“What?” Quinn said.
“I know. I didn’t believe it at first either. But then Gerry gave me the tape. He worked with the congressman’s wife. He was Ms. Goodman’s personal assistant.”
“He’s dead,” Jenny told them. “A day after he gave this to me, they killed him. That’s why I had to run. I didn’t want to die, too. But once I heard what was on there, I knew I couldn’t ignore it. I tried getting in touch with the congressman, but others were keeping me from him. I came here because I knew this would be the only chance I had.”
“Hold on,” Quinn said. “The congressman’s men have been after you.”
“Not the congressman’s men, his wife’s.” She paused. “When his campaign started getting serious this past summer, she told him she would hire a security team for him. She comes from money, you know that, right? Very politically active. He didn’t think it was necessary, but she insisted. But I think the people she hired really work for the person who’s going to kill her husband. She sent them after me because she knows I have this tape. That I can ruin all of her plans.”
Jenny took another drink of the water.
“But why kill her husband?” Orlando asked.
Jenny looked briefly at Orlando and then Quinn before glancing away, saying nothing.
“Jenny, why?” Quinn asked.
“At...at first I thought it had something to do with their marriage. Maybe she caught him cheating on her and wanted to avoid any potential embarrassment. I don’t know. Could have been a million reasons. Spouses kill spouses all the time.”
“You said ‘at first,’ ” Quinn reminded her after she’d fallen silent for several seconds. “You don’t think that now.”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t.”
Again she looked away, seeming reluctant to elaborate.
Quinn knelt down directly in front of her. “What is it?” he asked. “Why would she want to kill him?”
“Steven figured it out,” she finally said.
“Markoff?”
She nodded. “I’m sure that’s why he’s dead.”
“Jenny, what did he figure out? You’ve got to tell us.”
This time when she looked at him, she didn’t look away. “Steven said there’s this group... this organization that tries to... manipulate things to benefit its members,” she said.
“LP?” Quinn asked.
“Yes.”
“Manipulate what?” Orlando said.
“Policies. Laws. Whatever it takes. That’s what Steven told me, anyway.” She paused. “He said they’ve been building up over time, moving members into key positions in every department and branch of the government.”
“A shadow government,” Orlando said.
Jenny looked over at her. “That’s exactly what Steven said. ‘They’re a shadow government lying in wait.’ ”
“So Guerrero’s wife? She’s what? A member?” Quinn asked.
Another nod. “Exactly.”
“But I still don’t understand why LP would want her husband dead.”
“Some administrations are more open to the ideas fronted by LP than others. The current administration is not one of those. The way things are looking right now, the President is going to win reelection easily. No one in the congressman’s party will be able to catch him. Not the way things stand now. Steven said LP couldn’t sit still for that.”
“So they kill Guerrero? Someone from the same party they want in power?” The plan did make sense to him, though as he started to ask the question, an inkling of what they had in mind began to form.
“He was a military hero. A Marine,” Jenny said. “He was involved in the Panamanian invasion in the late eighties. Saved a few of his men. When he got out, moving into politics came naturally to him. But though the congressman is loyal to the party, he’s not a yes man. He votes what his conscience tells him, which puts him at odds with almost everyone at some point or another. But the public likes his independent spirit. That’s why he’s seeking the presidency. He feels he provides an alternative to the status quo.”
“Man of the people,” Orlando said.
“Yes,” Jenny said. “Exactly right.” She took a second, then continued. “But Steven said that despite the fact the congressman’s wife is in the LP, the organization has no control over him. But they have found a use for him.”
“So they’re going to kill him because they can’t control him? Why not just create a scandal? Force him to leave office?” Nate asked.
“Let me ask you something,” she said, glancing at Nate. “What would happen if a U.S. presidential candidate was assassinated in a foreign country?”
“It wouldn’t be good,” Nate said.
