ENEMY WITHIN THE GATES

by Richard Drummer

  She entertained the thought of her husband taking advantage of the striking young blonde. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Comstock would oblige only too willingly if she believed it expedient to her career. It didn’t matter. Even if she moved in for the kill, Governor West would never reciprocate. He operated on a higher ethic level, a quality that endeared him to Karlson when they first met. Now she wondered if that was a stoic character strength or a personality flaw. Some men weren’t wired to deal with the guilt and possible backlash of maintaining an extramarital affair. She wondered if her husband stayed true to her merely because it would demand so much effort to lead a double life. In any case, men with a strong sense of conscience were more predictable. And controlled. Definitely not an attribute in politics, she thought. In this business, even morals could be an exploited weakness.

  “Yes, I believe it will prove useful, and we’ll know soon enough,” Karlson said. “For now, rest assured that you did the right thing. The FBI was adamant in their instructions concerning future communications with the kidnappers. I’m sure my husband would have passed this information on eventually. He likely failed to realize how time-sensitive it could have been. We will be discussing this tonight.” Karlson reached over and put a hand on Comstock’s black stockinged knee. “Thank you again, and please contact us with anything you see that might help us in locating Jordan.” Her throat tightened around the words, driving home the performance of a mother’s pained plea to find her child.

  Karlson rose, signaling the meeting was over. “Oh, by the way, might you happen to know the governor’s schedule for the next few days?”

  “Yes, of course,” Comstock answered crisply as she stood and straightened her gray pencil skirt. “I can email that over if you like.”

  “That would be very helpful, thank you.”

  Karlson ushered Comstock to the door and closed it behind her, then turned to Lawton.

  “What did you learn about the line trace?”

  “At least eight police cars converged on the cell signal and found nothing. An analyst from the phone company said they were in an area not well covered by towers. That can greatly decrease the accuracy of triangulation. But now we know Jordan is communicating with her father. That adds another major obstacle to your success.”

  “You mean our success, don’t you, Gene?” Karlson tested him. She needed his complete devotion and undivided attention for at least a little longer. There was too much riding on his involvement to even think of changing horses anytime soon.

  “Of course, Kat,” he answered, not showing the least bit of wavering. “I had the team trace the license plates of the vehicle used in the hospital escape. They were expired, registered to a car in a junkyard. We have people staking out some of Jordan’s hangouts and her friend’s houses. If she shows up, we’ll get her. Oh, and everything is on track for your speech Friday night. The caterers and all of the special arrangements are locked in.”

  She nodded, sauntering up to him, getting close enough that her lips touched his. “Well, then,” she cooed softly, “it sounds like we have the situation covered for the time being, doesn’t it?” She slid her hand down the front of his slacks and held it there, feeling his excitement build and pulsate. She nibbled at his lower lip while undoing his belt. “Maybe it’s time we took care of a little business of our own…”

  45

  “I was sweating bullets when that trooper checked us out,” Jordan told the anxious and worried group upon their return. “I thought it was all over.”

  “Same here,” added Ethan, relaxing into a chair and accepting a tall cool one. “I still don’t get why they would have even looked twice at us. We were going in the opposite direction, and our disguises were pretty damn good.”

  “They wouldn’t have been looking at all if my dad’s assistant hadn’t ratted us out,” Jordan added. “She nearly got us caught.”

  “Then consider yourselves lucky,” said Joe. “Picking that location to make the call may have been the only thing that saved you.”

  Mark nodded. “Could have been the descriptions they were given were so vague that they didn’t know exactly who they were looking for.”

  “Very possible,” Murray agreed, as he ended a phone call and rejoined the group. “The only two faces they know for sure are Jordan’s and Mark’s. They must have pulled the personnel records at the Haven by now and come up with a name to go with Mark’s face from the security video. They won’t be getting to Ethan anytime soon since he went in under an assumed name and disguise. Anyway, this was all anticipated, and Mark stays here until we get through the rest of this.” He turned to Mark and added, “We have plenty for you to do while we figure out our next moves. We’ll keep your car in Joe’s garage, and you can be the central coordinator on all of our movements via phone.”

  Mark gave a thumb’s up. “Whatever you need me to do.”

  Murray turned to Jordan. “Were you able to find out where your father will be staying?”

  Jordan remembered the last thing her father said in their brief conversation. It made her smile. “He’s staying at my favorite hotel, the Watergate, room 825.”

  “There’s a little bit of twisted history in that one, don’t you think?” Murray asked, grinning.

  “Yup, there is,” she said. “I always had a curiosity about the place because of the Nixon wiretapping that went down there. So my dad took me for a tour shortly before it closed. I fell in love with the place. There’s something about it that makes it so unique. Then once they rebuilt, it became my father’s favorite, too. The decor now is so opulent, done in modern art deco. Whenever he’s in DC, that’s where he’ll stay.”

  Murray stepped around the table and said, “I think we all understand how hard this has been for Jordan and everything that’s at stake here.” He gently squeezed her shoulders. “I have to believe the last thing you want on your conscience is knowing you were the one who took this election away from your mother. That you personally destroyed her chance to be president.”

