Deep Harbor

by Fern Michaels

Clearing his throat, Matt interrupted in a kindly tone. “CJ, this isn’t going to be a fast process. It could be months before anything is resolved. I just want you to know I will be sure that whatever measures need to be taken, I will personally oversee them.”

  CJ didn’t want to worry, but she also wanted to be prepared. “What should I expect?”

  “How things go tomorrow will determine what the next step will be. I want you to be okay with all of this, which is why I’m telling you. I don’t want you to be put off or surprised in any way. We’ll know more tomorrow. But in any case, we are here for you.”

  She grabbed a chicken leg and pointed it at Matt, then at Colin. “I’m holding both of you to Matt’s word. So there.” She scooped up a big helping of mac and cheese with the spoon in her other hand and plopped it on her plate.

  Colin almost did a double take. “You? Mac and cheese?”

  “It’s the new me.” CJ winked and continued gnawing on the bone.

  Chapter 16

  CJ had excused herself after dinner the night before. Another bottle of wine had been tempting, but she knew she was going to need all her faculties on Saturday. She was curious, however, as to how Colin and Matt had spent the evening. It had been a long time since she had been in a relationship. She often wondered if she would ever be in one again. Putting thoughts of her own loneliness out of her mind as she entered the kitchen, she greeted Colin with, “So . . . got anything to report?”

  He almost choked on his coffee. “What? No! Absolutely not!”

  “But I thought you liked each other,” she persisted.

  “We do. But now is not the time to take it any further.”

  “If you say so.” She gave him a sly look and poured herself a cup. “So what’s the plan for today, Mr. Bodyguard?”

  “I’m dropping you at work since you insist on going in on a Saturday. As soon as Matt can pick up the guy, he’s going to call and have you come down for a lineup. It may not be today, so we’ll continue our usual routine. By the way, you really do look great!”

  “Why, thank you, kind sir. I feel pretty good. A sense of renewal.” Putting her cup in the dishwasher, she turned to Colin. “Let’s get this show on the road. The clock is ticking at work and I have got to get through all the mail and start cleaning out my desk. And Snapper’s. Jeez. Then there’s the memorial service to plan. Everyone has been asking about it.”

  “Are his ashes back yet?” Colin was trying to be delicate.

  “No. I figure I’ll wait for the funeral home to let me know, then I’ll tackle planning for the service. I’m trying not to get overwhelmed.”

  Grabbing their belongings, they went out through the front door and walked to the driveway, where Colin had once again parked his car. They drove in a peaceful silence.

  “So? Come on. Colin? Something must have transpired between the two of you.”

  “CJ, I swear you’re like a dog with a sock. And I swear nothing happened. We talked for about an hour and he left. Satisfied?” Colin was trying to put an end to the interrogation.

  CJ folded her arms and answered with an emphatic, “No. So there!” Then she stuck out her tongue. They both broke into laughter as Colin shook his head in amusement.

  When CJ entered the building, she got a short whistle from Marcus. “I’m sorry, miss, but I need to see some ID. Please.” He knew it was CJ, but he was in the mood to tease her a bit.

  “Very funny. But thanks for noticing.”

  “You kinda look like that actress. Just a little younger. You know, the one who was in that Kill Bill movie?” Marcus was searching for the name.

  “Uma Thurman?”

  “Yeah, she’s the one! I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side!” Marcus chuckled.

  “Swell. So now I look like a psycho bitch?” CJ was still smiling at the comparison.

  “No! That’s not what I meant!” Marcus realized he might have offended her.

  “I know! Ha! Gotcha!” She gave a wave with her fingers and sauntered away to her office, noticing the quiet of the building, what with most members of the House gone for the weekend, as usual.

  Yes, she was feeling pretty sassy. How refreshing.

  She muddled through the reams of paper, sorting the “NIT” (Needs Immediate Attention), “CW” (Can Wait), and “CWF” (Can Wait Forever). That last was one of her favorites. Snapper always relegated the unrealistic requests of his fellow politicians to that pile. She looked in the direction of Snapper’s office. “Damn, I miss that guy.”

