Washington Power Play, page 22
“Wait for the third race,” Andrei advised, “then bet the farm on Noble House. Meantime, let’s eat.”
“Good, I’m hungry.”
Andrei ordered lavishly. They had scallops, Peking duck, and a smoked pork dish with garlic shoots, all full of the bright, nuanced flavors and textures of Hong Kong cuisine. Then they washed everything down with cold Tsingtaos. After dinner, Liu lit up a cigarette.
Andrei told him, “You did a good job of putting down the protests in January. It’s been quiet since.”
“That’s what I hear,” said Liu.
“The only way to stop those people is with live ammunition. Nothing else works. I’m glad you realized that.”
They talked for a while about the long-term future of Hong Kong. “Now that Shanghai is a financial center, Hong Kong has become redundant,” Liu said.
Andrei agreed.
“Time to bet the third race,” the Russian said.
They each put up 100,000 RMB on Noble House to win. The horse went off at 8 to 1. Noble House started slow. Though Andrei had never let him down, Liu was feeling a bit anxious.
“Jockey’s holding him back,” Andrei said.
By the time they rounded the final turn, Noble House was coming up on the outside. Then he took the lead and never lost it, thundering down the track at the finish three lengths ahead of the second horse.
After the race, a young woman delivered their winnings.
“Thank you, Andrei,” Liu said.
Andrei nodded. “Okay, now let’s talk business. Why’d you want to see me?”
While Andrei sipped his beer, Liu spoke for half an hour, describing what had happened in Operation New World Order. Andrei was familiar with the operation, having approved it before Liu presented it to Yao. Liu also told Andrei about his latest meeting with Yao.
“The Americans snatching Xiang is an unfortunate complication,” Liu said.
“True, but you played it right with his parents,” said Andrei.
“I wanted to shoot them myself,” Liu seethed.
“Of course you did. Nevertheless, you were smart to keep them alive.”
“At this point, it seems to be working,” Liu acknowledged. “I haven’t heard anything to suggest Xiang has talked to the Americans.”
“Even if he does, I assume you have the firewall around Martin we discussed.”
“Correct, she’s in place. Still, I have the question of whether I meet with the mole again, as Yao suggested, or not. I want to know your opinion.”
Andrei thought about it for a few seconds, then said, “Yao is setting you up to take the fall if Operation New World goes bad. Meet with the American at some neutral site in Western Europe. It’s essential to protect yourself.”
Liu was puzzled. “How? I don’t understand.”
“If the mole is reluctant to continue after what happened to Xiang, you have to abort the operation.”
“Even if he is willing to continue now, he could still change his mind later on.”
“That’s where Yao’s suggestion is right on the mark,” said Andrei. “You need leverage over the mole to prevent him from walking away.”
“Tell me how to create that leverage.”
“Establish an account in a Caribbean bank in the mole’s name. Deposit ten million dollars, with the funds coming from a Chinese bank, preferably one controlled by the PLA. Don’t tell the American about it. Forge his signature electronically on the documents opening the account. Later, if you think he intends to turn on you or go back on your deal, threaten to disclose the existence of the account to the American media. If they discover it, they will conclude that he was accepting money from the Chinese government. No one will believe he didn’t know about the account. He’ll have to do what you want to avoid the disclosure.”
Liu thought the idea was brilliant, and he told Andrei that. A waitress brought them two more beers.
When she was gone, Andrei said, “You have another problem besides the American.”
“What’s that?”
“The blond woman directing the FBI investigation, the one who met with Xiang in the park and managed to snatch him away from your people—she’s a real threat. You have to go after her and block her investigation.”
Liu wasn’t surprised to hear Andrei’s advice. Intimidating and coercing prosecutors and investigators with brute force was a typical Russian move.
“I would prefer not to do that except as a last resort,” said Liu. “It raises political complications for Yao.”
“As you wish. But I’ve always found that if you want to stop a snake, it’s best to cut off its head.”
