Jim McGill 04 The Last Ballot Cast, Part 2
Page 1
Part 2: The Last Ballot Cast
A Jim McGill Novel
by
Joseph Flynn
Stray Dog Press, Inc.
Springfield, IL
2012
Praise for Joseph Flynn’s novels
“Flynn is an excellent storyteller.” — Booklist
“Flynn keeps the pages turning.” — Houston Chronicle
“Flynn propels his plot with potent but flexible force.” — Publishers Weekly
Digger
“A mystery cloaked as cleverly as (and perhaps better than) any John Grisham work.”
— Denver Post
“Surefooted, suspenseful and in its breathless final moments unexpectedly heartbreaking.”
— Booklist
“An exciting, gritty, emotional page-turner.”— Robert K. Tannenbaum, New York Times Bestselling Author of True Justice
The Next President
“The Next President bears favorable comparison to such classics as The Best Man, Advise and Consent and The Manchurian Candidate.” — Booklist
“A thriller fast enough to read in one sitting.” — Rocky Mountain News
The President’s Henchman
“Marvelously entertaining.” — ForeWord Magazine
Also by Joseph Flynn
The Concrete Inquisition
Digger
The Next President
Hot Type
Farewell Performance
Gasoline, Texas
The President’s Henchman, A Jim McGill Novel [#1]
The Hangman’s Companion, A Jim McGill Novel [#2]
The K Street Killer, A Jim McGill Novel [#3]
Nailed
Round Robin
Blood Street Punx
One False Step
Still Coming
Still Coming Expanded Edition
Tall Man in Ray-Bans, A John Tall Wolf Novel
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Copyright
Author’s Note
Cast of Characters
1 – November, 2011
2 – December , 2011
3 – January, 2012
4 – February, 2012
5 – March, 2012
6 – April, 2012
7 – May, 2012
8 – June, 2012
9 – July, 2012
10 – August, 2012
11 – September, 2012
12 – October, 2012
13 – November, 2012
14 – December, 2012
About the Author
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my proofreaders: Catherine, Caitie, Anne and Susan. Of course, some of my typos and other mistakes are so devious they defy human intervention. Any errors you may find in this novel are solely my responsibility.
Acknowledgements
As in Part 1 of this novel, my thanks go out to Jim Sullivan and Susan McIntyre for their help, respectively, in matters concerning martial arts and medical science.
Copyright
Part 2: The Last Ballot Cast
A Jim McGill Novel
by
Joseph Flynn
Published by Stray Dog Press, Inc.
Springfield, IL 62704, U.S.A.
Copyright Stray Dog Press, Inc., 2012
All rights reserved
Author website: www.josephflynn.com
Flynn, Joseph
Part 2: The Last Ballot Cast / Joseph Flynn
124,199 words eBook
ISBN 978-0-9837975-6-2
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Publisher’s Note
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously; any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
eBook design by Aha! Designs
Author’s Note
As mentioned in Part 1 of this novel, some of the situations and people mentioned herein are real, but most of the material is solely a product of my imagination.
Cast of Characters
James J. (Jim) McGill, second husband of President Patricia Darden Grant, aka The President’s Henchman
Patricia Darden Grant, President of the United States, former Congresswoman, wife of Jim McGill, widow of Andrew Hudson Grant
Margaret “Sweetie” Sweeney, Jim McGill’s investigative partner, former police partner
Putnam Shady, lobbyist, landlord and lover of Margaret Sweeney
Galia Mindel, Chief of Staff to President Grant
Stephen Norwood, Galia Mindel’s Deputy Chief of Staff
Edwina Byington, the president’s personal secretary
Mather Wyman, Vice President, Kira’s Fahey Yates’ uncle
Celsus Crogher, Secret Service Agent in charge of White House Security Detail
Elspeth Kendry, Secret Service Special Agent
Donald “Deke” Ky, McGill’s Secret Service bodyguard
Leo Levy, McGill’s armed driver, ex NASCAR race driver
Carolyn [McGill] Enquist, first wife of Jim McGill
Lars Enquist, Carolyn’s [McGill] second husband
Abbie McGill, oldest child of Jim McGill and his first wife Carolyn
Kenny McGill, middle child, only son of Jim McGill and his first wife Carolyn
Caitie McGill, youngest child of Jim McGill and his first wife Carolyn
Andrew Hudson Grant, President Grant’s 1st husband
Captain Welborn Yates, Air Force Office of Special Investigations
Kira Fahey Yates, wife of Welborn Yates
Artemus Nicolaides, White House physician
Clare Tracy, Jim McGill’s college sweetheart
Dikran “Dikki” Missirian, McGill’s business landlord
Sir Robert Reed, Welborn Yates’ British father
Carina Linberg, USAF colonel, retired
Liesl Eberhardt, Kenny’s sometime girlfriend
Chana Lochlan, television reporter; source of leaks from WorldWide News
Admiral David Dexter, Chairman of the Join Chiefs
Byron DeWitt, FBI Deputy Director
Daryl Cheveyo, CIA officer, Damon Todd’s agency contact
Michael Jaworsky, Attorney General
Linda Otani, Deputy Attorney General
