16. Deadly Deals

by Fern Michaels

  Adel Newsom was probably in her early fifties but looked sixty. Some sloppy surgeon had sliced and diced, chopped and grated, buffed and puffed her until she looked like a really bad version of Joan Rivers.

  Adel Newsom had strawberry blond hair that had been dyed and fried. Maggie almost laughed out loud when she thought of the Chinese restaurant where she always ordered something called the Birdnest, which was a crackly fried noodle affair that you could see through. Newsom's hair looked just like the Birdnest. Her nose was small and pointy. Her lips looked unnatural and barely covered the woman's blinding white capped teeth. She was wearing a bright red Chanel suit. Botoxed out the kazoo. She didn't bother to get up or even offer to shake hands. Her voice was husky and sounded coarse. Too many cigarettes and too much whiskey, Maggie decided. She looked wary, which told Maggie that Baron Bell had probably called her the minute Lizzie left his office.

  "I don't have much time. I have a deposition scheduled in a few minutes, but I always try to take time for the press. What can I do for you, Miss Spritzer? I don't understand what kind of quote I can possibly give you." Long, scarlet nails filed to points drummed on the desktop. Other than that, not a muscle moved on the woman.

  This was the part Maggie loved. She sat down, looked the lawyer straight in the eye, and said, "Can you tell me what your relationship with Baron Bell is? Is it professional, or is it romantic? My sources are telling me it's both. Did you aid and abet him with the surrogate mothers who took back their babies from the adopting parents? I'm referring to the Dawsons and the Evanses. Again, my sources are telling me that the answer is yes in both cases. I also understand you are the attorney of record for a second, and possibly a third, placement of the babies.

  "I also understand you were served this morning, along with Baron Bell. Do you care to confirm that? Before coming here, I met with Lizzie Fox. She's going to be the attorney of record on these lawsuits. Do you care to confirm or deny that she is the attorney who had you served this morning? I think I used up my five minutes, so if you'll just respond, I'll be on my way, and you can get to your deposition." Adel Newsom would make a good poker player, Maggie thought.

  "I have no comment at this time, Miss Spritzer," Newsom said in her husky voice.

  "When will you have a comment, Miss Newsom? This is going to get ugly. I think you know that. Not only is it going to get very ugly, Miss Newsom, but there is a rumor going around the District that the vigilantes are on this case. Now it's just a rumor, which I have been unable to confirm, but in my experience, where there's smoke, there is usually fire."

  Adel Newsom stood up. Maggie was surprised at how tall the Lizzie Fox wannabe was, how perfectly proportioned. The lawyer did her best to smile, but it came off as a frightened grimace. "When I have a comment I wish to share, I'll call you directly. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a deposition to take."

  "Don't worry about me. I can see myself out. Thank you for seeing me. I'll be sure to quote you verbatim." Maggie scampered to the door and opened it. She walked away from the door, then doubled back. She tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear to it. She could hear a voice but couldn't hear what was being said. She just knew Newsom was on the phone with Baron Bell. Then she did hear something. "What the hell do you think I said, you idiot? I said I had no comment."

  Maggie sashayed down the hall. At the receptionist's desk, she leaned over and whispered to the blonde. "I think you should start sending out your resume. Like right now, as in today."

  Outside, Maggie checked the busy road. The snow hadn't let up in the slightest. She grimaced as she tied the strings to her jacket hood and started once more to jog down the street. Next stop, Baron Bell's office.

  Chapter 7

  After twenty minutes of wrangling, the quartet decided that Ted, Espinosa, Harry, and Jack would make the trip to Rehoboth together in Espinosa's secondhand Range Rover. Espinosa swore that he could drive through anything but tire-high mud.

  A trip that should have taken no more than an hour and a half turned into a four-hour trek with the bad weather. Even though Espinosa claimed they were making good time considering their current circumstances.

  Harry grumbled and mumbled as he tried to figure out why Maggie wanted them in Rehoboth. "It doesn't make sense to me if Snowden's people are going to be there to do the breaking and entering. Are we going there because we don't trust Snowden and his people? Or are we going because Maggie thinks Bell and Newsom are going to head there to get whatever Maggie thinks is hidden there? Ted and Espinosa I can understand. Photos and the like. I don't like going somewhere blind, with no concrete plan of action. Been there, done that. Pumpkins," he said ominously.