Liu nodded. Andrei, as usual, was right. He would go after Kelly.
As Liu was preparing to leave, Andrei said, “I have a little gift for you, something else to give you additional leverage over the American. This will make your trip to Hong Kong even more worthwhile.”
“What’s that?” Liu asked eagerly.
“I still keep in touch, very discretely of course, with one of my former KGB buddies who’s with the FSB now. He hates Kuznov as much as I do.”
“And?”
Andrei reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of a gorgeous, buxom blond woman, completely naked, facing and posing for the camera. He handed it to Liu.
“Who is she?” Liu asked.
Andrei smiled as he began to explain.
Washington
At nine in the evening, Kelly drove to Martin’s house with Paul in the front seat. The skies had opened up an hour before they left, and the windshield wipers were working furiously in the blinding rainstorm. The prediction was for two days of hard rain in the Washington area.
Kelly had decided to let Paul take the lead in confronting Martin. He knew the man, and he was a lawyer. Late in the afternoon, Paul had suggested to Kelly that he call Martin’s secretary, Alice, to find out if Martin was in town and would be home that evening. Kelly vetoed the idea for fear of tipping off Martin and having him flee. “If he’s not home, we’ll park and wait near his house,” she said. “Sooner or later he’ll come home.”
She had been busy making sure everything was ready before they left the FBI for Martin’s house. Besides reporting to Forester, she had set up a tap on Martin’s house phone and a monitor for any call or email to or from the house. Out of an abundance of caution, she asked Rolfe and another agent to follow her to Martin’s house. They would monitor surveillance while she and Paul were in the house.
Driving north on Foxhall Road, its large stately homes set back from the road, they passed the Field School, then a museum housing the late David Lloyd Kreeger’s art collection. Kelly saw lights on both upstairs and on the ground floor as they approached Martin’s house. That told her someone was probably in the house. Hopefully, it was Martin. But she had to know before they went in.
She dialed Martin’s home phone. A man answered. She heard him say, “Yes?” in a terse voice.
“I’d like to speak with Andrew Martin.”
“I’m Andrew Martin.”
“I’m with a charity that—”
Click. The phone went down.
“Showtime, Paul. Let’s go.”
Paul led the way with Kelly following two steps behind, a gun holstered at her waist and handcuffs in the pocket of her raincoat. Following their script, Paul rang the bell.
“Who’s there?” Martin called from inside the house.
“Paul Maltoni.”
The door opened and Paul quickly entered, Kelly close behind. Looking around, she saw a table in the living room with a chessboard. On one side sat an Asian woman. Judging from the board, they were in the middle of a game.
“What are you doing here, Paul?” Martin asked. “And who’s she?”
Kelly pulled her FBI ID from her raincoat pocket and showed it to him. “Kelly Cameron, FBI, Mr. Martin.” She put it back into her pocket and pulled out the handcuffs. Following their script, she said, “We’re here to arrest you for espionage.”
“You’re what?” a startled Martin asked.
She repeated, “We’re here to arrest you for espionage.”
Martin looked at the terrified woman sitting next to the chessboard and said, “Huan, why don’t you go upstairs? These people have made a mistake. It’s nothing. I’ll sort it out with them.”
The woman got up and left, climbing the staircase rapidly.
Martin turned back to Kelly and Paul. “Why don’t the two of you take off your coats and sit down. We can talk about this. And for God’s sake, put away those handcuffs. You certainly won’t need them.”
Standing in the living room, Kelly and Paul took off their coats, but Kelly kept the handcuffs in her grasp. She unbuttoned the jacket of her pantsuit to reveal the gun holstered at her hip.
“You two want a drink?” Martin asked. “Maybe a glass of wine, Paul? Some of that Saint-Joseph you like?”
He’s smooth, Kelly thought, just as Paul had warned her. That was, no doubt, how he had gained Allison’s confidence.
