Holding his hands up in mock innocence he backed away. “Hold on there, sugar. I was only playin’. There’s no need for you to get hostile.” He flashed an evil grin, showing a missing tooth. “Remember, this is going to be a long trip, and you and I are going to be real close friends when it’s done.” He put his hand to his mouth and blew her a kiss.
Crystal spun around, seething. How could Steve let this jerk come along? This isn’t going to turn out like I thought. She spotted Steve coming out of the restroom, buckling his belt as he walked to the car. He jumped in, but before he turned on the ignition, he looked into the rearview mirror. “Hey, cuz, how about another swig?”
A hand with the bottle appeared from the back seat. “Absolutely, cuz. Here you go.” Jimmy came forward and rested his arms on the seat back. He looked at Steve and said, “You didn’t tell me your friend here was such a firebrand.” He grabbed the bottle from Steve and took another swig as Steve started the car. “Heck, I thought we’d just take some time to get to know each other and she about bit my head off. But I like a woman with some fight in her.”
Crystal could feel Steve’s gaze on her, but she continued staring out the window into the darkness. He stepped on the accelerator and moved the car onto the freeway. “Don’t listen to Jimmy. He talks a big game but he’s harmless. He’ll run out of steam in a little while and will be sleeping like a baby.”
A hand came up and whacked him on the head, causing his head to lunge forward. “What the hell are you talking about?” Jimmy yelled, his eyes wide with anger. “What do you mean I talk a big game? I’ll climb over this seat and beat the crap out of you, even if you are my cousin. Don’t you go talking crap about me in front of this girl.”
Steve rubbed his head and scrunched down in his seat. “Calm down, Jimmy. What’s gotten into you? Can’t you relax and enjoy the scenery or something?”
“I’ll tell you what’s gotten into him,” Crystal said in an irritated voice. “He’s drunk. He can’t hold his liquor. He tried to make a pass at me and I told him to shove off. Now he’s pissed.” She turned and put her arm on the back of her seat. “Why don’t you try to make this trip as pleasant as possible by not saying anything for two hours? Think you can do that?”
Jimmy glared at her and took another drink from the bottle. “Why don’t you lighten up, Miss Goody-Two-Shoes? I wasn’t talking to you anyway. This discussion is between me and my cousin, so just butt out!”
Crystal turned back around and raised her eyebrows at Steve. “This was a great idea of yours, bringing him along. We’re going to be stuck with him how long?”
Suddenly she felt hands around her neck, choking her. She reached up to pull them off, fighting for breath and feeling lightheaded. She kicked and squirmed, but the grip only tightened.
“What were you saying, you stupid bitch?” Jimmy yelled as he leaned across the back of the front seat, his hands firmly around her throat. Crystal fought, her arms and legs flailing around the front seat.
Half turning his body and keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Steve pounded Jimmy with his fist. “What are you doing?” he screamed. “Let go of her, Jimmy, you dumbass.” He continued pounding on his cousin’s chest, but it seemed to have no effect. “Let go Jimmy, you’re going to kill her! Let go!”
“Nobody talks to me like that,” Jimmy snarled as he shifted his weight. Crystal struggled to get her hands under his. Jimmy looked into her eyes, his face contorted into an ugly rage. “I’m going to teach you how not to talk.”
When Jimmy wouldn’t let go, Steve released the wheel and lunged at him. He grabbed him by the shoulders and attempted to pull him away. Steve’s knee hit the steering wheel, and the car turned sharply to the left into the oncoming traffic. Headlights lit up the car as Steve reached back and grabbed the wheel, over-correcting and sending it cutting across the interstate slow lane, just missing a car on his right.
Crystal looked up to see their headlights shining on the upcoming embankment as the car hurled quickly toward it. Jimmy let go of Crystal, screamed, and covered his face as the car plowed into the hillside, flipped, and smashed against a huge Douglas fir. Crystal heard the sound of rubber screeching, metal crunching, and glass breaking. Dust and smoke swirled all around the car, and then there was silence.