  Just around lunchtime, her phone rang. “CJ? It’s Agent Mullan.”

  Matt sounded very official in addition to using his formal title. Something must be up.

  “Yes, Agent Mullan?”

  Matt cleared his throat, further acknowledging that this was official business.

  “Would you be available to come down to the office in an hour?”

  CJ was surprised that things were happening so quickly. “Well, of course. Let me check on my chauffeur.” She had hoped Matt got the reference.

  “We can have someone pick you up if you prefer,” Matt continued in his very official voice.

  “Hold on a moment. Let me see if I can reach Colin.” CJ picked up the landline and dialed. After two rings, Colin answered. “Hey, Col, I have Agent Mullan on the other line. He wants me to be in their office in an hour.”

  “I’m on my way.” Colin was at the ready to oblige.

  CJ turned back to her cell phone. “He’s on his way to get me. We’ll see you shortly.”

  CJ’s mind started racing at the thought of what was about to happen. She knew that Mr. Crappy Cologne, Leonard Franklin, would not be able to see her, but she also knew that he would know she was on the other side of the window. She was certain. And her inner voice affirmed what she was thinking.

  She kept repeating to herself out loud, “You’re gonna be okay, you’re gonna be okay.”

  Her phone rang fifteen minutes later. It was Colin, announcing his arrival at the curb in front.

  Since it was Saturday, traffic was fairly light. He was worried that CJ would be a nervous wreck, although you wouldn’t know it by looking at her.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes. I’m fine. I know this is a big deal, but I feel like we’re coming to some kind of crescendo. I want to take this guy down so bad.”

  “Yeah, but on what counts? They’re going to have to come up with some proof. Evidence.”

  CJ squirmed in the seat. “Are you trying to make me anxious? I know there hasn’t been anything tied to this guy. At least nothing we know of. But everything I’ve heard tells me that Matt has something going on. He kept saying he could not reveal any details. So we’re going to have to trust him.”

  “I suppose you’re right. And for someone who likes to be in control—as in you, missy—I am surprised you’re not freaking out a bit.”

  “Would you prefer it if I did?”

  “No! No. This is fine. Just different. For you, I mean.” Colin gave her a quick smile as he pulled into a space just a few feet from the front of the building.

  Once inside, they went through the security checkpoint and were ushered down a long hallway with a row of doors on each side. All of them were closed.

  A nondescript agent led them into a room that had glass on one side. It gave them a view of another room, one with a chart on the wall. That was where the men would line up.

  “Just like in TV,” CJ whispered to Colin, nudging him with her elbow.

  “Huh. Yeah. Just like it.” And Colin didn’t like any of it. The enormity of what CJ had been through hit him like a ton of bricks. Snapper. Secret condominium. George. Secret money. Car. Motorcycle. Mr. Crappy Cologne. He was suddenly in awe of her and how she was holding up, confronting the events with grace and stamina. He had another brief thought and smiled. Too bad he played for the other team. If he didn’t, he could have easily fallen in love with her. Funny. He had never thought of CJ as a woman before. She had always been Kick�
�s little sister. He resigned himself to finding someone for this extraordinary woman as soon as this mess was over. He thought about what she had said and agreed. One of them should have someone to love.

  Colin’s reverie was broken when Matt entered the room and a loud sound came from the adjoining room. Several men in uniform and five similar-looking men entered the room.

  The hair on the back of CJ’s neck began to crawl, and her palms began to sweat. She recognized Franklin in a second. Too bad she couldn’t smell him. On second thought, better she couldn’t. She might have gagged on her saliva. Although she thought she might gag at any minute anyway.

  Colin put his hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”

  CJ nodded and pointed to the second man. “That’s him. That’s the man I saw in the Rayburn Building. Ask one of the guards! He’s probably stinking up the room!”

  Matt pushed a button. “Thank you, gentlemen. You can all go.”

  CJ’s heart almost stopped. She grabbed Matt’s sleeve. “What the hell are you doing? You’re letting him go?” She was flabbergasted.

