The Bovine Connection (34 page)

“Great job, Gail!” Angelica mused.

“Oh, and you are spot on, Angelica. The House Ways and Means Committee is responsible for all legislation that has to do with taxes, trade… that includes international trade… social or entitlement programs, and God knows what else - meaning the Committee controls most of the issues affecting the finances of our country…. Interesting, wouldn’t you say? Follow the money!”

“That is very interesting! So you think this aerospace facility is funded by our tax dollars?” Angelica probed.

“Not sure what to make of it just yet, but supposedly Francis has unseen bankers-investors. My source also said, there is a ‘no weapons in space’ treaty, and guess what… Francis Giano is exempt.”

“Sounds like John Kaye was bought! And does Giano own his ass? I suspect he does,” Angelica thought aloud and shook her head.

“Sounds as if he might.” Gail sighed.

“Maybe an alien invasion?” Angelica laughed nervously.

Gail was silent for a moment. “God, save us if that were the case! Carl was right, Angelica, people have been killed over this – are you still going over to the White House to barge in on John Kaye?” Gail’s disembodied voice echoed… Before Angelica could answer… “Well as your best editor I recommend you…”

“What the fuck? What the hell was that?” Angelica yelled.

Gail suddenly pulled the phone away, looked at it, and then put it back up to her ear. “Angelica, what’s wrong? Angelica, tell me what’s happened? Are you there?”

Angelica stood dazed as she watched in slow motion as a black Tahoe pulled up beside her BMW parked along the curb in front of her townhouse. A man in a black mask got out with a baseball bat and slammed the hood and then walked casually all the way around the front of the car, before assaulting the windshield. He flipped the bat over his shoulders, and sauntered back to the Tahoe. As he got in the SUV, he glared back at Angelica before he drove away. Angelica ran over to her car as other observers rushed over to the scene. She stood there, wide-eyed, with her jaw dropped.

“Is that your car?” a middle-aged man asked her.

“Yes, and that asshole just hit it with a freaking baseball bat!” Angelica said as she threw her hands up in the air.

A young man still panting after running over leaned down and nonchalantly stated… “Wow, now that was crazy…”

Still stunned, Angelica just looked at him blankly. The middle-age man leaned in to take a closer look and remarked, “At least it was just the hood and windshield. It’s still drivable. Looks like you already had some damage. Your left front light is broken and the bumper is all shot to hell. I’ll wait for the police and give a statement if you’d like for me to,” he said kindly.

Angelica managed a smile. “Thank you!”

Angelica suddenly realized her cell phone was still clutched tightly in her hand. “Gail?” she bellowed out anxiously.

“Angelica, what the hell just happened? I heard your voice… I was too afraid to hang up!” Gail blurted.

“My car… those motherfuckers beat the crap out of my car – the man in the black Tahoe. The one I saw in the parking lot last night when I left the office. I’m being followed and fucking harassed!”

Gail let out a deep breath. “Oh shit! First, how’s your car?”

Angelica rubbed her head. “Drivable - but it looks bad! He took a freaking baseball bat to it! Fucking seriously?” Angelica closed her eyes in disbelief.

“Okay… well, good news you can still drive it! Second, what are you thinking? Let’s drop the story woman before you look worse than your car on a table in the morgue!”

Angelica stood frozen as the image of her pale stiff body, laid beaten on a cold metal table, formed in her mind. Then she looked down at the wound on her forearm. “No, they aren’t going to scare me! I’m going to the Capital!”

Gail laughed spontaneously, out of shock. “You are a mad woman! You know they have places for people like you – they’re called institutions!”

“Bye, Gail… I’ll touch base later!” Angelica hung up and walked over to her car as she heard the police sirens coming around the corner onto her street.

The police car pulled up and the officer immediately got out of his car. Angelica watched as he walked toward her and the small crowd of observers.

