The Insiders

by Craig Hickman

  “It might have saved you had Jones been successful in launching his missile,” Hap said.

  “Thanks to you we didn’t have to find out,” Wilson said before announcing that his family wanted to establish a trust fund for the family of Pat Savoy, the man who’d been slain in Venice. Hap was moved by the gesture, but they all knew it wouldn’t even come close to filling the void.

  Before Hap left to be with his own family, he pulled Wilson aside, “Give me your watch.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s how we tracked you,” he said, handing Wilson his original IWC in exchange. The watches looked identical.

  “How did they…”

  “I don’t know how Jones found out, but I will,” Hap said. “Go back to your family, Wilson. We can talk about it tomorrow.”

  “You know this isn’t over,” Wilson said.

  Hap nodded. “I know. We’re trying to find out everything we can about what the CIA’s doing in Italy and the rest of Europe to locate Carter. I’ll let you know as soon as we have something.”

  “We’re going to need your services for a while.”

  “My men are right outside,” Hap said as he patted Wilson on the shoulder and then walked to the front door to leave.

  “Thank you, Hap. For everything,” Wilson said as a flood of emotion hit him hard.

  Hap turned back and raised his hand slightly. “Can’t think of anyone or any cause I’d rather fight for.”

  Their eyes locked for a moment, communicating the deep trust and esteem that had formed between them. Then he was gone.

  Less than ten minutes later, Agent Kohl dropped by for a brief visit. Her eyes examined Wilson as she informed them that there was still no sign of Carter.

  “We’ve convinced the CIA and NSA to expand their search. Europol and several other European law enforcement agencies have joined the effort.”

  “Good. The sooner we find him the better,” Wilson said, returning Kohl’s stare. There was no mention of yesterday’s conversation, but he was satisfied that she believed at least part of what he’d said.

  Before she left, Kohl warned Wilson that the FBI agents guarding the house might have difficulty keeping the press away after tonight.

  As Sunday morning dawned, Kohl’s casual warning turned out to be a gross understatement: the local, national, and international press were gathered outside Brattle House, setting up microphones and cameras and inquiring about interviews. At noon, Wilson gave them a brief statement on the motivations of his father and Carter Emerson. He then answered questions for an hour about Carter’s disappearance, the explosion involving Tate and Swatling, the threat of other secret societies, his plans for Fielder & Company, the nation’s reaction to the crisis, and the President’s upcoming speech.

  After that, Wilson and Emily spent the rest of the afternoon in another interview going over the events of the past few days with the same five reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and The Associated Press who had interviewed Wilson a few days ago. They peppered him with new questions about his father’s business practices and motivations. Wilson tried to explain things as best he could without completely destroying Fielder & Company’s reputation. Then, they asked Emily to recount the details of her kidnapping.

  As the hour for the President’s address drew nearer, broadcasting crews from all the major networks and several local television and radio stations huddled around their TV monitors outside Brattle House, awaiting the President’s message from the Oval Office. At precisely seven o’clock in the evening, Eastern Daylight Time, the eyes of the nation and much of the world were fixed upon Alexander P. Roberts, President of the United States of America, seated at the famous desk in the Oval Office and looking into the camera with the resolve required to reassure a jittery world.

  Wilson’s heart sank as President Roberts began by calling the crisis, “a storm passing over the massive ocean of stock market transactions,” and “a tragic exception to the remarkable integrity and stability of financial markets in the U.S. and around the world.”

  “He’s whitewashing everything,” Wilson groaned, sharing his concern with Emily.

  Emily took his hand. “You really didn’t expect him not to, did you?”

  Wilson smiled glumly as they continued to listen.

  “The excesses among corporations whose stock is traded on U.S. exchanges will be dealt with swiftly and completely,” the President continued. “The executives involved will be brought to justice. We are a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people and we will not let these excesses go unpunished. However, we cannot allow this crisis to undermine our confidence in the future of our economic system, our legal system, our government, or our way of life. Continuing to invest your money in stocks, bonds, futures, and commodities with confidence is the best thing you can do to help us correct these excesses. The Justice Department, our federal courts, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the various capital, futures, and commodity exchanges will do the rest. We have always been and will continue to be a nation that learns quickly and responds appropriately.”

  Although the realist in him should have known better—as Emily clearly did—Wilson couldn’t believe it: the President of the United States seemed worried only about damage control and keeping the masses from revolting. Unfortunately, he appeared to have little interest in transforming capitalism. Surely Carter and his father had anticipated this possibility?

  The President continued by giving a detailed description of the steps that had already been taken to prevent such abuses in the future. A presidential task force had already been organized to conduct extensive reviews of every major business sector in the U.S. economy; Senate and Congressional Committees would begin a series of public hearings on alternative legislative reforms, the Justice Department and federal courts would bring all perpetrators to trial quickly, and the Supreme Court had agreed to conduct an unprecedented evaluation of the laws and regulations governing the SEC, the FED, the major stock and commodity exchanges, and investment and commercial banks.

