by Marie Astor
Chapter 1
“There’s my favorite investigator.” Dennis Walker sauntered into Janet Maple’s office without bothering to knock. Dennis Walker never knocked. He simply barged in unannounced, the same way he had barged into Janet’s life a little over a year ago, turning it upside down.
Her fingers tingling from furious typing, Janet looked up from her computer screen. “Today is the big day, huh?” Janet kept her voice cool, making a mental effort not to ogle Dennis’s freshly tanned face. The man would look good even if he were pasty white, not that Dennis’s silky-smooth complexion had ever been pasty white, not even in the dead of winter. But now he looked dangerously handsome. “How was your vacation? Puerto Rico, was it?”
“Turks and Caicos, and it was wonderful.”
Janet nodded. She knew that. She had known the destination of Dennis’s getaway ever since he had posted his vacation schedule on the department calendar two months ago, and she had spent weeks visualizing his trip. Dennis stretched on a lounge chair, sipping one of those resort drinks from a coconut with a dark-eyed lanky brunette by his side, or perhaps a blue-eyed blonde. When it came to women, Dennis had only one requirement: they had to be drop-dead gorgeous. Apparently, Janet Maple was not gorgeous enough for Dennis Walker.
“You look like you could use a break, Janet.” Dennis’s comment made Janet conscious of the dark circles under her eyes, which so far were her only reward for burning the midnight oil at work.
“Not everyone has the luxury of taking a week off before the most important case hearing of one’s career.”
Dennis’s eyes locked on Janet’s, his glance acknowledging their never-ending game of verbal tennis. “As I told my boss, I had scheduled my vacation months in advance; the case hearing had been moved three times. I have a life, you know, and I can’t be at the Enforcement Division’s beck and call.”
“Can you believe the momentum the case has gained?” Janet steered the conversation away from the alarming subject of Dennis’s private life, the details of which, despite all the hours she had spent pondering the subject, she wanted to know as little as possible.
“I know. We did all the groundwork and then every single regulator jumped on the bandwagon, including your former alma mater, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.”
Janet felt the usual sting of chagrin that the mention of her former employer never failed to trigger. Yes, her legal career had begun with a position of assistant district attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, but her promising start fizzled to a disappointing conclusion after she was downsized from the DA’s office in the middle of an important case.
As if reading her thoughts, or more likely her expression, Dennis cleared his throat. “David Muller has wreaked enough havoc. It’s high time he was brought to justice.”
“I sure hope that’s going to be the case.”
Dennis frowned. “Why the hesitation?”
“For the very same reason you just mentioned: the case hearing has been postponed three times already.”
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door of Janet’s office. The head of the Investigations department, Hamilton Kirk, stood in the doorway. “Dennis, Janet, may I speak to you a minute?” As always, Ham’s facial expression was inscrutable, but the serendipity of his appearance made Janet look at her watch. It was after three p.m.: the Emperial case decision had to have been reached by now, and if the news were good even Hamilton Kirk would not have been able to resist the joy of announcing it.
“Of course, Ham.” Dennis’s tone was smooth, but not smooth enough for Janet to miss the hidden notes of apprehension in his voice.
Together, Janet and Dennis followed Ham into his office. Just why Ham had to insist on going to his office was beyond Janet. Although much smaller in size, her office would have provided sufficient privacy for their discussion, but then she had gotten used to not questioning Ham’s idiosyncrasies.
The moment they reached Ham’s office, Janet understood her boss’s request. Hamilton Kirk had worked for various departments of the Treasury for over twenty years, during which he had acquired vast office paraphernalia—certifications and commendatory plaques, reference guides, and never-ending stacks of bulging folders that contained case materials—but now all of these items were neatly packed in cardboard boxes that lined the floor of Ham’s office.
Both Janet and Dennis looked questioningly at Ham.
“I’m sorry, team,” Ham paused to swallow. “As of today I’m retired.”
“Retired? And you are springing this on us now, when you’re already packed?” Dennis eyed Ham reproachfully.
Ham patted Dennis’s shoulder. “I only found out this morning myself.”
Janet had to make an effort to keep her jaw from dropping. “What do you mean?”
With a sigh, Ham stepped over the row of boxes and sat behind his desk. “Sit down, you two.”
Mechanically, Janet and Dennis sank into the chairs opposite Ham’s desk.
“I know that our job is not easy: we try to do what’s right the best way we can with the few resources we have, and, let’s admit it, on measly pay. I have worked in this place for over twenty years, and until this morning I still believed in such a thing as justice. But now I know that I have been a naïve fool.” Ham shook his head. “They are kicking me out—”
“Who’s kicking you out, Ham?” Dennis cut in.
