LITMIR.BIZ

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don’t get caught. Our job is just to tail Elias to see if he really is going to the White House. That’s it. The rest of it, that’s just the icing on the cake. Maggie did say the girls are extremely worried,” Ted said, lying through his teeth. “Especially Nellie.”

      Bert cleared his throat. “She should be worried. If I tell you guys something, will you swear on Myra’s and Annie’s lives that you won’t repeat it? Especially you, Ted. Maggie can drag anything out of you, so tell me now if you think you can’t keep your lip zipped.”

      “I swear. Okay? She can only do that sometimes,” he added defensively.

      Harry took a moment to turn completely around in his chair. He locked his gaze on Ted. “Bert has it all wrong. You swear on me, Robinson. That goes for you, too, Espinosa.”

      “Yeah, yeah, I get it. I swear on you, Harry.”

      “Oh, yeah, me too, Harry. I mean it. We both swear on you.”

      Harry smiled.

      “Okay, here goes. Remember now, this is just among us. About four months ago, Elias came to me and asked me to go to the doctor with him. Seems he had some tests done, and he wanted someone with him when he got the results. I was that someone. Elias has been more than a mentor to me, he’s been like a father. I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. I went with him. Elias has the onset of Alzheimer’s. He doesn’t want Nellie or anyone to know. He’s fine right now, but he does have little lapses in memory, nothing serious at the moment. Like he forgets where he put something or thinks he did something when he didn’t do it. He’s on some meds now, which he keeps in the car so Nellie won’t see them. My point is, whatever reason he was called to the White House, Elias has enough brains not to take anything on. I don’t know how he’ll get out of it, but I know he won’t commit to anything. That’s it. All of you, stop looking at me like that. This is not something any of us can fix for him. He’s got great doctors. I’ll be watching over him, and I’d like you guys to do the same as much as you can.

      “Yeah, yeah, I know, Nellie should be told, but I promised, and I intend to honor that promise until such time as I have to break it. You guys would do the same thing if you were in my place, so stop looking at me like I’m some two-horned creature from outer space. I want your promise to help me keep my promise.” Four heads bobbed up and down.

      “Considering Elias’s condition, I know that secret or not, Elias will tell me what went on at the meeting today if it comes off. When that happens, we’ll act on the information. Until that happens, we go about our business. Do you all agree?” Again, four heads bobbed up and down.

      Jack took a deep breath. “What’s Harry’s assignment?” Jack asked with a devilish glint in his eye.

      Still in his ass-kissing mood, Ted said, “How should I know? He’s good at everything. What do you guys think he should do? We called him to keep him in the loop. We have to stick together. Wait a minute, can Alexis hear any of this, because if she can, we are dead in the water, gentlemen.”

      “What kind of office do you think this is?” Jack asked indignantly.

      “It’s Lizzie Fox’s office. And you don’t think this place is wired for everything!” Ted said in disgust. “Right now she’s probably on the phone with the girls. We didn’t have an appointment. We just showed up. That in itself is suspicious, don’t you think? Oh, shit, now it’s going to get back to Maggie. We screwed up, Espinosa.”

      “What’s with that we stuff. This was your idea.”

      Bert grinned. “Relax. Lizzie made Alexis sign a confidentiality contract when she hired her. She can’t talk about anything that goes on here. That means she can’t say bubkes about anyone who walks through those doors. I was with Lizzie when she explained it all to Alexis. She understood. Lizzie went to great lengths to explain how she could go to jail. Alexis understood that also.”

      “And you think that will stop her from talking to the girls. I-don’t-think-so! She’s a goddamn vigilante, and we all know where their loyalties lie—with each other. Sorry, Espinosa, but it’s the truth,” Ted said.

      “Ask yourself who Alexis fears the most—us, the girls, or Lizzie? Lizzie wouldn’t bat an eye if she had to turn her in. Alexis knows that. Plus, the girls, especially Nikki, understand that confidentiality part. She wouldn’t forgive Alexis, and I also think she’d head her off at the pass if she thought Alexis was going to divulge confidential information. And she’d convince the others to do the same. Believe it or not, those women have rules and ethics that have gotten them where they are. We might not agree with them, but that’s not our problem. We’re safe,” Bert said.

      “From your lips to God’s ears,” Espinosa mumbled.

      “Time to make a plan, boys,” Jack said.

      “We’re screwed for sure if we have to go with one of your plans,” Ted said, getting up to stretch his legs. “Let’s hear it!”

      Jack sniffed. “I didn’t say I was going to make a plan, I said it’s time to make a plan, that means all of us have input. Your problem, Ted, is that you’re afraid of Maggie. You need to think on your own. You have to learn how to act independent of Maggie. We’re here for you, aren’t we, Harry?”

      Harry looked over at Ted. “Uh-huh.”

      “Yeah, sure, whatever. So, let’s hear your contribution to our plan, and it better not have anything to do with pumpkins,” Ted said ominously.

       Chapter 5

      Bert looked around the office as though he hoped for an idea to land square in his lap. He shrugged and waved toward Jack when there was no lightning bolt. “So, articulate, Mr. Emery. What kind of plan?”

      Jack looked around at the skeptical faces staring at him. He, too, shrugged. “I guess we just go for a walk around the White House and watch to see who shows up. It’s not exactly a plan, more like surveillance in my opinion. And, guys, we aren’t even sure that Elias is going to the White House. Nellie just thinks that’s where he was going because of the suit and polished shoes. I’m thinking we should be in position about three-thirty. If there is a meeting, no one wants to be late. Scratch that to three-fifteen, forty-five minutes prior to the meeting. They have to sign in, get rid of the junk they’re carrying, be escorted to an anteroom, where they wait for the president to see them. Actually, a full hour is probably more like it. Harry can do a few spins on his Ducati, and Bert and I can alternate going round and round while we all keep our cell phones turned on for easy communication. Ted will be the one who knows first where Elias is headed. If it even looks like he’s headed for the White House, we get in position and start our surveillance. That’s my input. You guys got anything to add, feel free to share it with us right now.”

      Ted stuffed a pastry into his mouth and mumbled something that sounded like, “That works for me, stupid as it sounds.” He licked his fingers and reached for another gooey bun, thinking, if Maggie were here, the pastries would be gone in the blink of an eye. He ate a third one, telling himself it was for Maggie.

      “Yeah,” Espinosa said.

      “Once we confirm that a meeting is actually going on and identify the attendees, what’s the next step?” Bert asked.

      No one had an answer to the question.

      “When are you guys outta here and what are you going to do when you close down the office?” Espinosa asked.

      “Two weeks, give or take,” Jack said. “Most of the cases and files have already been transferred to Nikki’s firm. Bert and I are just cleaning up a few pro bono cases Lizzie had on her calendar. It’s a good thing. I wasn’t cut out to be a defense attorney or a corporate attorney or any other kind of attorney except a prosecutor. Bert said he feels the same way. But to answer your question, I

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