suspicious."
"We're not idiots."
"Says the man who rejected advice and threatened me."
"You aren't a normal person."
"No, I'm not. And you made a mistake, Mr. Matheson. Don't make another one."
"I won't."
I nodded as the waitress brought our lunches which we ate in silence. At the end of the meal, Matheson slid a cell phone across the table.
"We'll call you on this. Do NOT use it for anything else. Do not make any phone calls with it."
"Got it. Lunch is on you."
He laughed, "I figured."
"Lilith, let's go!"
Eve got up from behind Matheson, and with my nod, pulled open her light coat to show him her pistol. The look on his face was priceless, and I'd accomplished my goal of making my point. I laughed as we left, because there was nobody in the booth behind me, or at a spot along the counter where they could get off a clean shot, assuming it wasn't a bluff. Eve and I were quiet until we got into my BMW and were headed south.
"Did you make anyone?"
"Just the two fuck-ups who broke into our office. He didn't have anyone else. I was there at 10:00am and except for those two, only families came in. Did he threaten you?"
"Exactly as we speculated. First, that he'd tell Anthony and Connie about the transactions, but at this point, I could settle things with Anthony. But I'm not convinced he knows it's Anthony. I think he was trying for a reaction which I didn't give. The second threat was several pictures of my house. That's when I explained exactly how sorry he'd be if something happened, and then pointed out he wouldn't be in a position to be sorry. He threatened me as well, saying those cops would cover up me being killed, but I pointed out they wouldn't be able to move before HE was dead. That's why I called you to come with me right away - to prove my point."
"I couldn't see the look on his face."
"Like he might need to change his underwear," I chuckled.
"Did they really misjudge you so badly?"
"Not whoever the mastermind is. Matheson thought he was a tough guy because he had two baby CPD officers with him. He also thought he could intimidate me. He discovered how wrong he was."
"So who?"
"Noel Spurgeon, Alec Glass, or maybe Theo, but I don't think it's Theo."
"Why not?"
"I've never, ever shown my ruthless side to anyone in the Chicago Outfit. The only time anything like that happened that they know about was the incident with Anthony, but they thought he was a pussy, so they didn't chalk it up to me being a tough guy."
"And Alec? Why would he risk it?"
"Only if Noel actually had something on him."
"So it's Noel Spurgeon himself?"
"The problem with that is, when did he set it up and how is he communicating? If the State or Feds had ANY whiff of this, he'd never have made it to Samantha's wedding."
"So then what?"
"So if we assume 'he' was a deception, Lisa would be the obvious choice. But I can't see her risking everything for Noel just because she fucked him when she was fifteen."
"Something doesn't add up," Eve said.
"No shit. It's possible Noel set all of this in motion before he went to prison. But let's assume he did that, why not make the attempt while he was out for Samantha's wedding?"
"Wasn't there insane security then?"
"Sure, but I was at Big Muddy and I can't see how he's going to get out of there."
"Payoff?"
"It's not like somebody can just leave the back door unlocked or something like that. That said, there have been escapes from maximum-security prisons in Illinois in the not-too-distant past, and this prison isn't maximum security."
"What are you going to tell the FBI?"
"Exactly what I promised to tell them - what it is that Matheson wanted. He confirmed Bahrain, and he asked me to carry messages. Anything else is just speculation, and I'm not going to speculate. Personally, I don't think he has much of a chance of success even if I don't rat him out to the FBI. With me telling them, I'd say his chances are not only less than zero, there's a good chance he'll manage to extend his stay at the 'Graybar Hotel'.
"The thing that bugs me is their confidence about being able to get him out. And that tells me they HAVE to have somebody inside, somewhere, either Federal or State, or maybe both. And they have to have SOME idea on how they are going to get him out of Big Muddy. Ever since those guys broke out in '90, they've tightened things up at all the prisons."
"How DID those guys get out?" Eve asked.
"The old-fashioned way - faked their beds to fool the nighttime count, sawed their way through bars, cut glass, then scaled the fence. But I don't see Noel doing that. A helicopter escape from the yard is theoretically possible, but the guards would shoot him before he got aboard. Whatever the plan is, they're confident. You can go ahead and place the call and put it on speaker."
Eve took out her cell phone and dialed Agent Stone's cell phone number. He answered almost right away.
"Stone."
