Character Witness (41 page)

''
At least we're on the same timetable. I'll see you as soon as I'm done. I love you,'' she said without giving a second thought to the fact she'd never said it before.

''
I love you too,'' he answered without one whit of hesitation.

That she noticed. It made everything all right.

The minute Kathleen was in the elevator, the receptionist picked up the phone.

''
She's gone, Mr. Jacobsen.''

''
Excellent.'' He answered, and then made another call. ''Meet me,'' was all he said.

The pictures in the file didn't do justice to the Ardol refinery and manufacturing plant. On film, the place looked imposing enough, but in reality it seemed to be some alien village transported intact to this scruffy place just off the San Diego Freeway in one of the less attractive parts of San Pedro. From afar she could see low slung buildings that no one had bothered to prettify like Tysco. Huge tanks ballooned here and there, sitting like Sumo wrestlers resting on their haunches on acres of untended land. Some were connected by arteries of bulbous pipes and veins of spidery ladders and catwalks. Some stood stoically alone. The place appeared to be deserted.

Kathleen looked at her notes and turned left when she hit Anaheim Road, almost passing the small east gate where she was supposed to turn in. She flipped the wheel, the tires screeched and she drove a quarter mile to a security gate only to find there was no security. But there were two cars in the parking lot. The place wasn't quite deserted. Slowly she accelerated and parked next to the green sedan, squinting toward a small building off to the south that seemed to be a place where she should check in.

She left her briefcase but took her tape recorder and camera. Just as she was locking her fantastic new Shay, Sylvester & Harrington company car, she caught sight of someone out of the corner of her eye. A man in a hard hat left the small building and disappeared around the corner. Kathleen thought of calling after him but the day was already warm and she didn't have the energy or the inclination to hurry. Her mind was elsewhere, which, when she thought about it, didn't come as much of a surprise.

She fiddled with the tape recorder then put it back into her purse along with the camera as she took the three steps up to the office. Opening the screen door, she walked into a big, very empty room. Kathleen spent all of two minutes checking it out then went back outside to stand on the little porch. For a second she shaded her eyes, looking for the man in the hard-hat. Unable to see him, she followed in his footsteps and walked into the bowels of the refinery.

''
Damn. Damn.'' Michael kicked the back wheel of the BMW then he kicked the front wheel. ''Damn!''

Traffic slowed to look at him, hateful rubber-neckers on the North 405. Above him a traffic helicopter was no doubt issuing a Sigalert and thousands of early lunch commuters would be cursing him for pulling over to the side and causing a distraction. God knew what was wrong with this thing and only God knew why he was the only one in the world who didn't have a car phone. With one final kick to the tire, Michael started to walk. The next freeway emergency phone was a half mile away. That would give him time to cool off. He didn't want to be crazed when he saw Jules Porter - he wanted to be fully in control when he ripped out that idiot's eyes.

Louise popped a breath mint and offered Sarah one. Sarah shook her head. Her hair was back to normal, parted in the middle, hanging over her eyes.

''
You okay?'' Louise asked.

''
Sure. Yeah.''

''
Hey, don't you worry about anything anymore. We're going to have you home in no time. Tell you what, after all this is over, when they finally figure out about Lionel and Kathleen gets me that money from All Life, I'll buy you a present to cheer you up. New rabbits. How's that sound?''

Sarah swiveled her head, that shy little smile on her lips.

''
That's a nice thought,'' she said quietly, but Louise wasn't listening.

''
Oh my God, look who's coming. Looky, looky. Can you believe it? The man himself. Guess we won't be going to city hall today. That jerk. That idiot. Come on, Sarah,'' Louise said, reeling the seat belt over her substantial breasts, ''let's go on a little road trip. Whaddaya say?''

Louise didn't need to ask twice. Rambo was back. Sarah turned the key and bided her time. When he drove out of the parking lot, she was on his tail like a pro.

''
Hello! Mr. Nola? It's Kathleen Cotter. Mr. Nola?''