“Listen, Andrew,” Paul said forcefully, “this isn’t a social visit.”
“Then why are you here?” Martin asked.
“As Kelly said, to arrest you for espionage.”
Martin looked bewildered. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Look, Andrew,” Paul said. “Don’t play games with us. We have a witness, Xiang Shen, who’s prepared to testify that on eight separate occasions you called and asked him to come to your office. There, you gave him an envelope to forward to Liu Guan, the Chinese minister of state security. Before sending the envelopes, Xiang examined the contents. Inside were copies of classified US defense documents. The last one contained a memo from a Camp David gathering at which a decision was made not to respond militarily if China should attack Japan over the islands in the East China Sea. This is enough evidence to arrest you for espionage. We will now be taking you into custody. Kelly, you won’t need the handcuffs. Andrew, get your coat, you’re coming with us.”
Through the corner of her eye, Kelly noticed the Asian woman, mostly concealed, crouched near the top of the stairs, no doubt listening. Kelly made eye contact with her, and she quickly disappeared from Kelly’s sight.
“Don’t be in such a hurry,” Martin said. “Let’s sit down and talk about this.”
Kelly thought about Paul’s words this afternoon. Martin was “the quintessential deal maker.” So far, it was playing out exactly as Paul had predicted. He knew Martin well.
“I’m getting a scotch,” Martin said. “You two sure you don’t want a drink?”
They both shook their heads.
Martin fixed a scotch from the cart, pointed to chairs in the living room, and the three sat down.
“Now, Paul, let’s talk about this like a couple of lawyers,” Martin said. “You don’t really have a case based on what this fellow Xiang told you.”
“Why not?”
“For starters, he’s a member of the Chinese diplomatic corps in the US and has diplomatic immunity. He could easily leave the country and you couldn’t stop him. If he wanted to stay and testify, the Chinese could persuade the State Department to release him into their custody and they would send him back to China. I know Jane Prosser, the secretary of state, very well. That’s what she’ll do. Then, poof, your case is gone.”
“I disagree,” Paul said firmly. “These charges are so serious that Prosser would never sweep them under the rug. Jane Prosser may have once been a friend of yours, but I’ll bet she’s not too wild about you after you lied to her to get her to call off the DC police when Allison was attacked in the DuPont Circle Metro Station in November. And neither President Braddock nor Arthur Larkin is a big supporter of yours.”
Kelly saw Martin cringe. It was definitely a break in the veneer. Paul charged ahead. “This isn’t some small matter like a scuffle at the DuPont Circle Metro. That time you could persuade Prosser to do what you wanted, but not anymore.”
“I never—” Martin started.
“C’mon, Andrew,” Paul cut in. “Don’t try to bullshit me. Besides espionage, we will be charging you with conspiracy in the murder of Senator Jasper.”
“Are you crazy?” Martin sputtered. “Wes was one of my best friends.”
“He may have been, but Allison Boyd is prepared to testify that before Jasper was murdered, she gave you the CD her sister had made of Liu’s conversation with Jasper. You destroyed it, and we have enough circumstantial evidence to prove you tipped off the Chinese about the CD, which led to Jasper’s murder. You’re going down for that as well, Andrew. Two trials, two convictions.”
Watching Martin’s face as Paul had been pouring it on, Kelly thought that Martin was shaken. His bravado was gone. She understood why Paul was a good lawyer. He spoke clearly, forcefully, and persuasively.
“Perhaps, we can work something out,” Martin said.
“I’m listening,” Paul replied.
“I don’t want this to be recorded.”
“It isn’t being recorded,” Kelly said.
“If you give me your word on that, Paul, I’ll accept it,” said Martin.
“You have my word.”
“All right.” Martin took a deep breath. “What you really want is the name of the US official who provided me with the envelopes I turned over to Xiang, correct?”
“That’s right,” Paul acknowledged.
“I’ll give you his name. In return, I get immunity from prosecution for espionage as well as the events surrounding Jasper’s murder.”
