by Don Potter
“First my long lost sister comes to me incognito and suggests a clandestine meeting. Then she tells me she is a free-lance assassin. And to top things off, she nonchalantly tells me I’m her next target. What other unexpected news do you have?”
“You and I are going to switch places.”
“That does it. This conversation has gone from surprising to insanity. Let’s stop right now.” Polly was so frazzled her voice cracked.
“You’re just on information overload. When it all sinks in everything will start to make sense.”
“I don’t see how.”
“In order to protect you, we’ve got to stay ahead of the people who want you ‘offed.’ By me being you until your testimony is completed, I’ll be able to divert their attention while you remain safe and sound.”
“And what happens after that? They are not going to call off my assassination. There would be more reason to want me dead. I can’t believe those words just came out of my mouth.”
“Once the conspiracy crimes are public, these guys will be scrambling to protect their own asses. Your testimony is the defining moment.” Casey knew this was unlikely but needed time to come up with an endgame strategy.
“But you can’t testify for me.”
“No, I’m just going to be a decoy until your big day in court. I’ll lead them away from the front door of the Federal building and you’ll sashay in the back door.”
“Let’s say I’m willing to go along with your scheme. How do we make the switch?”
“That’s easy. We go to the ladies room and change clothes.”
“Now?”
“We’re still about the same size, so no one will know that I’m not you. I even brought scissors and color spray so I can duplicate those fashionable highlights in your hair,” Casey said with the confidence of a person who knew what she was doing.
“But I have no place to go. No clothes. No money. Nothing.”
“I’ve got you covered. You’ll stay at my apartment.”
“Where’s that. I don’t even know what city you live in.”
“I have a little place on the upper Westside. No one will know you’re not me.”
“You’ve been in Manhattan all these years and never contacted me?”
“My line of work did not afford me the luxury of family contact. Besides, I lived in Europe most of the time. I’ve been back in the states for less than a year. This is what you might call my ‘safe house.’ It’s not my residence.”
“Oh, so I guess that means I shouldn’t be upset.”
“You can be as mad at me as you want once you get through this situation. In the meantime, please do as I say. I’m an expert in this business and you need my help if you hope to stay alive.”
“Sorry. I appreciate what you’re doing to protect me. It’s just that everything is happening so fast. I’ll try not to make it so difficult for you. But I promise you this, once this mess is over, you and I are going to have a long sister-to-sister talk.” Polly was emphatic.
“That’s a deal.”
“I guess the clothes won’t be a problem, but how about money? And what do I tell Tim?”
“Yeah, I have plenty for you to wear. I have all the cash you need for now and can get more if need be. Tim, on the other hand, presents a problem.”
“You’re not going to hurt him are you?” Polly didn’t know how far Casey might go to protect her.
“Not to worry. Tim’s safe. I’m talking about letting him in on the switch, because we may need him to do things or go places we can’t under current circumstances. How much does he know?”
“He knows everything. And I trust him.”
“You better. In fact your life could depend on it. With the trust you have in Tim, I can’t help but wonder why you two didn’t stay married.” Casey laughed and Polly attempted a smile.
“Funny, he always asks the same question. Corny as it may sound, we met at a party. It was love at first sight. He took me home. We sat up all night and talked until dawn. After that we were inseparable. Six months later we were married.”
“So what went wrong?”
“Tim had a promising job as a graphic designer, but I was determined to make my mark on Wall Street. I was willing to work night and day to get achieve that goal. As a result, the initial fire of our relationship began to dwindle. Resentment grew in Tim, and I could not understand what caused his anger to bubble up. So I threw myself deeper into work in order to escape.”
“And that brings us to today,” Casey said.
“Pretty much. After two years of marriage, we separated. Tim was deeply saddened. But I stuffed my feelings and become more determined to succeed in the financial world, and you know where that got me. We never had closure other than the court document that said we were no longer husband and wife. Guess I never realized how much I needed him, until now. Let’s call Tim and ask him to meet us for dinner and lay the whole thing on him.”
“No good. When we leave here, we don’t see each other again until after your testimony. Till then we’ll communicate with these.” Casey took a pair of pre-paid mobile phones from her handbag and handed one to Polly.
“This is real cloak and dagger stuff.”
“Only it’s real. Here’s the plan. Use your regular cell to call Tim. Invite him to your apartment for dinner. I’ll be there to tell him what’s going on. So call him now.” Casey did not want to give her sister time to think. She was so cautious, which could lead to a change of heart. And that could be fatal.
Polly made the call. Tim was happy to comply with her request and agreed to be there at seven. Casey took her sister’s cell phone and said, “This stays with me for the time being.”
“Now what?”
Casey took a timeline out of the packet and gave it to Polly for perusal. It had a daily activity schedule laid out on an hour-by-hour basis. This was designed to provide discipline for Polly as well as keep her occupied until the court appearance.
“Okay, I can handle this,” Polly said after studying the calendar. “When do I get some human contact?”