THIRTY-THREE
The Barrister’s Club in Washington D.C. prided itself in catering to the members of Congress and had been a regular stop for legislators of both parties for over fifty years. The restaurant was located just a few blocks from Georgetown University, which helped fill it with a steady supply of beautiful coeds. The bubbly owner, Mary Pritchard, a matronly woman in her late fifties who never married, had inherited the place from her father, along with his personality, and she made sure every patron was treated like royalty. She prided herself in the fact that she knew every client by name, their favorite drink, and all their secrets. If the walls or Mary could talk, there would be a lot of politicians who would have a lot of explaining to do.
Congressman Waters sat in a corner booth, a tall glass of Hennessy sitting in front of him and a young woman in her late twenties cuddled up close to him. She had wavy blonde hair, creamy white skin, and bright red lipstick that matched her neatly manicured nails. The low cut blue blouse she was wearing exposed her ample cleavage, and her exaggerated laughter could be heard around the intimate restaurant.
“Oh, Eugene,” she gushed, “you are such a character. I can’t believe all the things that go on behind the scenes in Washington. It’s no wonder you’re on so many select committees.”
He picked up her hand delicately and kissed it, his eyes never leaving hers. “Oh, my dear, those are just a few of the stories I could tell you about Congress. Maybe when we have a lot of time I’ll tell you some things about certain members that will make your jaw drop.”
Giggling, she squeezed his hand. “Oh, I can’t wait for that,” she said, smiling. “I love nothing more than good gossip about public figures. It brings them down to a more personal level.”
A vibration in his pocket made Waters let go of her hand. He pulled his phone out and checked the number, then quickly answered. “Please hold on a second.” He looked at the woman as he put his hand over the mouthpiece. “I’m sorry, Pauline, but I’ve got to take this call. It’s one of my constituents back in San Francisco. Order another drink and I’ll be right back.” He slid out of the booth and headed to the front door. Just before he reached it, he spoke into the phone. “I’m sorry, Mei, I had to move to a quieter spot. How are you doing today?”
“I’m well, thank you,” she answered. “I’m concerned that our little operation might have been compromised. I’ve gotten some disturbing information from my people on the ground in Nevada.”
“Really? I just talked to my connection in San Francisco,” Waters said as he strode into the evening sunlight outside the restaurant. He pulled a pair of Gucci sunglasses out of his shirt pocket and put them on. “He confirmed that our second shipment made it through to its destination and everything went without a hitch. What did you hear that’s got you worried?”
“The president of Soltech, Jason Ballard, showed up unannounced at our warehouse on a weekday night around midnight and started sniffing around. I don’t know how much he saw before my people confronted him. One of the reasons I hired Jason was his attention to detail and the fact that his reputation was squeaky clean. I don’t know how he would react if he figured out what we were doing, but I was hoping he’d be onboard with us. I’m not sure he will be, though. He’s too much of a straight shooter.”
“Are you thinking he might go to the police?” Waters asked, his voice rising. A siren from a passing police car made him look to his left, and he followed it as it sped by him and continued down the street. This is great, he thought. A snoopy executive with a moral compass. I doubt he saw much. Mei’s always looking for a conspiracy hiding behind every corner.
“I don’t know, Congressman. I’ve got some of my people watchi
ng him and so far I haven’t heard anything, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t started talking. He was supposed to go to Shanghai to hold meetings at my solar panel facility, but he stopped in Hong Kong first. He didn’t tell me he was going there first, as I thought he was headed to Shanghai, and I only found out he was there after the fact. That in itself isn’t a big deal, as all my executives will sometimes travel through Hong Kong, but he might have gone there for other reasons.”
“What other reasons would he go there, Mei?”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss that with you, Congressman,” she answered curtly. “I may be completely wrong, but I don’t like taking chances.”
Hmmm, Waters thought. I wonder what other activities she might be involved in that she’s worried about prying eyes. Maybe it’s time to wrap this up while we’re all ahead. “So, what do you suggest, Mei? What might I be able to do?”