  “I’ll explain in a minute.” Matt turned abruptly, went out to the hallway, then returned just as quickly. “I got a whiff. What is up with that guy? If he thinks he’s making himself inconspicuous, he’s sadly mistaken.” Matt pulled out a handkerchief and absently wiped his nose.

  “But you’re letting him go!” CJ was trying to keep her voice even. “What the hell is going on?”

  Colin was also in a state of shock. “Matt? What the . . . ?”

  “I said there were details I could not discuss. We needed to get a positive ID on him so we can put a tail on him. That’s all I can say at this time. Please try to understand. This is a very big deal, so we need to be very judicious about it. I wish I could tell you more. And I ask that you keep all of this confidential. I cannot stress that enough.”

  “But what about my safety? This guy knows where I live!” CJ had gone from calm to horrified in just a few short minutes.

  “We have two options,” Matt continued. “We can put a security detail on you or put you into Witness Protection for a short time.”

  “Witness Protection? I have work to finish!” CJ was vacillating between terror and anger. Her head was spinning.

  Colin motioned her over to a chair. “Matt? What do you mean Witness Protection?”

  “CJ, you would be relocated until after the trial. If there is a trial. These are the things I cannot discuss. But what I can tell you is that we are investigating Leonard Franklin. We need some more evidence before we can make an arrest. In the meantime, we can put someone on you or relocate you. It’s up to you.”

  “I cannot possibly leave town now. I have to finish up in the office and plan a memorial service. It’s going to take me weeks!” CJ was still trying to decide if she should panic, or scream, or both.

  “Let’s do this. Now that you have IDed him for us—as the man you saw coming from Congressman Dillard’s office—we will put on a detail to tail him. You’ll have round-the-clock protection as well. So there will be no time when we don’t know where the both of you are. It’s the best I can do for now other than put you in Witness Protection, which you have declined.” Matt was clear and reassuring.

  “I think I can handle that.” CJ looked up at Colin. “Will you still be my personal bodyguard?”

  Colin smiled at CJ. “Of course. I’ll work my schedule around yours.” Turning to Matt, he said, “Realistically, how long do you think this will take?”

  “Hard to say. But I will update you on a regular basis. We hope to wrap this part of it up in a week or two. The rest could take a couple of months, but, CJ, I promise that you will be absolutely safe.”

  “Fine.” CJ was resigned to the latest upheaval. “I’ll just keep doing what I do, looking over my shoulder every five seconds.”

  Agent Mullan walked them out of the viewing room and over to the elevator.

  “Seriously, it’s going to be okay. We just need a little more time.”

  * * *

  During her final weeks in the office CJ continued to have Colin act as her chauffer and bodyguard, muddled through the remaining paperwork, and made the arrangements for Snapper’s memorial. She could have gotten the Washington National Cathedral, but she knew Snapper would have been mortified. He hadn’t been a religious man, so rather than a ceremony, CJ decided on hosting a dinner. It would be buffet style, allowing people to come and go. Colin would arrange for the catering. She engaged a string quartet to play for two hours, and several of Snapper’s close associates would say a few words halfway through the event. She gathered some of his mementos and photos to put on display. Reviewing her list, she was content that this was what Snapper would have wanted. Nothing fancy. Just respectful. It struck her that she would be the closest to family attending. She shrugged her shoulders, and thought, Who’d have thought I’d be his next of kin? Aside from George, and we know he’s not coming. People will come just to be seen. Just like any other DC circus.

  One evening, on the ride home, Colin told CJ, “I think I know where the money is coming from.”

  “Wait! What?” CJ was stunned. Colin hadn’t mentioned being so close to finding out.

  “Yeah. Well, at least one source. It’s a stock portfolio. That’s where the money that goes into the trust is coming from. I just don’t know the source of the portfolio money. There were a number of transactions. All pretty damn good, too. I hate to say it, CJ, but I think the stock money is funny money, and I don’t mean ‘ha-ha’ funny either.” Colin was in a pensive mood.

