Laundry Man

Archie had been cautiously scanning the crowd around us while he hinted at a variety of connections between the Asian Bank of Commerce and money being covertly funneled into China. None of it had really made much sense to me then. I had a feeling it was about to.

“Howard Kojinski had connections with several different agencies of the United States government and in working on their behalf he utilized a great many banks and front companies for his operations. His role was to assist with reestablishing and resupplying the points of access in China that we had to maintain in order to keep the information flowing.”

“Who exactly were we renewing access to in China, Stanley? Who were we resupplying?”

“I would presume, Jack, that we were resupplying the guys on our side. That’s the way it usually works.”

“You mean the dissidents? The democracy activists?”

“Yes,” Stanley said, measuring his words. “And some others.”

Thinking back on my conversation with Archie Ward, I didn’t recall him including any democracy activists or political dissidents among the people who were unhappy about the money missing in the collapse of the Asian Bank of Commerce. As I remembered it, he had fingered a long list of corrupt Chinese generals and government ministers instead.

“What did Dollar and Howard have to do with this resupplying, Stanley?”

“My former firm was working with Howard and these government agencies to establish the mechanisms that were required for his operations.”

“What agencies?”

“You wouldn’t know them if I gave you their names and addresses, Jack.”

“Try me.”

Stanley looked for a moment as if he might, but then he abruptly leaned back and folded his arms.

“Dollar directed the legal work involved in organizing and operating the companies that were used to mask the funds involved in these operations. He was the man who was ultimately responsible for the money. Howard was just the bagman.”

I noticed that Stanley had begun referring to both Howard and Dollar in the past tense and wondered if that had any significance.

“That’s all I know, Jack. If I knew more than that, I probably wouldn’t tell you anyway, but I don’t. That’s it.”

“Do you know who killed Howard, Stanley?”

He shook his head slowly.

“Do you know why he was killed?”

Stanley shook his head again.

“Do you think it might have been because somebody neglected to tell Howard what he was really being used for?” I asked. “That when he found out somehow, it scared the crap out of him and he started shooting off his mouth? Could that have been the reason?”

“I’ll bet you’re one of those people who think that the CIA killed Marilyn Monroe.”

“Didn’t they?”

Stanley had about half a smile on his face.

“Are you saying, Jack, that Howard’s murder was organized and directed by some shadowy operatives of the American intelligence community in order to keep him quiet about these China operations?”

“You don’t think it’s possible?”

Stanley shook his head. “No. I don’t think it’s possible. For two reasons. First, no matter how endlessly fascinating the tales may be, the government of the United States does not, in my experience, kill its own citizens in order to advance vast and obscure conspiracies. The real nuts aren’t in Washington, Jack. They’re in Hollywood.”

“And the second reason?”

“It would have been far too hard for them to do. Never forget, these are the same kind of people who couldn’t convict OJ.”

“Then who did kill Howard, and why is Dollar on the run?”

“I don’t know, Jack. That’s the God’s truth. I just don’t know.”

I held Stanley’s eyes and we sat like that, hooked together, until he glanced away again. Then there was another silence and we both hid in it for a while.

“There’s something else I want to know, Stanley.”

He raised his eyebrows and waited.

“Who is Just John?”

“He’s a good man, Jack.”

“That’s not exactly what I meant.”

“I know,” Stanley said, “but I think it’s important to say that first.”

“He’s not just some retired old duffer who runs errands and pours drinks is he? What’s John’s connection? Is he the firm’s CIA man in residence?”

“Would you believe me if I told you John was retired from the State Department?”

“No.”

“Well,” Stanley said, spreading his hands, “there you go.”

We looked steadily at each other, neither of us blinking.

“How did John get hooked up with Dollar?” I asked.

“The firm were asked by a National Security Council staff member to provide a local cover for John about two years ago. The whole operation of reestablishing our access channels into China was a big, complicated undertaking with a lot of moving parts that could come unstuck and cause considerable embarrassment all-around. Having someone around whose job it was to prevent that from happening seemed sensible so we readily agreed to the request.”

“Then Just John’s not CIA? He’s with the NSC?” I briefly considered the implications of that. “Doesn’t that mean he works for the White House?”

“Don’t be naive, Jack. Who the hell knows who John really is or who he really works for? And frankly, who cares? John Hanratty, or whatever his name really is, is one of the good guys. He represents the highest levels of American authority and he is doing work that is essential to the preservation of national security. Isn’t that good enough for you?”

“Not really. Not with Howard Kojinski swinging under the Taksin Bridge, Dollar on the run, and somebody stalking me around Bangkok. No, it isn’t nearly good enough.”

“Well, it’s going to have to be good enough, Jack.”

I had one really big question left to ask and I decided I’d better get to it before whatever goodwill I had with Stanley was completely exhausted.

“Where does Barry Gale fit into all this, Stanley, and what is he trying to get me involved in here? Is it something to do with these spy games you guys are playing with the Chinese?”

Stanley met my eyes squarely and he didn’t blink. He obviously wanted to convince me he was telling me the whole truth, at least as far as he knew what the whole truth was.

“I have no idea what this man Gale wants with you, Jack. I never heard of him until you told me about him today. But none of the rest of this has anything at all to do with you. That I can promise you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Look, even if Howard or Dollar were going to ask your advice on some technical details concerning the work they were doing as you suspect, I’m certain they had no intention of cutting you in on the whole picture. Besides, they never got around to asking or telling you anything at all, did they? You are clearly not involved in this in any way, and I can’t see how anyone could think otherwise.”

“Then why am I under surveillance?”

“I doubt you are. But if you are, it must have something to do with Gale or his gangster buddies. It has nothing to do with your work for Dollar.”

“You’re sure it’s not Just John who’s keeping tabs on me?”

Stanley smiled for the first time in what seemed to be hours.