"It's Steve Adams. The goal is to get him to Bahrain, but I don't have any details. Right now they just want me to carry messages."
"And they made you an 'offer you can't refuse'?"
"More like an offer I CAN refuse. That was blackmail and threatening my family. I laughed at them. We settled on my offer of ten million to charities of my choice."
"You know that's not going to happen, right?"
"And we both know you need me more than I need you, Agent Stone. If I simply refuse to cooperate, you won't find the money and you won't have someone inside. If the money transfer happens, the charities keep the cash."
"I can't agree to that, and before you ask, neither can the US Attorney. Treasury WILL go after those assets, even if they're transferred to reputable charities."
"I suppose that depends on where the funds come from and when you arrest everyone involved."
"Let's save that discussion for later. When do they intend to execute their plan?"
"I don't know that just yet. They gave me a special cell phone so I can receive calls from them, with explicit instructions not to use it otherwise. I'll get the number from it and give it to you. But Agent Stone, there is a leak somewhere, and I suspect it's Federal."
"That has been suggested, but so far all we've found is dirty Chicago cops."
"Unsurprisingly, the two jokers who broke into our offices were riding shotgun for Matheson."
"Interesting. They were recruits, right?"
"Patrolmen, or whatever the city calls the lowest ranking guys."
"Just 'Police Officer'," Agent Stone replied.
"What's the next step?"
"Beyond getting us the number of that phone? Just hear them out. But do not take ANY action without consulting with us first. Remember, the only thing between you and criminal conspiracy charges is you cooperating with us."
"Something of which I'm well aware," I replied somewhat testily. "I'll get you the number on Monday. But you need to keep this closely held."
"Only me, Agent O'Toole, and the AIC know about this."
"OK. I'll call you Monday."
"Thanks."
I nodded and Eve disconnected the call.
"I can see why you think they're pricks! Coming right out and saying that if you don't do it their way you'll be charged with a felony?"
"Funny enough, the FBI and I aren't on the same side EXCEPT when it comes to taking down scum lawyers and dirty cops."
"Noel Spurgeon?"
"What do you think his REALISTIC chances for escape are?"
"Pretty slim," she replied.
"And what were my options if those threats were real, instead of amateurish?"
"Something which might get YOU a long prison sentence."
I nodded, "Correct. So once Noel Spurgeon asked me to get involved, my choices were talk to the Feds or risk criminal prosecution for something, whichever way it happened to turn out. Think either Noel or the Feds would let me off the hook if the scheme failed?"
"Probably not."
"My mistake was going to see Noel Spurgeon in the first place. That said, he could have handled it another way if he wanted. But he NEEDED me to come to Big Muddy."
"To provide incontrovertible proof of your involvement."
"He played me at the wedding and I walked right into it. I assumed it was going to be about Samantha because despite everything, he actually cares about her, and she about him."
"Do you think SHE might be involved in this?"
"I'd suspect YOU before I'd suspect her."
"Ouch!" Eve laughed. "But I get your point. She'd be better off simply buying enough politicians to make it happen. She can afford them! But he doesn't know she turned him in, right?"
"Correct. Her concern was that the men loyal to her dad, like Matheson, would find a way to oust her if that ever came out. They all think it was Les, the bodyguard. He DID flip in exchange for a lesser sentence, which only reinforced the idea."
"What's your ultimate take on Noel Spurgeon?"
"I can't understand how someone could be so stupidly arrogant as to make videotapes of what in most cases was statutory rape. That said, you know my opinion on the age of consent."
"Obviously. But rich people live by different rules."
"No kidding. That's why I cut all ties with that entire crowd except Alec Glass, who, from everything I can tell, is a complete straight shooter, plus Samantha and Jeri. I serve on the Board of Directors for the Lundgren Foundation, but I don't attend anything other than the Board meetings. I do make occasional calls to big donors when they're in a field where my name carries a bit of weight, but that's it. And it's why I set clear boundaries with Samantha on what I'll accept from her personally."
"What are you going to do about Grace Smith?" Eve asked with a smirk.
"I have half-a-mind to give the invoice to Melanie for the comedic value. Actually paying off the 'debt' would violate what I feel is the best path forward."
"Cutting back, as it were."
"Yes."
"Can I ask what that means? I know it's not my business, per se, so if you say 'no', I'll understand."