His words were music to Kelly’s ears. She didn’t care squat about Martin. All she cared about was the identity of the mole. She would have grabbed the deal in a second, but Paul had one big constraint: he needed Arthur Larkin’s approval.
“That’s a ridiculous opening position,” Paul said.
“It’s not an opening position, it’s the only deal I’ll make,” Martin replied.
“You’re asking for a lot.”
“And giving even more in return.”
“It’s not my decision.”
“I’m aware of that,” said Martin. “I’m happy to meet with Arthur and present it to him myself.”
Paul shook his head. “That’s my job.”
“I understand Arthur has issues with me,” Martin remarked.
“You can’t blame him,” said Paul with a shrug.
“Will you recommend it to Arthur?”
Paul looked at Kelly. She nodded.
“Yes, I will,” he said. “I should have an answer for you in the morning.”
“You’ll spend tonight in jail,” Kelly said. “You’ll have your own private cell.”
She realized she was going back on the arrangement she and Paul had made, but she didn’t trust Martin. This lawyer was too slick. He could still have something else up his sleeve. Even as she said the words, she realized Paul had the final word. It was a legal issue.
Martin shot to his feet. “Screw that! The deal is off. You can prove your case in court, Paul.”
Paul glanced at her, then turned back to Martin. “We’ll strike a compromise,” he said. “You turn over your passport, and we’ll have agents watching your house until we get back in the morning. If you try to leave before we return, they’ll arrest you. That’s what we’ll do.”
Kelly bit her tongue and didn’t say a word.
Martin said to Kelly, “I’m going into the study to get my passport. You want to follow me?”
“Yes.” And she did.
When they left Martin’s house, the heavy rain was still falling. She got into the back of Rolfe’s car and told the two agents what they had agreed on. “If Martin leaves the house before I return, arrest him,” Kelly instructed. “Sorry to do this to you in the rain, but one of you will have to watch the back entrance to the house. The other one can watch the front of the house from the car.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll take turns,” Rolfe said.
“You want me to get a second team?” Kelly asked.
“We can handle it.”
She got into her own car. Paul was already there.
“I thought we agreed we wouldn’t arrest Martin tonight,” he said. “You went back on that.”
“I don’t trust him.”
“You made your point. It’s my ass on the line.” He sounded angry. She chalked it up to the tension and what they had at stake.
“Where do you want me to drop you?” she asked.
“My house in Georgetown, so I can pick up my car. When you were talking to Rolfe, I called Arthur’s house. His wife is expecting him home around midnight. As soon as I told her that I needed to speak with him about an urgent matter, she told me to come over and wait for him at the house.”
“Okay. I’ll take you to your place. Call me when you’re finished with Arthur, no matter how late.”
“Will do.”
Kelly suddenly felt weary. The adrenalin rush she had experienced in Martin’s house had dissipated. She was uncomfortable leaving Martin at home overnight. In her gut, she believed they had made a mistake, and that they should have taken him to jail. But she didn’t argue with Paul anymore. It would be futile. Besides, it was done. She just hoped that it wouldn’t come back to bite them.
Washington
As Martin closed the door behind Kelly and Paul, he realized he was in deep trouble. However, he was confident he could cut a deal. If Paul couldn’t get Arthur to agree, Martin would do it himself. But it wouldn’t be easy. On the other hand, he had something they desperately wanted: the identity of the mole.
That was only one of Martin’s problems. The other was Huan. After he had told her to go upstairs, he had seen her peeking out to listen. That, in addition to the suspicious phone call she had made when General Cartwright had been there to watch the primary, had him worried.
But he didn’t want to be paranoid. Perhaps she had been listening because serious charges had been made against a man she cared for deeply. Still, it was far more likely in Martin’s mind that she was Liu’s plant. He had to know for sure.
Martin called upstairs to Huan, “They’re gone now, you can come down.”
