man. Larry Evans. I’ll puthim at ease. But the federal government doesn’t go near Mat or Jess. And ifsomething- happens to me, the deal still holds.”
“Of course,” says McCoy. “That’s in there, too.”
“We can’t guarantee that Roger Ogren won’t approach Mat onhis own,” Harrick says to Paul. “There’s going to be a leak or two to thepapers-we agreed on that. The bribery thing is going to come out, in smallamounts. Just so we’re clear on all of that.”
Allison nods. It was a negotiation, over the last severaldays. Of paramount importance to the federal government, apparently, is thatLarry Evans accomplish whatever his plan is. And that means Larry Evans has tofeel comfortable about Allison. The feds wanted to splash the bribery scandal everywhere;Allison, for Mat’s sake, wanted just the opposite. They reached a middleground. The story would leak, a little, to the papers. But there would be nohard evidence turned over to the county attorney prosecuting Allison’s case. Nonames of specific senators. No phone records. And Special Agent Jane McCoy gaveher word that she would block Roger Ogren if he got too close.
Roger Ogren probably will approach Mat at some point. ButMat will do fine on an alibi. And he can refuse to answer questions about HouseBill 1551 under the Fifth Amendment. He can dummy up just like everyoneelse around him will do.
“Roger Ogren’s going to stick with his theory,” McCoypredicts. “You were a wounded ex-lover looking for revenge. It’s not a badstory, you certainly made sure that he has evidence to support it,and-look-this guy’s going to have a tight trial date. He can’t start chasingnew theories when he’s short on time. Plus, I’m going to be telling Ogren,every other day, that the bribery scandal has nothing to do with Sam’s death.”
“We’re clear on the trial date, right?” Harrick asks.“You’ll demand a speedy trial?”
“Yes,” she says.
“That will put the trial in May, probably,” Paul Riley says.
“That would be perfect,” McCoy says. “The timing would begood.”
So whatever it is the FBI is worried about, Allison assumes,it should be over by May or so. This was a matter on which McCoy has beenadamant, a quick trial date.
“We can talk to Mat a little more easily than you can,”McCoy says. “We’ll let him know what he’s to do. You can help him, too, Mrs.Pagone, but just be careful about talking to him.”
Allison understands. Mat will not have too much difficulty.His job is not very complicated. More than anything, he will simply be a foil,a sounding board in Allison’s house, prompting Allison on certain subjects forthe benefit of Larry Evans. He will offer to confess, will talk about how dumbhe was to bribe state officials, things like that. Allison will rise to hisdefense, helping to convince Evans that this murder was connected to thebribery scandal, when Allison knows very well that it was not.
“I’ll write some things out for him,” she says. “Dialogue iswhat I do.”
“Fine.” McCoy looks at her partner for confirmation. “Yeah,you can write some stuff out for him, if you like. As long as it doesn’t soundlike it’s being read over the mike. I mean, Mat’s a lobbyist and a lawyer, Iassume he can pull this off.”
“He can pull it off,” she assures them.
“But listen, Mrs. Pagone. If you want to type up somedialogue, fine, but you can only hand it to him. No e- mail, no regular mail.Only hand-to-hand exchanges.”
Allison nods. “Mat’s going to pick me up from the law firmwhen I go down, and drive me home at night. We might have brunch on weekends,things like that. I’ll have plenty of chances to invite him in.”
“Mat’s car won’t be miked up, will it?” Paul asks.
“No.” Owen Harrick shakes his head. “We’ll be watching hishouse. And we’ll have someone at his parking garage downtown. No one’s gettingto his car. Consider it safe.”
McCoy raises her eyebrows, lifts her hand tentatively offher knees. “I think that’s it. I think this is the last time we’re going tospeak together, Mrs. Pagone, until we’re in motion. We’ll get the papers to youthrough Mr. Riley here. We’ll talk to you through Mr. Riley or Mat. You talk toPaul in his office, or to Mat in his car. Otherwise, assume someone islistening.”
“What about my daughter?”
“Your daughter can’t know about this at all,” McCoy says,simply.
Allison could not agree more. This is dangerous enough. “Mydaughter’s not in danger, though? Right?”
“I–I can’t imagine why, Mrs. Pagone. If you’re under thespotlight, then so is your family. Anything that happens to you or your familyright now would be national news. Listen. Let me make this clear to you, okay?”
Allison sits back. She wants, needs, this reassurance.
“If I’m Larry Evans right now, I’m thinking, odds are youdon’t know anything. I just need to keep an eye on you. Any violent act againstyour daughter or Mat, or you, will only make things worse. Evan is hoping thatthis is going to play out as a non-issue, and you’re going to help him believethat.”
“He’s not going to touch your daughter,” Harrick says. “Hehas no reason to. This guy is calculating. He won’t take a risk that isn’tworth taking.”
“Allison is a risk, at the end of the day.” Paul Riley putsan arm over Allison’s chair. “She’s a risk, and if this man can find aconvenient way to kill her, he’s going to take it. This guy is a pro, youalready said. He can find a way to make it look believable.”
McCoy grimaces. Allison knows what she’s thinking. She can’tdeny the possibility.
“I’ll do it,” Allison says. “We’ll be ready.” She looks atPaul. “I’ll do it.”
McCoy collapses into a chair in Harrick’s office. “You looklike shit, Jane.”
“I feel like it. You see Allison?”
“Yeah. That lady’s torn up,” Harrick agrees. “I think sheloved Dillon.”
“She’s so motivated right now-she’s got the adrenalinepumping. She’s trying to keep her family protected. She hasn’t had a chance tofeel pain yet.”
“She’s smart,” Harrick says. “She spends almost her wholetime talking about Mat and his immunity-”
“When what she’s really worried about,” McCoy finishes, “isJessica.” She points to the file containing the agreement. “This is all aboutthose affidavits naming Larry Evans as the killer. This is all about keepingJessica away from a murder charge.”
“Right.” Harrick puts his hands on his knees. “Shiels isgoing to want us.”
“I know, I know.” McCoy brings a hand to her face.
“For the hundredth time, Jane,” Harrick tells her. “Itwasn’t your fault.”
“Okay.” McCoy pushes herself out of her chair. “AllisonPagone can’t die,” she says, as Harrick steers her down the hallway. “Even ifeverything else goes as planned, if I let another civilian die, I-it can’thappen.”
“She won’t die,” Harrick promises.
“You think she’s up for this, Owen?” McCoy hates thisfeeling of vulnerability but she can’t help it. She needs the reassurance. “Youthink she can handle this?”
“I think she has no choice.” Owen puts a hand on her back.“She’s a mother,” he says simply.
THREE DAYS EARLIER…
Allison takes the chair that is offered and sits. Shedeclines a drink but thinks better of it, says she’ll have some water.
Detective Joseph Czerwonka returns to the interrogation roomwith a bottle of Evian and sets it in front of her. He takes the seat acrossfrom her. “I’m going to tape this conversation,” he tells her.
She nods. The detective reaches for the tape recorder, inthe center of the small desk that separates them, and hits the “Record” button.
“My name is Detective Joseph Czerwonka,” he says. “The dateis February the thirteenth. Time is three- thirteen p.m. I am speaking withAllison Quincy Pagone. Mrs. Pagone, I am going to advise you of your rights.You have the right to remain silent. Anything that you do say to me can andwill be used against you in a court of law.
