It didn't appear as if the First Lady had slept the night before. She had developed a very slight tick beside her left eye since Powers had last seen her, and she was smoking compulsively. But more than that she was visibly frightened.
"I'm reporting directly to you what has taken place since we last spoke," he began. "When I got to Julie Marei's apartment I found it had been searched and every paper of potential help to me taken. There were many expensive items left behind, so robbery was not a motive. There had obviously been a struggle. There was blood in the living room, quite a bit of it as well as in the hallway and bathroom. There was no body. The search was messy but thorough. There were no private tapes. I did find a camcorder on a tripod in her closet. I searched carefully and could find no sign of a hidden surveillance system. I also viewed a portion of the tape you received yesterday."
Her face whitened. "Oh God. I wish you hadn't done that."
"It was necessary. He was playing to the camera."
"You're telling me my husband knew he was being taped?"
"I can't see any other conclusion. If you're able to watch the tape all the way through it's obvious enough."
“That bastard!"
"I don't want to be out of line here, Becky, and I know that it’s off point, but why have you stayed with him?" The question had been on his mind since he first saw her at the White House.
"I told you. I compromised."
Powers looked at her as if the thought were incomprehensible. "You deserve better."
"I'm touched you think so. I know plenty who'd tell you I got just what I deserve. But I’ll tell you this, I've learned that power is a cold lover."
"It's not essential to what I'm doing, but can you tell me why your husband would tape himself in such a compromising situation? I find it utterly without logic."
She snorted. "That's because you don't know him. He's a risk taker. His parents were alcoholics and he was raised in emotional chaos. That's what the psychiatrist I consulted told me. He never feels that anything is normal unless it’s in danger of falling apart. I think he's addicted to the adrenaline rush as well. He needs it like a junky. I just wish I'd figured all this out before I married him." She took a long pull on the cigarette. "You know what I really regret?"
"No."
"Not having children. When I said we were thinking about adopting, people acted like it was a political ploy. I guess for my husband it was. They were running dailies to see if I should adopt a minority or one with a disability. The plain truth was, I just wanted a baby."
Powers cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I've more bad news. A neighbor of Julie's, Yvette Dorat, saw the apartment with me. She was murdered last night." Becky sucked air and shuddered. "Julie's parents were murdered as well, in New York, sometime last night."
"My God," Becky whispered. "First the attack on you, and now this. What's going on?"
"I wish I knew. I'm hoping you can shed some light for me. Did Alta tell you about my talk with Dorat?"
"Not that I recall. She told me it appeared that Marei had been stabbed and was probably dead. The tapes we needed were gone and the ones she took were all clear."
"Martin Karp talked to me after I first saw the apartment. Did he mention it to you?"
Becky lit another cigarette with the tip of the one she had finished. "Yes, he did. I was very upset with him. I said I would take care of this, that it was important no one from the White House be directly involved. He said he understood. I've known Marty a long time. I trust him, so I don't think his interest is anything you should be concerned about. He's just looking out for me and the President."
"Something's been bothering me, Becky. Alta is the only one I told about Dorat."
"What are you suggesting? Alta would have nothing to do with something like that. Whoever did attack... that woman... was likely keeping an eye on her apartment and now they're on to you. They are probably the same people who killed the others and tried to kill you. It looks to me like someone is cleaning up loose ends."
"All right. On another subject, Shanken is dogging me. Can you get him off? Him and Lily?"
"It was Lily who saved your life."
"I'm not unappreciative, but they are following me and I don't like it. I want them called off."
"You're not suggesting..."
"I'm suggesting nothing. I just want them gone."
"I'll see to it," she said reluctantly. "But after last night I’d think you'd see you need protection. We already know that others are watching you. Are you really certain you don't want someone covering you? Chesty is very good at that sort of thing. Remember, you were almost killed."
"I'm sure. Frankly, Becky, I don't trust either Karp, Shanken or Lily. I think you should reconsider your faith in them."
The First Lady looked startled. "Danny, it's very hard as it is to know who to trust these days. I've got to trust someone. I can't live in a vacuum, fearful of every person I deal with. I think you're being too hard on both of them. I don't defend their manner, I know it can be harsh at times, but Chesty has always been loyal to us and Karp is one of my dearest friends. Keep an open mind, please. There are plenty of bad people around who can account for what is happening without your turning on those I know we can trust. I think you've already seen the proof of that."
Powers could smell the coffee so he went into the kitchen and poured them each a large cup. He guessed right. She took it black. As he sat back down Becky said, "Alta told me to tell you that she doesn't know where my husband was late Saturday night. What she does know is that he wasn't where the White House log says he was. Does that mean what I think it does?"
He gave her the cop look. "You tell me."
Becky slumped in the couch, looking exhausted, as if the strain was about to break her. She closed her eyes momentarily. The tic was in overdrive. "This is my worst nightmare. I knew how obsessed my husband was with that woman. I should have told you. You can only imagine what it’s been like for me these last two years. I don't think in my life I've ever felt so low. I was forced to watch that obsession grow, unable to do anything about it. Don't think I didn't try. You suspect Dick went to see Marei Saturday night, don't you? Things got out of hand and he killed her. That's what you're thinking, isn't it?"