“The only one you’ll be talking with is me. We’ll communicate every day at 5 PM.”
“What if there’s an emergency?”
“There won’t be.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Listen carefully. I’ll call you every day at five on the disposable mobile phone but want you to be away from the apartment. There’s a small neighborhood park a block away from the apartment. That’s where I’ll contact you first. Each day I’ll give you a new location where you will receive my call. Can’t be too careful, you know.”
“Yeah, we can’t be too careful.”
“Finished with your coffee? Then let’s go to the bathroom so I can transform myself into the woman I always wanted to be.” Casey said as she got up. Polly followed her to the restroom.
Tim was greeted at the door to Polly’s apartment by Casey. He had no idea a switch had taken place. Rather than let him in she rushed Tim to the fire stairs and explained the situation, leaving out the part about her being an assassin assigned to kill Polly. Instead Casey led him to believe she was still with the CIA and the apartment Polly where was hiding out belonged to the agency.
“Why did you drag me to the stairwell to tell me this? Afraid Polly’s apartment is bugged?” Tim had no problem buying into the spy concept.
“Never know. I’ll sweep the apartment later. In the meantime act just as you always do when you’re here.”
“Don’t get invited here too often. Last night was the first time in months.”
“When we go back, I’ll grab a coat and we’ll go out to eat. Know any noisy restaurants in the neighborhood?”
“There’s a deli or a burger joint.”
“Let’s go for a burger.”
“How much danger is she in?” Tim asked as he left the apartment building and walked toward the restaurant. He hoped Casey would be able to assuage his fears concerning the woman h
e still loved.
“Precautions, Tim. Precautions. That’s the best way to ensure protection. We’re doing everything possible to be sure Polly is safe under any and all circumstances.”
Casey knew the explanation was shallow; but it did sound official, as if the entire CIA was on the case. Her goal was to keep Tim from doing anything that might inadvertently put Polly at greater risk than she was already in.
The entire dining experience consisted of a series of well-meaning questions from Tim countered by Casey successfully deflecting them without providing any information. It was work that Casey had trained for and became almost second nature to her after years of practice. At the same time, she skillfully interrogated Tim in order to piece together all the recent conversations he had with Polly. In spite of performing at peak effectiveness, she found the fully-loaded burger very satisfactory.
Before leaving the restaurant, Casey warned Tim, “Under no circumstances are you to call Polly at home or on her cell phone. If there’s a reason to talk or issue instructions, I’ll contact you. Got it?”
“Yeah, but I have been talking to Polly with some regularity lately. To suddenly stop might cause suspicion. Don’t you think?”
“I’ve considered that, so I’ll call you daily and engage in some chit-chat. I will do the talking and you’ll do the listening. That means, you don’t ask any questions. If there’s something important to discuss, we’ll let the other one know by suggesting that we get together for a drink or a bite to eat. Otherwise, no contact on your part. Understood?”
“Whatever you say. After all, you’re the expert.”
As soon as Casey got to Polly’s apartment, she did a thorough, but quiet, search for electronic devices. There were four audio bugs – living room, bed room, kitchen and bath room - but no video cameras. The phone was tapped as well. Undoubtedly, the computer had been hacked. Casey was not surprised by the surveillance equipment and was careful not to disturb any of it.
“How was your day,” Casey asked.
“Nothing happened. That’s the problem. Nothing happened,” Polly responded. “I can’t believe how bored you can get in one day.”
“Well expect more of the same tomorrow. There are only so many errands you can run and so much shopping you can do. If you like to read there’s a great little book store nearby.”
“How can I concentrate on reading at a time like this? I’m living on the edge of disaster.”
“You’re safe. Just don’t go off the deep end.”
“From the time you said that someone could be coming after me, I’ve been a wreck.”
“Well, it’s a good thing we made the switch. After having dinner with Tim last night, I went back and discovered your apartment was bugged. The phone was tapped too.”
“Oh my God!”
“I’m glad we know about it. This way all future conversations with Tim will be under our control. Good thing our voices are similar enough that most people could never tell us apart on the phone,” Casey said.
“How is Tim?”
“Thought you couldn’t think about anything except the danger you’re under?”
“I meant did he supply you with helpful information?”
“He confirmed what you told me, so we know what those listening to you know about your recent activities and what you might be thinking. My job is to keep them believing that what they hear and what they think they are seeing is everything they hoped to get. This is playing out just fine.”
“What’s next on my end?” Polly asked.
“Follow the activities schedule, and I’ll call you at the same time tomorrow. This time go to the drug store two blocks north of the apartment and roam the aisles. When I call go outside. And talk to me while walking west. Continue going in that direction until the call is completed.”
“I don’t know how long I can keep this up.”
“It’s only a few more days until your testimony, so hang tough.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Want to switch back and take your chances?”
“No thanks. Talk to you tomorrow.”
