Assassination Authorized

by Erin Wade

  “Good idea, honey. But please make certain their room isn’t above ours.”

  “Is Kady making you feel inadequate?” Mecca teased.

  “What do you think?” The sultry look in Jericho’s eyes made Mecca squirm in her chair.

  “I think I’m going to be late for my first appointment today.”

  Chapter 54

  Faith reread the documents she needed Tom to sign. If everything went as she hoped, Tom would renounce any claim he might have to the Devon fortune and return the entire estate to the control of Daniel Devon. She slipped the forms and a check from the Devon Trust into her briefcase as her cell phone rang.

  “We’re two blocks away from your office, baby.” Kady’s exuberance was obvious over the phone.

  “I’ll be in front of the building,” Faith said as she gathered her things and headed for the door.

  ##

  “How can you sound so happy?” Jericho asked. “This won’t be a picnic in the park.”

  Kady shrugged. “She’s so nervous about this entire thing. I want to put her mind at ease. This is very difficult for her.

  “She’s going to face her former husband, the president of the United States, the father of her children, and pretend she’s never met him before. There she is by the lamppost.”

  Jericho slowed the car to a stop directly in front of Faith.

  Kadence opened the car door and slid over so her wife could get in. She put her arm around the smaller woman and pulled her against her side. “I’m excited about a road trip with you,” she whispered into Faith’s ear.

  Faith caught Kady’s free hand. “I’m excited about anything with you, darling.” She snuggled into the safety of Kady’s embrace.

  “How long do you think this will take?” Jericho asked Faith.

  “Uh, she’s asleep,” Kady whispered. “She didn’t sleep much last night.”

  “Wonder why?” Jericho snorted.

  Mecca playfully slapped her wife’s thigh, and Jericho caught her hand and pulled it into her lap.

  As she drove, Jericho wondered what had happened to the trio arrested the day before. She called her contact at the police station and was told the three had been released on their own recognizance. She thanked her source for the disturbing information and began watching in her rearview mirror for any followers.

  She picked up their tail where Baltimore-Washington Parkway turns into I-295 as it crosses US-50—New York Avenue, NE. A black SUV parked on the side of the road pulled in behind them as they sailed past.

  “Jericho?” Mecca didn’t need to say anything more. Her wide eyes asked the same questions Jericho was asking.

  “I don’t know how they knew we were going to DC.” Jericho spoke softly so her sleeping passengers wouldn’t hear. “The only person who knew you were coming to see the president is General Carson.”

  Mecca nodded and wondered if they were walking into a trap.

  ##

  Jericho and Kadence waited in the car as Mecca and Faith headed inside.

  “I don’t like them going in alone,” Jericho mumbled. “But we have no choice. The clearance was for Faith and Mecca.”

  “Surely they’ll be okay in the White House,” Kadence reasoned.

  “One would think.”

  ##

  When Mecca and Faith arrived at the guard’s desk to check in and go through security, an aide was waiting to escort them to the president’s office. Once there, they found two staffers vying for Tom’s attention. He quickly waved them off as he spied the women. “Mecca, so good to see you.” Tom Reynolds’s warm greeting to the psychiatrist was extended to the beautiful woman accompanying her.

  Mecca held Tom’s hand as she introduced him to Faith Pride. “Mr. President, Faith needs to talk with you. Would it be possible for the three of us to be alone?”

  “Of course,” Tom said as he shook Faith’s hand. “Let’s go into my study.”

  He motioned for the two to take a chair. “Please forgive me for staring,” he said to Faith, “but your eyes look exactly like Mariam’s . . . my wife I lost a few years ago.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Faith said. “I’m certain she’s proud of you and the way you’ve bowed your back and braved the storm you’ve created in your efforts to clean up Washington.”

  Tom laughed out loud. “A storm, huh? I’ve found it to be more like a hurricane and a Texas tornado colliding. But that’s my problem. What can I do for you, Mrs. Pride?”

  “Sir, I represent your three daughters,” Faith began. “They are safe and thriving, but we do fear for their safety if their location is ever revealed.”

  Tom stumbled backward as if he’d been sucker punched hard. He caught the corner of his desk to maintain his balance. Tears filled his eyes as he tried to speak.

  “My . . . my daughters are alive?” he said, nearly choking on the words.

  Faith nodded, fighting the desire to hug him, to comfort him.

  “My wife? Is Mariam okay?”

  “No,” Faith whispered. “Mariam is deceased.”

  Tom looked into her eyes for a long time. She held his gaze without wavering. “Are you married?” he finally asked.

  “Yes. Yes, I am,” Faith blurted out. “To a woman.”

  Tom swung his gaze to Mecca. “Not me,” Mecca said.

  “Where are my daughters? I want to see them!”

  “Sir, your daughters have been through so much,” Faith answered. “They were kidnapped and mistreated. They watched their mother stab a man to death to save them. They are in a safe place, a home where they are deeply loved and well cared for. And most of all, they are happy.