  Ted struggled against his seat belt to turn around. "I don't like driving in snow any more than the rest of you, but you should know by now that--and this goes for you, too, Jack--Post employees, never, as in ever, question Maggie Spritzer. That goes for you, too, Harry. If Maggie thinks something is there that we need to either see or find, that's what we're going to do. Maggie trusts us. So why don't you just sit there and be quiet or else sing us some Christmas songs in one of your languages? It is the Christmas season, you know."

  Jack sighed. It was clear to him that he had to come up with some witty dialogue before Harry went nuclear. Harry hated to be confined to small spaces, and while the Range Rover was relatively spacious, it was still a box, however large, on wheels, and Harry still felt confined.

  While Jack was thinking, Ted bellowed that he had just gotten a text from Maggie. "She said Baron Bell was out of the office when she got there. She said the dragon manning the office said she had missed him by five minutes. Being as smart and astute as she is, Maggie hotfooted it back to Newsom's office and got there in time to see the two of them getting into a chauffeur-driven Town Car. She was on foot, so she couldn't follow them, and there were no taxis available. She thinks they might be headed to Rehoboth, which--by the way--is getting more snow than the District."

  "Then they must be worried," Jack said. "What does she expect us to do, Ted?"

  "To act independently and do whatever needs to be done. And not get caught doing it," Ted responded.

  Jack offered up a few choice words of disgust.

  "We're about fifteen minutes away from our destination according to the GPS," Espinosa said, one eye on his GPS, the other on the road.

  Harry mumbled something that sounded terrible to Jack. Hoping to diffuse whatever Harry was about to do or say next, he literally bellowed, "So what are you guys getting the girls for Christmas?"

  A spirited dialogue followed and ended with what every woman in the world knew already--none of the men had a clue what the in Christmas present was that year.

  Since Jack considered himself an authority on women and their wants and needs, he said, "You can't go wrong with diamonds."

  "Diamonds cost money," Ted growled. "Lots of money. More than I have, that's for sure."

  "That depends on the carat weight," Jack said knowledgeably. "I bet none of you know that women consider their ears as storage vaults. These days women have two holes in each ear. That means four earrings per woman. The translation to that is it frees up room in their jewelry boxes for even more gems. You getting my drift here? I also know that women love and adore earrings. They like to pick their own rings and bracelets. Do not ever buy them a necklace unless it is a string of matched pearls like the kind Myra wears and none of us could afford even if we bought it on the installment plan. It would take forever to pay it off. So, it's earrings. I'm open for discussion, gentlemen."

  Espinosa sounded like he was going to cry. "Four earrings at a carat each is four carats. That's got to be a year's salary at least."

  Jack sniffed. "There are half-carat earrings and quarter carats, but women are embarrassed to wear them. Jill and Patsy at Dorchester Jewelers told me that in confidence. I don't think they'll mind me sharing with you. Maybe if we all go there and buy the earrings, they'll give us a discount."

  Harry leane
d over and reached for Jack's ear. "I'm going to kill you! First, you tell me I need to change my decor, and now you're telling me I have to buy four earrings. Is that what you're telling me, Jack? Considering my precarious financial situation, that is not what I want to hear."

  Jack moved closer to the window. "It was a suggestion. Now, if you want Yoko to be embarrassed, well, that's your business. You already screwed up with all that pink crap you bought...on sale, I grant you. You might be able to get away with a quarter carat, because Yoko is so tiny, but I don't think so. You know what, Harry? I'm tired of helping you. You are so ungrateful, I can't stand it. I'm going to talk to Jill and Patsy, and I'm getting two sets. I'll get a part-time job to pay for them. What about you guys?"

  "Yeah, I'm in. I don't want Alexis to be embarrassed. She's too beautiful, and she deserves four earrings," Espinosa said generously.

  "Good thinking," Jack said, smacking his hands together. "What about you, Ted?"

  "Yeah, yeah, count me in," Ted said.

  "Harry?"