  The President concluded his speech with a plea for confidence:

  “In the past forty-eight hours, I have personally spoken to each of the G20 leaders and assured them that the American people will unite to resolve this crisis. I now ask for your trust and support during the days and weeks ahead, that we might secure the necessary course corrections for America’s future. Tomorrow morning the stock exchanges will open for business as usual, so buy and sell as you normally would, knowing that there is no better economic system in the world than the one right here in The United States of America. I remind you of the words spoken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 during an earlier financial crisis in our nation’s history: ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.’ We cannot let fear or lack of confidence in our financial markets hold us—and our future—hostage. We will make the necessary course corrections to insure that these abuses never happen again, and we will make them quickly. Let us not retreat in panic but move forward with courage, united in our conviction that We the People can and will emerge stronger and wiser from this crisis. May God bless you and all of us in this time of need. Thank you and goodnight.”

  No sooner had the President finished than the press crowded around the front door and along the verandah at Brattle House, turning on their microphones, cameras, and spotlights, waiting for Wilson to give his reaction. Wilson walked onto the flood-lighted porch to a barrage of questions about his reaction to the President’s speech, the state of American capitalism, what his father would think, and once again, the whereabouts of Carter Emerson.

  He stepped up to the row of microphones torn between his conflicting desires to protect his loved ones and ensure the reform his father and Carter envisioned. Realizing all too well that it might be impossible to do both, he chose t
o speak to the latter issue first.

  “I think my father and Carter Emerson would be very disappointed by the President’s remarks. They believed our system of capitalism had been hijacked by early industrialists and financiers who emphasized competition over cooperation to solidify their own control and build enormous wealth,” he commenced boldly. He would have to find another way to protect the people he loved. It’s time the world heard my voice, not just my father’s or Carter Emerson’s.

  “A widening gap between rich and poor, concentration of political and corporate power, and a compromised and disabled democracy are evidence of the flaws in our system. Abuses by those with wealth and power in this country, and throughout the world, have written our history for centuries. It’s time for change. We can no longer allow our government to be manipulated by people whose sole objective is to enrich themselves while oppressing and appeasing the majority. Apparently, the President believes a flurry of bureaucratic activity followed by a wave of new rules and regulations will bring change. As long as the strong and powerful in this country continue to exploit and manipulate the weak and powerless, America’s capitalistic engine will continue to run at a fraction of its capacity. My father and Carter Emerson hoped that We the People of The United States of America would revolt before allowing the abuses they documented to be swept under the rug. They wanted to end wage-slavery for the working majority and end corrupt privilege for the capitalist elite. As for me, I hope the President will strengthen and accelerate his initiatives. This crisis deserves more than what he’s offered tonight. Most of all, I hope the American people will decide to stand up and demand reforms—broad, sweeping reforms to our capitalistic system—regardless of what this president or this Congress or this Supreme Court decide to do. My father and Carter Emerson believed it was time to humanize and individualize capitalism. I believe it’s time to unite against the hidden tyranny that controls our lives, and I know that We the People can do it.”

  There was another barrage of questions that lasted for over an hour. Wilson did his best to carry the banner of his father’s vision while speaking from his heart. By the time the last reporter left after midnight, the press had interviewed everyone in the house except his mother and little Mary, both of whom he’d managed to shield from their intrusive probing.

  A few minutes after one o’clock in the morning, as Emily and Wilson were still trying to unwind after the day’s intensity in the belfry library, Rachel climbed the circular staircase to inform them that Agent Kohl was on the phone.

  Wilson answered the phone apprehensively.

  “Sorry to bother you so late, but I thought you’d want to know as soon as possible.”

  “What is it, Kristen?”

  “Carter Emerson’s remains were uncovered at the explosion site in Venice.”

  Wilson sat down stunned. “Are you sure?” he asked, unwilling to believe that Carter was dead.

  “The DNA tests were verified by Italian authorities and the CIA.”

  Still unconvinced, Wilson asked, “Does his wife know?”

  “I talked to her before I called you.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Geneva, Switzerland with her daughters. They’ll be here tomorrow for a graveside service at Cambridge Cemetery. The President plans to attend.”

  Geneva, Switzerland, Wilson repeated to himself. That’s where Carter is. “I’ll be there.”

  “For what it’s worth, Wilson,” Kohl said slowly. “I can’t officially condone what your father and Carter Emerson did, but I think positive change will come from it. Good night, Wilson.”

  69

  Wilson – Cambridge, MA

  A FedEx letter arrived for Wilson just as the family was preparing to leave for Carter’s graveside service at Cambridge Cemetery. His mother, Rachel, Darrin, and their FBI escorts decided to go ahead while Wilson and Emily waited for Driggs and Irving to examine the thin package for explosives and other chemicals. When they were satisfied it was clean, they handed it to Wilson. Inside was a one-page letter from Carter and the key to a safety-deposit box. The letter was hand-written on Hotel San Fantin stationery. Wilson took a deep breath and walked to the den where he sat down before reading the letter. Emily sat next to him. They read the letter together.

