by Sims, R.
“You already are,” he said. “After you meet my crew later today, we’ll relax and discuss the things you’ll have to do as my lawyer.”
“A crew? I thought we were here to interview…”
“I lied. I just wanted to get you out of the country so that we could get to this point. I’m really here to take a vacation and to pick up a yacht that I recently bought from a private owner.”
“I’ve never been on a yacht. Can you believe that? How big is it?”
“It’s 177 feet with three decks, two fireplaces, an elevator, and a theater room with a 224-inch screen.”
She smiled.
“You want to hear more?”
She laughed. “I was thinking about how much you sound like a commercial, just like the Italian taxi driver who brought me here.”
“Well, let’s forget about the yacht. I have another room at this hotel. I have some clothes waiting for you, though I like you better naked. We’ll shop tomorrow and do whatever you like.”
“I like sex,” she said. “And now that we’ve had this brief but necessary talk, I’d like to get back to where we left off.” She pulled his arm, asking him to get back on top of her.
He said, “I think sex is an outlet for you. Tell me why you hate yourself.”
CHAPTER 50
They had both slept until 11:15 am. After a light lunch, Janet and Dexter had gone shopping. Within six hours Janet had three new handbags, four pairs of shoes, two bags of clothes, and a bag of undergarments. Her $16,000 shopping spree was over for the day. They’d be at it again before the week was out, Dexter had promised, because she would need many more clothes for her court appearances.
They were now in the whirlpool Jacuzzi in his room at the Hotel Splendido. She was sitting across from him, her toes massaging his feet underwater. She said, “Do your parents know what you’ve done and what you’re up to?”
He hesitated longer than he’d wanted to. He withdrew his feet and said, “My father has been in prison since I was almost two. Life sentence with parole eligibility after forty years. I don’t know him.”
“I’m sorry, Dexter. I shouldn’t have asked.”
He shook his head as though it was nothing. “Can you believe he robbed a fucking bakery and killed the owner?”
Janet thought about trying to change the subject.
He said, “My mother died when I was fourteen. I’m told it was a brain tumor.”
She looked at him with pity.
“Her insurance paid for college for me and my brother, controlled by a will, a trust fund, and a crooked lawyer.”
She almost winced.
“My brother dropped out of college. He’s smart but he never took education seriously. We have different fathers, but his is not much better off than mine. His father was a heroin addict at the time of my mother’s death; we haven’t heard from him since.”
Janet was about to offer some comforting words when she heard Dexter’s satellite phone ring.
He stretched well beyond the Jacuzzi and grabbed the phone off the nightstand. Dana was the only person with the new number, and she’d been told to use it only in case of an emergency.
“Dana, what’s the problem?”
Dana said, “60/40 just contacted me. His sources tell him that your brother was released on his own recognizance then appeared at the federal prosecutor’s office yesterday at nine. He gave them a lengthy statement about you, and now the U.S. Attorney in California will present that and other evidence to a federal grand jury.”
Dexter sighed.
“There’s more. Have you seen the papers this morning?”
“No. I’ve been purposely avoiding the news.”
“That’s not entirely true. You’ve made the news. SunHot Lead calls you a mastermind. They’re reporting that you were sleeping with your brother’s wife, which ultimately led to a domestic brawl and shots fired. They say the dispute resulted in evidence that supports other findings in the Herbyte Investigation.”
He said, “Anything else?”
“One other thing, on a different subject. I have a personal situation that requires $200,000. As you know, I already have half. Can you advance me the other half? I’m up against a clock. Oh, and I would need it in cash.”
He rubbed a hand across the top of his head, wondering what the hell she needed that kind of money for all of a sudden. He was sitting across from Janet, watching her rise from the tub. “I could be indicted within days, hours. Can you not wait on the retainer balance?”
Janet got out of the tub and walked away to give him some privacy.
CHAPTER 51
Dana said, “Who can be certain that you’ll be indicted within the seven days I’m racing against?”
“I’m in Italy with my other lawyer.” He just had to throw that in, and loud enough for Janet to hear. “I wanted to return by boat. I can’t do that now if you’re only giving me seven days, can I?”
“I would greatly appreciate it if you would cut the trip short, and in a matter of days I’m sure U.S. Attorney Wesley Henderson will appreciate it, too.”
“He’s not bold enough to start the show without me,” Dexter said.
“Were you enjoying your vacation before I disturbed you with the bad news?”
“I’m tired. I was up all night.”
“Are you trying to tell me something?”
He said, “Only if you’re trying to ask me something.”
“Alright, I’ll come right out and ask. Did you have sex with Janet Ingram?”
“Janet is my lawyer. Why would you think I was up all night fulfilling her just because we’re in Italy together on business?”
Dana said, “If you can sleep with your brother’s wife, certainly your lawyer is not off limits.”
