CHAPTER 11

A few minutes after I arrived at the office the next morning, Jake stepped through my door, waving a pink message slip.

“FBI called, son. A Special Agent Neil Slauson. Says he’d like you to bring the governor in for a sit-down.”

I tossed back the pills I had in my hand and washed them down with Red Bull. “It was just a matter of time, I guess. I’ll have Hoshi set something up for this afternoon.”

“I realize it’s none of my business, son”—Jake motioned with his sagging chin to the prescription bottle on my desk—“but are you still experiencing pain from that stab wound to your gut.”

I stared at the bottle. “I’m experiencing pain from the entire event.”

He gave a slow nod. “Fair enough, I reckon.”

We were saved from any further discussion by Hoshi’s voice over the intercom: “Flan’s here.”

“Good,” I told her. “Ask him to wait in the conference room. Jake and I will be right down.”

Once we settled into the conference room, I explained to Jake and Ryan Flanagan, our full-time investigator, the plan that Jansen and Boyd expected me to carry out.

“This is as dangerous as it gets,” I told them, “but for reasons you both know, it’s something I’ve got to do. But I don’t expect either of you to put your lives on the line for my debts.”

Jake whistled. “We’re not only talking bodily harm here, son. We’re talking serious ethical violations with no safeguards in place. When all this is over, the state bar can come after your license, and I guarantee that Jansen and Boyd will be in no position to help your cause, even if they wanted to.”

I nodded. “That’s why I’m proposing a temporary split. We dissolve the firm of Harper and Corvelli on paper, and each of us flies solo until the heat clears.”

Jake stroked his chin. “May be for the best. If you get your license yanked, at least we can continue under the Law Offices of Jake Harper until the dust settles. We can recruit a young associate and you can play Cyrano de Bergerac for as long as you need to.”

“Then it’s decided,” I said. “The feds will move one million dollars into a Swiss account, which I’ll then use to make Turi’s bail. I’ll use a fake identity, but the paper trail will lead back to me if and when Orlando Masonet goes looking.”

Flan shook his head. “What if Masonet has Turi smoked the minute he steps out of the FDC?”

“He won’t,” I said. “Masonet is going to want to know what Turi told the feds, so if he does anything, he’ll abduct Turi, maybe torture him to find out if he sang.”

“Well, then,” Flan said with a smirk, “sounds like you’ve got everything under control. Remind me not to save your life because I sure as hell wouldn’t want to be in Turi’s shoes right now.”

“Turi will be protected,” I said. “I’ve already hired a private security firm to watch him from the minute he steps out of the FDC. And while he’s on the street, he’s going to have his own personal bodyguard.”

“Won’t that appear a little suspicious?” Jake said.

“Not if the bodyguard is one of my own guys. That plays right into Turi’s story to Masonet about how I’m indebted to him and will do anything to protect him.”

“One of your own guys?” Flan said, gulping visibly.

“Not you,” I assured him. “You work for Jake, and Jake and I are going to be handling the governor’s matter collectively. You’ll be assigned to that investigation for the time being.”

“Then who’s playing Secret Service?”

“Scott Damiano.” I filled Jake and Flan in on Scott’s story.

After a few moments of silence, Jake sighed heavily. “What the hell did I get myself into when I rented you that office, son?”

I shrugged. “No one lives forever, Jake.”

“Not around you they don’t.”

I pushed my chair out, stole a look at the mountain range in the distance, the clouds so thick around its peaks, it looked as though the mountains themselves were on fire.

“All right,” I said. “Enough fun for this morning. It’s time to get to work. I’ve got to call this FBI agent Slauson and escort the governor in for questioning.”

As I made for the door, Jake half-chuckled, half-coughed. “Good thing you moved out here to paradise to avoid any real responsibility.”

Good thing, indeed, Jake.