Read Online Capitol Murder by Phillip Margolin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Phillip Margolin
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, Thrillers, Suspense fiction, Crime, Political, Murder, Washington (D.C.), Investigation, Murder - Investigation, Political Fiction
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seat without comment. Brad and Lucas sat behind him with their backs to the wall, and an aide shut the door.
“Let’s get started,” Senator Rivera said. “Dr. Ibanescu is here to brief us on a very real threat to our national security. Emil, why don’t you take the floor?”
“Thank you, Madam Chairperson.” Ibanescu’s speech betrayed a faint hint of Eastern Europe. “In the past year, we have received information from multiple sources pointing to the strong possibility that a major terrorist operation is under way in the United States. We are facing two obstacles. First, we know the event is scheduled to take place in the near future, but we have not identified the target. Second, we are convinced that the group that is behind this plot is centered in Pakistan, but the group is not al-Qaeda or any other known terrorist group. This means that monitoring these known terror networks has not provided the information we need to foil the plot.”
“It doesn’t sound as if you’ve made much headway here,” said Senator Allen McElroy of Alabama.
“That’s true. Because this plot is the work of a small unknown group, many of our methods of gathering intelligence have not been particularly useful. However, there is some good news. We have obtained one solid lead in the past few days. InCo, an Oregon company, may be involved in laundering money that is being used to finance part of this operation.”
Behind Carson, Lucas Sharp shifted in his chair.
“Our evidence is not conclusive,” Ibanescu continued, “but we’re putting together an affidavit for a search warrant for the company records. Hopefully we will know more in the next few days. The purpose of this briefing is to let the committee know about this potential event. If it happens, there could be as much damage to the national psyche as there was after 9/11, and we want you to be prepared.”
Ibanescu’s report continued for twenty minutes more. By the constant movement behind him, Carson could sense that Lucas Sharp was uneasy. Carson looked over his shoulder and Sharp caught his eye. He was very tense.
As soon as the meeting adjourned, Sharp told Brad that he had to speak to the senator in private. Then he pulled his friend into an empty meeting room and shut the door.
“Do you remember talking to a woman named Jessica Koshani two months ago at the Hilton fund-raiser?” Sharp asked as he watched his friend intently.
Carson couldn’t stop the heat from rising in his cheeks. Sharp noticed.
“Koshani, yes. She and some of her business associates gave us a sizable contribution.”
“Is anything going on between you and Koshani?” Sharp asked.
“Nothing. She’s just a supporter,” the senator stammered. His answer wasn’t convincing.
“I hope to God you’re telling me the truth, Jack. Remember the night you met Koshani at the fund-raiser at the Hilton?”
Carson nodded.
“Do you also recall my telling you that she’d been the subject of discussions when I was in the DA’s office?”
“Yes.”
“And do you remember I told you she was suspected of laundering money through several companies? One of the companies we discussed when I was a prosecutor was InCo.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Yeah, ‘shit.’ I don’t think it will go over well with your constituents if it’s revealed that one of your supporters is also supporting terrorists.”
Carson started to sweat. “Emil didn’t mention Jessica.”
“He didn’t mention a lot of stuff. The people running this operation worry about leaks, for which politicians are notorious. So, Jack, how bad is this?”
“It’s not bad,” Carson answered, fighting hard to keep calm.
“Did you screw her?”
Carson’s eyes dropped. “Just one time,” he lied. “I had a little too much to drink.”
“Fuck!”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
“You pay me to worry.”
“We’ll be fine,” Carson repeated, but like a lot of things he said on the campaign trail, he didn’t
“Let’s get started,” Senator Rivera said. “Dr. Ibanescu is here to brief us on a very real threat to our national security. Emil, why don’t you take the floor?”
“Thank you, Madam Chairperson.” Ibanescu’s speech betrayed a faint hint of Eastern Europe. “In the past year, we have received information from multiple sources pointing to the strong possibility that a major terrorist operation is under way in the United States. We are facing two obstacles. First, we know the event is scheduled to take place in the near future, but we have not identified the target. Second, we are convinced that the group that is behind this plot is centered in Pakistan, but the group is not al-Qaeda or any other known terrorist group. This means that monitoring these known terror networks has not provided the information we need to foil the plot.”
“It doesn’t sound as if you’ve made much headway here,” said Senator Allen McElroy of Alabama.
“That’s true. Because this plot is the work of a small unknown group, many of our methods of gathering intelligence have not been particularly useful. However, there is some good news. We have obtained one solid lead in the past few days. InCo, an Oregon company, may be involved in laundering money that is being used to finance part of this operation.”
Behind Carson, Lucas Sharp shifted in his chair.
“Our evidence is not conclusive,” Ibanescu continued, “but we’re putting together an affidavit for a search warrant for the company records. Hopefully we will know more in the next few days. The purpose of this briefing is to let the committee know about this potential event. If it happens, there could be as much damage to the national psyche as there was after 9/11, and we want you to be prepared.”
Ibanescu’s report continued for twenty minutes more. By the constant movement behind him, Carson could sense that Lucas Sharp was uneasy. Carson looked over his shoulder and Sharp caught his eye. He was very tense.
As soon as the meeting adjourned, Sharp told Brad that he had to speak to the senator in private. Then he pulled his friend into an empty meeting room and shut the door.
“Do you remember talking to a woman named Jessica Koshani two months ago at the Hilton fund-raiser?” Sharp asked as he watched his friend intently.
Carson couldn’t stop the heat from rising in his cheeks. Sharp noticed.
“Koshani, yes. She and some of her business associates gave us a sizable contribution.”
“Is anything going on between you and Koshani?” Sharp asked.
“Nothing. She’s just a supporter,” the senator stammered. His answer wasn’t convincing.
“I hope to God you’re telling me the truth, Jack. Remember the night you met Koshani at the fund-raiser at the Hilton?”
Carson nodded.
“Do you also recall my telling you that she’d been the subject of discussions when I was in the DA’s office?”
“Yes.”
“And do you remember I told you she was suspected of laundering money through several companies? One of the companies we discussed when I was a prosecutor was InCo.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Yeah, ‘shit.’ I don’t think it will go over well with your constituents if it’s revealed that one of your supporters is also supporting terrorists.”
Carson started to sweat. “Emil didn’t mention Jessica.”
“He didn’t mention a lot of stuff. The people running this operation worry about leaks, for which politicians are notorious. So, Jack, how bad is this?”
“It’s not bad,” Carson answered, fighting hard to keep calm.
“Did you screw her?”
Carson’s eyes dropped. “Just one time,” he lied. “I had a little too much to drink.”
“Fuck!”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
“You pay me to worry.”
“We’ll be fine,” Carson repeated, but like a lot of things he said on the campaign trail, he didn’t
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