Rev. Burke Godfrey, Pastor of Salvation’s Path Church, husband of Erna
Erna Godfrey, anti-abortion activist, incarcerated murderer; wife of Rev. Burke Godfrey
Benton Williams, lawyer for Rev. Godfrey
Sir Edbert Bickford, CEO of global media empire WorldWide News
Hugh Collier, nephew of Sir Bickford
Ellie Booker, producer for WorldWide News
Damon Todd, deranged psychotherapist [aka Dan Templeton]
Arn Crosby, “retired” member of CIA
Olin Anderson, “retired” member of CIA
Stanwick, “retired” member of CIA
Linley Boland, auto thief [aka Jackie Richmond]
Alice Tompkins, [aka Mary] owner of Mango Mary’s bar in Key West
Tom T. Wright, billionaire and Super PAC contributor
Reynard Dix, Chairman of the Republican National Committee
Henry Melchior, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
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Elected Officials and Staff
Charles Talbert, Senator from Indiana, Republican
Sheryl Kimbrough, professor at Indiana University, Republican elector from Indiana
Cassidy Kimbrough, daughter of Sheryl Kimbrough
Howard Hurlbert, Senator from Mississippi, Republican
Merilee Parker, former press secretary for Sen. Howard Hurlbert
Bobby Beckley, Sen Hurlbert’s campaign manager and chief of staff
Derek Geiger, deceased Republican Speaker of the House
Roger Michaelson, Senator from Oregon, Democrat
Bob Merriman, former Chief of Staff to Senator Michaelson
John Wexford, Senator from Michigan, Democrat, Senate Majority Leader
Richard Bergen, Senator from Illinois, Democrat, assistant majority leader
Marlene Berman, Representative from New York, Democrat, House minority leader
Diego Paz, Representative from California, Democrat, assistant minority leader
Peter Profitt, Representative from North Carolina, Republican, House Majority Leader
Darrin Neff, Senator from South Carolina, [Republican]
Jim McKee, Senator from North Carolina, [Republican]
Beau Brunelle, Senator from Louisiana, [Republican]
Dan Crockett, Senator from Tennessee, [Republican]
Jean Morrissey, Governor of Minnesota, [Democrat]
Frank Morrissey, Governor Morrissey’s brother and confidant
Eugene Rinaldo, Governor of New York [Democrat]
Edward Mulcahy, Governor of Illinois [Democrat]
Lara Chavez, Governor of California [Democrat]
John Patrick Granby, Secretary of State from New Hampshire
Paul Brandstetter, Secretary of State from Iowa
Charles Delmain, Secretary of State from South Carolina
Alberto Calendri, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
Titus Hawkins, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
The Last Ballot Cast: Part 2
1
November, 2011
McGill Investigations, Inc. — Washington, D.C.
It wasn’t often, if ever, that the number two official in the FBI came calling at the offices of a private investigator. Byron DeWitt didn’t come hat in hand because he wouldn’t have dreamed of covering his locks with cloth, leather or fur. Sun streaks were the look for California surfers, not hat hair.
The deputy director left his entourage at street level where the ever genial Dikki Missirian, the building’s owner and McGill’s landlord, was serving them complimentary bottles of San Pellegrino under Cinzano umbrellas, the weather being unseasonably warm.
McGill was the one with the supporting cast. Sweetie was with him as his business partner and as a matter of course. Also present were Elspeth Kendry, Deke Ky and Leo Levy. The special agents from the Secret Service needed to be kept informed of any perceived threat they hadn’t detected on their own, and Leo needed to know if any evasive or aggressive driving might be on the horizon.
DeWitt looked around, saw that there was an open chair next to Sweetie, guessed it was for him. Before sitting, though, he shook hands with all present and introduced himself to those he hadn’t met. Shaking McGill’s hand last, he began with his first item on his agenda, an apology.
“Sorry I screwed up. Responsibility is on me.”
McGill said, “Anybody in this room can tell you how far from perfect I am. I’m grateful you saw your way clear to come here today. It would be awkward for all of us if you weren’t feeling cooperative.”
He sat behind his desk and gestured for DeWitt to take his seat.
DeWitt agreed. “Yeah, there are some hard chargers downstairs who said the director and I should just tell you to butt out and dare the president to overrule us.”
McGill gave DeWitt a look. Sweetie was the one to laugh.
She said, “Good thing cooler heads prevailed.”
“What Ms. Sweeney is saying,” McGill told DeWitt, “is we can’t be muscled.”
DeWitt said, “That’s the last thing I want. My idea is, let’s catch these SOBs and go out for a drink afterward.”
“No worries about who gets credit when we do catch them?” Elspeth asked.
The deputy director shook his head. “I’m pretty insistent about taking blame when it’s deserved; I’m less concerned about claiming credit.”