Ham went on, ignoring Dennis’s question. “Although I must say that the severance package is quite generous. Finally, my long-awaited dream of retirement has come true—the only funny thing is, is that now that it’s here it doesn’t feel nearly as good as I thought it would. In fact, it feels like being thrown out into a dumpster.”
“Who is kicking you out, Ham?” Dennis repeated.
“My boss,” Ham replied simply. “I’ve worked for the man for over ten years. This morning he calls me up from Washington. ‘Ham,’ he says, ‘it’s been wonderful to have you with us. In recognition of your stellar service, the most notable of which was your work on the Emperial case, your pension is now fully vested. Your retirement starts today.’” Ham shook his head. “He didn’t even have the decency to give it to me straight.”
“Give what to you straight?” Dennis demanded.
“Oh, come on, Dennis. If you plan to stay in this trade you’ve got to wise up or you’ll end up an old fool like me. David Muller has friends in high places. As of this morning, the Emperial case has been dismissed by our Enforcement Division for lack of evidence. I am now retired, and next week your new boss will be coming in. His name is Alex Kingsley. He’s some young hot shot from the DA’s office.”
“Alex Kingsley?!” Janet exclaimed.
Dennis shot Janet a sharp look. “Why, you know him?”
“Briefly,” Janet replied, cursing her cracked voice and flushed face for betraying her agitation. “We’ve worked together,” she added noncommittally. After all, she could not very well admit that Alex had been much more than her coworker at the DA’s office. Janet had known Alex since they had met at Columbia Law, from which they had graduated in the same class. Alex had been her boyfriend for almost five years; he had been the man she had thought would be the one. And last but not least, not only had Alex taken credit for Janet’s work on most of the cases that the two of them had been assigned to at the DA’s office, he got a promotion that should have been Janet’s. Then he put the icing on the cake by breaking up with her and suggesting that they remain friends. Needless to say, Janet had refused, and several weeks later she had been downsized.
“Who is this guy? Does he have the credentials for the job?” Dennis asked.
“Er …” Janet’s face grew warm. Her personal opinion of Alex was that he was not worth the ground he walked on, but then she was biased. Alex did graduate from Columbia Law, albeit only because Janet had contributed to that fact substantially by letting him copy her homework assignments and class notes,
but who was counting, right?
“Dennis, listen to me,” Ham snapped. “As far as the big men at the top are concerned, Kingsley’s qualifications are irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that he’s the man they want for the job, and I’m not.” Ham looked away. “All the years of hard work down the drain … If there’s one thing I learned through this experience is that moral flexibility is paramount. If I had caved in when they told me, I would still have my job today.”
“What do you mean, caved in?” Dennis asked.
“Our Enforcement Division had postponed the hearing three times. I should have gotten the hint.”
“You mean they are in on it?” Janet blurted out.
“Hank Dooley, the chief of Enforcement, is a political shark. He’s got his eyes set on Washington, and he’ll do anything to get there—” Ham broke off, shaking his head. “There’s no use talking about this now: what’s done is done, and I don’t intend to spend my time dwelling on the past. As much as I’ve enjoyed chatting with you young people, I ought to get going. I have a dinner date with my wife, and Neely doesn’t like it when I’m late. Boy, she’s going to be excited about the retirement package.” Ham rubbed his chin, his eyes brightening up. “You know, I think I’m starting to warm to this retirement idea after all.”
“We’ll miss you, Ham.” Dennis’s voice was somber and sincere. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too, both of you. This is not the way I expected my career to end, but when life slips you lemons the only thing to do is to try to turn them into lemonade. Make nice to the new boss. I hear he’s been told to clean ship, so don’t give him any pretext to do so.” Ham rose from the chair and extended his hand to Janet. “The few months we’ve worked together have been a pleasure, Janet. I’m sure you’ll have a stellar career, regardless of where it might be.”
“Thank you, Ham.” Janet tried not to read too much into the “wherever it might be” part.
“Dennis, I don’t mean to sound patronizing, but you were truly like a son to me and you always will be. I know I busted your chops at times, but that was only because I wanted to see you reach your full potential. You are a damn good investigator, and if it were up to me I would name you as my successor. But, as things stand, it’s no longer up to me. I hope there won’t be any hard feelings.”
“None, sir. Thank you, sir. It has been an honor and a pleasure to have worked with you.”
Ham nodded. “Thank you, son. I’d better get packing: they want me off the premises by five.”
“Goodbye, sir.” Janet took one last look at Hamilton Kirk. Unlike Dennis, she had not worked with the man for long, but in the brief time that she had known Ham she had grown to respect him greatly. Ham was honest, principled, and fair. These were qualities that were rare in any man and were certainly not among the traits that Alex Kingsley possessed.