"I'll answer. Fundamentally, I've always functioned best, and been the most stable, with either two or three girls, depending on the configuration. Since my marriage, there has been an attempt to have a 'long-term third' as we call it, and it hasn't worked out for various reasons. We're trying that again, though taking a slightly different approach. In the main, that's it. There are a few other select women who, from time-to-time, I might be with. Each of them is someone I've been with multiple times, and who is adult enough to understand the situation and won't complicate things."
And the list was actually very short, consisting of only one name for certain - Elena. The other possibilities were Karla, if I were to see her again; Lyudmila, if she hadn't found a steady boyfriend; Katy, if Amy were to allow it, which was not even close to a sure thing; and perhaps Tara, though that was equally uncertain. All of the other girls I might consider had steady boyfriends and had moved on, though I was sure that if Liz Carullo and her boyfriend split, she'd ask to 'adult' with me again.
Of course there was Elyse, though I didn't actually expect her to ask. She'd had several opportunities to do so, and in every case had chosen to cuddle instead. And something in my mind told me to expect that to continue. We were in a very good place, and like Jennifer, Elyse didn't want to mess things up. And neither did I.
There was also the issue of Cindi, but we'd gone down this route before, never consummating and testing what amounted to competing claims of who would be surprised and exhausted at the end of our encounter. If she stayed sober for a year, I'd have to consider whether or not the suggested reward was worth however it might change our relationship. I didn't think it would, but as always, that calculation was tricky and often involved factors which lay dormant until AFTER sexual intimacy.
"Again, you don't have to answer this, and you can simply declare it off limits without me being upset, but how do I not fit into that description?"
I chuckled, "Oh, you do! But I made a conscious decision to end things. It was for my own reasons, obviously, and those reasons made perfect sense."
"Made? As in they no longer do?"
"My thinking on this is always evolving. Mostly it's evolved to narrow the choices, though lately it evolved to slightly expand them. There were periods when I might have as many as a dozen NEW girls a year, in addition to two or three, or more, 'regulars'. That's slowly calmed down to the two wives and a third girl, with occasional dalliances on the side."
"That didn't really answer the question."
"You're right, it didn't. You do fit all the qualifications, assuming I continue to ignore the policy which forbids it. One which I enforce on others, mind you."
"Hypocrisy is your biggest bugaboo, isn't it?"
"Hypocrisy, double standards, and cheating. All of which, in the end, are about misrepresentation."
"Not being who you seem to be. In this case, and please just understand I'm making a theoretical argument here, who would call it a double standard? Dave, Jamie, and Terry?"
"There are others at NIKA who aren't as prudish as Dave, aren't as worried about the legal ramifications as Jamie, and aren't as directly affected by hypocrisy as Terry, who would object on various grounds. I suppose the situation with Terry is the one which bugs me the most, though."
"Why not let him and Skye date? If Dave leaves, the main objector goes away, right?"
"Barbara was equally adamant. But it's more complicated. I'm considering Terry as Dave's replacement."
"I thought that would be up to Julia!"
"Normally, yes, and I won't ignore her input, but in this case, the well is poisoned so badly that I don't think she'd consider him."
"And how would she respond to you promoting him?"
"That's something I've gone over and over in my mind since I talked to Doctor Bauer at IIT about a teaching position for Dave."
"On that, won't he take a major pay cut?"
I nodded, "Yes, but I can work around that a bit by raising Julia's bonus and the shares she receives via her option grants. It won't completely make up for the lost income, but it'll reduce the gap. As for the issue Julia has with Terry, I'd find it hard to deny him the position. His reviews are exemplary and he's done a great job building that team out in Colorado. Neither Tasha nor Alonzo are right for this role. The other option is to go outside, and I'm not sure I want to put someone from outside the NIKA culture in a role which is that important."
"Deborah? She came from the outside."
"A personal advisor is very different from someone who is directly managing a large, important team. I brought her in precisely because I needed an outsider. And honestly, if it wasn't for his affairs, which I personally can't hold against him, Terry would be the one both Julia and Dave would choose. Of course, there is also the added complication of Penny, but those two managed an amicable split and aren't having any issues with regard to the kids, other than Terry is in Colorado. This promotion would bring him back to be with his kids, and he and Penny are at a place where it wouldn't cause the friction it did when they were breaking up."
"You can't talk Sam into it?"