  "Shut the hell up, Jack. I'll buy my own present."

  "You dumb shit, you couldn't even come up with a good color scheme. Oh, I feel so sorry for poor Yoko. Now, gentlemen, you have one more decision to make. Gold or platinum? Jill and Patsy said platinum, but the choice is yours."

  Further discussion stopped on a dime when Espinosa said, "Okay, we're here. There's a guardhouse, and you have to show a pass, or the owner has to call and say a visitor is expected. What do you want to do?"

  "Harry, get out and put the guy to sleep. How long, guys?" Jack asked.

  "We can ask the guard if anyone else has come through for Newsom. If Snowden's men aren't here already, I'd say two hours," Ted said.

  Harry rolled his eyes in disgust. "And you think that schmuck stopped here and asked for directions! He probably dropped from a helicopter or rode in on a horse to confuse the guard," Harry said.

  "You think?" Jack said airily.

  "No, I don't think. I was making conversation, so I don't go with my instincts and kill you on the spot. Stay here. I will take care of matters."

  Harry was out of the vehicle and walking around the front of the Rover before Jack could get his wits about him. The guard opened the door, and Harry motioned him back inside.

  Harry turned on his charm, or what he hoped passed for charm. "Sir, how many people have come through here in the past two hours? I don't want you to lie to me, because if you do, I'll have to kill you. Do you understand what I just said?"

  "Yes. Who are you looking for?"

  "Never mind. I ask the questions. Articulate, sir."

  "Mr. Donaldson came through about an hour ago. It's all on the sheet. Just look at it. Are you going to hurt me? Are you going to rob someone?"

  Harry scanned the log-in sheet. "No, I'm not going to hurt you, and no, I am not going to rob anyone. I'm looking for some people I lost track of during the storm. This is a nice, cozy little place you have here. You appear to be comfortable. Can you lock this door?"

  The guard's head bobbed up and down.

  "What time do you go off duty?"

  "Eleven. But if my replacement can't get here, I might have to put in a double shift. I have food, and there's a bathroom. Why?"

  Harry ignored the guard as he looked at a huge map hanging on the wall. Each little square had a name on it. His finger raced over the map until he found the square that said Newsom. Mentally he calculated where the house was in relation to where he was currently standing. When he was certain he could find the house, he told the guard to sit down. He asked for his beeper, his cell phone, and his keys; then he cut the landline. "Can I trust you not to remember I was here?"

  "My lips are sealed, sir."

  A moment later the man was sound asleep in his chair. Harry turned out the light, checked the lock on the door to make sure it would lock when he closed it. Outside, he checked the knob and found that it didn't budge, then wiped it off.

  He barreled around the back of the Rover and got inside. "Go down this road, make a right, then another right, then a left. The third house on the left belongs to Newsom. No one suspicious has come through, according to the log sheet."

  "You're the man, Harry," Jack said happily.

  "For a high-end bedroom community, you'd think these roads would be taken care of. We're all over the road," Espinosa grumbled.

  "Pretty, though," Ted said, leaning out the car window to take pictures of the winter wonderland. "I'm surprised the snow is sticking, since we're so close to the water."

  Espinosa let the Rover slide to the side of the road. He parked and looked around. "Now what?"

  Jack pressed the button on the window and peered out. A dim yellow gaslight at the end of the Newsom driveway glowed dully in the flying snow. He strained to see the other four houses on the cul-de-sac. The houses were as dark as Newsom's house, but the gas lamps were lit. "Doesn't look like anyone is home. It's possible these are second homes of the owners and no one is in residence. I can't see any tire tracks anywhere. If Snowden's people are here, where the hell are they, and how did they get here?"

  "They might have come in from the back on snowmobiles. See that copse of trees in the back? This street backs up to the main drag. I'm just saying...," Espinosa said lamely.

  "Snowden's people aren't going to be turning on any lights," Ted said. "I'm game to go around the back and see if we can pick a lock. I don't see myself sitting in this truck for hours on end and freezing my ass off. We are also going to need some gas on the way back and don't want to waste what we have. I'm talking about our getaway here."