When she returned to the living room, she looked worried. “Are you okay, Andrew? Those people accused you of a serious crime.”
“Good, I’m hungry.”
Andrei ordered lavishly. They had scallops, Peking duck, and a smoked pork dish with garlic shoots, all full of the bright, nuanced flavors and textures of Hong Kong cuisine. Then they washed everything down with cold Tsingtaos. After dinner, Liu lit up a cigarette.
Andrei told him, “You did a good job of putting down the protests in January. It’s been quiet since.”
“That’s what I hear,” said Liu.
“The only way to stop those people is with live ammunition. Nothing else works. I’m glad you realized that.”
They talked for a while about the long-term future of Hong Kong. “Now that Shanghai is a financial center, Hong Kong has become redundant,” Liu said.
Andrei agreed.
“Time to bet the third race,” the Russian said.
They each put up 100,000 RMB on Noble House to win. The horse went off at 8 to 1. Noble House started slow. Though Andrei had never let him down, Liu was feeling a bit anxious.
“Jockey’s holding him back,” Andrei said.
By the time they rounded the final turn, Noble House was coming up on the outside. Then he took the lead and never lost it, thundering down the track at the finish three lengths ahead of the second horse.
After the race, a young woman delivered their winnings.
“Thank you, Andrei,” Liu said.
Andrei nodded. “Okay, now let’s talk business. Why’d you want to see me?”
While Andrei sipped his beer, Liu spoke for half an hour, describing what had happened in Operation New World Order. Andrei was familiar with the operation, having approved it before Liu presented it to Yao. Liu also told Andrei about his latest meeting with Yao.
“The Americans snatching Xiang is an unfortunate complication,” Liu said.
“True, but you played it right with his parents,” said Andrei.
“I wanted to shoot them myself,” Liu seethed.
“Of course you did. Nevertheless, you were smart to keep them alive.”
“At this point, it seems to be working,” Liu acknowledged. “I haven’t heard anything to suggest Xiang has talked to the Americans.”
“Even if he does, I assume you have the firewall around Martin we discussed.”
“Correct, she’s in place. Still, I have the question of whether I meet with the mole again, as Yao suggested, or not. I want to know your opinion.”
Andrei thought about it for a few seconds, then said, “Yao is setting you up to take the fall if Operation New World goes bad. Meet with the American at some neutral site in Western Europe. It’s essential to protect yourself.”
Liu was puzzled. “How? I don’t understand.”
“If the mole is reluctant to continue after what happened to Xiang, you have to abort the operation.”
“Even if he is willing to continue now, he could still change his mind later on.”
“That’s where Yao’s suggestion is right on the mark,” said Andrei. “You need leverage over the mole to prevent him from walking away.”
“Tell me how to create that leverage.”
“Establish an account in a Caribbean bank in the mole’s name. Deposit ten million dollars, with the funds coming from a Chinese bank, preferably one controlled by the PLA. Don’t tell the American about it. Forge his signature electronically on the documents opening the account. Later, if you think he intends to turn on you or go back on your deal, threaten to disclose the existence of the account to the American media. If they discover it, they will conclude that he was accepting money from the Chinese government. No one will believe he didn’t know about the account. He’ll have to do what you want to avoid the disclosure.”
Liu thought the idea was brilliant, and he told Andrei that. A waitress brought them two more beers.
When she was gone, Andrei said, “You have another problem besides the American.”
“What’s that?”
“The blond woman directing the FBI investigation, the one who met with Xiang in the park and managed to snatch him away from your people—she’s a real threat. You have to go after her and block her investigation.”
Liu wasn’t surprised to hear Andrei’s advice. Intimidating and coercing prosecutors and investigators with brute force was a typical Russian move.
“I would prefer not to do that except as a last resort,” said Liu. “It raises political complications for Yao.”
“As you wish. But I’ve always found that if you want to stop a snake, it’s best to cut off its head.”
Liu nodded. Andrei, as usual, was right. He would go after Kelly.