"Not a chance, and I won't even try. Our agreement from day one was that she was never going to be a manager. I offered her the security team and she turned me down flat. There is one person I think could do the job, but I'll never entice him from California."
"Your former professor?"
"Yes. He loves it out there and Sun is paying him far more than we can afford, AND his options are for shares which are traded on the stock exchange. I also believe his daughters would rebel if he even suggests moving back here."
"It sounds as if you've managed to trap yourself."
"That was the conclusion I'd come to as well. We have all kinds of mechanisms in place to try to avoid this situation, but we've still managed to find ourselves here."
"You know that with the exception of Julia, everyone believes it's Dave's problem, not Terry's."
"And you know that most people don't know about Terry's indiscretions. That said, the individuals involved are NOT upset. And I'm tempted to apply my general rule that it's none of anyone else's business, so long as it doesn't affect NIKA. And oddly enough, it didn't have any serious negative effects. The biggest potential for negative effects was actually caused because I refused to sleep with Mikela years ago. But what happened told me, in the end, I'd made the right decision. There was no way she could handle a discreet affair."
"Which a few others, including Tasha, could. Well, and me, of course."
"And you. I honestly don't see any way around putting Terry in Dave's role if things go the way I expect them to. I don't think it's a bad thing, but I'm going to have to convince Julia of that."
"The rest of the executives and directors will support that decision."
"They will, but we also need to discuss how to avoid situations such as this one in the future."
"And how not to avoid answering a question," she smirked as I turned onto Woodlawn Avenue.
"Let me consider it further, and get a few other things off my plate. I need to go to Pittsburgh and Mayo Clinic. After that, we'll talk about this again. OK?"
"I have no claims and make no demands. You know what I want. I know you can give it to me."
"Thanks for listening. And thanks for having my back again."
"Any time. You can just drop me at my car. I'll see you on Monday."
"I owe you," I said.
"I know!" she replied with a soft smile.
I pulled up next to her Stealth and she hopped out. Once she'd shut the door to my BMW, I continued around the block and parked in the driveway next to the coach house. I got out of the car and went into the main house to find Penny with Birgit, Stephie, Albert, and Ashley, plus Amber and Andy.
"Hey," I said. "Pressed into babysitting duty?"
"The kids were coming over today anyway. Kara said she needed to meet with a college girl she's mentoring, and Elyse and Eduardo took the boys to his place. Jesse's at a hockey game."
"OK. I'm going to go put on shorts and a t-shirt. I'll be back down in a few minutes."
"Need help?" Penny smirked.
"Not since I was about five."
"Dad needs LOTS of help," Birgit declared. "But I think he can dress himself!"
"Who asked you, Pumpkin?" I asked testily.
"Me!" she smirked.
I went upstairs, changed, then went to the kitchen to get a bottle of San Pellegrino. I checked the whiteboard and saw that Kara had noted she'd be home with Maria Cristina at about 3:30pm, and Jess had her shift, so I went to hang out with Penny and the kids.
"Where's Jasmine?" I asked.
"She had a date," Birgit replied. "They went to Great America. She said she wouldn't be here for dinner or Girls' Night Out."
"Did your Aunt Stephanie or Uncle Ed call?"
"No."
"She's about ready to pop, right?" Penny asked.
"Sometime in the next two weeks," I replied.
"And she's having a girl!" Stephie declared. "They peeked!"
I heard the back door open and Birgit got up and scampered out of the sunroom. She was back almost right away with Rachel and Tiffany in tow.
"We're going to the basement," Birgit said.
"Hi Tiff, Hi Rachel!" I said.
"Hi!" they both exclaimed.
"Have fun, girls," I called after them.
"That trio is just looking for trouble!" Penny laughed.
"You mean the way you were when you stuck your head over the fence thirteen years ago?"
Penny laughed, "I thought you were the Waltons' lawn boy!"
"You were fourteen, and I was twenty. A LONG time ago!"
"It does seem like forever sometimes, but certain memories are quite vivid."
"For me as well. You're leaving tomorrow, right?"
"Yes. Terry will be here later today. He'll take the kids back to Colorado with him tomorrow. You could still join Mary and me!"
"I'm going to New York and Pittsburgh this week, and then I have my annual checkup at Mayo next week. Besides, you need some time away from everything - me, NIKA, Chicago, the entire works. I don't want you to burn out."
"What about you?"