  “Hold on. You found a stock portfolio?” CJ was trying to follow the chain.

  “Yes. It’s an account Snapper had. He traded on the dark Web. Whatever it was, it’s all quite mysterious. Could be why he wanted to end it all. And I mean as in ‘all.’ ” Colin was frustrated that he had some but not all the information he had been seeking.

  “How strange.” CJ recalled Snapper talking about the horse farm soon after he had sold it. “I know he raised a lot of money from selling the farm. But all of that seemed to have gone for George’s care. So where else did the money come from? Could he have been a trust-fund baby and never let on?” CJ was trying to put the pieces together.

  “Doubtful. Trust-fund money would earn interest, and there would be no reason for any clandestine activity. No. This money was laundered somehow. But how? I don’t know that we’ll ever figure that out.” Colin was clearly frustrated.

  “Wow. All these secrets. And I thought I knew Snapper inside and out. He seemed so . . . so . . . normal. And straightforward. I would have never, ever thought he would do something unseemly, much less illegal and immoral. Wow.” CJ could not wrap her head around the idea that the man she worked for—for twelve years—was hiding such a shadowy secret.

  “Yeah. And the thing with Leonard Franklin. I’m going to start calling him by his real name. That could have a role in all of this.” Colin was also trying to piece things together.

  “It has to. And Dillard. They were all involved in something. Something dangerous.”

  “Or illegal.”

  “Or both. If it was illegal, then I suppose it would be dangerous, too. Makes sense. Man oh man oh man. I still don’t believe Snapper would take the cowardly way out. That’s just not his style.”

  “So you thought. I bet you would never have guessed about any of this secret stuff, either,” Colin reminded her.

  “Very true. Though I may not have known a lot about Snapper’s secrets, I do know he was not a wimp. He’d have turned himself in and faced the consequences. Or”—CJ paused—“gotten himself killed, which is the only conclusion I can come up with.”

  “You saw the tapes, CJ. He put the hose from the exhaust pipe through the window.”

  “I saw a man in a trench coat put something under the car. I never saw the man’s face. Remember?” CJ was not budging on the murder theory. “And my inner self is agreeing with my head.”

  Colin ga
ve a big sigh, knowing he was not going to win the argument.

  The following two weeks were uneventful. There was no word from Matt about Leonard Franklin, but she was satisfied knowing that Agent Becker watched her house at night. The only big thing left on her agenda was the memorial dinner. Otherwise, things were relatively quiet as CJ was wrapping up her work. She packed Snapper’s office and had the boxes put into storage. She had no idea what to do with them since she was planning on putting the condos on the market. Her plan was to sell off everything and put the proceeds into the trust fund for George. With any luck the proceeds would cover George for five or more years. If he lived longer, she’d worry about it when the time came. Poor George.

  She tried to keep the dark Web transactions out of her mind. At least for the time being. She could get around to thinking about them when she had finished her work at the Rayburn Building. As she was marking the cartons to be taken to the storage unit, her phone rang. It was Matt.

  “CJ. Agent Mullan here. I wanted to inform you that we arrested Leonard Franklin for securities fraud this morning.”

  “Fraud? Not murder?” CJ was taken aback.

  “No. Not murder, CJ. Unfortunately, we do not have any evidence to substantiate that there even was a murder. Detective Harris went over all of this with you.” Matt seemed tense.

  “Yes he did. But I thought—”

  Matt interrupted with, “I can’t go into details—”

  She interrupted in return, “With you right now. Yeah. Yeah. I’ve heard this before. When can you go into details?” CJ sounded more annoyed than excited about the arrest.

  “CJ, this is a good collar. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed, but this is the investigation we’ve been working on. Thanks to you, we were able to connect him to Dillard. That’s all I’m at liberty to say, which is probably too much.”

  For the first time since she could remember, CJ was speechless.

  “Whatever. As long as he stays in jail.”

  “That’s what we’re working on. I have to run. I’ll call you later with any updates. As long as Franklin is in jail, you should be fine. Agent Becker will stay on one more night. Thanks!” Matt hung up abruptly.