As Liu was preparing to leave, Andrei said, “I have a little gift for you, something else to give you additional leverage over the American. This will make your trip to Hong Kong even more worthwhile.”
“What’s that?” Liu asked eagerly.
“I still keep in touch, very discretely of course, with one of my former KGB buddies who’s with the FSB now. He hates Kuznov as much as I do.”
“And?”
Andrei reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of a gorgeous, buxom blond woman, completely naked, facing and posing for the camera. He handed it to Liu.
“Who is she?” Liu asked.
Andrei smiled as he began to explain.
Washington
At nine in the evening, Kelly drove to Martin’s house with Paul in the front seat. The skies had opened up an hour before they left, and the windshield wipers were working furiously in the blinding rainstorm. The prediction was for two days of hard rain in the Washington area.
Kelly had decided to let Paul take the lead in confronting Martin. He knew the man, and he was a lawyer. Late in the afternoon, Paul had suggested to Kelly that he call Martin’s secretary, Alice, to find out if Martin was in town and would be home that evening. Kelly vetoed the idea for fear of tipping off Martin and having him flee. “If he’s not home, we’ll park and wait near his house,” she said. “Sooner or later he’ll come home.”
She had been busy making sure everything was ready before they left the FBI for Martin’s house. Besides reporting to Forester, she had set up a tap on Martin’s house phone and a monitor for any call or email to or from the house. Out of an abundance of caution, she asked Rolfe and another agent to follow her to Martin’s house. They would monitor surveillance while she and Paul were in the house.
Driving north on Foxhall Road, its large stately homes set back from the road, they passed the Field School, then a museum housing the late David Lloyd Kreeger’s art collection. Kelly saw lights on both upstairs and on the ground floor as they approached Martin’s house. That told her someone was probably in the house. Hopefully, it was Martin. But she had to know before they went in.
She dialed Martin’s home phone. A man answered. She heard him say, “Yes?” in a terse voice.
“I’d like to speak with Andrew Martin.”
“I’m Andrew Martin.”
“I’m with a charity that—”
Click. The phone went down.
“Showtime, Paul. Let’s go.”
Paul led the way with Kelly following two steps behind, a gun holstered at her waist and handcuffs in the pocket of her raincoat. Following their script, Paul rang the bell.
“Who’s there?” Martin called from inside the house.
“Paul Maltoni.”
The door opened and Paul quickly entered, Kelly close behind. Looking around, she saw a table in the living room with a chessboard. On one side sat an Asian woman. Judging from the board, they were in the middle of a game.
“What are you doing here, Paul?” Martin asked. “And who’s she?”
Kelly pulled her FBI ID from her raincoat pocket and showed it to him. “Kelly Cameron, FBI, Mr. Martin.” She put it back into her pocket and pulled out the handcuffs. Following their script, she said, “We’re here to arrest you for espionage.”
“You’re what?” a startled Martin asked.
She repeated, “We’re here to arrest you for espionage.”
Martin looked at the terrified woman sitting next to the chessboard and said, “Huan, why don’t you go upstairs? These people have made a mistake. It’s nothing. I’ll sort it out with them.”
The woman got up and left, climbing the staircase rapidly.
Martin turned back to Kelly and Paul. “Why don’t the two of you take off your coats and sit down. We can talk about this. And for God’s sake, put away those handcuffs. You certainly won’t need them.”
Standing in the living room, Kelly and Paul took off their coats, but Kelly kept the handcuffs in her grasp. She unbuttoned the jacket of her pantsuit to reveal the gun holstered at her hip.
“You two want a drink?” Martin asked. “Maybe a glass of wine, Paul? Some of that Saint-Joseph you like?”
He’s smooth, Kelly thought, just as Paul had warned her. That was, no doubt, how he had gained Allison’s confidence.
“Listen, Andrew,” Paul said forcefully, “this isn’t a social visit.”
“Then why are you here?” Martin asked.