"I take my time off seriously. Believe it or not, Florida was relaxing. The kids behaved really well and there was pretty much zero stress."
"Do you still know anyone in New York City?"
"Nobody except our guy; Katya and Alexi moved to Alexandria because of his new job. I'll see Abel, and Mike from Boston, plus visit a couple of customers. I'm having dinner with Fawn and Georg on Thursday evening. On Friday morning I fly to Pittsburgh to see Mario and John and some clients. Then I meet with Tara to go over her business plan."
"Are they doing the same set of tests at Mayo?"
"Pretty much. This time Doctor Whittaker is going to focus on my metabolism and see if she can get any clues from that. In the past they've done a full-blown glucose tolerance test but we know the results from that. She has some other plan involving sticking me with needles and zapping me with charged particles."
"Don't faster computers help?" Penny asked.
"Sure. But the machines can generate data faster than even the latest Pentium P54CS running at 200MHz can digest and process. It's all recorded and then processed over time, though the processing time isn't a week at this point, just a few days."
"I've heard you say you won't take drugs or have surgery for this, so why put yourself through it?"
"Because maybe they can help someone else. My situation is completely controlled by very low carbohydrate intake, lots of exercise, and plenty of sleep. I've proved violating any of those, especially the one about carbs, brings on the problem. When you throw in my mild bipolar disorder, and my two concussions, there's a lot to look for and a lot to learn. As Jessica says, there is no known physiological link between complex carbohydrates, my hormone levels, and the effect adrenaline has on my autonomous body function. Finding THAT would be huge. Not to mention the cholesterol studies they're doing as well."
"What's that about?"
"Pretty solid proof that serum cholesterol basically has nothing to do with dietary cholesterol. And some good information about gluconeogenesis, which provides blood sugar when I don't eat any sugar. It comes from proteins and from other steps in metabolism. Similarly, it studies the cholesterol balance because cholesterol is necessary for life, and it's a precursor for cortisol and testosterone, as well as estrogen and progesterone. Given that it affects hormones, it's an interesting area of investigation."
"After hearing THAT, I think I'll stick to computers!"
"I had that exact same thought when I helped Jess study for exams in medical school and for her Boards. But when it's about your own health, it's quite different."
A few minutes later, the Jaegers and Quinns arrived, and the kids scattered around the house while the adults socialized in the sunroom. Just before 3:00pm, Terry arrived and I excused myself and invited him to my study.
"What's up, Boss?" he asked.
"Would you be open to moving back to Chicago?"
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked warily.
I smiled and shook my head, "No. You would have heard if you had."
"I wouldn't mind being close to the kids, and Penny and I are on good enough terms that it wouldn't be an issue. Is Zo leaving?"
"Before I answer, this has to stay between you and me. I trust you, but I need to hear you tell me."
"Of course! You know I won't betray you."
"There's a very, very good chance Dave is going to leave NIKA for a teaching position at IIT which will allow him to complete a Master's as well."
"Holy shit! Like permanently? Or is this a special sabbatical?"
"That's where it gets a bit complicated. He's completely burned out and needs some time away. A couple of years, at least. If that happens, which I believe it will, I want you to step into his role. That's with his pay and benefits."
"And when he comes back?"
"That's where you're going to have to trust me that I will have a very senior position for you, and you won't see any reduction in pay or benefits. My rough guess is four to five years."
"Julia will never go for it."
"Let me deal with Julia. She's going to take her own sabbatical, but it won't be nearly so long. I know I can trust you and Charlie to run things in Julia's absence, and Sam, Brenda, and I will cover Julia's technical role while she's gone."
"Those are huge changes!"
"Yes, and frankly, I caused them because I didn't do my job of making sure my senior people weren't getting burned out. It's not just them, either."
"But you seem immune."
"I get away, and when I'm away, I don't worry about things at the office because I know all of you will keep things running smoothly while I'm away."
"I'll do it if you ask me to, Boss. You know that."
"But do you WANT to do it?"
Terry nodded, "Yes. And I trust you to do the right thing by me if and when Dave comes back."
"Good. Who's your replacement?"
"Skye," he said firmly.
"I agree. We'll need to hire a programmer to fill her old role, obviously."
"Obviously! When does this go into effect?"
"I expect Dave to tell me sometime this week. Julia and I have spoken, too."
"About me?"
