Deep Harbor

by Fern Michaels

  “Colin. This must be Snapper’s brother. I knew he had one, but he never spoke of him. I figured it was some kind of family thing.”

  “It would appear that George had some serious health issues. Click on ‘Sun Valley Institute.’ ”

  CJ double-clicked and saw dozens more subfolders, each one designating a year. As she clicked through the invoices she realized that it was costing over twenty-five thousand dollars a month for George’s upkeep. “Oh my God. How in the hell was he able to afford this?”

  “Maybe we should take a look at that trading site. Scoot over. I’ve done this before. And don’t give me that look. It was all legitimate. It just happened to be after hours, and I rarely used it.” Colin bent over the monitor and made a few passes with the mouse. Robotron.

  They both snapped their heads toward each other. “Robotron! See, I told you something was up with that company!” CJ felt slightly vindicated, but their discovery only revealed yet another mystery. “But what? What was this all about?”

  “I hate to tell you, but it looks like Snapper was trading, and maybe not so legitimately.”

  “But why? Unless it was to support George. That would have to be the only reason Snapper would make illegal trades. And that would certainly explain a few things. Like Mr. Crappy Cologne.” CJ sat back in the chair. “Yep. Mr. Crappy Cologne has something to do with this.”

  “Maybe I should get Matt down here.”

  “No! If Snapper was doing something illegal, then Matt would have to report it. We need to sort this out before we bring anyone else into it. You’re the only one I can trust about this, Col.”

  His face scrunched up as he thought about how complex this situation was becoming. “Okay. But where do we take it from here? We need some kind of professional help if you think you’re onto something dangerous. I mean it. This is not a Miss Marple mystery. Maybe I can talk to Matt off the record. As in speaking hypothetically.”

  CJ’s nerves were shot. She was so used to being in control of her life since she graduated from college that the loss of control was frightening. Now her brother was gone, and so was her boss, which meant so was her job.

  “I dunno, Colin. We need time to piece some of this together before we open another can of worms. And my brain is way overloaded. Let’s leave everything alone for now, go back to the house, and try to make some sense of it. I can’t take another shock today, and who knows what else we’ll find if we keep looking. Besides, I need a glass of wine. I don’t care if it’s not happy hour yet. We’ll grab some lunch to bring back to the house.” CJ grabbed the dossier Snapper had compiled on her and shoved it under her sweater.

  “Good idea. We can come back tomorrow and see what else we can unravel. This was a lot to absorb.” Pulling CJ up by the arm, Colin added, “We’ll get to the bottom of this. I promise.”

  They shut the lights and turned off the computer, leaving everything the way they had found it. Except for the broken lock on the file drawer, no one would know that anyone had been there. And who else was there who would even know about this place? Another question that had no answer. Yet.

  When they reached the top of the stairs, Matt, seeing their weary faces, tried to make light of the day’s events. “So, was it a dungeon?”

  “No, just a smaller version of this condo. It may have been for guests. Constituents visiting, maybe.” CJ tried to hide her concern and confusion. “But I did find a bunch of files I need to go through with a new set of eyes. The ones I have right now are bleary.”

  “We’re heading back to CJ’s. Want to join us?” Colin was trying to be casual.

  “Thanks, but I have to get back to the office. There’s a big meeting this afternoon with the head honchos. Rain check?”

  “Absolutely.” Colin smiled. “Thanks very much for doing this.”

  “You take care, CJ. If you need anything, just give a holler.”

  “Yes. Thanks so much for your help. I have a lot of sorting to do, so I may take you up on that offer!” She poked Colin with her elbow as if to say she’d make something up if she had to, but by the look of things, she had plenty of ammo for an Agatha Christie novel.

  Chapter 9

  CJ and Colin headed toward the elevator in silence. They were both trying to make sense of what they had just discovered, but neither of them wanted to speak for fear of someone’s overhearing their being caught on camera. This was the Watergate, after all. The biggest political scandal of the twentieth century had started in this very building.