Kathleen stopped walking and did a half turn. She had no idea where she was or where she would even begin to look for the man she was supposed to meet. Three more minutes and she was out of there. She'd just have to tell Mr. Blanco that she never connected with engineer Nola. She'd make another appointment. Of course, once she had the Tysco files, she wouldn't be keeping anymore appointments. She'd probably never work in this town again and that thought alone was enough to give her a giggle. Cherie was right. Working in this town wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

''
Mr. Nola!'' She tried one more time finishing her turn just in time to see some movement. Her heart leapt to her throat then settled down. The man was coming from between two cylindrical storage tanks. The odd shadows made his approach seem slow and sinister. Kathleen started forward. ''Hi, I was worried we were going to miss each other.''

She stopped the minute she heard his voice.

''
Don't worry your attractive little head, Kathleen. I wouldn't miss this for the world.''

Richard Jacobsen emerged from the shadows. Impeccably dressed he looked as oddly out of place here as she did in her high heels and fine make-up.

''
I didn't know this was such an important meeting that the general partner would show up,'' Kathleen said cautiously.

''
Oh, this is a very important meeting. In fact, Kathleen, you have become one of the most important people in my life.'' Kathleen blanched. Her eyes darted side to side, snapping back toward Richard as another man materialized. This one discarded a hard-hat as he came forward. Richard smiled at him and made the introduction. ''I believe you know Jules Porter - if not formally, perhaps by reputation.''

Kathleen nodded. Jules did not. Instead he came close behind Richard, touched his shoulder and let his hand run across his back as he positioned himself to the side and slightly in front of the smaller man. He was so close Kathleen could smell his after shave and see that his eyes were glassy. His hands shook ever so slightly and the intimate pose of the two men made her more than uncomfortable - it made her afraid.

''
I wouldn't suggest you try anything,'' she said, knowing her warning fell on deaf ears. ''There are others who know exactly what you've been up to. They know why Lionel Booker was killed. Even if you hurt me, they'll still go to the police and tell them everything.''

''
And what exactly is it you know, Kathleen Cotter from Banning, California? Do you know why Lionel Booker had to die?''

For a minute Kathleen was speechless. He hadn't denied it. Good Lord, she felt sick. Thinking of Sarah, knowing how afraid she had been and how courageous, Kathleen willed herself to the same bravado. If she didn't do something she would die of fright.

''
I know that you've been manipulating city billing.'' She spoke slowly, looking for any sign that she was off base with her theories. There were none. Richard was so very, very confident. She couldn't look at Jules Porter, he was too frightening. Kathleen licked her lips and went on. ''So has Tysco. I don't know why, but I know it is happening. I've seen the paperwork at Tysco.''

''
Crawford,'' Jules muttered.

''
Just so,'' Richard answered back.

''
What I don't understand, Richard, is why? Why on earth would you do such a thing? You have everything.'' Kathleen took a step, the first effort in a still as yet unformed plan to escape. Her heart sank when neither man looked concerned.

''
No one has everything. There's always more to gain. The more you gain, the greater your stature. The world isn't as limited as you would imagine, Kathleen. The reason you will always remain a little girl from a little place is because you have no imagination.''

''
I was willing to learn.''

''
You were. But you were too much your uncle's niece. You would never be willing to play.''

Reaching for straws, Kathleen bluffed. ''Try me.''

Richard looked at Jules. He looked concerned, even worried about the younger man, but Kathleen was asking him to prove his superiority. He couldn't resist.

''
It was simply a beautiful plan. We have a marvelous network of men in positions of varying degrees of power, all of whom would like to be more powerful or be held in greater esteem. We siphoned off city costs to other clients where we knew the additional charges would be buried in piles of paper work. The Pentagon does it all the time.''

''
To what end?''

''
To get Carl Walsh elected.''

''
Is he really that special? Will he be such a fabulous leader if he is elected fraudulently?'' Kathleen felt light headed. He was right. She wasn't cut out for this. None of it made sense.

