He was silent for a moment as the reality hit. Kemp finally said, “There are eighteen hundred inmates at Saliba, don’t know how many could be BM, but only a handful. The way I read it, the sender met with Bolton in prison and cut a deal for a full and complete pardon, in January, for two million dollars.”
“January would be after the inauguration, assuming Sturgiss gets reelected. Any follow-up after this email?”
“No, at least not on any of the accounts we’ve discovered. Jackal is a smart guy and stays away from email and texts as much as possible. He carries at least three phones in his pockets and he’s always talking to someone, but from what we gather he tries to avoid leaving trails.”
Rusty shook his head and walked around the conference table. From the far end he asked, “Any indication that anybody else knows about this?”
“Like who?”
“Like the FBI.”
“No, none at all. This is collateral damage. We were looking for sex, remember? That’s all we’re getting paid to do. We stumbled onto this.”
“What will you do with it?”
“Absolutely nothing. We’re not getting involved. I’m showing it to you because it’s your old man and you’re my client. And besides, if we took this to the FBI they’d probably bust us for hacking. No sir, we know nothing.”
Rusty walked to within two feet of Kemp, pointed a finger, and said, “Walt, as far as you and I are concerned, I never saw this email. Okay?”
“You got it.”
He punched a remote and the screen went black.
（33）
About half of the seventh floor of the Malloy building was occupied at the time. The remaining spaces were either awaiting new tenants or being renovated by those who’d already signed leases. Rusty found a small empty office suite last used by an insurance broker. The utilities were on, and most of the furniture was gone. He moved a table and pulled together some folding chairs. No one would ever find them up here. Old Stu was far down the hall and rarely came out.
Diantha approached the meeting with uneasiness and concern. Nothing about it added up. First, Rusty and Kirk were almost never together in the same room. Second, to her knowledge they had never held a meeting on the seventh floor. Third, her little phone chat with Rusty had been cryptic and suspicious enough to set off alarms. He had ducked all of her questions.
They were seated in the room when she arrived, and a quick glance at both of them was cause for even more concern. They had been raised with money and status and had never lacked confidence. They were at times arrogant and condescending. They believed they were a notch above everyone else and expected to get their way, and from their father they had inherited a fearlessness that often bordered on bullying.
One look at them now and it was clear that they were troubled, even frightened. She had never seen them so rattled. There were no greetings. She sat down and pulled over another folding chair for her substantial handbag. She removed her cell phone, turned off the ringer, and placed it by the handbag. Neither Rusty nor Kirk could see her cell phone or were the least bit interested in it.
For reasons she would never fully comprehend, she casually picked up her phone as if to check messages, tapped the Voice Memos app, then tapped the Record button. She put the phone down and glanced at Rusty. His cell phone was on the table.
The deft maneuver, made with no forethought or purpose, would profoundly impact the rest of her life and the lives of so many she knew well.
Kirk looked at her and said, “We’re here because the governor has evidently decided to sell some pardons and Bolton has agreed to purchase one for two million dollars.”
She stifled a gasp but couldn’t keep her mouth closed. She rocked back as if hit with something and repeated the words in a mumble. She looked at Kirk but there was no eye contact. She looked at Rusty and he was nervously chewing a fingernail.
He said, “The deal is being handled by Jackal, no surprise there. A private investigator I know came across some of Jackal’s secret emails. I saw one that confirmed the bribe. Two mil for a full and complete pardon in January. Looks like the deal’s been cut.”
She breathed hard and gawked at both of them. “Okay, is anybody with a badge in on the plot?”
“No, don’t think so. My contact has told no one and will stay quiet. Doesn’t want to get involved, doesn’t want the attention.”
“I’m somewhat surprised at Dan Sturgiss. Had him pegged for a stand-up guy.”
“He’s broke,” Kirk said. “And his campaign needs cash.”