  Once they reached Colin’s car and were confident they were not in earshot of anyone, they looked at each other and in unison said, “Holy mackerel! What the hell was that?” Finally, the tension was broken, and they laughed out loud.

  “Wow. And I bet you thought I was nutters!” CJ tried to catch her breath. The fresh air and just being outside was refreshing.

  “Yeah. Wow. And yes, I did think you were going off the deep end, but that secret hideaway with those files? Holy mackerel is right! Okay, let’s pick up some sandwiches and get back to the house. We have some serious sleuthing ahead of us.”

  “May I call you one of the Hardy Boys now?” CJ teased. “Are you convinced that a toxicology report is called for?”

  “Yes I am. We just need to figure out how we can get it done.” Colin was thinking that maybe Matt could order the report, but his doing so would lead to a lot of questions that neither one of them wanted to answer since it appeared that Snapper had been engaged in something that was probably illegal, however well motivated it might have been.

  “I think the next of kin could request something like that, no? But it would appear that George is the only next of kin, and it doesn’t seem that he would be capable of asking. Oh my God. George!” It suddenly occurred to CJ that someone needed to notify his caregivers.

  “What about George?”

  “Shouldn’t we let him know? Let them know?” CJ’s mind was racing to the next conundrum. How are we supposed to notify his caregivers if we weren’t supposed to know about them and George? “Col, we have to tell them.”

  “I think we need to follow the money, as they say.” Colin was attempting to put a logical plan together. “When we go back tomorrow, we’ll have to see what other accounts there are and whether or not they’re tied together somehow. He had to have a way to transfer the money to Sun Valley.”

  “Maybe we should go back. Do a little more intel gathering.”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Colin pulled out a flash drive from his pocket. “I copied the files. We can’t get into the net, but maybe we can do our own forensic accounting with what’s on here.”

  “What the . . . How did you?” CJ was baffled.

  “When you were engrossed in reading your dossier, my pretty.” Colin winked and handed her the Samsung 32GB USB 3.0 flash drive that he always carried with him.

  “Do you always carry one of these with you? Or was it just a hunch that we might need it today?”

  “Ever since Kick forgot his laptop for a big presentation. I would back up his files and keep the drive on my key chain.”

  “Huh.” CJ was wondering what other secrets Colin might be hiding from her.

  “Let’s stop at Brennan’s Deli. I think I need some red meat in my sandwich.”

  They pulled into the gourmet deli’s parking lot, and Colin got out and went inside. CJ waited in the car and looked at the dossier again. “Why would he have this?” she muttered to herself. “Too many things are happening. And I’m not sure I like any of them.”

  Colin returned a few minutes later with a bag of sandwiches and some kettle chips.

  “I think this should hold us for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe into the evening. Got you roast beef with melted cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and a dash of horseradish. Oh, and a grilled brie with apples to wash it down!”

  “Well, I was in training for the marathon, but it appears that investigating this Snapper situation is going to have to replace that training for now. T
hanks! Two of my favorites.”

  They pulled into “the fortress,” as CJ sometimes referred to it, went through the security checkpoint, and entered the house through the kitchen.

  Colin unpacked their lunch and arranged a beautiful presentation on an Arte Italica platter, accompanied by two Baccarat wine goblets.

  CJ looked over as Colin prepared the place settings for their lunch, remembering how picky Kick was about how food was served. He would often say, “Just because it’s a chain of restaurants, it doesn’t have to serve food the way other chains do. People should feel special when they are dining out—no matter where they are. Unless they’re in their car. In that case, they can drool all over themselves for all I care.”

  Looking at Colin, CJ said, “I’m really glad you’re here. We don’t spend enough time together anymore. It’s just too bad it took this crazy mess to make it happen.”