“Okay. That’s fair. But since lawyers are not off limits, I want you to get a hotel room in Santa Barbara two days from now. Call me and give me the room number. When I get there, I want you to answer the door in the sexiest, most revealing undergarments you can find.” He was loud enough for Janet to hear him from the living room. “I have two hours of foreplay and one hour of sex for you.”
Dana said, “And what happens when that room is not booked and I’m not in it?”
“That’s the beautiful thing, Dana. You get to keep showing me that you’re off limits, and I get to keep searching for romance elsewhere. You’ll still be my lawyer, the one who’s off limits.”
“Your attitude has changed. This is a different side of you.”
“Listen. You want to wait until I’m found not guilty before you commit to me. Your risk-free approach to a relationship is unbelievable. Motion denied, Counselor.”
Dana said, “Is that all, Your Honor?” She was feeling pressured.
“I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you where to pick the money up.” He terminated the call without more. Then, he called out for Janet.
Janet returned from the living room of the suite, still naked. She stopped a few feet from the Jacuzzi. “What do you want to bet that she’ll be in that hotel room two days from now?”
He smiled. “I like you. Your first impression allowed me to read you wrong. The bet is $100,000. Dana will not get that room.”
“She will and you know it. Especially since you’ve made her feel like you and I are sleeping together here. But I understand. This is just your way of throwing more money at me. You feel the need to pay me simply because I have no problem with you getting with her.”
He laughed. “That only makes sense to you. You will lose the bet because there is something I haven’t told you about her. Dana is married. She claims she is about to initiate a divorce soon, but she is still married for now.”
Janet said, “That actually handicaps the bet in my favor. She will definitely be in that room if she really doesn’t like her husband.”
“I’m about to be indicted within days, so we need to get back to the States.” He got out of the Jacuzzi and stood face to face with her. “Change of p
lans.”
“What is it?”
He hugged her. The skin-on-skin contact was almost dreamy to him. “You’re going to be lead counsel; Dana will be co-counsel.”
CHAPTER 52
Laura Frey was eating a salad with Captain Wafer crackers in Reginald Macon’s dining room. Reginald was sitting at the table eating the same. He said, “If you’re not in Philly to see me, who’s the lucky person?”
“Melissa Caveny. She was on the list of employee names you emailed to me. She worked at your McDonald’s during the time the imposter Dexter Parker was working there.”
“So did thirty others. What’s special about her?”
Laura said, “I spoke with her briefly on the phone, and she remembers giving Dexter a ride home one night when his car wouldn’t start in the parking lot.”
“Sounds like a hot lead.”
“Yeah. I have a meeting with her an hour from now.”
“What are you doing after that? Can I see you?”
“Where? Here?”
“Sure. Why not?” he asked.
“Come on, Reggie. A nice-looking guy like you, you know you have other women coming here at any given time. You’re single, smart, and about to retire at a young age. Did I mention how great the sex is?”
“Laura, I don’t live like you think I do.” He sipped at his wine. “If you spend a week at my house, and drive to work daily from here, you would see that nobody comes here and that my telephone rarely rings.”
She looked up from her plate and studied him. “Can we try that the other way around? Can I have you at my apartment for a week?”
He smiled. “You most certainly can. Do I leave tonight?”
“No. It looks like I’ll be leaving for California in a few days.”
“You’re moving there?”
“Not hardly. It’s the case. Dexter will be indicted next week. I have to interview some more people and go before a grand jury.”
Reginald said, “He’s all over the news today. Is it true that it only took him exactly two weeks, after being released from prison, to mastermind a $3.3 billion investment scam?”
“Not exactly. There’s evidence that he was working on this for the past three years.” She dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a napkin.
“Do you have plans to retire as an FBI agent? Depending on the amount or level of danger involved, it’s a good career choice for you.”
“And how would you know that?”
“Well, I don’t for sure, but I don’t think crime will slow up to the point of layoffs at the FBI.”
“I agree,” she said. “However, I’d like to own a successful bar so that I can relax in a few more years. Maybe retire early like you.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“Money, of course. I’m GS-10 and that makes it harder to save.”
“What’s GS-10?”
“Entry-level pay.”
He leaned back and folded his arms at his chest. “Let’s say you made a drug bust by yourself and the…uh…Drug dealer has a half million dollars in the trunk.”
“I know where you’re going with that.” She shook her head. “Wouldn’t touch it. I don’t want to steal anything, not even from a drug dealer.”
“All right. Let’s say he offered it to you just to let him go.”
“No, because he’ll just sell more drugs and affect more communities. I don’t want the money at that cost. I might as well just conspire to sell more drugs with him if I let him go.”
“Good answer. Can we get married now?”
She laughed. “I have to get going.”
“Spend the night with me, Laura.”
“I should be done with Miss Caveny by six-thirty. Do I just come back, or should I call first?”
“You don’t have to call. I’ll be here. I’m expecting nobody but you,”
Melissa Caveny was only nineteen years old, and the young white woman was more attractive than Laura. The braces were neat and the short, stylish haircut was sexy and seemed to fit her.