“As Kelly said, to arrest you for espionage.”
Martin looked bewildered. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Look, Andrew,” Paul said. “Don’t play games with us. We have a witness, Xiang Shen, who’s prepared to testify that on eight separate occasions you called and asked him to come to your office. There, you gave him an envelope to forward to Liu Guan, the Chinese minister of state security. Before sending the envelopes, Xiang examined the contents. Inside were copies of classified US defense documents. The last one contained a memo from a Camp David gathering at which a decision was made not to respond militarily if China should attack Japan over the islands in the East China Sea. This is enough evidence to arrest you for espionage. We will now be taking you into custody. Kelly, you won’t need the handcuffs. Andrew, get your coat, you’re coming with us.”
Through the corner of her eye, Kelly noticed the Asian woman, mostly concealed, crouched near the top of the stairs, no doubt listening. Kelly made eye contact with her, and she quickly disappeared from Kelly’s sight.
“Don’t be in such a hurry,” Martin said. “Let’s sit down and talk about this.”
Kelly thought about Paul’s words this afternoon. Martin was “the quintessential deal maker.” So far, it was playing out exactly as Paul had predicted. He knew Martin well.
“I’m getting a scotch,” Martin said. “You two sure you don’t want a drink?”
They both shook their heads.
Martin fixed a scotch from the cart, pointed to chairs in the living room, and the three sat down.
“Now, Paul, let’s talk about this like a couple of lawyers,” Martin said. “You don’t really have a case based on what this fellow Xiang told you.”
“Why not?”
“For starters, he’s a member of the Chinese diplomatic corps in the US and has diplomatic immunity. He could easily leave the country and you couldn’t stop him. If he wanted to stay and testify, the Chinese could persuade the State Department to release him into their custody and they would send him back to China. I know Jane Prosser, the secretary of state, very well. That’s what she’ll do. Then, poof, your case is gone.”
“I disagree,” Paul said firmly. “These charges are so serious that Prosser would never sweep them under the rug. Jane Prosser may have once been a friend of yours, but I’ll bet she’s not too wild about you after you lied to her to get her to call off the DC police when Allison was attacked in the DuPont Circle Metro Station in November. And neither President Braddock nor Arthur Larkin is a big supporter of yours.”
Kelly saw Martin cringe. It was definitely a break in the veneer. Paul charged ahead. “This isn’t some small matter like a scuffle at the DuPont Circle Metro. That time you could persuade Prosser to do what you wanted, but not anymore.”
“I never—” Martin started.
“C’mon, Andrew,” Paul cut in. “Don’t try to bullshit me. Besides espionage, we will be charging you with conspiracy in the murder of Senator Jasper.”
“Are you crazy?” Martin sputtered. “Wes was one of my best friends.”
“He may have been, but Allison Boyd is prepared to testify that before Jasper was murdered, she gave you the CD her sister had made of Liu’s conversation with Jasper. You destroyed it, and we have enough circumstantial evidence to prove you tipped off the Chinese about the CD, which led to Jasper’s murder. You’re going down for that as well, Andrew. Two trials, two convictions.”
Watching Martin’s face as Paul had been pouring it on, Kelly thought that Martin was shaken. His bravado was gone. She understood why Paul was a good lawyer. He spoke clearly, forcefully, and persuasively.
“Perhaps, we can work something out,” Martin said.
“I’m listening,” Paul replied.
“I don’t want this to be recorded.”
“It isn’t being recorded,” Kelly said.
“If you give me your word on that, Paul, I’ll accept it,” said Martin.
“You have my word.”
“All right.” Martin took a deep breath. “What you really want is the name of the US official who provided me with the envelopes I turned over to Xiang, correct?”
“That’s right,” Paul acknowledged.
“I’ll give you his name. In return, I get immunity from prosecution for espionage as well as the events surrounding Jasper’s murder.”