“The one thing I know about Jason is he’s incredibly loyal—to friends and particularly family. He’s got a fifteen-year-old daughter and a girlfriend whom he’s in love with. We might need to use them to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. I want you to contact your friend who did the Andrew Dillon job and tell him we have another project for him.”
Waters checked out a tall slender woman who was walking her small dog down the sidewalk. He smiled at her as she passed. So, she wants me to bring in Wo Sung, he thought. That’s serious stuff. He’s not cheap and he doesn’t leave witnesses. I wonder if she knows what she’s getting into. “You know, Mei, if I bring in my, uh, friend, it takes things to another level. He’s an expensive professional who doesn’t leave anything to chance. Are you sure this is the way you want to go?”
“Yes it is,” she answered firmly. “My solar panel operation at Copper Mountain is making too much money and I don’t want this little side business to mess anything up. There may be nothing going on and my people might have gotten to Jason before he saw anything. But somebody tipped him off, otherwise why would he be there in the middle of the night on a weeknight?”
Waters nodded as he thought about that. She’s got a point there. It’s better to be safe than sorry. “Okay, Mei, I’ll make the call. Wo will need some information on the daughter and girlfriend. You know, pictures, addresses, the usual stuff. What would you like our professional to do with them?”
“I’ll get that info for you in a day or so.” She paused a second, then asked, “I want the daughter and girlfriend picked up and held at a safe house until I find out what Jason knows and what he plans to do next. If he doesn’t cooperate with me, I’ll want all of them eliminated.” She let her words hang in the air, then asked calmly, “When is the next shipment scheduled to go out?”
“A week from tomorrow,” he answered. “This one is going to be the biggest one so far. The payoff is going to be huge.”
“Should we put it on hold until we’re sure we’re clear?” she asked, a note of concern in her voice.
Waters did some mental calculations. Thirteen million dollars each if this next one was successful. He smacked his lips and smiled. “No, let’s continue with the plan, Mei, but let’s be vigilant. If anything at all surfaces, we shut it down, no matter how small. Otherwise, we continue on.”
“Okay, Congressman,” she said. “I’ll get the information you requested to you right away.”
“That will work, Mei. I’ll talk to you later.” He stared at his phone for a second then looked over at the entrance to the restaurant. I guess I shouldn’t be rude and keep a beautiful woman waiting. He chuckled to himself and headed toward the restaurant.
THIRTY-FOUR
The pounding on the door of Mei Chen’s suite didn’t stop until Jason, trying to be calm, walked over and opened it. Three armed men in uniforms of the Chinese army stood outside the entry, their fingers on their triggers. “Can I help you?” Jason asked, trying to sound casual.
The first two men brushed by him and rushed into the suite. The third stayed back, keeping an eye on Jason. They rushed from room to room, throwing back sheets and pulling out drawers. The first man made it to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Bending over, he looked around before focusing on the door. He pulled out the glass jar with the clear liquid and stuffed it into a pocket in his pants. He said something gruffly in Chinese, and the other two men moved quickly to the entrance of the suite, where they came to attention.
Jason had stood at the entry watching everything but not moving. The first man into the room finally came up to him and stood before him. “I think there might have been a mistake, sir,” he said curtly. “We were told there might be a fugitive hiding here and were told to search the place. Obviously there isn’t anyone else here.”
Bowing slightly, Jason said to the man, “There are no worries, sir. I am glad you found everything in order. Madam Chen allows me to stay here when I’m in Hong Kong and I would not want her to think I have abused that privilege.”
“It appears all is in order here. Again, we apologize for your inconvenience. We will be on our way. I hope you have a good day.” He gave a quick salute and turned on his heel, the other two men following close behind. As Jason closed the door, he put his back to it, leaning on it for support. He looked up at the ceiling and took a big sigh. What was that all about? he wondered. Has Brian gotten out of the hospital already? I wonder if Agent Namath was going to use this place as a safe house.
