Removal (15 page)

At three-thirty Jeff Morris called.

‘Hi, Kelly,’ he said. ‘Feeling any better?’

‘Yes. I had a good sleep,’ she replied. ‘At least I don’t feel like death warmed up any more. How about you?’

‘I didn’t sleep too well. I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday. Or it could have been the pasta and red wine I had around midnight.’

Kelly laughed. ‘That could have had something to do with it.’

‘Yeah, maybe. Anyway, did you read today’s
Post
?’

‘No. I just woke up.’

‘They broke the Benoni story. You want to hear the headline?’

‘Sure.’

‘‘Mystery Woman in Murder Case Linked to President.’’

‘Jesus,’ Kelly said. ‘They’re not mincing their words over this, are they?’

‘It gets better,’ Jeff said. ‘‘The mystery woman found shot to death in a North West apartment on Monday has been identified as Lucia Benoni, thirty-four, a resident of New York City, who has been romantically linked to President Steve Wade in stories reported by this correspondent. President Wade has denied the allegations. The motive for the execution-style slaying remains unclear, and authorities would say only that they are following a number of leads. The mystery deepened yesterday when a reliable source told this reporter that Miss Benoni, who is of Lebanese extraction, was in possession of a special pass, a so-called S-pass, which entitled her to gain entry to the White House without going through normal security channels. A spokesperson for the White House told the
Post
that such passes can be issued at the request of various officials, including the President. The spokesperson did not know who had issued the pass to Miss Benoni, or whether it had ever been used.’’

‘A reliable source, huh?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Wonderful. Anything about our boy Hamid?’

‘Oh, yes. Second mysterious murder in D.C. within a week, police tight-lipped, and so on. They got his identity, of course.’

‘Of course. I’m sure the other residents were lining up to talk to them. Any mention of the Bacons?’

‘No, thank goodness. And the Lebanese Ambassador declined to comment.’

‘Yes, I bet he did,’ Kelly said. ‘I’m sure the last thing they want is for the press to start digging into Hamid’s extracurricular activities.’

‘Right,’ Jeff agreed. ‘I don’t think we’ll be hearing too much from the Lebanese.’

‘But no one’s made the link from Lucia Benoni to Hamid Marfrela yet?’ Kelly mused.

‘Not yet. But what do you want to bet we’re reading about that on Monday morning?’

‘Very likely, the way things are going.’

For some reason, Linda Samuels flashed through Kelly’s mind.

‘Jeff, did the White House have any other comment on the story?’

Jeff laughed.

‘Oh, yeah, you’re going to love this. I quote: ‘Martha Graylor, the President’s Press Secretary, this afternoon issued a categorical denial that the President was in any way involved in issuing an S-pass to Lucia Benoni. The President continues to deny knowing Miss Benoni, and further denies having any romantic relationship with her.’ End quote.’

Kelly exhaled sharply into the telephone.

‘This guy is too stupid to live. How long does he think it’s going to take them to get the goods on this?’

‘It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?’

They were silent for a while.

‘So, what are you doing with the rest of your weekend off?’ Jeff asked.

‘I’m not sure I’m going to take the whole weekend,’ Kelly replied. ‘I should really go in and start ploughing through that evidence. Director Lazenby bought us a couple of days, but I really owe it to him to go in tomorrow and take a look.’

‘Oh, don’t do that, Kelly.’

‘Why not?’

‘It’s my evidence too. If you go in, I have to go in as well.’

‘No, you don’t. I can call you if I find anything earth-shattering. I don’t think I will. It will be mainly to check for anything we should turn over to the Embassy.’

‘No. I couldn’t let you do it alone. I would feel too guilty.’

‘This is emotional blackmail,’ Kelly smiled.

‘Yes, it is. Is it working?’

‘Maybe. What were you going to do tomorrow?’

‘If the weather holds, I thought I might drive down to Virginia and take my friend’s sail boat out. He hardly uses it, and he’s been asking me to give it some exercise for a while now.’

Kelly responded without any conscious thought at all.

‘Would you like someone to crew?’ she heard herself ask.

‘You sail?’

‘Used to. It’s been a while, but I used to spend my summers near Seattle when I was growing up. My folks had a place near the ocean. My dad loves to sail. He taught me. I’m sure I’m pretty rusty, but I wouldn’t mind giving it a try. I guess the evidence will wait one more day.’