  Jack had his cell phone in hand. He hit the speed dial, and within seconds Charles Martin was on the line. The connection was crackly, and he could only distinguish every third word. He knew the call would drop within seconds. "We're here on Maggie's orders. Me, Harry, Ted, and Espinosa. We think Bell and Newsom are on the way. Took us four hours to make a ninety-minute trip. We aren't seeing any sign of Snowden's people. The snow is getting worse. What do you want us to do?" Jack strained to hear Charles's response, but after the first few words, the call dropped. He knew he wouldn't be able to get Charles back. He shoved the cell back into his pocket. "I think we're on our own, guys."

  "Shhh," Ted said. "Tell me what you want us to do, Maggie. Yeah, yeah, I have one in my backpack. Tell me again. Do we take what we find if we find something, or do we just photograph it? Yeah, yeah. No sign of Snowden's people, but that doesn't mean they aren't inside. Those assholes probably dropped down the chimney, or else they're stuck up there. Yeah, sure, we'll leave them stuck in there if it turns out to be true. No problem. Hey, hey, we have Harry with us. Don't worry. What's the bonus on this?" Ted asked, hoping it would make a dent in the four earrings he was going to have to buy. "That's not enough. This is dangerous. Higher, much higher. Come on, you can do better than that." Whatever Maggie's response was, Ted clamped his lips shut and opened the car door.

  "I guess that means we're going to crash this place," Jack said, hopping out of the Rover, Harry and Espinosa right behind him. He was glad he was wearing his desert boots when he stepped into cold, slushy snow.

  "I guess you know we're going to be leaving footprints," Espinosa fretted.

  "Only if visitors can see the footprints." Ted reached up and turned off the gas lamp. "Everybody hit one of the houses on the street and turn off the lamps. The gizmo is right there below the flame." The guys sprinted off to do Ted's bidding.

  "If Bell and Newsom show up, their headlights will pick up on the tracks," Espinosa mumbled, continuing to fret. "I think we should turn around and park at the house next door and walk across the backyard. The way it's snowing now, the tracks will fill in pretty quick. It won't hurt to pray that the people who own these houses are summer bunnies. Hop in, guys."

  "I have an idea," Ted said. "Let's pick the lock on the neighbor's house, light it up from top to bottom. If, and I say if, Newsom and Bell show up, we can come up with some kind of story as
to why we're in the neighbor's house. Assuming they knock on the door to find out why their gas lamp isn't working. I'm sure the gas connection is somewhere around the back door. Like a gas leak or something. Since all the lamps are now out, it will hold water. I think."

  Ten minutes later the house next to Adel Newsom's was lit up like a football stadium. Five minutes after that, Ted let loose with a grunt of satisfaction when the kitchen door to the Newsom house opened. A blast of cold air rushed outward as snow swirled inward. "Okay, let's split up and work as fast as we can. We need to get out of here as soon as we can. Espinosa, take pictures of everything. The house isn't all that big, so we should be able to zip through it in no time. Wonder where Snowden and his people are."

  "Who cares?" Jack snarled. "Before we go off half-cocked here and waste time, let's think. If you were going to put a safe in a place like this, where would you put it? In the floor? Built in a wall behind a picture? Where? Now, we split up and look everywhere. If you see something, whistle. This place only has a crawl space. No basement and no attic. Let's move, guys."

  The foursome split up, Jack and Harry taking the first floor, Ted and Espinosa covering the second.

  It took only fifteen minutes for the guys to meet back in the kitchen. "There's nothing on the second floor. We even tapped the walls and crawled across the floor, looking for loose boards and such," Ted said.

  "I have wall-to-wall pictures. We can upload them and blow them up. There's nothing there, Jack. What did you guys find?" Espinosa asked.

  "Zip. There's nothing in the garage except the hot-water heater. I'm thinking Newsom never even used this house. Maybe it was strictly an investment."

  Ted opened the refrigerator. "Weird that they leave this plugged in. It's empty." He opened the freezer section of the refrigerator and said, "Whoa! Guess you were wrong, buddy." Ted peered into the freezer. "Eight trays of lasagna, baked ziti, manicotti, and spaghetti and meat-balls. Eight trays, two each. She must like Italian food."