"It's a possibility."
"If that's true than he's running a plan of his own, separate from me, and is having everyone who knew anything about it taken care of. My God. I just can't believe this. Could that possibly be it?"
"Is he able to have the other killings done?"
Becky laughed harshly. "Of course. There are people who salivate for the chance to do favors like this. The real problem is holding them in check. I just don't want to believe that's what he's come to."
"What about Lily?"
"I don't know. I've only seen him a time or two and, until I learned he'd saved your life, I didn't like what I saw. Maybe, I guess. His background is shadowy. But I understand he works for or with Chesty, something like that, and Chesty's no killer. He's a little crude sometimes but he's a problem solver, not an assassin." She lit another cigarette. "Danny, I'm sorry I ever got you involved in this. If what I fear is what's going on then you’re in grave danger. I wouldn't fault you one second if you just walked away from it all."
"I appreciate that, but frankly I think it's already too late. Whoever is closing off loose ends, if that's what this is, will certainly figure I know too much. If it's your husband's men, don't think for an instant they'd let me leave. If it is them, I just wish I knew what the hell they were after, that they can't get themselves. My best bet, if I want to stay alive, is to see this through."
Becky shook her head sadly. "I'm so sorry. So very sorry." She drew a short breath then coughed into her balled hand. "What other possibilities are there?"
"Any number. None of them good but from your personal perspective they are preferable. I'll give Shanken and Karp that much. The main thing I want to convey to you, and my primary reason for seeing you today
, is that I now have reason to believe Julie Marei is not dead." Becky's eyes grew wide. "I believe she was seriously injured and received medical treatment. I think her life is in danger, obviously. If I'm right she's in hiding somewhere. It is very likely she took any remaining incriminating tapes with her. It is still likely that those tapes are not out of her control, not this early."
Becky's eyes lit up. "Do you know where she is?"
"No, but I think I know how to find out. Let me do my job. I want this over as much now as you. If I do find her, I still think we can make a deal. As cold as this sounds, she is certainly very frightened and that will make this easier, assuming I can locate her fast enough."
“It does sound cold, doesn't it? But you can't expect me to have any sympathy for that bitch. Frankly, she got what she had coming. And if she's afraid of being killed and that makes her easier to deal with, then that's all right by me. I know how that sounds but I don't care. That's how it is." Despite the bravado of her words, the fear was back in Becky's face. She fidgeted with her cigarette pack, trying without success to extract another.
"You're working on one already," Powers pointed out lightly.
She looked down at the cigarette burning on the lip of the ashtray. "God, I'm a wreck." Her mind was somewhere else for a long moment before she resumed "You understand, don't you, that this is just too big a scandal? With these dead bodies it's even bigger than when we first spoke. There is no way the presidency can survive any of this. I know I've asked a great deal of you, Danny, but I have to ask even more. For my sake, for the country, you must be prepared to do whatever is necessary. You understand?" Her intense eyes bore into his and he understood what she wanted, but wasn’t going to say aloud. "Trust Alta. She can make things happen. If you're mistaken and this woman is dead she can make arrangements to get rid of the body. But if that woman's alive you must make the deal with her, no matter what she thinks or how frightened she is. You understand?"
"And what if it was the President who tried to kill her? We have to consider the possibility that she could be in no mood to deal. Revenge might well be her primary object now. What then?"
Becky's determination increased. "Let's just hope that isn't true, but it only emphasizes what I just said. Do whatever you have to do to keep this bottled up. Just get this done! I don't know how much longer I can stand this." She was on the verge of tears. "I'm relying on you."
Powers removed his eyes from her and said nothing while he finished his coffee.
"You're disappointed in me, aren't you?" she said finally.
"I can only imagine what your life has been like."
“For too long it's been lies and deception. It makes you jaded. Everyone, it seems, is out to use you. I try to do what's right, what I know will be good for this country, but it seems I spend my days in endless power games. These last four years have just slipped away and I know, if we are fortunate enough to be re-elected, I have to work harder at accomplishing something worthwhile before this opportunity is gone." She extinguished her latest cigarette then coughed again into her fist.
"Marei's at least as frightened as she is angry. She wanted money. Now she'll probably want more and assurance that she’s safe." He thought of the subservient woman he had seen on the tape. "She's not going to go public if it can be helped. At least, I don't think so."
Becky rose and he followed. "I'll just trust to you then. I've got to go. I have a lot to do." She forced a smile. "Will you be watching my performance tomorrow night?"
"If at all possible."
"I'll be thinking about you. My one real friend in this lousy world." She kissed him lightly on the lips. "Thank God you're here." She hesitated for a moment then said, "I have another regret, you know."
"What's that?"
"That we never really dated, never really got to know one another that way. We were such great friends as kids. Maybe... Well, maybe it would have been us instead the man I ended up with."
"I doubt you'd have been happy as the wife of a St. Louis cop."