Casey no sooner pushed the ‘end’ button when a call came in on Polly’s phone, which she now carried with her. The screen indicated it was Tim.
“Hi, aah Polly. It’s me, Tim.” He was not a good actor.
“Nice to hear from you.” Casey tried to make him feel at ease.
“I know this is short notice, but how about dinner tonight. I really hope...”
“Sure,” she interrupted. “When and where?”
“The Italian restaurant across from where we ate last night. Say six?”
“Make it six-thirty and you’re on.”
“Came here right after I spoke with you. I’m on my second martini already.” Tim was outwardly upset when Casey arrived at the restaurant and joined him at the table by the wall, which he had selected so their conversation would not be overheard.
“Easy big guy. What’s wrong?”
“I’m being followed.”
“Are you certain?”
“He’s sitting over at the bar.” Tim scanned the bar. “Well he was when you came in. I don’t see him now. Maybe he went to the restroom.”
“No he’s passed the baton to someone else -- maybe the one who followed me over here. Or they’re both waiting outside to pick up their assigned tails when we leave.”
“This is crazy.”
“Is this why you wanted to see me? To tell me this and have those shadowing us converge right here on both of us?”
“I’m sorry. Did I screw up your plan?
“Just pulling your leg. These operatives, I’m not sure who they work for, have probably been keeping an eye on Polly ever since her testimony date was set. Along the line, you were added to the equation too.”
“Is my place bugged?”
“Probably.”
“Want to check it out?”
“No way and you shouldn’t either. Don’t want to disturb their handiwork and tip them off that we know what they’re up to.”
“Then what do we do next?”
“Have dinner. Walk me home. And you go back to your place.”
“Anything else?”
“Can you tell me if the veal is good here?”
‘Leave the store and walk west,’ was the order Casey had given her sister. It was precisely five o’clock when Polly received the call.
“You sound as if something is wrong,” Polly said once she was outside and walking west.
“There’s a new wrinkle that we must deal with. I found a bug in your purse. It wasn’t the one you were carrying when we switched identities at the coffee shop. Tim called me because he was worried about someone tailing him. Before meeting him, I changed handbags but did not check it out. How dumb is that?”
“That’s all right. You can’t think of everything,” Polly said.
“No it’s not all right. I screwed up. Maybe I’m getting too old for this kind of work. Maybe it’s because I’m personally involved with my sister as the target. Whatever it is this is not good.”
“Can we meet and discuss it?”
“Are you kidding? That’s just what they want. They can nail both of us at the same time.”
“What do we do?”
“Get hold of Tim. He knows too much for his or your good. Have him leave his place right away and meet you at a place you’d both know without mentioning the rendezvous location by name, but don’t tell him why.”
“That’s easy. Early in our relationship we used to go to this bar on the Eastside at least once a week. But what about you?”
“My responsibility is to watch over you. I know how to take care of myself. Keep the phone I gave you handy at all times. I’ll be in the shadows until you testify the day after tomorrow. You won’t see me, and if you did you wouldn’t be able to recognize me. Now go to the nearest public phone and call Tim.”
Polly was almost in a panic. She headed for the liquor store down the block
that had a payphone inside. “I’m so glad I reached you,” she said. The mounting fear made her voice sound as if she had just finished running the New York Marathon.
“What’s wrong? You know we’re not supposed to talk.”
“Nothing really. I just miss you and want to see you.”
“Does anyone else know what you’re doing?”
“Casey’s the one who told me to call you.” Polly wished she hadn’t said that, but it was too late now. Uncharacteristically, she forged ahead. “Remember that place we used to go to right after we met? Don’t use names or places. Just yes or no.”
“Yes. You’re getting good at this game.”
“Be there is thirty minutes.” Polly ignored Tim’s remarks. “And watch your back. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Don’t be late.” She hung up the phone and darted for the door. An empty cab pulled up to the traffic light as she crossed the sidewalk. Polly jumped in and said, “First Avenue and 63rd Street.”
Upon reaching her destination, Polly paid the fare and crossed the busy intersection toward the bar. As she got closer to the door the fear that had been gripping her seemed to lessen. She wondered if this was false optimism but decided to accept this feeling as a positive sign.
The bar was crowded. Polly wove her way through the sea of people, most of them younger than her. She realized it was several years since she frequented this watering hole. Polly spied Tim at a table in the second room. He rose, she went to him, and they embraced.
“I take it you’re happy to see me,” Tim joked.
“You have no idea how happy.” She smiled and said, “I need a drink. The sooner the better.”
Tim ordered a vodka martini on the rocks for her and another draft for him.
“Okay, here’s the situation,” Polly went on to relate the details of the phone conversation she had with her sister less than an hour before.
“So you’ve got to stay low for the next couple of days until you make a guest appearance at the Federal Building on the 17th.”
“Easier said than done.” Polly took a sip of her drink and slid down in her seat as if she felt the effects of the drink before the liquid even reached her stomach.