  “You of all people know how ruthless some of the people in this town are. As long as you are active in politics, we dare not let anyone know your children are alive.”

  Tom looked around the room as if he were lost. Then he seemed to gain control of himself. “Of course. What do you need from me?”

  “Your attorney, Willard Fram, is threatening to take Daniel Devon to court to force a settlement so you can get your hands on the Devon fortune.” Faith watched Tom’s eyes as she delivered her information.

  Tom shook his head. “I . . . I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know anyone named Willard Fram. I’d never hire an attorney to go up against Daniel. He was pretty cruel to me when Mariam and the girls disappeared, but I’d never take him to court.”

  Faith nodded knowingly. “I need you to sign this document denouncing any claim you might have to the Devon estate. Daniel Devon will then have his will rewritten so the girls receive everything when he dies.”

  Tom didn’t hesitate. He took the papers Faith held out to him, picked up the pen from his desk, and scribbled his signature in all the places Faith had tabbed.

  Faith double-checked to make certain all the signatures were in the right places before handing him an envelope. “Daniel said to give this to you. He said Mariam would want you to have it.”

  Tom took the envelope and pulled back the flap. “This isn’t necessary,” he said, stopping to clear his throat. “Just knowing my girls are safe is enough for me.”

  “As I said, Mariam would want you to have it,” Faith said softly.

  Tom pulled the document from the envelope and gasped as he read it. “I can’t take this. It’s . . . it’s a trust fund in my name for a billion dollars.”

  “It’s a distribution from the Devon Trust. Mariam would want you to have it,” Faith repeated. “You’re a good man, Tom Reynolds. She would be proud of you.”

  Tom gently took Faith by the shoulders and leaned down to kiss her lips. Faith let him.

  “I loved my wife very much,” he said as he stepped back from her. “More than she will ever know.”

  “Sir,” Mecca said as she stepped toward him, “I think you should be aware that the Turners are trying to get their hands on the Devon Trust.”

  Tom frowned. “I had no idea. When one is taking care of the problems of a nation,
they tend to ignore their own personal problems.”

  “Have you ever given anyone a power of attorney?” Faith asked.

  “Yes. Evelyn. She needed it to handle our personal banking and the construction of our new home. I don’t have time to deal with all that.”

  “I suggest you revoke it,” Faith advised. “It is being used to attack Danial Devon. You might also take a closer look at the Turners. They have skeletons in their closet.”

  “I’ll do that immediately.”

  “We’ve taken enough of your time,” Faith said. “Thank you for everything.”

  “Thank you,” Tom whispered. “I’ll always love Mariam Reynolds.”

  As the women turned to leave, Tom touched Faith’s arm. “Mrs. Pride, do my daughters know I’m the president?”

  “Yes,” Faith chuckled. “They’re very proud of you and all you’re accomplishing.”

  “Do you think I can see them when I’m no longer in office?”

  “I’m certain you can, Mr. President.”

  Chapter 55

  “What have the Pride’s planned for tonight?” Jericho asked her wife as they took the elevator to the lobby.

  “They rented a car and drove back to New York,” Mecca informed her. “They are ready for their lives to return to normal. Whatever that is for them.”

  “General Carson’s limo is already out front,” Jericho pointed out as they walked through the lobby. “I’m a little uneasy. How about you?”

  “It concerns me that those three thugs knew we were headed to DC in time to arrive here before us,” Mecca said.

  “If you get a chance, do your magic tonight,” Jericho said. “Make the Carsons forget the cabin.”

  “I will, honey.”

  ##

  Jericho spotted them as she walked through the restaurant. The two men were seated together, and Dade Dayton was alone at the table next to the Carsons’. The entire thing felt like a setup.

  During dinner the Carson’s chatted about nonsensical things and toasted their success in preventing the crippling blow to the government.

  They finished their dessert and were having coffee when the general slipped her hands into her lap.

  “You have a gun trained on my midsection, don’t you?” Jericho asked.

  “I do.” A sad smile crossed the general’s lips. “I hate when things go sideways like this.”

  Jericho nodded. “I understand. What about Mecca?”

  “She’ll be okay,” Carson smirked. “As long as she does as she’s told.”

  Jericho knew she could take out two of them, but no more. She opted for the two thugs, who were most likely to accidently shoot Mecca.

  Dade stood and walked toward their table. The two men moved in on them. “The barrel of this gun is pointed at your chest,” Dade said, baring strong, white teeth as she moved the pocket of her coat in front of Jericho. “You can come with me or die here where others might get hurt.”

  “Not today.” Jericho stood and fired two shots, each one striking a thug between the eyes. She steeled her self for Dade’s shot that would end her life.

  Another shot rang out, and the blonde staggered backward. “How did you know?” she rasped to General Carson as she raised her gun. Carson fired one more shot, hitting her target in the left eye.

  ##

  “Everyone out,” the police lieutenant commanded as he assessed the bodies scattered around the restaurant. “Do you want us to work this or your military police?” he asked General Carson.

