Senate Cloakroom Cabal (39 page)

“He's in custody?” I blurted.

“He was lunching with friends. FBI agents handcuffed and marched him out of the restaurant. I am told it created quite a stir. We picked up the male PI from Horowitz's firm who ran the two hit men, and we arrested the female PI who told Tina to get with Mort. Although a minor character, she is a link to the next person up the line. Kelly's second call was to Senator Pembroke. Again there was no answer. Kelly left a message for him to call back.”

Riley and I spent the afternoon organizing our information. I called Travis and Rias. Both the German and Carmayan locations were deluged with cancer patients. Rias said the presence of the peacekeeping troops was the only thing preventing a riot.

He also told us that the cancer patients with appointments were immediately ushered into the rapidly filling airport motel for processing. He felt the Carmayans were doing the best they could with their meager resources, but might have to divert future flights to nearby airports in order to be able to sift out the tourists and the patients without appointments from the patients who had registered and been accepted.

Riley had Claire come in, and I brought her up to speed on Kelly. She was not happy at being left out of Barton's meeting with Kelly. Riley, to his credit, gently explained that it wasn't personal. He had given her all the senators except Pembroke, Crawford, and Dalton. Those three were mine.

I met with Health Editor Metzger at Barton's request because he had assigned her to get statements about Tutoxtamen from pharma critics and the health community. It would be front page. He had asked Grace Herman to read the Szymanski/Dalton Bill and to line up the Hill people and FDA administrators for their comments. I had Tutoxtamen.

At 11:00 Wednesday morning, Ro, Gavin, Michael, Harley, Rufus, who had already flown to New Jersey for Sherman's memorial service, and I met with Reed Davis and Max Walsh in a conference room at FBI headquarters.

Sherman had confessed to Harley about his duplicitous involvement with Horowitz before they'd left Carmaya. Harley's recounting of it was very close to our scenario. The pharmas had gotten their claws into Sherman when he was young and irresponsible.

Harley said, “Sherman hadn't been that person for twenty-five years. He'd used drugs and, for a short time, had sold them, but he'd never been charged or arrested. Horowitz learned of his drug activity and held it over his head. Sherman told me he thought that setting up the ambush would save the plant and send Horowitz a message. It did, but at too high a price. I wish he had consulted with me long before. He held himself fully responsible for the casualties and deaths and was prepared to . . .”

Harley choked and weakly asked. “Will any of that or the invasion details have to become public?”

“That'll be up to the prosecution or the defense teams,” Reed said. “Senator Pembroke has returned, thanks to Senator Crawford. He has promised to cooperate with us fully. We've set up security at his home.”

Max said. “NYPD has arrested the alleged killer of Sherman Rogers, and we have matched him up to what we had on the second man in Stroble's murder.”

Reed added, “We know from the yacht's crew and guests that a man named Sam had been on board when the mercenaries were dropped off. When the six mercenaries didn't return to the yacht, he left, which was before the two from the hotel boarded. That confirmed their assertions they had only seen the crew and women on board.

“Thanks to Senator Crawford, the DOD counterterrorism experts, and the captured mercenaries, we now have a solid picture of the attackers' mission. The female guests and your Mr. Manchester have tied the pharmaceutical lobbyists to the yacht.”

“We expect,” Max said, “the Mort PI may be the link to the paramilitary people. His email and phone records are presently being scrutinized.”

Reed said, “We're watching Kelly. We are holding Horowitz and that PI over for arraignment tomorrow morning. When Kelly is unable to reach Pembroke or Horowitz, we are hoping he will realize his predicament and lawyer up. The attorney general has told us to expend all our resources to show the American people that the United States Senate government is not for sale, even if some US senators are. The AG emphasized that every warrant had to be perfect. US Marshals will be used for the arrests. House and Senate leadership will simultaneously be informed of those arrests.

92

I
was working with Riley later that day in his office when he was buzzed by his secretary. “Claire Rowley needs to talk with you.”

“Okay.” He punched the lit-up line. “What's up?”

He listened and by the changing expression on his face, it appeared to be serious. He said little, but did say I was in his office. “Okay, stay on it.” He hung up.