His words were music to Kelly’s ears. She didn’t care squat about Martin. All she cared about was the identity of the mole. She would have grabbed the deal in a second, but Paul had one big constraint: he needed Arthur Larkin’s approval.
“That’s a ridiculous opening position,” Paul said.
“It’s not an opening position, it’s the only deal I’ll make,” Martin replied.
“You’re asking for a lot.”
“And giving even more in return.”
“It’s not my decision.”
“I’m aware of that,” said Martin. “I’m happy to meet with Arthur and present it to him myself.”
Paul shook his head. “That’s my job.”
“I understand Arthur has issues with me,” Martin remarked.
“You can’t blame him,” said Paul with a shrug.
“Will you recommend it to Arthur?”
Paul looked at Kelly. She nodded.
“Yes, I will,” he said. “I should have an answer for you in the morning.”
“You’ll spend tonight in jail,” Kelly said. “You’ll have your own private cell.”
She realized she was going back on the arrangement she and Paul had made, but she didn’t trust Martin. This lawyer was too slick. He could still have something else up his sleeve. Even as she said the words, she realized Paul had the final word. It was a legal issue.
Martin shot to his feet. “Screw that! The deal is off. You can prove your case in court, Paul.”
Paul glanced at her, then turned back to Martin. “We’ll strike a compromise,” he said. “You turn over your passport, and we’ll have agents watching your house until we get back in the morning. If you try to leave before we return, they’ll arrest you. That’s what we’ll do.”
Kelly bit her tongue and didn’t say a word.
Martin said to Kelly, “I’m going into the study to get my passport. You want to follow me?”
“Yes.” And she did.
When they left Martin’s house, the heavy rain was still falling. She got into the back of Rolfe’s car and told the two agents what they had agreed on. “If Martin leaves the house before I return, arrest him,” Kelly instructed. “Sorry to do this to you in the rain, but one of you will have to watch the back entrance to the house. The other one can watch the front of the house from the car.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll take turns,” Rolfe said.
“You want me to get a second team?” Kelly asked.
“We can handle it.”
She got into her own car. Paul was already there.
“I thought we agreed we wouldn’t arrest Martin tonight,” he said. “You went back on that.”
“I don’t trust him.”
“You made your point. It’s my ass on the line.” He sounded angry. She chalked it up to the tension and what they had at stake.
“Where do you want me to drop you?” she asked.
“My house in Georgetown, so I can pick up my car. When you were talking to Rolfe, I called Arthur’s house. His wife is expecting him home around midnight. As soon as I told her that I needed to speak with him about an urgent matter, she told me to come over and wait for him at the house.”
“Okay. I’ll take you to your place. Call me when you’re finished with Arthur, no matter how late.”
“Will do.”
Kelly suddenly felt weary. The adrenalin rush she had experienced in Martin’s house had dissipated. She was uncomfortable leaving Martin at home overnight. In her gut, she believed they had made a mistake, and that they should have taken him to jail. But she didn’t argue with Paul anymore. It would be futile. Besides, it was done. She just hoped that it wouldn’t come back to bite them.
Washington
As Martin closed the door behind Kelly and Paul, he realized he was in deep trouble. However, he was confident he could cut a deal. If Paul couldn’t get Arthur to agree, Martin would do it himself. But it wouldn’t be easy. On the other hand, he had something they desperately wanted: the identity of the mole.
That was only one of Martin’s problems. The other was Huan. After he had told her to go upstairs, he had seen her peeking out to listen. That, in addition to the suspicious phone call she had made when General Cartwright had been there to watch the primary, had him worried.
But he didn’t want to be paranoid. Perhaps she had been listening because serious charges had been made against a man she cared for deeply. Still, it was far more likely in Martin’s mind that she was Liu’s plant. He had to know for sure.
Martin called upstairs to Huan, “They’re gone now, you can come down.”
When she returned to the living room, she looked worried. “Are you okay, Andrew? Those people accused you of a serious crime.”