  “Slippery slope, Murray,” she said, nodding, then paused, searching for the right words. “I wish…”

  “What?”

  “I wish that…she could do it to herself. That she would get so tangled in her own lies that she would trip and fall for everyone to see. So that at the end of the day, she would have to admit this was all her own fault. Then maybe there would come a time when she would forgive me for my part in this.”

  Murray smiled warmly. “Well said, and I’m sure we all agree. This burden should never have been yours to carry.”

  She turned to him silently, their eyes meeting, and he saw a kid pleading for help. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to offer precisely that. He scratched his chin as he walked around the table. Trying to attack the problem logically, methodically, like formulating a new mathematical equation. “There has to be a way to get her to bring this all down on herself,” he thought aloud. “Think about this, you guys. All we have to do is find a way to use her own words against her. The rest should take care of itself.”

  “Yes,” Jordan answered, “I don’t know how you would pull something like that off, but yes. That’s how I would like to see this end.”

  Murray nodded, looking around at the determined faces assembled before him. “Any one of us could have the solution floating around up there in their head right now. Maybe you have an idea you think is so far-fetched that it would never work. And you’re probably right.” He leaned in and whispered, “But what if?” He grinned and pointed at each of them. “What if your crazy idea was just what we needed to end this nightmare once and for all? Come on, guys, let’s hear it. Give me anything you got.”

  Theresa spoke up. “What if we could get Jordan out of the country? Get her across the border to Canada?”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Murray nodded, “but that would only address half the issue, right? She would be safe, but none of us would.”

  “Well, I’m trying,” Theresa said defe
nsively.

  “And it was a good thought,” Joe assured her. “You’ve shown how difficult the solution will be. We have to ensure Jordan’s safety, but we also have to stop her mother from tracking the rest of us down.”

  “That is exactly right!” Murray added. “How do we get Katherine Karlson to knock down her own house of cards while keeping Jordan and the rest of us safe?”

  “What if I turned myself in to the FBI?”

  The group went silent and stared at Jordan.

  “No,” Ethan said, shaking his head, “there’s no guarantee that you or the rest of us would be safe.”

  “Now hold on, buddy,” Cody said. “She’s got something there. If we could plead our case to the FBI, they might protect us all from the senator.”

  Mark spoke up. “It would be our word against hers, a bunch of nobodies against a presidential candidate. Who do you think they would believe?”

  Joe drummed his fingers on the table with eyes closed. “It’s actually a good piece of a plan,” he finally said, “but it only accomplishes half of what we’re after.” He looked to Jordan. “We have to make sure your mom admits what she’s done. Otherwise, all of this has been for nothing.”

  “We can help her a little with that,” Murray said.

  “What do you mean?” Theresa asked, leaning in closer.

  “We still have the video from the Al Jazeera interview. That’s practically a signed confession. All we have to do to take it the rest of the way would be—” His expression darkened, and he turned away.

  “Wait, what’s the rest of it?” Jordan prodded, “Finish your thought.”

  Murray stared off a moment, then turned to Jordan. “You would have to let your mother retake you.”

  46

  “Are you out of your fucking mind?” Ethan nearly screamed at Murray. “Do not discount what that place did to her or what it took to get her out.”

  “Calm down, Ethan. We got her out together, remember?”

  “No, you sat comfortably at your computer while Mark, Jordan, and I ran for our lives with everybody and his brother in hot pursuit.” Ethan shook his head, lips pursed, jaw muscles locked. “No, man, a thousand times no. You can’t expect her to go through that again!”

  Jordan put her hand on Ethan’s. He looked into her eyes and took the hint. “Sorry, Murray,” he said, backing down. “I didn’t mean to discount your part in all of this.”

  Murray nodded. “It’s all good. Everyone here is feeling the strain.”

  Theresa would have none of it. “For God’s sake, no! You can’t ask her to do this. It is dangerous and foolhardy. Murray, please, there has to be a better way.”

  Jordan listened as Theresa argued on her behalf, grateful for their effort yet terrified of what Murray was asking. Her legs tingled with an overwhelming urge to run. Run anywhere. This was the worst thing he could have possibly asked of her. She was free now only because of the selfless efforts of everyone at this table. Other than that, nothing had changed. Her fate was sealed the moment she was back in her mother’s grip. Her only salvation would be to plead forgiveness, repent, then fall in lockstep behind her. There was no other alternative, was there? She couldn’t keep running. And cowering in the shadows would be nearly as confining as being locked away again. A life spent living in fear was its own prison. She held out hope that someone would offer a better solution.

  Still, Murray’s suggestion rattled around in her mind, producing more questions than answers.

  “Why?” she asked him. “Why would I give my mother the chance to lock me away forever?”

  “Because she is hosting her biggest fundraiser next Friday, right here in town. The eyes of the world will be upon her. There will never be a better place and time to expose what she has done.”

  “And how do we keep Jordan safe?” Theresa demanded. “How do we stop her mother from repeating this entire nightmare?”

