“What would Dorsett get out of it though,” Tina remarked. “Did you tell Dorsett your partner’s black and his wife’s black.”
Nick’s mouth tightened. “Grace mentioned it. I don’t play the race card for anyone. I don’t do that ‘some of my best friends are black or fill in the blank race crap’ to prove how politically correct I am. All my friends are Americans. That’s as far as I go.”
“Here we go,” Johnny said. “Check your screens. It seems before getting her law degree, Dorsett worked as an intern for Senator Diane Cameron. She worked her way into a spot as assistant campaign director, rumored to have handled shredding all documents and e-mails tying Cameron to the Chinese influence scandal years ago. Check out all the pictures with those bosom buddies together at social functions in DC.”
Nick and Gus studied their screens with interest. “Good one, Johnny. That’s what I’m talkin’ about. I could tell Dorsett was using anything to build the lawsuits Quayle and McKinley filed nearly the minute they were taken into custody. Di’s out of office. Let’s have a little hack party. I want to find out if Dorsett and her mentor have been communicating by e-mail.”
“Why does that Cameron woman care about messing with you, Dad?”
“She’s a traitor, kid. We linked her to terrorists and forced her to resign. We also relieved her of all the ill-gotten gains she received for selling her country out. Di must have all her feelers in the wind trying to find any way she can exact revenge.”
“What do you want to do, Muerto,” Johnny asked.
“Discredit Dorsett with anything we can find linking her to Cameron, including payoffs. Di couldn’t have done all this in one day. She’s had Dorsett keeping an eye on me, awaiting an incident within her jurisdiction she could get me with. Let’s make sure her boss, District Attorney Daryl Atherton isn’t in Cameron’s pocket too.”
“At what point do you make sure Cameron doesn’t put you in prison,” Rachel asked. “She’s already ignored your warnings.”
Nick took a deep breath. “One thing at a time. First, we find out how much help Di is getting locally to haunt me. We’ll fix this episode now. Cameron’s lesson will have to wait until after Pilot Hill. We know where to find her when the time comes. Johnny’s been tracking her movements. She’s also on the FBI’s radar, thanks to Harding’s FBI friends Sam and Janie. I read them in on what we did behind the scenes to make her resign.”
An hour later, while enjoying the view from the balcony watching the fog move in and sipping Bushmill’s with his friends, Nick was satisfied they had Dorsett’s number. Combining all the networked information the ‘Unholy Trio’ found concerning real estate deals, botched cases involving Cameron’s friends on two occasions in the Monterey area and payment from Cameron for no apparent service, Nick assembled the case with timeline. He couldn’t bother with formality but Nick understood he couldn’t make what he had public himself, due to the way Dorsett’s information had been gathered.
“How does DA Atherton look, Gus?”
“He’s clean of Cameron. She was hired on Cameron’s recommendation, but that would not be unusual. I have his office computer gateway open for anything you want to do. I can put Dorsett’s file on his Desktop.”
“Nope. We can’t take a chance like that. I’ll call Paul on my secure line. I haven’t updated him on the Pilot Hill mission. He can officially approach the DA with the file, letting him know I work as a consultant with CIA, FBI, and Department of Justice. Atherton will be confused at first, but once he knows what’s going on, this may clear up fast.”
“Good,” Rachel said. “Do it now. It’s not that late in DC.”
Nick considered it. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”
“I’m going down and make a veggie tray and dip.”
“And order pizza?”
“Yes, Daughter of Darkness,” Rachel agreed, walking out with Nick. “I’ll get a couple of big ones with everything but anchovies, right gang?”
A chorus of affirmatives rang out. Nick’s phone beeped on his way out. It was Grace.
“I couldn’t meet with DA Atherton, but Dorsett stonewalled the video. The police chief consented to see it and hear our explanation. He advised us unless we can convince Atherton of what’s going on, he already received notice the DA’s office wants you brought in for further questioning.”
“Thanks, Grace. We have it covered.”
“You’re going to nail Dorsett to the wall, huh Muerto?”
“Absolutely.”
*
“Sorry to call you after regular working hours, Mr. Atherton.”
“Who is this and how did you get my private number?”
“This will be a little hard to explain. I am Paul Gilbrech, the Director of the CIA. This is not a prank. If you would like, call this number back. It is my direct line at Langley.”