Becky recovered more than a measure of her former self and flashed him her Time magazine cover smile. "Honey, if I'd been your wife you wouldn't have been a St. Louis cop.”
ELEVEN
The White House, 6:03 p.m.
The First Lady, dressed in an ivory colored lace bra and matching panties cut high above her thighs, leaned her head back, raised her right arm to her neck and groaned.
"Are you having another spasm, Mrs. Tufts?" Alta asked as she finished with the overnight case and closed the lid.
"God, yes. I wish the doctor could find something that worked and didn't also knock me out. This is no time for it. I'll look like I have my neck in a brace on national television." She turned and faced her assistant. "Could you?"
"Of course. You know that." Alta removed her suit jacket then slipped two small gold rings from her fingers as Becky Tufts lay on the cover of the made bed, stretched herself out luxuriously and moaned lightly.
Alta stepped from her skirt, pulled her slip up to her waist, sat astride the First Lady and with her small hands and delicate fingers worked the muscles of her neck and upper back. Becky groaned in pleasure. "Oh God, yes." Alta kneaded the muscle and tissue beneath her skin with a heavy, deep motion then moved down to her upper back. With scarcely a missed motion she unsnapped the First Lady's bra strap and continued working methodically along her back. A thin layer of perspiration appeared on her upper lip but Alta worked without interruption.
When she reached the panties Becky said, "Slip them off, hon. I need to feel those hands right on my skin." Alta eased the panties down from her rump then off her legs. Her hands dug into the buttocks with fresh vigor. She was sweating now. She moved to the back of Becky's legs and continued methodically.
"You're an angel, dear. An absolute angel." She paused before continuing in a different voice. "I'm worried Danny might be suspicious of you. You never should have gone with him to that woman’s apartment. I told him the reason we needed him was so no one associated publicly with me would be involved and then you foolishly went there. I can't believe you were so stupid! What were you thinking?"
The words were harsh and tears stung Alta's eyes. Her hands faltered for an instant.
"Don't stop!" the First Lady ordered. "Just use your head from now on, understand?"
"I was just..."
"Follow my orders! Don't do so much independent thinking."
"Yes, ma'am."
The First Lady glanced back, smiled and said, "Don't be upset, dear. It's going to be fine just so you do your part. I'm in ecstasy right now, you know. That's thanks to you."
"I'm glad I can help."
Becky cocked an eyebrow. "I think I'll turn over and have you do my front. You know just what I'm in the mood for now, don't you?"
Alta's pink tongue licked her bow shaped lips for just an instant.
Cleveland Park, 6:29 p.m.
Powers stared out of the window for several long minutes. The wind had abated and it was raining lightly, the drops intermixed with a spreading fog. It was too early for the next move. There was an old desk of burnished cherry in the brownstone's paneled office. There Powers made notes on a pad and listed what he believed he knew.
He wanted to dismiss Shanken's suggestion of outside involvement, but it was clear enough the man was right. The question was: Who and how many groups? Powers couldn't think of any way he could make that determination. Someone had used Arabs, but as Shanken suggested, he couldn't know if that meant anything. If Powers put his mind to it he could come up with a substantial list of people and interests who would want those tapes and the power they represented. But with what little he knew now, it was not possible for him to determine who was involved or if it was just a single group. He drew a question mark.
Had the Arabs been waiting at the apartment, or had they followed him? He didn't like thinking he was so out of touch they'd had no trouble keeping on his tail undetected. Powers readily acknowledged that other
s were better at this hide-and-seek game he was playing, but he thought he was good enough to spot a tail, and had yet to do so. He had sensed he was being followed but there was nothing he could put his finger on. The experience was uncanny as well as unsettling. The only ones he was certain were keeping an eye on him were Shanken and Lily. He drew another question mark on the page and turned to the next question.
Had the President tried to kill Marei? The implications were staggering since he could not see any way the Chief Executive would ever be held accountable for such an act. Not in these circumstances at least where the legal case lacked hard evidence. Assuming he was correct and the young woman was alive, he frankly doubted Marei would possess the nerve to go public with the accusation, no matter how much she wanted revenge. It would destroy her and what remained of her family.
But such an attempt by the President would explain Karp's involvement in what Powers had been led to believe was a private matter between him and the First Lady. Becky could have brought Powers in with no idea what her husband had done, though she certainly hadn't dismissed the idea earlier and Powers doubted anyone knew her husband or his capabilities better. He wrote another question mark.
Perhaps the President ordered someone to kill Marei. But anyone in whom he'd place that level of confidence surely would not have botched the job. No, the scene Powers observed had little of the professional about it. This seemed much more a crime of passion than one of intellect or unemotional professionalism.
What if it was Karp? Powers found it hard to believe that he would soil his hands but tempers can be a serious problem even for someone with a calm exterior. Given the right circumstances, enough pressure, anything was possible. Still, with a man like Lily at Karp’s disposal, it struck him as improbable that Karp would take such a risk no matter how angry he was. Powers saw little possibility that Lily would fail to finish such a job, and in a more thorough manner than this one.
Shadows and Lies Page 11