  “You can handle it,” Carson said as she handed him her pistol. She pointed to Jericho’s Glock on the table. “She shot the two men. You’ll find the bullets will be a match to her gun. I shot her, and the bullet will match my firearm.”

  Roland took Mecca’s arm. “May we go home?” he asked the lieutenant. The officer nodded, and Roland steered Mecca toward the door.

  Mecca leaned her head back against the car seat. The Carsons flanked her.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that,” Abby said. “I’ve known for months that someone had a contract on me. I just didn’t know who it was. I’d also heard of a contract on Mecca and Faith. I apologize for using you as bait, but I knew no other way to bring them into the open. Fortunately, they were stupid enough to try to assassinate me while I was dining with you.”

  “They’ve been following Mecca,” Jericho noted. “I thought they were after her.”

  “Probably after both of us,” the general said. “I wish I knew who they were working for.”

  “It’s a shame all three of them are dead,” Mecca said. “I could have found out who hired them. You two really should utilize my talents instead of killing everyone who draws a gun on you. You’d get a lot more information that way.”

  “We’ll run checks on their bank accounts and everything else imaginable,” General Carson informed them. “We’ll find out who put the hit out on us.”

  “General, since you and the president have the government stabilized and things seem to be calming down, Mecca and I would like to take some time off,” Jericho said.

  “How long?”

  “A year or so.” Jericho grinned.

  “Whatever for?” Abby snorted indignantly.

  “We never had a proper honeymoon.”

  “I wondered when you were going to tell me you’re married,” General Carson smirked. “You do know I’m okay with it. The only thing I ask is, if you disappear, be sure Teagan knows how to reach you.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Jericho snapped a sharp salute to her commanding officer as they stepped from the limo.

  “Is there any place you’d like to spend some time with me?” Jericho slipped her arm around Mecca’s shoulders.

  “I’ve heard Belize is nice,” Mecca said with a smile.

  “Belize it is.”

  The End

  Thank you for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoy writing for you.

  Learn more about Erin Wade

  and her books at www.erinwade.us

  Follow Erin on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/erin.wade.129142

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  Coming in 2019

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  Java Jarvis

  By Erin Wade

  Below are the first five chapters of Java Jarvis. I hope you enjoy them. Java Jarvis will be released in September 2019.

  Java Jarvis is like no heroine you ever met. The kind of woman every girl wants to meet at least once in their lifetime. She’s every woman’s dream and every criminal’s nightmare.

  Again, thank you for being a reader of Erin Wade novels.

  Chapter 1

  Classy slumped onto the stool as the bartender pushed an Irish coffee to her. She sipped it and marveled at the taste as it warmed her throat and insides. “Thanks, Randy.”

  “You through for the night?” Randy asked.

  “The sun’s up isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, I just wondered,” Randy ignored her querulous answer. “Pender was in here looking for you. Said he had a whale.”

  “Yeah, that probably means he wants me to do a four-hundred pounder.”

  “Jesus Classy, why don’t you get out of this business. A looker like you, you could find a decent job.”

  “You think Pender would just let me walk away,” Classy huffed. “I’m his biggest meal ticket right now.”

  “Yeah, and he’s using you up. How many last night? Ten johns in twelve hours.”

  “Look, Randy. I told him I wanted out. He said th
e only way I was leaving this job was in a body bag.”

  “He’s just trying to scare you. Pender’s all bark and no bite. That’s why he runs girls. He can intimidate them.

  “Just take your money and run, Classy. Get the hell out of Dodge.”

  Classy studied Randy for a long time. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I should leave. Go back home and start over. This certainly isn’t what I had planned for my life.”

  Another customer entered the bar. “We’re closed, sir,” Randy advised him.

  The man asked for directions and Classy closed out the sounds around her. As she always did, she withdrew to a place where no one could reach her. A place where Classy didn’t exist. A place where . . . where . . . she couldn’t even recall her own name.

  “Hey, you deaf?” Pender shook her elbow. “I swear. Classy. Sometimes I think you go into a trance or something.”

  “Sorry, Pen. I’m just exhausted.” She drained her coffee cup and slid from the bar stool. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Wait, I need you to take care of one more john.”

  “Seriously, Pender. I can barely stand up.”

  “Thousand bucks. Twice your usual take,” Pender dangled the carrot in front of her. “He’s waiting for me to call him. He’ll pay with PayPal.”

  “Like I’d ever see that,” Classy snorted.

  “I’ll pay you cash, right now. Just . . . please Classy. He requested you. Look!” Pender pulled a wad of money from his pocket and started counting out hundred-dollar bills. Your twenty-five hundred from last night and another thousand for this fellow.”

  Classy licked her lips as she recounted the money. With this and what I have saved I can get out of this town, she thought.

  “Okay, but he’s the last one today.” She slipped the greenbacks inside her bra.

  ##

  Barron Windom drove his Mercedes through the gates of his thriving business, Mulch & More Landscaping Supplies. His daughter was getting married tomorrow and he needed to move some money around in his accounts to cover the expenses that had skyrocketed.