“Hello Officer!” she said without even taking a breath… “A man just pulled up in a black Tahoe and got out with a baseball bat and started hitting my car.” Angelica looked bewildered.

The officer was looking over at the hood, curiously. “I see that… Any idea who this man was? Why he would want to hit your car with a baseball bat, ma’am?” The officer glared suspiciously at Angelica.

She innocently shifted her eyes to her left and thought for a moment and said, “No.”

“Okay, ma’am, I’ll write a report. Are there any other witnesses?”

“Yes… that gentleman over there,” Angelica pointed to the man standing on the curb talking to people as they were walking over to see what had happened. After talking to all the witnesses, the police officer left Angelica alone with half-a-dozen strangers still milling about. Angelica got into her car and drove off to hopefully find John Kaye at his office.

A
ngelica kept looking around anxiously for the Tahoe, worried that she was going to be blindsided by it. She noticed a few odd glances at her damaged white BMW as people passed by in vehicles.

Trying to prepare herself for the ambush, Angelica hoped she would catch him in his office. She wondered what John Kaye looked like. She assumed he probably wasn’t meek. Angelica abruptly stopped as a yellow light had just turned red - almost hitting a pedestrian walking across the street. The man looked at her and angrily threw his hands up. “What’s wrong with you?” he yelled as he hit her hood with his open hand.

Angelica could still see through the windshield although it was splintered like a giant spider web. She sunk down into her seat and raised her hand almost in front of her face. “I’m so sorry!” she murmured.

As the light turned green, she accelerated past a handful of curious onlookers.

Angelica could see the round dome of the Capitol in the distance. As many times as she had visited it or driven by, it’s majestic beauty and historic significance was always awe inspiring. She pulled up to the security gate. An armed officer stepped out and looked suspiciously at her damaged BMW. “Can I see your identification? What is the purpose of your visit, ma’am?” the officer peered at her BMW suspiciously.

Angelica smiled kindly as she pulled out her press badge and driver’s license. “I’m here to see House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, John Kaye.”

“Is he expecting you, ma’am?”

“Angelica responded confidently. “Yes, he is… I’m Angelica Bradley with the
Liberator Magazine
.”

“Just one moment, please.” The office took her identification and stepped into the booth. Angelica watched as heavily armed security officers with dogs and mirrors inspected her car.

After a few moments, the officer stepped out and handed her license and press badge back to her. “Okay, that way. Have a nice day!” The security officer pointed her in the direction of the administrative offices. Angelica hadn’t been worried about getting through security. She was in their system – as a member of the White House Correspondents’ Association, she frequently attended meetings and the annual dinners. The trick would be getting past Kaye’s secretary.

Inside, Angelica followed the directory to John Kaye’s office, passing congressmen, lobbyists, and other officials along the way. Finally finding his office, she opened the door and was immediately face-to-face with his secretary, sitting at an ornate mahogany desk facing the door. The woman looked up, “Ms. Bradley?”

Angelica nodded. “Yes.”

“He’ll see you,” the secretary said. “Go on in.”

Angelica took a subtle breath, walked over, and opened the door. “This was too easy,” she thought.

“Well, hello, Ms. Bradley! How may I help you?” John Kaye stood up from his desk. “Please have a seat.” He pointed to the brown leather, wingback chair in front of his desk. John Kaye was younger than she had expected. She had only seen him briefly, from a distance, once before. He appeared to be in his mid-forties, dark-brown hair, an average build with somewhat of a normal square face. His thick neck bulged out around his white, pressed shirt, tucked neatly under a navy blue suit that looked like it was perfectly hand-tailored for him. His voice was deep and assertive, giving Angelica the impression that he wanted to appear older.

Angelica looked him straight in the eyes. “Chairman Kaye, I have a few questions regarding your connection to the billionaire, Francis Giano,” Angelica stated confidently, awaiting his response.

John Kaye shifted in his chair and eyed Angelica speculatively. “Francis Giano, huh… Now what sort of question would you have for me in regards to him?” He smirked while maintaining eye contact.