  “You know you’re like a sister to me. And, you’re right. We should spend more time together, and it looks like that’s going to be happening. By the way, I’m sorry I didn’t mention Matt to you sooner. As I said, we had been friends, then one night one thing—”

  CJ stopped him in his tracks. “I don’t need all the details, thank you very much.” But smiling back at him, she continued, “I know how much you loved Kick. But I also know how lonely life can be, especially after losing someone. It’s a double-edged sword. You want to be with the person you loved, but that’s no longer possible, so you take solace in the company of others. Besides, Matt seems like a pretty nice guy. Too bad I had to meet him under these circumstances.”

  “He is a good guy. I hope I can keep everything in balance. We are going to need his help, you know.”

  “Yeah, I know. But we need to make a to-do list. I guess the first thing is to notify George. I can tell them a half-truth. I was Snapper’s assistant. I could have known about George. The part that’s tricky is how did the money get to the facility? We’ll have to figure that out.”

  “Maybe there’ll be something on the flash drive. If not, I can surf the computer when we go back tomorrow.”

  Colin had set up the place mats on the large square coffee table in the living room and set down the tray of sandwiches and chips. “What are we drinking? White or red?”

  CJ eyed the butler pantry in the distance. “Hmmmm . . . maybe a Pinot Noir? I think there’s a 2006 Scott Paul Audrey in there. Did you know that he named it after Audrey Hepburn?”

  “My, haven’t we grown into quite the sommelier?” Colin chuckled and headed toward the wine cooler.

  “Yeah, I guess everyone needs a hobby.”

  Colin opened the wine and poured. CJ took a big gulp. “That’s not how one is supposed to drink fine wine,” Colin teased.

  “I would have gone for a shot of good Kentucky bourbon, but it’s not five o’clock yet,” CJ said in defense of her eagerness to calm down. “I’ll slow down as soon as it hits my bloodstream. But you’re right. This stuff needs more respect.” She lifted the glass and peered into its ruby color. “Mmmmm . . . it certainly warms the palate, not to mention soothes my one last nerve.”

  “I’ll grab the laptop in the den, and we can start to comb through the files.” Colin was about to get up when CJ stopped him.

  “No. Wait. Let’s just enjoy our lunch and the wine. It’s been a while since I shared a meal with good company.”

  Colin sat back down on the floor. “You’re right. But see? You’ve gotten me all wound up about this murder-and-mayhem theory. So, speaking of theories, what do you think is going on?”

  “Well, first of all, we know that Mr. El Stinko is involved somehow; George is part of the equation; and there is a secret hideaway and secret bank account. Robotron is also in the picture. I wonder who else is involved. I suspect one of the other players is Congressman Dillard. It seems like we have at least two different scenarios running in tandem.” CJ was using her talent at analyzing situations as she had for Snapper.

  “Right. So El Stinko is on the Robotron side of the story and George the other? Is that what you’re thinking?”

  “It would seem that way, and somehow, they intersect. I just wonder how long this has been going on. And that condo. I had no idea it existed.” CJ poured more wine into her glass and refilled Colin’s.

  “Did you notice any mail? That might lead to some answers.”

  “No, but I wasn’t looking. Honestly, that computer, the dossier, and the photo were enough to boggle my mind. Thinking about the whole secret-condo thing makes me dizzy.”

  “We should probably check the tax records and see who’s listed as the owner. That’s part of the public record, so it shouldn’t be hard to get.” Colin started writing notes on the yellow pad that had been lying on the floor from the night before.

  “Do you think it could be under someone else’s name?”

  “I have no idea, but it’s something we can cross off the list. I suppose that with all the secrecy, it could very well be under someone else’s name.” Colin scribbled on the pad: “Check Property Tax.” “Would it be the New Hampshire address or Virginia?”

  “It’s Twenty-Seven Hundred Virginia Avenue,” CJ replied absentmindedly.

  “Okay. Let’s make two lists: One is Mr. Crappy Cologne and Robotron, the other George and the secret condo. I’ll go down to the tax assessor’s office tomorrow.”

  “Can you pull up the invoices for George from Sun Valley? Maybe there’s something there that can tell us how they were being paid every month. If I’m supposed to be so close to the congressman, then I know that. Right? I mean, I’ll be the one notifying Sun Valley, so there will be lots of questions about who is going to continue paying the bills.”