"No. About the situation in general. Let me take care of that, OK?"
"OK."
"When it's time, if you have issues with your lease in Colorado or finding a place here, let Eve know and she'll help you."
"Thanks," Terry replied. "It'll be great to be able to come to breakfast and Guys' Night regularly."
"And it'll be good to have you! You heard Karl's leaving, right?"
"Two years in Italy? On the government dime? Nice gig if you can get it!"
"I agree! Ginny is already planning her shopping trips! Shall we go back and hang out with the rest of the adults?"
"And that includes us?" Terry laughed.
"My wives would agree with you!"
"My ex as well!"
We left the study and I heard the back door open so I walked through the great room to greet Kara and Maria Cristina with hugs. They sent me to Kara's van to get some boxes, which I dutifully carried upstairs to what was now Maria Cristina's room. I set the boxes on the floor and made one more trip to get the final box and brought it up to the room.
"I'll leave you two alone," Kara said.
She gave me a quick kiss, then left the room, closing the door behind her.
"How did things go with your mom?" I asked as Maria Cristina began unpacking.
"Fine. She was sad to see me leave home, but very happy that I could arrange to go to UofC. She'll probably come visit soon."
"She's welcome anytime. Do you have your tuition bill?"
"Yes. In the green folder in that last box you brought up."
I extracted the folder and quickly scanned the bill.
"OK. I'll get this paid on Monday. In my study I have some money for you to buy your books, as well as your allowance."
She laughed, "I never got an allowance. When I was little, my mom just bought the things I needed. Then when I turned sixteen, I started working at Jewel, though most of that money went to my mom."
"Pretty much everything you need will be here, so your allowance is spending money for you to use however you like."
"When are we going to Minnesota?"
"A week from tomorrow. We'll come back the following Tuesday. This coming Thursday I have to fly to New York, then on Friday to Pittsburgh, and on Saturday I'll fly home. I'd take you, but I'll be busy pretty much full time. In Minnesota you'll be able to be there for all the exams."
"That's totally cool!"
"I think you'll like Doctor Whittaker. Do you have everything you need?"
"Yes. Kara and I stopped at Osco so I could get a few things."
"Then I suppose you're all set!"
"Can I hang things on the walls?"
"Sure! In the basement storage room you'll find a hammer, nails, picture hangers, and a level. Just turn left when you get to the basement and it's the door right before the bathroom. If you need help, just let me know."
"Are there any rules I need to know?"
"The only rule is you don't go into anyone else's bedroom without an invitation. We don't even go into the kids' rooms without knocking and asking if we can come in. Oh, and honor the 'Privacy, Please!' sign on the sauna. Other than that, you're an adult, so you make your own rules."
"And having friends over?"
"It's your house, too," I smiled. "So invite your friends anytime you wish. And I'm sure it won't be an issue, but no drugs, period; and no alcohol until your friends are twenty-one."
"No issue at all."
She finished unpacking her bags and put them in the closet, then came over to stand in front of me.
"I didn't get a proper kiss when I arrived!" she said.
I smiled and took her in my arms and we exchanged a soft kiss.
"How's that?" I asked.
"Not bad," she teased.
I pulled her tightly to me and we exchanged a very sexy French kiss.
"Better," she said when we broke the kiss.
"Third time's the charm!" I grinned.
We exchanged another sexy French kiss, and our hands roamed each other's backs, and eventually I cupped her firm butt and pulled her firmly against my erection. Maria Cristina moaned softly into my mouth and flexed her hips. She was breathing hard when we finally broke the kiss.
"Perfect!" she sighed, putting her head on my chest.
"We need to get downstairs," I said. "But maybe tomorrow we can find more interesting places to kiss."
"Yes!" she sighed, hugging me tightly.
A couple of minutes later she reluctantly slipped from my arms, and we headed downstairs to hang out with our friends until dinner, then participated in our bi-weekly gatherings.
III - A Broken Promise
August 4, 1996, Chicago, Illinois
When I got up on Sunday morning, I retrieved the newspaper from the front porch, got a cup of coffee, and then joined Birgit in the sunroom to cuddle and read the newspaper. The headline was shocking - the FBI had executed a search warrant on Richard Jewell's house, and had named him a 'person of interest' in the Olympic bombing. I found it hard to believe he had done it, but not knowing anything about the man, I couldn't say for sure one way or the other.