He blew out some air, shaking his head and ran his fingers through his already-rumpled hair. “About ten minutes ago, Senator Kelly blew his brains out in his Senate office.”

I was dumbfounded.

“According to Claire, it was at 3:47. Staff heard the gunshot and ran in. There were three sealed envelopes on his desk: to his wife, to the president, and a third with no name.”

Kelly's suicide transcended everything else the rest of the day and evening. It would be tomorrow's headline story. Claire would write it. My long narrative would begin below the fold, as it should, and I worked on rewrites to include incriminating evidence I had not planned to include in this particular piece, which started with my first meeting with Senator Roanne Dalton.

Jerry and Tyler drove in to pick me up around 9:00. I was bushed, and Jerry let me relax.

Max called my cell a little after 9:30. “In Kelly's unaddressed letter, he confessed to taking huge sums of money from the pharmas. He listed his offshore bank account number and named Stanley Horowitz, Fred Pembroke, three other senators, four staff members, and two FDA officials—one being Kelso, whom Mort Stroble had given up.

“The FBI has arrested all except Pembroke. You knew Horowitz was already in custody?” I did. “They have all been booked and are being held over for arraignment in federal court tomorrow morning. I'll get you the time. After the Feds finish with their indictments, we will march Mr. Horowitz and friends over to the district court where they will be charged with murder.”

93

T
he next morning, Jerry and I joined Max in the federal district court to see the arraignment of Stanley Horowitz; the pharma PI; the FDA people; United States Senators Majority Whip Hatcher, Appropriations Chairman Clarence, and Finance Chairman Jarvis; along with four senior staff, including the HELP committee's chief of staff. Tina's PI, who worked in Horowitz's firm, was considered a material witness and not present. Tom Kelly was named in absentia.

Kelly had stated in his open letter that Horowitz ordered the killings of Stroble and Sherman Rogers. I wondered if he really knew that.

The prosecutor charged, “. . . Mr. Horowitz of going far beyond lawful lobbying practices, of influence-peddling, mail fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to murder.” There were too many charges against the pharmas, and the judge would not grant bail to Mr. Horowitz. The defense team put up a fierce argument. They were rebuffed by the judge, who added the caveat that Horowitz was a major flight risk. He'd sort out the bail on the others.

The prosecutor then went on to name and charge all the others. They all pleaded not guilty, and bail was eventually set for them. Prosecutors and the judge were aware of local charges pending on the pharmas, and when the judge rapped his gavel, MPD officers arrested Horowitz and the PI for murder and marched them over to district court.

I learned later that at about the same time we were at the courthouse, another activity was taking place on Capitol Hill. Harold Raines was elected majority leader of his caucus. Gavin Crawford became chairman of HELP, replacing the interim chair, and immediately hired Nancy Morris as HELP's new chief of staff.

Raines put out a statement. “The public trust has been dealt a devastating blow. The United States Senate will cooperate fully with the Justice Department. Along with Minority Leader Olin Davis, we will seek a sweeping reform on lobbying. We are determined to bring forth legislation that will ban special-interest money, gifts, food, booze, partying, trips, and more. Senators and representatives are elected and staff is hired to represent all Americans. We are not sent here to party with those who bring business before us. It is our moral duty to rid Congress of this debauchery and lascivious living and to concentrate on serving the people.”

Epilogue

A
typically hot, muggy Washington summer Saturday had been lessened greatly in temperature by a storm front associated with heavy thunderstorms tracking to the north of us. It was now a bearable eighty-seven degrees. Jerry and I worried we might have to move our small party inside and formed some contingencies, but so far it didn't look like we were going to get rained on.

Jerry, Tyler, and I were about to host a bar-b-que, a first in our new home. Max had arrived early carrying his large grill in his pickup and backed it to the edge of the deck. He would be treating us all to his pulled pork, North Carolina–style, topped off with his special fiery sauce made of vinegar, red pepper, ketchup, and who knew what else. We supplied a bucket of coleslaw and the drinks.