  “Let’s see what we have.” Colin retrieved the laptop and opened the folder labeled “Sun Valley Institute.” “Payment received. Payment received. Payment received. Every month it looks like the same amount, twenty-five thousand dollars, but there’s no indication where the payments came from.”

  “Crap. Is there a bank ledger somewhere on that drive? Anything that would resemble a record? Or payments?”

  Colin searched the folder labels. “Here’s one called ‘slush.’ Let’s try that one.” He clicked on the folder and several subfolders appeared. One of them was labeled “George.” Drilling down, Colin let out a low whistle. “Good Lord. There are PDFs of bank statements.”

  “From where?” CJ was getting excited over this new clue.

  “Sackville Bank. Cayman Islands.” Colin was furiously typing now.

  “Cayman Islands? I always heard about that place, and how people used its banks to hide money and avoid paying taxes, but it never occurred to me that it would figure in to any situation I would be involved with.” CJ was beginning to discover how naive she had been. “Wow. Twelve years I worked for that guy, and never did I suspect anything like this was going on.”

  “Don’t feel so bad. He was a mover and shaker, and for a very long time. He knew how to work around people. It was his job.”

  “I can’t help but feel a little betrayed. That dossier, and now this.” CJ finished her wine. “Here. I think this needs to be fixed.” She handed her empty goblet to Colin.

  He smiled, grabbed his own empty goblet, and went to open another bottle. “Same vintage?” he called from the pantry.

  “Whatever you like, Columbo,” CJ retorted, returning the tease.

  “Aw, c’mon. I’m not disheveled. And you know I hate cigars. How about that cute guy from Law and Order? Chris Noth? I can’t remember his character’s name.”

  “Mike Logan,” CJ responded casually.

  “Ha! So you’re a crime drama queen?”

  “I am not a drama queen. I am a crime drama goddess. Get that straight!” CJ was displaying more of her wry sense of humor as she called upon her analytical powers.

  “Thank you for correcting me. Drama goddess.”

  “Excuse me, but that’s ‘crime drama goddess’ to you!”

  Finally, they wer
e both beginning to relax. The wine had taken off the edge, and they were secure, sitting on the floor in the space that held such wonderful memories.

  “Col?” CJ was about to pry into the newly discovered relationship between Colin and Matt. Her voice lilted, signaling that she was about to get inquisitive.

  “Yes?” Colin answered, mimicking her tone of voice.

  “Tell me more about you and Matt. He does seem very nice.”

  “I told you. We knew each other. He reached out. We started hanging out. He’s good company.” Colin was matter-of-fact, ticking off the items on the list.

  “I know you told me all that. But how do you feel about him?”

  Colin wasn’t comfortable entering into this uncharted territory with CJ.

  “I’m not really sure.”

  “Oh, major blow-off! Please don’t BS me.”

  Colin couldn’t tell whether or not she was getting angry or just pretending to. It had been a very emotional two days.

  “Seriously. I can take it. I get it. You need company. Twenty years with someone, then suddenly, nothing. It’s tough.” CJ suddenly realized that she really had no idea what it was like to lose a lover. Parents? Yes. Brother? Definitely. Lover? Nope. Only if you counted the few failed relationships she’d had, and she could barely remember them, they were so unmemorable and short-lived.

  “Okay, so maybe I don’t know what it’s like, but I can imagine. I miss him tons, so it must kill you. Sorry. Too many death references.”

  “Yeah, there seems to be an epidemic of them. But to answer your question, and I mean ‘seriously,’ ” stressing her word, “Matt is good company. Are we an item? I don’t think I know what that means. Do we see other people? I know I don’t, and, honestly, we’ve never had that conversation. We haven’t done ‘it’ yet, if you get my drift. So is it a relationship? Kinda. I guess you could say it’s still in the developmental stages.” Colin sounded as if he was actually formulating his opinion as the words were coming out of his mouth.