Indigo Slam

When he was gone Thornton pursed her lips, and tapped one immaculately enameled nail on the table. 'I would think your Mr. Hewitt would come to us anyway, with his son in danger.'

'We're going to get his son back with or without your help, Ms. Thornton. Your help will make it easier.'

A microscopic smile touched the corners of her mouth. She said, 'You were involved with Ida Leigh Washington, weren't you?'

'Yes, ma'am.' Ida Leigh Washington was a woman I'd helped a few years ago. I'd proven that a small group of corrupt police officers had murdered her son, and then I'd helped her recover damages from the city.

The smile broadened for just a moment, then vanished. 'Yes, well, I imagine you could get the boy back.' She tapped the nail again. 'What is it you want?'

'Clark Hewitt is dying of stomach cancer. He is currently engaged in an activity to earn money to care for his children after he dies. I want him to be able to complete that activity free of investigation or prosecution.'

Emily Thornton shook her head. 'I couldn't possibly agree to that.'

'Then we have no deal.'

Jasper said, 'How about we just throw your ass in the tank?'

I spread my hands. 'On what charges?'

Jasper frowned and Minelli shrugged. 'We could probably think of something.'

'So play it that way if you want.'

Marsha Fields said, 'What is Hewitt doing?'

I looked at Emily Thornton when I answered. 'He is not printing U.S. currency, or any other paper negotiable in the United States. He is not committing fraud, nor is he engaged in any other crime for which he could be charged.' I spread my hands. 'Should you agree to this arrangement, you don't want to ask any more or know any more.'

Emily Thornton was nodding. 'If we knew more, and approved it, we'd be stepping over the line into entrapment.'

'Yes. We want Markov off the board, and you can do that for us. That's why I'm here. I can get the boy back, but there's less risk if you're involved. That's also why I'm here. But everything that I want to happen is going to happen whether you're a party to it or not. If you're a party to it, you get Markov and you'll bring down his entire operation.' I leaned back and waited.

Lance Minelli said, 'How do you see the scam?'

'Markov is going to receive a large amount of counterfeit U.S. currency as ransom for the boy. When I learn the time and place of that transfer, I'll let you know so your people can be there. You get to arrest Markov in possession of the counterfeit money, and Hewitt will testify against him in the kidnapping.'

Marsha Fields was gently rocking in her chair. She was staring at me, and I could see that she was liking it. She said, 'You know, the more funny money Markov has on him, the more we could charge him with.' Everyone looked at her. 'He had about a million bucks, say, we could hit him with a manufacturing count, as well as possession with intent to sell. A million dollars would do just fine.'

Emily Thornton said, 'That's dangerously close to plotting an entrapment, Special Agent.'

Marsha Fields blinked at her. 'Oh, I wasn't suggesting anything. I was just thinking out loud.'

'Mm-hm.'

Lance Minelli smiled.

Reed Jasper said, 'Markov is responsible for the death of a U.S. Marshal. His organization is suspected in at least fourteen unsolved homicides in the Seattle area.' He shook his head. 'I don't give a damn what we have to do to get Markov as long as we get him.' Way to go, Jasper. But then Jasper leaned forward, and jerked a thumb at me. 'But my interest is in keeping Hewitt safe, and I wouldn't trust this sonofabitch any farther than I can spit. If we go along with this, we should have someone on the site to make sure things don't get out of hand, and I'm here to volunteer.'

I frowned at him. 'What do you mean, on site?'

Lance Minelli looked at Thornton. 'I go along with having someone there, Emily. I'd want to make sure Hewitt doesn't cut and run as soon as he gets his kid.' He shook his head and looked back at me. 'I don't believe this cancer thing for a minute.'

Marsha Fields nodded. 'Agreed. I could see my way clear to buy into this, but I'd like to know what's going on even if we're not going to follow up.'

Emily Thornton said, 'That's it, then.'

I said, 'Wait a minute. I've got other people involved, and they may not go along.'

Emily Thornton stood. 'They don't have any choice. I think we can do business here, but only if we have one of our people on the inside to maintain a level of control.' She offered her hand. 'That's our final offer, and now you can take it or leave it.'

I stared at her for maybe a thousand years, and then I took her hand and we shook. 'I guess we'll take it, Ms. Thornton.'

She smiled nicely. 'I knew you would.'

Juice.

CHAPTER 32

Thornton and Minelli left first. I thanked Marsha Fields, and told Jasper that I would call him as soon as I had talked with Clark and the other principals.

Jasper said, 'I'll wait here until I hear from you.'

'It might be late.'

He shrugged. 'I don't have anything else to do.'

I drove back to Studio City, and reached the safe house at six minutes before three o'clock. Joe Pike was standing beneath a pine tree on the front sidewalk. He said, 'We on?'

'We're on. They went for it, but a fed has to come along. Jasper.'

'Dak won't like it.'

'We didn't have a choice, and neither does he. They agreed not to investigate.'

Pike's jaw moved imperceptibly. 'But they'll still know.'

'Yes. They'll know. You ready to go?'

'Always.'

We went inside and explained the setup to Clark and the others. When I got to the part about Jasper coming along, Dak made a hissing sound, and both Mon and Walter Senior said, 'No, no, no, no. They will know everything about us.' Like they'd rehearsed it. Waiter Junior was asleep on the floor.

'Stop saying no and listen. The feds have given you guys a pass. Jasper is just going to be there to make sure we're not scamming them. They've agreed not to investigate you, or interfere with Clark in any way.'

Mon said, 'I can't believe this is happening.' He was running his fingers through his hair, and fistfuls of gray hair was coming out. 'We'll be ruined.' So much for revolutionary fervor.

I said, 'Look, their only interest here is Clark and Markov. If you're worried about it, go down to the warehouse and remove anything that could connect you or your people to that location. Just leave whatever Clark will need to print the money.'

Mon was still pulling his hair, but Dak nodded. 'What about the dong?'

'When the business with Markov is finished, we'll come back with Clark and print the dong.'

Dak said, 'We could all end up in jail.'

'You knew that when you conspired to break the law, but you're safer now than you were before. Before, they might've gotten wind and investigated and thrown your asses in jail. Now, they're going to look the other way and not even ask your name.'

Walter Senior said, 'Can we trust these people?'

'Yes.'

Mon started to say something else, but Dak shook his head and spoke in Vietnamese. Twenty seconds later they were gone. I looked at Clark. 'Can you set up to print U.S. currency?'

'Oh, sure.' Like it was nothing.

'How long will it take you to run off a million dollars?'

He frowned. 'Markov said five million.'

'That's what he wants, but it's not what he's going to get. All we need to do is make sure he's busted with a million in his possession. One million is the magic number.'

Clark nodded. 'Three or four days.'

'You're printing for Charles, damnit. You have to do it faster than that.'