My emotions usually bounced all over the place after a big story, from euphoric to a lingering emptiness, but not this time because I had written several follow-ups and was planning for today's party for some new and old friends.

The federal prosecutor had asked those of us involved in the Carmaya adventure, the Senate/pharma debacle, and the murder of Mort Stroble to come in for questioning. Rufus had planned to fly from New Jersey to Carmaya after Sherman's memorial service on Thursday, but flew back to Washington instead. Ro had called to say she would have an escort to our party. I enjoyed the former governor and knew he and Max would hit it off big time.

I'd met with the federal prosecutor and FBI SAC Reed Davis right after our Wednesday morning meeting at the FBI. They'd interviewed me about

Rogers, Carmaya, and how I came to be involved with Senator Dalton. It had been all for background purposes, an interesting experience.

The ringing of our front doorbell announced the first of our guests, who were Ralph and Elaine Morgan. Gavin and Mariel Crawford came in on the heels of the Morgans. Gavin and Ralph had not met, so I got them all out on the deck and introduced Gavin to Max. Ralph and Max knew each other from our wedding.

Marsha Hines, whom we originally met during my serial-killer reporting last year and who now worked at Jerry's law office, had arrived alone, having taken Metro. Michael brought Nancy Morris. She and I laughed about our first very innocent meeting and how things had changed since then. I congratulated her on her promotion.

“Tyrell and I are taking her to the Palms next Saturday night to celebrate,” Michael said.

Everyone was on the deck when I heard a loud, “Lawrah, you have company.”

I went into the living room. “Roofuuss,” I intoned. He gave me a bear hug, turning me slightly so that I didn't see Ro.

“We brought along a friend,” he announced joyfully and let me go, aiming me at the front door. Ro and a man were standing in the threshold, grinning at me. She hugged me and said, “You remember Joe?”

Of course I did, I was just speechless.

“Major. Welcome.” I extended my hand, which he shook, a little shyly I thought.

“Ms. Wolfe. The federal prosecutor wanted to debrief me.” I guessed he felt he needed to explain his presence in the area, which he didn't. I was just happy to see Ro and him together, for whatever reason.

“Joe. I am happy to have you here. How's your mother?”

“She's doing great.”

I looked at Ro. “Girl, you and I have to talk,” and we laughed girlishly.

I wiped away my tears of joy, Rufus roared and headed for the deck as Jerry entered. “Hey Jer,” he said, clapping Jerry's hand. “Where's the beer?”

“On the deck.”

Rufus went out, and Jerry joined me with Ro and Joe.

I gave him a squeeze. “I told you, Jerry. This is Major DeMarco. I told you.”

We all laughed.

“You didn't—how?” Ro questioned.

“The night after the dinner, I saw you two walking back into the hotel while I was talking to Jerry on my satellite phone. I don't know why . . . it could have been nothing, but I just had a feeling. I'm going to burst, I'm so happy for you,” I squealed.

“The hard-nose reporter is a real romantic,” Jerry said, nudging me. “Welcome, Major. I'm Laura's husband, Jerry Fields.” They shook hands.

“Please call me Joe.”

“Well, eh, should we join . . . who all is here?” Ro asked, taking Joe's arm.

“Michael, Gavin, Max . . . you'll get caught up on the others.”

I ushered them out onto the deck and watched for Gavin's reaction to Joe. He was surprised. Ro, standing alongside me, whispered, “Well, at least it wasn't obvious to everyone.”

I snickered. “I think it's wonderful. I think it's fantastic. Come on, meet everybody.”

And so it went. Of course, we talked about everything and everybody who was involved in the Senate meltdown and about the proposed new Senate rules. I especially liked that all registered pharma lobbyists had been stripped of their credentials. A strong scrutiny was also going to be given to all lobbyists.

Ro took me aside. “I want you to know that yesterday Senator Raines, joined by the Minority Leader Olin, introduced a hard-hitting set of rules governing gifts, trips, any and all handouts, and a Public Integrity something or other. We're also instituting a new cooling off period of three years for all congressional members and staff who leave office or their job from working for anybody doing business with the government.