Looking around the suite, he spotted his cellphone on an end table by the couch. He moved over to it and quickly dialed a number. The agent answered it after two rings. “Hello? Mark Namath here.”
“Agent Namath, it’s Jason Ballard.” He stopped to catch his breath. “A group of Chinese military just left Mei Chen’s suite at the Hyatt. They say they were looking for a fugitive and they damn near tore the place apart. Do you know what might be going on?”
After a pause, Mark answered. “Yeah, I’m sure they’re looking for Brian Thompson. After we talked, I got a couple of colleagues in Hong Kong to help me get him out of that hospital. It went really smoothly until they were almost out of the place. A curious doctor confronted them. My friends had to make a noisy and hasty exit, and that might have alerted the authorities. Did they find anything during their search over there?”
“The only thing I saw them take was a jar of clear liquid out of the refrigerator.” He ran his hand through his hair as he walked to the window looking out over the street below him. “I’ve got a sample of whatever was in that jar in my bag.”
“I need to get that from you right away. I’ll arrange for someone to meet you to do an exchange. Whatever’s in there might give us an idea what’s in Brian’s system. He’s in really bad shape.”
“Where did you take him?” Jason asked. He pulled the curtain back from the window and peeked out. The same Chinese man who’d been watching him at the hospital was down on the street about half a block away, looking up at his window. Jason let go of the curtain and quickly stepped away.
“I can’t tell you over the phone, but he’s still in the country at a safe place,” Namath answered. “We’ll keep him there for a day to try to stabilize him before we fly him out. That is, if he survives. He’s got a ways to go before he’ll recover.”
Why would Mei want Brian poisoned? Jason thought. There’s only one reason and that is he must have turned down the bid for Copper Mountain and was going to give it to another company. I should leave Hong Kong before she gets suspicious of me. If she finds out I was behind Brian’s being moved, she won’t be very happy. “Well,” he said to Agent Namath, “I’m going to fly out to Shanghai and do what I was supposed to be doing on this trip. I’ll be in touch with you once I get on the ground there.”
“That sounds good. I’ll keep you posted on Brian’s condition. We still haven’t identified who the supplier of the guns stowed on Mei’s planes is or where the guns are ending up. Keep vigilant and let me know if you find anything out. These people aren’t stupid, and sooner or later they’re going to figure ou
t we’re watching them.”
Jason nodded. “Okay, I’ll be careful and see what I can find out. The more I’m around this stuff, the scarier it gets.” He hung up the phone and quickly gathered up his things. “I’d better help Mark put an end to Mei’s charade before anyone else gets killed. I’ve got to play the part until Brian’s out of this country and we figure out who’s behind all this,” he muttered to himself. “I hope this doesn’t end up badly, but I can feel it going that way.”
THIRTY-FIVE
A musical sound came from somewhere in the night. Groggily, Janine reached out with her left hand and felt around for her clock radio to turn it off. When she found it and the music continued, she leaned up on an elbow and reached for the light on the nightstand, turning it on. Her cellphone was ringing. As she reached for the phone to answer it, she noticed the time flashing on the clock: 2:30! Who would be calling me at 2:30 on a Wednesday morning? She shook her head to try to clear her thoughts. “Hello?” she asked sleepily.
A male voice came over the phone, “This is Officer Brannon of the Auburn Police Department.” He cleared his throat and continued. “We have a female in her teens who was involved in a car accident on I-80 and when looking through her phone, your number came up with a 911 behind it. I thought I’d call you to possibly help identify her and get word to her parents.”
Janine threw her legs over the bed and sat up, her nightie bunched up around her. Oh my god, who could this officer be talking about? Where is Auburn? “I’m sorry, officer,” she stammered. “I’m confused. Where did the accident take place and who are you looking for?”
“The accident was just south of the city of Auburn, which is northeast of Sacramento. I’m trying to identify the girl so I can contact her family. She’s been hurt badly.”
The Money Is Green Page 21