‘Deal,’ Jeff said. His tone was one of pleased surprise. ‘I’ll pick you up around eleven.’

Kelly smiled to herself as she hung up and prepared to take a shower.

‘I can’t believe I just did that,’ she giggled to herself, as she stood under the welcome hot water.

As she stepped out of the shower, the phone rang again. Hastily wrapping a bath towel around her body, she ran into the living room, dripping water as she went. She picked up the phone.

‘Kelly?’

‘Yeah?’

‘It’s me, Frank.’

To her surprise, the sound of Frank’s voice made Kelly feel anxious. Her stomach tied itself in a knot. She hesitated, not sure what to say.

‘Sweetheart, are you there?’

‘Yes. I’m sorry. I just got out of the shower.’

‘Mm. I wish I was there. Tell me what you’re wearing… if anything.’

‘Where are you, Frank? You didn’t call, and I…’

‘Cleveland. The Senator has a fund-raiser here tomorrow. Actually, that’s why I was calling.’

‘Oh?’

‘Yes. We’re having a reception for some very wealthy people at one of the art museums. Formal wear, very swish. I need you to get on a plane and come on out to be there with me.’

Kelly sat down on the sofa, and rubbed the towel over her face. She was silent for some time.

‘Kelly?’

‘Frank, I can’t. Not tomorrow.’

There was another silence, stony this time.

‘Why not?’

‘Because we’ve had two murders here this week, and I’ve hardly slept, and I have a stack of evidence to look through.’

She held the telephone away from her ear, hardly able to believe the lie she was telling.

‘But sweetheart,’ Frank was saying. She put the receiver back to her ear. ‘I thought we agreed that my work with the Senator was more important to us. Once we get married, that’s where our focus will be in terms of career. I know you’re senior enough now to get a junior agent to fill in for you.’

‘Not in this case,’ Kelly said. ‘I can’t go into the details on the phone, but there’s some heavy stuff going down. In fact, Ted Lazenby and I are the only people who are dealing with it.’

There was another silence.

‘You’re really letting me down here, Kelly.’

She raised her eyes to the ceiling. Before she could control it the anger flashed and removed any thought of guilt from her mind.

‘What did you say?’

‘I said you’re really letting me down.’

Kelly took a deep breath.

‘You just don’t get it, do you? I have a career too, Frank, and it’s important to me. You have no idea what I’ve had to deal with this week. But you call me up from Cleveland or wherever and tell me to jump, and I’m supposed to ask how high? I don’t think so.’

‘I think you ought to think more about us and our future, Kelly, that’s all I’m saying.’

She shook her head, and made the decision almost without a thought.

‘We don’t have a future, Frank. You know what? I’m not going to look at evidence tomorrow. I’m going out with someone else.’

The silence was even longer.

‘You’re going out with another man?’

‘That’s right.’

‘You lied to me?’ Frank sounded incredulous.

‘Yes. I’m sorry. Now I’m telling you the truth.’

‘Fine,’ he said. ‘I hope he can offer you the future I could have offered you.’

‘God damn it, Frank, I’m not thinking about a future. I’m going out sailing for the afternoon.’

‘That’s more important to you than our future?’

‘Frank, I’m not ready for a future, not if it means giving up my work and being a wife who’s nice to people at parties. I can’t do that. I’m just thinking about what’s right for me now. The future will just have to wait.’

‘Well, you see, that’s your whole problem right there,’ Frank said.

Kelly gasped. ‘I’m sorry. What is my problem – exactly?’

‘That you don’t want to think about our future. That you find it more important to go out and enjoy yourself, than do something for our future.’

‘No, actually, that’s now your problem,’ she replied angrily. ‘Find someone else to go to your fund-raiser. And find someone else to have a future with.’

‘I might just do that.’

‘Fuck you, Frank,’ Kelly said.

She slammed down the phone, cutting off his call. She stood there for a full minute, her hand still resting on the receiver, before she started to shake, and had to sit down.

‘Oh, fuck,’ she said to herself.

She dialed another number.

‘Linda?’

By now, Kelly was sobbing aloud.

‘Hi, Kelly. Hey, you don’t sound too good, girl. What’s up?’

‘Frank,’ she managed to say through the tears. ‘Frank is up.’

‘Oh, Jesus. Don’t tell me you finally did it?’

‘Did what?’