DeWitt held his hands out to McGill. Peace, he was plainly asking.
McGill nodded and asked, “What’s your takeaway from what happened with Todd?”
The deputy director said, “That’s he’s smart and he probably still has Crosby and Anderson with him. They were loose canons at the CIA, but they’re tough and experienced.”
“You think Langley might be holding anything back on us?” McGill asked.
“No, they’d be too afraid of what the president might do.”
That was one big reason DeWitt’s inclination to work with McGill had won out over the hard line advanced by not only his subordinates but the director, as well. The president was clearly taking a special interest in finding Damon Todd; she’d made the CIA come across with personnel records they’d undoubtedly have preferred remain their private reading. If she didn’t want her husband — and company — working the case, she would have told them so, and passed the word to the FBI.
Sweetie said, “When I first read the files on Todd, Crosby and Anderson, it made me wonder what you’d get if you crossed a virus with bacteria.”
“A lot of dead people,” Deke told her.
Following up on that point, DeWitt asked McGill, “Are you sure Dr. Todd meant to kill you when he attacked you in your office?”
“Someone comes at you in the dark with a baseball bat, what would you think?” McGill said. “Todd told me he strangled a man. We also know that Dr. Evelyn Patanky, the therapist who helped him recover from a nervous breakdown, disappeared and has never been found.”
Deke and Elspeth exchanged a look. Without saying a word, they’d passed sentence.
Almost like Crosby and Anderson might have done.
They weren’t going to take any prisoners either.
McGill spotted the silent exchange. Didn’t choose to comment. Wasn’t sure he objected.
As if she were a mind reader, Sweetie gave voice to what the others were thinking. “So we’re dealing with killers all the way around. Makes for a take-no-chances approach to the situation.”
McGill pointed out, “The problem is, none of these guys has any record of committing any crimes. Correct me if I’m wrong, but there aren’t even any arrest warrants out for them.”
DeWitt said, “Consider them persons of interest to be brought in for questioning.”
“Something best done by those of you who still have badges,” Sweetie said.
DeWitt replied, “That would be ideal, yes, but under the law everyone has the right of self-defense. Given the fact that we all know how dangerous these men are, exercising that right to its full extent would be understandable.”
Maybe in court, McGill thought, but if he or Sweetie popped Todd or one of his friends, it might not look too good in the context of a presidential election. He could practically hear the demands for the appointment of a special prosecutor. Better that than leaving a widow and fatherless children behind, but he and Margaret were going to have to be careful.
“Did you learn anything from the attempt to lure Todd to the house in Pennsylvania?” McGill asked DeWitt.
The deputy director said, “Yes, we were close to succeeding. From information we learned from the decoy we took into custody, we worked our way back to a bar in Wilmington, Delaware. Three men we believe to be Todd, Crosby and Anderson were there directing the efforts of the four people who spotted Lydell Martin leave work and followed him back to the safe house we were using.
“We believe Todd was using smart phone or tablet computer technology to receive video and voice reports from his scouts. Once Tod
d saw the house Martin entered and the coast was clear, we expected him to come in and find out what had gone wrong with one of his subjects. But he sent the decoy and I gave the premature order to grab the wrong guy. The decoy had a disposable phone he’d been given and used it to curse out the people who’d gotten him into the mess. That was all the warning they needed to get away.”
Sweetie had the grace to admit, “I would’ve jumped the decoy, too.”
“So would I,” McGill said. “The thing to understand is you weren’t the only one to make a mistake, Todd did. He screwed up somehow, but he recognized the mistake before it could hurt him. It’s always a pain when a bad guy is smart.”
DeWitt said, “He is that. We have a pretty good idea of what his mistake was. All the scouts he had watching Martin drove gray foreign made sedans. So did the decoy. It must have occurred to Todd at the last minute that he should run one last check to see if anyone else had noticed that pattern.”
Leo spoke up for the first time. “These gray cars, were they stock models? Was any of them rigged for high speed?”
DeWitt said, “The Audi the decoy used wasn’t a high performance vehicle. We haven’t contacted any of the scouts or impounded their vehicles. From the video we have on them, they appear to be run of the line models. The background checks we ran on the scouts show no history of advanced driving skills.”
Leo nodded. “How about these two fellas, Crosby and Todd, they have any special behind the wheel training?”
“Not that I saw,” DeWitt said. “I’ll double-check on that.”
McGill said, “You haven’t contacted any of Todd’s scouts because you didn’t think you could get the truth out of them? Maybe because they weren’t even aware of what they’d done.”
DeWitt said, “Yes, that and we wanted to leave just a bit of doubt in Todd’s mind about the extent to which we’re on to him. We’re tapping the scouts’ phones, hoping Todd might use disposable cell phones to call them. If he does, he’ll learn his people haven’t been contacted by law enforcement. If he’s on the phone with them long enough, we’ll get at least a general idea of his location.”