The conversation was eavesdropped and recorded. When Kirk entered Old Stu’s office, every sound was scooped up by the bugs. Stu played along, took the wiring instructions, made a copy for the FBI, and promised to start the two wires: the first to the campaign for $1.5 million, and the second to a numbered Swiss account for $250,000.
Kirk had serious doubts if anyone with the campaign, including Sturgiss himself, knew of Jackal’s “brokerage commission.”
He left the firm for lunch and went to the extended-stay hotel suite he was renting by the month. He’d been there for two weeks and was already tired of the place. As cramped as it was, he was delighted to be out of his house and away from Chrissy.
He stood in a hot shower for a long time, trying to wash away the grime and filth of dirty politics.
（38）
Diantha met Adrian Reece after work in a wine bar near Washington University. They ordered a half-bottle of a Riesling and retired to a dark corner. Diantha had resisted the temptation to call Houston Doyle directly because she knew he was a busy man and wouldn’t divulge much.
Adrian was cautious with her update. The surveillance had worked beautifully. The three conspirators had said more than enough to get themselves indicted. The grand jury would see the case in three days and everyone expected formal charges. Governor Sturgiss would be investigated soon after the election. Word had come from the highest places in Washington that Sturgiss would not be charged with anything until well after the votes were counted. When and if he were charged, he would be presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial. A quick indictment just before the election smacked of raw politics, and the Attorney General said no.
Early the next morning, Diantha called both partners at home and said that a meeting of the three was imperative. Rusty declined because it was a Tuesday, a day he avoided the office and his brother. She knew that but didn’t care. The meeting was necessary, even urgent. Be in her office at noon.
Diantha assumed that the surveillance extended to her private spaces as well—office, phones, computers—and that was okay with her. The meeting had nothing to do with any illegal activity Kirk and Rusty were cooking up. The meeting was long overdue and she was on a mission.
When they arrived, in various stages of belligerence, she began pleasantly with “This is unfinished business from many years ago, and if you don’t do what I ask then I’m walking out the door. I have my letter of resignation prepared and I’m ready to go. As we know, I’ll take a lot of valuable information with me.”
That startled them enough to get their complete attention. They gawked at her as she picked up a document and said, “This is a new partnership agreement that will go into effect today and shift around the ownership of this law firm. I’m joining as a full equity partner, with equal rights. That’ll make three of us.”
“You’re asking for a third?” Kirk asked.
“Yes.”
Rusty appeared confused and said, “Okay, but an equity deal means you have to buy into the firm. If you want to own a piece, then you have to pay for it.”
“I know how it works, Rusty. I can argue that I’ve already bought my ownership here because I should’ve been made a partner years ago, and because I’ve been kept on an employee’s salary for far too long, and because I have not been allowed to share in the profits, and because I paid dearly a long time ago when I was sexually harassed and abused by Bolton, and thanks to your own dysfunctional relationship with each other I’ve been the de facto managing partner for years, and the MP in any firm has an equitable stake.”
They took this like a slap in the face and both seemed unable to breathe. Rusty finally caught his breath and said, “But a full third?”
“A third of what?” she demanded, ready to pounce on a question she knew was coming. “Right now a third of this firm is not worth much. With our rising debts, bloated overhead, plummeting revenues, and lack of success in the courtroom, this is not exactly an attractive asset.”
“We’ll bounce back,” Rusty said, but only to defend his turf.
“Maybe,” she said. “And when we do I want a third of the net profits.”
“What about the tobacco money?” Kirk asked.
“We have a deal in place for that money. The four of us. This deal is about the law firm of Malloy & Malloy and who owns it. I should’ve been cut in as partner years ago. Take it or leave it, fellas. I’m not negotiating.”
Rusty said, “Well, can we at least read it first?”