  Murray nodded. “That’s where we use Jordan’s idea. She turns herself in. To her father, actually. This won’t work without him. And forgive my asking, Jordan, but do you trust him to come to your aid, even if it means destroying your mother?”

  “I would bet my life on it, on him,” she answered.

  “In effect, you will be.”

  Jordan looked to Murray. “There are few absolutes in life, but he is one of them. I know my father. I know his heart. He would protect me to his last breath.”

  “Good,” he said, “that’s what I expected, but I wanted to hear you say it. Governor West will be the one who keeps your mother from taking you. He will be the cavalry. Does that give you enough confidence to go forward?”

  “Yes,” she answered without hesitating. She reached out and took Ethan’s hand in her left, Theresa’s in her right. “Yes,” she said even more firmly. “Tell me what we need to do.”

  “Okay,” Murray said, flashing a grin, “this is what I’m thinking. We start by arranging a meeting between you and your father. He needs to see you, to know you are safe. To do that, our first task will be to establish communication with the governor without leaving a trail. That means no phone calls. We need a creative solution to getting him a message. Any ideas?”

  “Package delivery?” Joe suggested.

  “No,” Jordan said, “he would never open an unsolicited box. Too many wackos out there.”

  “That makes sense,” Cody chimed in. “But would he open a pizza?”

  Jordan mulled it over, then grinned. “Yeah, I think he would if he knew who sent it.”

  Murray clapped his hands together. “Excellent idea, you guys! Jordan, I’m assuming he likes pizza?”

  Jordan remembered a simpler time that seemed like a thousand years ago. Her father helping with late-night homework, laughing together while munching pizza. The memory brought a broad smile. Maybe Murray’s optimism was contagious. “Yes, he does. Pepperoni, green olives, and onions,” she answered.

  “Let’s start there,” he said. “Cody, the idea was yours, so you can be our delivery man. Theresa, can you create a disguise for Jordan so we can get her in and out without being noticed?”

  Theresa nodded. “Come on, Jordan, let’s go try on some wigs.”

  The next two days were like riding out a Texas twister, except that everyone in Joe’s house flew about in a ballet of coordinated mayhem. Murray had laid out a plan for the events to come, and the group performed flawlessly under his direction.

  ‘Cody, check-in please,’ Mark texted on his phone. A moment later, he received the response, ‘walking in now.’

  Cody entered the Watergate hotel’s front door like he owned the place, carrying a stack of pizza boxes. No one interfered. No one questioned him as he headed for the elevators and the eighth floor. He turned to the right as he exited the elevator, found the suite number, and knocked briskly. A moment later, a voice behind the door responded.

  “Who is it?”

  “Checkers pizza.”

  West cracked open the door and eyed the tall, long-haired delivery man in a red and black checked hat. “I didn’t order any pizza,” he said, annoyed, and pushed the door shut.

  “Deep dish pepperoni, green olives, onions, the bill says JW to CW.”

  West flung the door open and stared at the man.

  “I would try the second pie, sir. It’s probably the warmest,” Cody said. He passed the stack of boxes with a wink, then turned and walked back toward the elevators.

  Governor West accepted the offering and glanced down both ends of the hallway, then stepped back into the room, still unsure of what was going on. He set the boxes on a table and stared down, wondering how to proceed. ‘JW to CW.’ Okay, he thought, it’s from Jordan. Now, what did that guy say?” Try the second pie.”

  West set the top box aside and opened the other, smiling as he found his favorite pizza inside. He pulled on a large piece, grabbing the long strings of hot cheese hanging over the edge. There was something written on the bottom of the box where the pizza slice had been removed. N
ow equally hungry and curious, he took a bite as he cleared the rest of the pieces away, revealing a message written beneath; World Brew Coffee Shop, Thursday 10:30 am.

  He ate as he pulled out his phone and did a map search of the coffee shop. It was just a few blocks down the street. He could use the garage exit and walk there unseen. The governor sat down and enjoyed a second slice, grinning at the simplicity of his daughter’s message. Even the security detail in the lobby hadn’t picked up on this delivery guy. Not bad, he thought, not bad at all.

  Governor West entered the coffee shop promptly at 10:30, wearing a dark blue sport coat, jeans, and a denim shirt. He fit right in with the other patrons. Scanning the room, he noticed a young man sitting at a table near the window, subtly signaling him. He grabbed a large coffee and a newspaper, then walked over and sat down facing him.

  “Hello, Mr. West, I’m Ethan Ludwig. We spoke on the phone.”

  West nodded his acknowledgment.

  “Give me one moment, please,” Ethan requested as he texted a message on his phone; ‘He’s here.’

  He waited, then said, “Governor, please look out the window over my shoulder across the street.”

  As he did, he noticed a young blonde woman standing outside of a drug store.

  “Is that?” The words nearly caught in his throat.

  Ethan nodded. “Yes, sir, she wanted you to see that she’s all right, but we have to keep her identity hidden until we finish this. In fact, if you look a little further down the street, you’ll see one of the guys from senator Karlson’s private security detail.”