  Dear Wilson,

  I should never have agreed to pull the trigger. We were both dead men walking and we knew it. Our only hope was to come up with a ploy so shocking and yet believable that it would keep one of us alive. With your father and Tate locked in a power struggle, the ‘role’ of staying alive fell to me, almost by default. Your father and I had to convince Tate of my loyalty and that I had no intention of exposing the partnership. But now, I can no longer live with what I did. My ambition for this life has been exhausted.

  Your inclination will be to finish what we started, but it’s not worth it. This obsession has destroyed our lives and brought only suffering and misery to the ones we love. Things will never change. I know that now. The enclosed key is to a safety-deposit box at Boston Private Bank & Trust on Boylston Street. Your great-grandfather’s memoirs should be inside. They are what started us down this fateful path. Your father decided not to share them with you until after we had accomplished our disclosure. My advice to you is to let them sleep.

  I pray your father will eventually emerge from his coma. I can only hope that the position of the bullet gives him some chance of recovery. Tell him that I miss him. Enjoy your life with Emily; she’s one in a billion. Forgive us, if you can. Lastly, would you mind watching over my Elizabeth and the girls? They know about everything, but I doubt they fully understand. Maybe you can help, especially with my grandchildren.

  With Deepest Love and Sympathy,

  Carter Emerson

  Wilson sat motionless on the sofa next to Emily, no longer agitated or dumbfounded by the unending twists and turns. But Carter’s letter didn’t ring true. Things will never change. I know that now. Bullshit, Wilson thought. Neither Carter nor his father would ever believe that.

  “Do you believe it?” Emily looked at him, giving voice to the question that was in his mind.

  “No,” he said as he stood up and took Emily by the hand. “Do you?”

  “No,” she replied without hesitation and wrapped her arms around him.

  As they left for the graveside service, Wilson mulled things over. Generations of concealed corruption could only be overcome by generations of open revolution. His generation had no choice but to engage.

  70

  Wilson – Cambridge, MA

  A small but distinguished group of mourners stood around the freshly dug opening beneath the black casket containing Carter Emerson’s alleged remains. Cambridge Cemetery. It was near the Fielder family plot where Wilson’s paternal great-grandparents and grandparents were buried. Wilson gazed out over the Charles River. Carter Emerson wasn’t dead.

  Carter’s wife Elizabeth and his daughters Sarah and Amy were sobbing as they clung to each other. There had been no wake or viewing or traditional funeral service, just as Carter had requested. A dozen or so secret service and FBI agents stood several yards away near the line up of limousines, watching every movement. Hap’s men were there too. Another two-dozen agents and police officers were spread across the cemetery’s entrances and exits. The service was closed to the public and the press.

  The President of the United States was there in person to deliver a short eulogy. Without condoning what Carter and Charles had done, he praised them for having the fortitude and foresight to expose the harsh reality of one of the nation’s deepest flaws: inequity. Then he repeated many of the things he’d said the day before in his speech from the Oval Office. Wilson wasn’t surprised. What else could he do? Even though the service had been closed to the press, somebody would find a way to discover what the President said and put it on the web within twenty-four hours.

  After the eulogy, the President of Harvard University offered a prayer over the casket, asking for God’s underst
anding and blessing for one of Harvard’s most accomplished and brilliant scholars. Wilson watched Carter’s wife and daughters hold each other, but they seemed to be shedding tears of fear and apprehension, not sorrow and grief. Then the short service was over.

  As everyone delivered their final condolences to Carter’s wife and daughters, President Roberts approached Wilson and Emily. His first words were addressed to Emily, praising her for her courage while being held captive. The fact that he seemed to know all the details surrounding Emily’s kidnapping took them both by surprise. “Are you experiencing post-traumatic symptoms?” the President asked.

  “No, I’m doing fine. Thank you for asking. I appreciate your concern,” she said.

  “If it hadn’t been for Emily’s fortitude, I would have thrown in the towel,” Wilson added, putting his arm around her.

  “You’re an amazing couple. Walk with me,” he said, guiding them away from the gravesite and into a nearby grove of trees. “I’d like to invite both of you to a working lunch at the White House with Chief Justice Stanley Vandenberg, Senate Majority Leader Kip MacArthur, Speaker of the House Dorothy Brock, and a few cabinet members and advisors.”

  Wilson and Emily were speechless.

  The President stared at Wilson. “The only reason I attempted to minimize the crisis in my speech yesterday was to stabilize our weakening financial strength,” the President said, looking intense and sincere. “New York has already lost much of its global dominance to London, where more than fifty percent of the world’s equities are now traded. This crisis could bury New York and weaken the American economy for decades to come. London and Europe would benefit from our weakness once again, just as they did after the ’29 crash. It would also accelerate a massive capital shift to emerging financial centers in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Dubai, and Sao Paulo. There’s no question that we have to address the changes your father and Carter envisioned, but we must do it without abdicating our global leadership. I assure you the White House is behind this one hundred percent. Congress has gotten the message loud and clear, and the court is committed to reform. There will be change. Trust me.”