‘‘Did what?’’ the girl asks. Ditched the bastard, that’s what. It’s about time.’

‘Oh, Linda…’

‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry. No. I’m not. He was making your life miserable. You’re well out of it.’

‘I need you, Linda. Could you come round this evening? Do you have anything planned?’

‘Me? No. Free as a bird. Jesus, Kelly, of course I’ll come round.’

‘Bring a bottle and a movie. I’ll get the pizza.’

‘Oh, oh,’ Linda laughed. ‘Is it going to be one of those Patsy Cline evenings?’

‘Looks like.’

‘I’ll be there. What kind of movie do you want?’

‘Something to make me feel better.’

‘OK. How about
Schindler’s List
?’

‘Linda…’

‘Joke, Kelly, joke,’ Linda said. ‘It was a joke. OK?’

K
ELLY
AND
L
INDA
woke up the next morning at about nine thirty, both lying on top of Kelly’s bed, more or less fully dressed, and seriously hung over. The lights in the bedroom were still burning, and the television had not been turned off. A large empty pizza box and an empty bottle of Don Julio Reposado lay abandoned on the floor at the foot of the bed. The dried-out remains of several limes lay on a plate nearby. Kelly groaned as she looked at her clock radio. Even the subdued red numerals hurt her eyes. She turned carefully on to her side and shook Linda gently by the shoulder.

‘Time to get up.’

Linda rolled over on to her stomach and buried her head in her pillow.

‘I can’t. Just leave me here to die.’

Kelly patted Linda’s shoulder several times, then slowly lifted herself into a sitting position on the side of the bed.

‘I’ll make coffee.’

Slowly, she walked into the kitchen and mechanically went through the motions of spooning coffee into the filter, filling the coffee machine with water, and setting it to brew. Sooner, and more brightly than Kelly had expected, Linda made it to the kitchen and sat on a stool at the counter. She grinned at Kelly.

‘I’m too old for this Patsy Cline stuff, Kelly. I hope you feel better.’

‘Definitely,’ Kelly replied. ‘Other than a splitting headache and wanting to throw up, I feel great.’

Linda nodded. ‘Good. Mission accomplished, then?’

‘Yes, I think so.’

‘All right.’

‘Do you feel terrible?’ Kelly asked. ‘I’m starting to feel guilty for putting you through this.’

‘Oh, please,’ Linda replied with a smile. ‘I’ll make it. I only hope this hot date of yours is worth it. I could have spent the rest of the day asleep on your bed.’

‘So could I. You want orange juice, something to eat?’

‘No,’ Linda said. ‘I just want to go home and see if I can sleep there instead. You want help with the debris in your bedroom? It doesn’t look pretty in there.’

Kelly smiled. ‘No, thanks. I’ll do it.’

They drank coffee in silence for a while until Linda finally stood, hugged Kelly, and made her way out of the kitchen towards the door. Kelly held out her arms for another hug and squeezed her friend tightly.

‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’

Linda squeezed back.

‘You would do the same for me.’

‘You know I would.’

‘Love you.’

‘Love you.’

Linda turned back just outside the door and smiled.

‘And I want a full report on today.’

‘Of course,’ Kelly replied, closing the door.

* * *

Hoping she did not look as bad as she felt, Kelly got ready to go sailing. Her plan was to blame the queasiness she was experiencing on sea-sickness. It sounded plausible, but the plan depended on being able to hold the symptoms at bay until they were actually on the boat and underway. She assessed the chances of this at about fifty-fifty. Looking at herself in the mirror when she was ready to go, Kelly thought she looked rather pale, but otherwise fairly normal. When he picked her up punctually at eleven, Jeff Morris made no comment, but she could not help noticing that he was grinning from time to time, suggesting that he guessed what she had been up to the night before.

The rain had blown over during the night, so Jeff opened the roof on his convertible. As they drove towards Chesapeake Bay, Kelly began to feel better. Jeff said little, seeming content to leave her to her thoughts. She allowed the cool fresh air to blow away the cobwebs, taking deep breaths and stretching her neck and shoulders. Stealing a glance across at him while he was absorbed in his driving, Kelly was aware of a reassuring feeling that she had no need to hide anything from him, that she had no need to pretend. The embarrassment she had anticipated was simply not there. She felt safe, and the feeling surprised her. It was one, she realized suddenly, that she had not experienced for a long time.