"I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I was wondering about the eye patch?"
"I was hurt in an accident recently. They weren’t able to save the eye."
"Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Are you all right?"
"Other than this, I’m fine," Monika said, anxious to get away from Marshall. "Well, Mr. Marshall it was a pleasure meeting you."
"And you as well, Ms Ryan." Marshall handed her a card. "Call me sometime. Maybe we can get together and have a drink."
"I’m sure that pretty wife of yours won’t like that at all," Monika said and walked away. When she had gotten far enough away she said, "Objective is tagged."
"Acknowledged beta. Omega, do you have him?"
"I have him, alpha," Travis said.
"Acknowledged omega, I’m coming to you," Monika said and began moving toward the front door.
"Advise me when you get there, beta," Nick said.
"Acknowledged."
"What happens now?" Wanda asked.
"We wait until Monika gets back to the truck and then we’ll make our move," Nick told her.
"I just gotta say, this is all very exciting to me."
Nick smiled. "What’s that, Wanda?"
"All this spy stuff. You know I don’t get out much, so like I said, I’m just glad to be a part of it all. Did Mike say anything when you told him I was coming with you?"
"No. He knows it’s you that has the contacts. What could he say?"
"Do the words conspiracy to commit a felony mean anything to you, Wanda?" she said trying to sound like Mike.
"You’re right." Nick laughed, knowing that she was right. Mike had always been very protective about what parts of the business he involved Wanda in. "Maybe it won’t be an issue for much longer."
"Maybe."
"You think we’re really gettin’ out?"
"I don’t know, Nick," Wanda said and looked into Nick’s eyes. She had the strongest urge to kiss him, but she ignored it. "We’ll just have to wait and see."
"This is beta. I’m in position," Monika said when she got to the van.
"Acknowledged, beta. Assume operational control."
"Acknowledged."
Travis started to get up.
"Where do you think you’re goin’?" Monika asked.
"I thought that meant he wanted you in this spot," Travis said looking confused.
"I am assuming operational control. I am now in command here, that’s what that means to me." Monika looked around the van. "This is your baby, you handle it. I blow shit up." And with that Travis sat down.
"I got something I want you and Nick to listen to later. I recorded it earlier, I think it might be important."
Back inside the Marshall house, Nick got ready to make his move. He asked Wanda if she would go and get Glynnis to walk him over and introduce him to Marshall. "I can introduce you to him," Wanda said. "I mean I do know him."
"I’m sure that you do," Nick said as they walked. "But if he knows you, then he knows that you work for Mike Black and I want to keep him out of it."
Wanda looked at Nick skeptically. "Okay. As long as you’re not just trying to protect me. I’m a big girl, you know."
Nick looked at Wanda the way a predator looks at his prey. "I can see that."
Wanda smiled. "I can take care of myself," she said as they found Glynnis.
"So, you guys ready to meet the man?" Glynnis asked.
"He is, I’m not," Wanda said. "Nick is afraid that Marshall will connect me to Mike.”
"Yes, that’s right. I didn’t think of that."
"Neither did I," Wanda frowned. "So I’m going home. Will you be all right, Glynnis?"
"Oh sure, Wanda, I’ll be fine with this crowd."
"Okay, then. Will you please call me later, Nick?" she looked at Glynnis. "Just to let me know how things worked out?"
"I promise, I’ll call you later."
Chapter Forty
Nick and Glynnis watched Wanda until she was out of the house. Glynnis turned to Nick. "Okay, handsome, let’s go."
"When we get to him, Glynnis, introduce me as Patrick Mitchell."
"Patrick Mitchell, right."
When Nick and Glynnis approached Marshall he was talking to two men. "Hello Martin," Glynnis said and tapped him on the shoulder.
Marshall turned around. "Glynnis, it’s so good to see you," he said and turned to the men he was with. "Will you gentlemen excuse me?" he asked.
"I’ll give you a call, Marty. We can discuss this further over 18 holes," one of the men said.
"I’ll make some time on my schedule," Marshall promised and the men went away. "Thank you for coming to my rescue, Glynnis. Lobbyists, always want something."
"I know how that goes, believe me. I want to introduce you to Patrick Mitchell. Patrick, this is Martin Marshall, he’s a state senator."
"Patrick, right? Good to meet you."
"It’s an honor to meet you sir," Nick said and the two shook hands.
"Oh," Glynnis said. "There goes Chris. I just have to talk to him. I’ll be right back, Patrick." Glynnis hurried away leaving Nick alone with Marshall.
"So, what business are you in, Patrick? Don’t tell me that you’re a lobbyist." Marshall joked.
"No, sir, nothing as complicated as that. I’m a private investigator."
"Really?" Marshall said and laughed a little. "What are you investigating? And please don’t say your’re investigating me."
"Actually I wanted to talk to you about a murder."
"A murder?"
"Tavia Hawkins. Do you know her?" Nick asked and Marshall’s facial expression changed.
"I’m afraid I do. That woman has made a career of writing lies about me. Did she send you?"
"No sir. She was found dead last night."
"Oh my goodness, that’s terrible. How did it happen?"
"An overdose of sleeping pills."
"Sleeping pills? I thought you said she was murdered?"
"I never said she was murdered. I just asked if you know her."
"I see. How can I help you, Mr. Mitchell?"
"I know the story she was working on was about you" Nick lied. "I was wondering what you could tell about that?"
"I have no idea what you’re talking about." Marshall smiled. "But I’d be happy to do what I can to help. Let’s get together and talk about this at another time." Marshall handed Nick his card. "Call me at my office and I’ll look into it. Now if you’ll excuse me."
"Yes, of course, you have guests to attend to and I’m monopolizing your time. I’ll give you a call tomorrow and we can talk more then." Nick extended his hand. "Once again, it was an honor meeting you, sir."
"You as well, I’ll look forward to your call." Marshall stood and watched Nick until he lost sight of him. He looked around the room again and began walking very quickly through the crowd. Marshall approached a man talking to a group of ladies. "Excuse me for interrupting, Ladies. Scotty, can I speak with you in my office. I promise it will only take a minute Ladies, and then you can have him back."
Marshall and Scotty made their way through the crowd to Marshall’s office. By that time, Nick was in the van with Monika and Travis. Marshall entered the office and slammed the door. "I thought you were gonna take care of Hawkins?"
"I did," Scotty answered with blank expression on his face. "I did just like you told me. Made it look like she OD’d on sleeping pills."
"Right. Then maybe you can tell me why I just got finished talking to some private detective about her?"
"What?"
"You heard me. He said he wanted to talk to me about a murder, not a suicide, Scotty, a murder!" Marshall yelled. "He was here, in my house."
"I’m sure that the police ruled her death a suicide. I checked with my source."
"Then it would make sense that the only way he could connect her to me is the evidence."
"Marty, I took care of that, I shredded the paper trail and wiped her files from her work and home computers, I even took any disks she had laying around."
"Then why was he here? Are you sure you didn’t leave anything on her computer?"