Carolyn sized him up. She had to minimize the damage. Tell the truth, but let him know you’re not a pushover. “I don’t know what you or Mort Fields think I’ve done, but I can assure you that nothing’s occurred that would be considered improper. I would never jeopardize Warner’s career or the party’s position. Never.” She tucked files into her briefcase as she spoke.
The expression on Rudly’s face told Carolyn that he’d already tried and convicted them. As a result, she found no point in continuing their meeting.
“Unfortunately, I’m due in court in five minutes, so you’ll have to excuse me. ” she lied.
An unruffled Bill Rudly rose. “We’re not finished with this topic.”
“Suit yourself.” She watched him leave.
Carolyn called Mark. “Mort Fields has gone south on us. I don’t know how it happened, but Bill Rudly was just in here claiming he’s had conversations with Mort that suggest impropriety on my part that would jeopardize Warner’s pursuit of the Senate. He said he has the paperwork to back it up. He’s going to request an investigation.”
Mark paused. “This doesn’t sound good. Are you worried?”
“Concerned, not worried. If he had anything concrete, Rudly would have said so. At this point, I think all he’s got is supposition. I doubt he’s even got enough to start an investigation. But we need to check it out, hire Cain to look into it.” she said. “This was a warning. What bothers me the most is Mort. I know he won’t come forward himself – he would cut his own throat in the business community. No one would ever trust him again if they believed he turned on a partner. But he obviously set this up through the back door.” Carolyn massaged the throbbing in her temples. A migraine was the last thing she needed right now.
“What can I do to help?”
“Put Cain on Rudly, and call Fields. I don’t care if he’s angry with me. I’m still a partner in his company. Tell him I want out. He’s obviously lost faith in our deal, so he can buy me out. Otherwise, I’ll offer my shares on the open market. He’s not going to want an unknown on his board of directors, so he’ll ante up. Do we have a recent summary of value?”
“Yes.”
“Great. Fax it over to him. Tell him he’s got until Friday – after that I sell to the highest bidder. That company’s a hot commodity, so it won’t be hard to sell.” Carolyn took a deep breath. She was getting used to doing battle.
“I doubt if he’s going to like the strong-arm tactics.”
“He’s left me no choice. Feel free to tell him that.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Mark said. “Why don’t you stop by later today?”
“I wish I could. But I have a trial starting next week and a stack of files to go through. Now this. As it is, I’ll be working until midnight.”
“I have to work late, too. I’ll bring some Chinese food down to your office later, and you can take a short break. Deal?”
“Deal.” Carolyn hung up.
Her gaze fell on the chair recently occupied by the senator. She couldn’t allow an investigation. If Rudly presented these allegations to party leaders in Washington. Warner’s career would be seriously damaged, if not ruined. No matter the cost, she wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt him. Yes, she thought, this was war. And she was ready to fight.
“Mort’s gone to Bill Rudly with his accusations, and Bill confronted Carolyn,” Mark told Edmund on the phone. “He’s going to have Carolyn and Mort’s business arrangement investigated.”
“The selfish bastard.” Edmund said. “Mort’s gone too far. I warned him. He’s on his own now.”
“Rudly claimed he had paperwork on the matter. This could destroy Warner.”
“That won’t happen.” Edmund’s voice was flat.
“What do you mean that won’t happen? Bill wants to stop Warner from being reelected. Carolyn’s dealings could provide the evidence he needs. As far as I know the deal wasn’t improper, but the wrong spin on the situation will be disastrous. Mort’s actions are causing that spin.”
“The key to this matter is Carolyn. And Mark…”
“Yes?”
“Accidents happen.”
“What in the hell are you talking about? The other Council members won’t agree to anything illegal.”
“If we take a vote. I think you’ll find you’re wrong. Our newest members are more driven than I. Winston Cain and Richard Young helped me devise our strategy. We’ve protected our interests by hiding behind Carolyn. All evidence points at the bitch. She would take the blame for any, shall we say, mishaps.”
“No! I won’t allow it. Granted I want my place in Washington as much as any of you, but this is going too far.” Frame Carolyn? My God.
Carolyn thought he loved her. And maybe he still did. The whole plan had been innocent enough, make a few phone calls, keep Edmund informed – just a way to get ahead, to become a player in D.C. Hell, even Carolyn was playing the Washington game. Still, he couldn’t do this to her.
“You don’t have to like it. Just consider the matter handled.” Edmund said.
TWENTY-THREE
Long, shining black hair framed the face and upper torso of the young Asian assassin hidden in a small cluster of bushes on the Washington Monument grounds. The fragrance of freshly cut glass spiced the air, and the sun’s unseasonably warm rays peeked over the horizon. The assassin stretched her lithe limbs, as though to reach out and claim the day.
She was attuned to every sound and nuance around her. At six A.M, the park grounds were slowly awakening to the spring morning. Birds sang and a breeze caressed her.
Hand-picked by the CIA director himself, the woman had joined the Agency as a weapons specialist. Now, she freelanced as a mercenary.
The assassin spotted her target jogging far off in the distance. She noted that the subject was predictably on time, coming up Independence Avenue toward the Washington Monument. Like most high-level officials, his routine was easily documented.
Timing was critical to this mission due to the chemicals involved. A cryogenic freezing unit resembling a small, beverage cooler sat next to her.
She marked a checkpoint and timed the subject with a stopwatch. He was moving at the expected pace. The assassin reclaimed her M21 semi-automatic rifle with a custom-made suppressor and rechecked the scope, then assured herself that the temperature on the freezer was precisely as it should be.
She knew that if the temperature inside the freezing unit rose or fell one-tenth of a degree, the chemical structure of the bullet would be altered and the mission would have to be aborted. The assassin had spent years perfecting this technique – building the needed equipment and formulating the deadly projectile.
A shiver of excitement tingled her skin. This kill was going to be particularly satisfying: the challenge of pulling off this operation in the heart of Washington. D.C, on a man of such political stature was a career maker. After this she would be able to name her price on the world market. She ceased her train of thought knowing that she couldn’t permit emotion to cloud her judgment. As easily as placing a can of soup back into a cupboard because she wasn’t hungry, she set aside her feelings.