''
Carl won't be anything in and of himself,'' Richard answered. ''And that's why I say your vision is limited. All we want is a friendly body where it counts. We've done well by the city; the business is prestigious and lucrative. We helped Carl's bottom line look good; he made us look good to our shareholders and board of directors by giving us city business. If Carl was in a position to funnel federal money to Shay, Sylvester & Harrington, Tysco and a few others, our billings would be incredible, our status in the business world beyond compare. Our influence would be worldwide. It was just business. Bottom line stuff. We wanted Carl Walsh in Washington and he needed a track record no one could take exception to. Money always talks.''

''
And Lionel Booker got in the way. He knew exactly what was happening at Tysco and that's why he died.''

Jules laughed. Richard shook his head. Two little boys with club secrets they didn't really want to share with a girl. But, in the end, they were boys. Chests must be beaten.

''
No. That was not why Lionel Booker died and that's what makes this all so funny. Lionel Booker.'' Richard took a few steps, clasping his hands behind him. Jules swayed, his hand remaining levitated now that his support was gone. Kathleen forced herself to look at Richard. He was such an ugly little man. Why hadn't she noticed that before? He didn't seem quite so formidable here among these giant structures, yet that didn't make him any the less dangerous.

''
Lionel Booker wouldn't even have been a foot note in Tysco history if it hadn't been for you and that client of yours. Lionel would never have gotten to first base with his allegations. Jules and Grossman had already seen to that. He had prepared the way for Lionel to fail no matter how he persisted. Things like this are buried all the time. It's nothing new, just as crusaders like Lionel Booker are nothing new.''

''
Then why kill him?'' Kathleen wailed. Richard raised a brow. Light from somewhere glinted off his glasses. He looked blind but his aim was good. He hit a deadly mark next.

''
And Gerry, too, you might as well know that.''

Kathleen's eyes flicked to Jules Porter. He looked neither shamed nor remorseful. She thought she might faint.

''
Why Gerry?''

''
Because Jules got nervous when Gerry was pushing issues he didn't want to deal with. Because you both were keeping Lionel Booker alive with your ridiculous arguments for that creature he used to be married to. Such a disgusting woman. You were digging too deep to prove that Lionel wasn't a suicide. If the authorities had listened, if anyone had put two and two together, you might have just raised questions we didn't want raised.''

''
You and Carl?''

''
No, Kathleen,'' Richard said quietly, turning his head toward her. ''Me and Jules. Jules and me.''

Kathleen shook her head, confused beyond reason. ''Because of the billing?''

''
Because I love him.''

Kathleen's head exploded. ''What? What am I missing?''

''
You're missing the whole point. You've been running around trying to prove that Lionel Booker's character was beyond reproach. That was a noble thing to do, Kathleen. For a man's character is the crux of all things in this world. His character determines what he will be, how far he will rise. My mother taught me that.'' Richard turned and came back to Jules. He laced his arm through the younger man's. He laid his head upon his shoulder. ''People will not respect those who are perceived to lack character. Corporations will not trust those who are perceived to lack character.'' Richard's head shot up, he moved slightly way from Jules Porter who stood zombie like beside him. ''And my reputation - my character - if you will, was in jeopardy. If you determined that Lionel Booker was of sound enough character not to kill himself, then the authorities might find out exactly how he died and I would have been ruined. My character would have been besmirched beyond repair.''

Richard paced now, short little steps that led him hither and yon. He spoke quickly, like a general informing the troops they had lost their comrades to a suicide mission.

''
Yes, we were there when Lionel Booker died. It was late. Everyone had gone home. I was leaving with Jules but we had to make a stop in the men's room. We decided on one far from his office. There was no way to know that Lionel Booker had been over that way trekking around with his sheaves of paper, trying to drum up interest in his little story of manipulation. Lionel Booker had stopped to relieve himself after his last, humiliating interview with one of the people on our side.'' Richard shook his head, not so much amused as incredulous at the turn of fate.