“Understood. I realize you’ve thought this through. Do you have a first step you would like to take?”
“The way I see this is if I can find those five passport recipients from whatever info Phil has gathered, I’ll make them disappear. Once that’s done, I’d suggest we let Clyde prep the jet for a visit from Phil and I to Senator Cameron with everything we have at the time, including the disappearance of the five guys she personally smuggled into the country. Also, we’ll have the interrogation session on video with them naming her so Phil won’t be the only evidence. Then we go after the big bads. I have a wedding coming soon too. Senator Diane better be in a cooperative mood or her reluctance to see the light may get very painful.”
“Call me when you’re ready for Clyde. Thank you for this opportunity. It will be big in currying favor. I appreciate the fact you would normally have acted in a more final fashion, but this way, we can go a lot further with the scenario, including how they’re developing this Canadian Network. A Canadian connection means a lot of money and more than a few people bought off.”
“I’ll be in touch when I find where our visitors from the Islamist friends network are, and what it will take to eradicate.”
“Talk at you then,” Paul replied.
*
Nick escorted a wobbly Phil into his house where they were met by both Clarice and Sonny. “Phil’s had a rough day. He’s going to show me everything on his computer so I can get an idea of how I need to proceed in bringing the passport recipients to justice. After that he and I will be visiting the queen of traitorous schemes, Diane ‘the enemy collaborator’ Cameron.”
Clarice was smoothing Phil’s sweaty brow with her hand. “What have you done to him? You’re a shithead with your own agenda – a boy scout from hell. Torture is illegal. You’ll-”
“Shut up, Mom!” Sonny watched Nick’s facial features while Clarice talked. “This is serious! Nick isn’t a cop. If you keep treating him like he is, you’ll be disappearing like the bad guys will. I can tell he already has considered making you two a possible project. Please don’t say anything else. Let’s help Dad help Nick.”
“Sonny’s right, Clarice. When they call me in, it’s not to save people’s jobs and lives. After this is all over you and Phil will have to stay put with no other agendas besides raising Sonny. Phil will be an exemplary passport office chief. He will get a substantial raise and recognition for the woman who took action against him. Sonny will try and keep you from egging your husband into these type situations so you can live the country club life. Another absolute matter is you two will never mention my name in reference to anything other than your kid knows my kid. Phil understands all of that, don’t you, my friend?”
Phil nodded his head with commitment. “I understand completely. So will Clarice. There will be no more plotting, favors, or mentions of your name. Say you understand Clarice… and say it like your life depended on it!”
Clarice gazed fixedly into Phil’s terrified eyes and then into Nick’s cold dark ones. Nick grinned at her in a slow upturning at the corner of his mouth. “I…I understand.”
“Outstanding. Let’s get this done. You and Phil lead the way, Clarice. We have miles to go before we sleep.”
Clarice stopped to stare unbelievingly at Nick. “That you would even use a line from any poem by Walt Whitman makes me throw up in my mouth.”
“Then you can stop gagging,” Nick replied. “The line was written by Robert Frost.”
“Whatever!” Clarice helped Phil down the hallway.
Sonny met Nick’s reassuring look with a questioning one as if he were hoping for truth but afraid to receive it. Nick put a hand on his shoulder without breaking eye contact.
“It will be okay, Sonny. I believe your Dad will have enough information for me to prevent a serious incident if we move fast enough.”
“Yeah… but it proves he knew the passports were a dangerous breech, and all he thought about was the money and favor.”
“He thought about you too. In the end that made a difference.”
“Do you really think so, Nick?”
“Absolutely.” Nick lied to Sonny for the first time.