CHAPTER 53
At 5:39, Melissa was riding in the front passenger’s seat of Laura’s Dodge Magnum when she pointed and said, “The house with the Corvette in the driveway. That’s where I dropped Dexter off.”
Laura slowed the car and prepared to stop in front of the house. “When you let him out here, did you actually see Mr. Parker enter the residence?”
“I waited for him to go inside. He paid me fifty dollars to bring him here; it was to least I could do. He was a co-worker, so I didn’t want the money but he kept insisting. When he got out of the car, he left the money on my dashboard because I wouldn’t accept it.”
Laura parked curbside and said, “Wait here. I won’t be long.” She got out of the car, looked up and down the street, and then headed for the front door.
Laura couldn’t help but wonder whether Reginald had had sex with Melissa. Not that it mattered.
She rang the doorbell and waited a few seconds.
The door was opened by an obese white woman, easily 300 pounds. This woman had obviously never been inside the Corvette parked in her driveway. Through laborious breathing she said, “I don’t read palms no more, honey. Stinking-ass cops shut me down.”
Laura displayed her credentials and said, “I’m Agent Laura Frey, FBI. I’d like to ask you a few questions about a man named Dexter Parker, though you may know him by a different name. How long have you been living at this residence?”
“Twelve years.”
“Can I get your name, please?”
“I’m Fiona Anne Price. I don’t know nothing and I don’t know nobody.”
“That’s fine, but I would appreciate it if you would take a look at this guy,” she presented a photo of the real Dexter Parker, “and tell me if you now him or anyone who closely resembles him.”
Fiona took the photo from the agent and studied it. She smiled then seemed to think about something. “No, never saw him before.” She gave the photo back to Laura.
Laura said, “You know him, don’t you? That’s his Corvette, isn’t it?”
“Look, lady, you don’t have a warrant, and I ain’t got nothing else to say.” She stepped back and closed the door. Laura walked back to the Magnum then studied the license plate of the Corvette.
CHAPTER 54
On Friday morning, Larry Grover was picked up from the airport in Newark, New Jersey, by Marquese Dyson in a Rolls Royce Dawn. They were traveling west on I-78 when Larry removed his beard, mustache, contacts, and eye glasses to become Dexter Parker again.
Dexter lowered the volume on the radio and said, “Why do you say this is an ugly car?”
“Not this one. I was talking about the older models. I don’t care how much they used to cost, they were ugly ten years ago. Especially the front end.”
A few seconds passed without a word. Then, Dexter said, “I need for you to get to a prominent figure for me. The reward is $50 million.”
“I’ll kill everybody on earth except my girlfriend for that much money.”
“It’s not that simple. Somebody else is already investigating the matter for me. You’re going to have to hang out in California when I get the final report.”
“Hey, just let me know,” Que said, knowing damn well his girlfriend was not going to like that.
“Did you get the phone for me?”
“It’s in the glove box. The number is taped on the back of it.”
Dexter retrieved the new Samsung phone, memorized the number on back, and discarded the strip of masking tape. He powered the phone and made a call to Dana.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Dana, do you have any news for me?”
“Yes. I’ve tried to call you but neither of your numbers are working. I sent email but that address isn’t even working.”
“I’ll email all my new information to you when I hang up. What’s the news?”
“You need to contact your publicist as soon as possible. She says she c
an get you on with William Oxcart of SunHot Lead. The cable news show, not the online platform.”
“Perfect. I guess that story in the USA TODAY helped. What else?”
“You’ll likely be indicted on Tuesday, which is when Henderson will present his case to a grand jury.” She paused. “Let’s see…and…60/40 says he can get much more information on Peter Boon than he can on Doug Ramsey. He wants you to call him. He wants a face-to-face with you.”
“Hold on.” Dexter cupped the phone and said to Que, “Catch the next exit and stop at a service station.” Then, he said to Dana, “I’ll call him next and see if I can swing by right now.”
“You’re back in the country?” she asked. “I thought you were returning tomorrow.”
“Plans change all the time. Drive to your law firm after this call and wait for someone to deliver the money to you. They should be there within twenty minutes after your arrival.”
“Thank you. I’ll explain how important that money is to me later,” she said.
“You’re welcome. Call me later to tell me how things went. Don’t forget to check your email for my information five minutes from now.”
“Dexter, when can I see you?”
“Another problem?”
“No. I just want to see you.”
“Well, I haven’t figured out where I’m going to stay. Obviously, I can’t live with my brother anymore.”
“When are you coming to Santa Barbara? I booked the suite.”
He smiled then watched an airplane above. “Will you be there?”
“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”
“When you respond to my email, send the hotel location and room number. I’ll be there tonight, ten o’clock.”
CHAPTER 55
When Dexter ended the call, Que was pulling into a service station. Que said, “Yo, Dex, that shit your brother did was beyond the boundaries of…”