Angelica felt a lump in her throat. She immediately thought, “Another asshole to deal with… great.” She knew it wasn’t going to be easy, just walking in on him like this, it never was. John Kaye had a forceful and downright dominating persona, and he was trying to intimidate her. Remembering what got her where she was in her career, thus far, she continued. “Let’s not pretend, sir. You’ve been seen with Mr. Giano at the Newton Air Force Base. I’ll just cut to the chase because I have had a long two days – What is going on at the aerospace facility?”

The chairman paused and then spoke very calmly. “Oh yes,” he said, “the aerospace facility. I‘ve heard mention of it but, dear – I know nothing about it. As for the Newton Air Force Base, I met him there briefly through some colleagues a while back… Afraid I can’t help you, Ms. Bradley. You’re barking up the wrong tree.” John Kaye smirked.

Angelica slid up closer in her chair. “I see how this is going to be. With all due respect, Chairman Kaye, I’ve dealt with your kind throughout my entire career here in D.C. and you don’t intimidate me. You can pretend all you like, but I will get to the bottom of what you men are up to, and when I do people will read about it, and…”

The Chairman cut her off, “Look here, Ms. Bradley, you come barging into my office unannounced, and I give you the courtesy of an impromptu meeting because I respect your magazine, but you aren’t being very polite. No small talk, no questions about the First Lady’s outlandish dress last night at the dinner with the Iranian ambassador… You are obviously tougher than I gave your pretty face credit for, but I suggest you get back to chasing Senator’s with a taste for the exotic because you are in way over your head on this one, honey.”

Angelica relentlessly continued… “Can I quote you on that?” she asked sarcastically. “As I understand it, you have a great deal of power.
The power to influence tax laws and generate revenue for the federal government as you see fit, within Constitutional parameters, of course. Is that correct, sir?”

John Kaye tilted his head. “Yes, that is correct. Where is this going, Ms. Bradley?”

“Are you using tax payer’s money on the aerospace facility, Mr. Chairman? You know -- the one that Mr. Giano is involved with?”

“That facility is privately funded.” John Kaye’s lips tightened after his response.

Angelica noticed his face was turning a shade of scarlet. He appeared flustered.

“Ms. Bradley, I will not be answering anymore questions today.”

Angelica didn’t let up, and kept at him. “What is your involvement with Francis Giano?” Angelica sat sturdy, staring at him, wishing she could smack the condescending grin off his face.

“Do I need to escort you out?” he asked, appearing irritated.

Angelica ignored his question. “Are there ETs involved?” John Kaye laughed. “I find this incredibly entertaining to watch you come at me from all angles – ETs, now that is funny! Is Jesse Ventura waiting outside to tackle me?”

Angelica knew who she was dealing with. John Kaye held one of the most powerful positions in government. The Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee was considered by many to be the most powerful and influential position by the people in Congress. John Kaye controlled the finances in regards to how much of the country operated. He was in a respected and sought after position with a great deal of power. Angelica had done her research, and wasn’t naïve. She knew she couldn’t overpower him, but perhaps she could cause him to slip up. “Please answer my question, Chairman. What is your involvement with the billionaire, Francis Giano?”

“Ms. Bradley, you can either leave peacefully or I will have you escorted out,” John Kay said as he sat back in his chair like a cat hiding a canary.

Angelica reluctantly stood up and smirked. She turned and walked toward the door, and right before opening it, she looked back around. “I don’t believe you were what our founding fathers had in mind,” she spoke softly, sarcastically.

John Kaye’s eyes were piercing.
“Ms. Bradley, the United States Constitution arose from the necessity to create a new government, rather than fix an inadequate existing one. We are in a new era and times are changing in ways… well, Ms. Bradley this conversation is over.  Good day.” he said as he stood up from his chair.

Angelica turned around. “Really… how so?”