Capital Offense

Sitting at the kitchen table in Katherine’s town home, Jack reviewed file upon file. He grew increasingly frustrated when nothing regarding the Council was mentioned. He was about to quit when he noticed a small book hidden beneath the folds of the bottom of the cardboard box. At first glance, it appeared to be some sort of journal.

Jack skimmed the meticulously written pages. Apparently, Adam Miles had begun this journal six months before his death. He had logged daily events. Jack smiled when he read funny anecdotes about Erma. Jack doubted whether Erma had read any of this. He knew she hadn’t been able to bring herself to dispose of Adam’s clothing, and he doubted that she’d delved into his records.

Adam revealed a great deal about his businesses, thoughts, plans, and concerns in his notes. As Jack read, a story began to untold of two friends. Adam and Edmund Lane. The two men had been very close, but their differences eventually ruined their friendship. Jack read on.

Edmund is furious at Mort for having taken on Carolyn as a business partner. He feels it’s dangerous. Dangerous for whom? Jack wondered.

Winston Cain is becoming a regular fixture, and Carolyn is using him now. Jack’s heartbeat quickened. The “C” signature on the E-mail to Cain must have been Carolyn.

Jack set aside the book and went to Katherine’s computer. He logged on and pulled up the outgoing mail file from the E-mail for Cleopatral600.com. Jack inhaled sharply.

Cain:

Rudly’s in Missouri. Eliminate the problem.

C

SIXTY-EIGHT

Carolyn sat on a couch in the Oval Office across from Warner. She forced the image of the most recent humiliation she had suffered at his hands from her mind, determined to concentrate on her goals. Katherine sat next to her, providing support without being aware of the depth of Carolyn’s pain.

“These ideas may seem extreme, Warner, but we’re losing our war on drugs. Stricter laws and enforcement help, but I believe we need more than that. We need to cut the drug lords off economically, just as we would any country with whom we were at war,” Carolyn said. “I believe we have devised a way to limit the economy of the drug trade.”

Warner leaned forward. “So what you’re proposing is to eliminate, or at least limit, the market available to the drug trade by drug testing.”

“I know we get into some constitutional issues with this approach, but we are far beyond a crisis in this country. We need to address the greater cause – if we truly want to stop drugs in America.” Carolyn took a sip of water. “This program would also deal with problems in the welfare system and even foster care.”

“It’s really no different than employee drug testing,” Katherine said.

Warner’s gaze never left Carolyn’s face. “This is brilliant. It’s simple, yet brilliant. Unfortunately, we’ll have to shelve it for now.”

“What?” Carolyn gasped, feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her, “You can’t do this.”

Warner stood and turned to Katherine. “I’m very impressed with your work. Hopefully, we’ll be able to come back to these issues someday.” He shook her hand.

Struggling for control, Carolyn stood as well. “Please excuse us, Katherine.”

Katherine shut the door behind her.

“Someday? Someday. Warner?” Carolyn shouted. “There’s a press conference scheduled for this afternoon.”

“So, give the press conference. Then we’ll let the program die a silent death.” Warner walked to the door, a condescending smile on his face. “The polls just don’t support it.”

“That’s a lie, and you know it.” The bastard was enjoying this, she thought. “I won’t let you get away with this. Warner. I swear it.”

“You don’t have the balls to fight this war. And, Carolyn, like you said, it is war.”

SIXTY-NINE

Jack paced from one end of Katherine’s town home to the other. He couldn’t prove that Carolyn had issued the orders to have him beaten, or that she’d had anyone else killed, but the evidence against her continued to mount.

How was he going to tell Katherine? He believed she was in danger, and needed to quit her job. She was going to be furious when he told her that he suspected Carolyn was behind these reprehensible deeds. She probably wouldn’t believe him, Jack realized, but he knew he had to try.

One thing was sure, he had to distance himself from Katherine. Jack headed for the bedroom to pack his few possessions. Every minute he stayed with her jeopardized her safety. Carolyn, or whomever, wanted him dead. He feared that if Carolyn and her cronies connected him to Katherine, she might become another in a long list of casualties.

SEVENTY

Carolyn’s hand shook as she reached for the phone on her desk.

She held her breath until she heard the sound of her lover’s voice. “What’s wrong?”

“He shut down my program.” A sob broke her voice. “I swear he planned it all along. I felt like a trapped fly watching my own wings being pulled off. And he enjoyed it, he actually enjoyed it.”

“I was afraid this would happen.” he said.

She rubbed her forehead with the fingertips of her free hand. “My God, it’s everything I’ve worked for, my life’s commitment. The entire reason I’ve stayed married to the son of a bitch. Now, I have nothing left. Nothing.”

“Will you finally agree to let me help you?” he asked.

“How?”

“You let me worry about that. Do you still have access to treasury funds?”

“We’ll be doing our final invoices for the task force in the upcoming weeks.” Carolyn said.

“Perfect.”

SEVENTY-ONE

April 9, 2001 – Washington, DC.

“What’s going on, Jack?” Katherine asked as she walked through the front door and encountered his luggage on the entry floor.

Jack came out of the kitchen, drying his hands on a dishtowel.

“Taking a trip?” Katherine put down her briefcase, not meeting his gaze. He could tell she was trying desperately to hide her hurt.