Page 26 of The Senator's Wife

“So do you. Still have a full head of that gorgeous silver hair,” she teased. He did look good. Much healthier and fitter than the last time she’d seen him. He’d been sober for over ten years now, and it showed. Mac was one of her oldest friends from her childhood; they’d grown up together. And while there had always been a spark between them, the timing had never been right. Mac became a top defense attorney in a large firm in Philadelphia, and eventually partner. Over time, though, he couldn’t stomach getting the guilty off, and when his last client went on to murder two children after Mac got him acquitted, he stopped practicing law. That was more than twenty years ago. Afterward, he became an investigator for those in difficult situations. A rich husband took off with the kids before the divorce and custody agreement? Mac would findthem. He had connections everywhere, and a brilliant mind on top of that.

“Come, sit. What can I get you?”

He took a seat and handed her a manila folder. “I’m good. Your guy, Whit, hasn’t had any rendezvous with the Sawyer woman in the past few weeks.” He shrugged. “Not that that means nothing’s going on, but I couldn’t find anything. He’s quite cozy with her husband, Fred. However, it does look like something’s not on the up-and-up.”

Rosemary leaned in, rapt.

“It appears he’s having some secret meetings with another congressman as well as the head of a lobbying firm, Dominic Peterson. I wrote it all up for you.”

She opened the folder and scanned the report.

Subject: Surveillance of Whitaker Montgomery

At approximately 6:00pm on Tuesday, the 23rd, the target, Whitaker Montgomery, entered the bar at the St. Regis Hotel, where he met with two unknown males.

(Note: Investigation later identified the unknown males to be Congressman Frank Horner and Dominic Peterson, President of Redstone Consulting, the largest lobbying firm representing private real estate developers in the United States as well as the Home Builders Association.)

Montgomery, Horner, and Peterson had several drinks at the bar.

At approximately 6:35pm, Horner departed the bar area and took an elevator to the 7th floor before the elevator returned to the lobby empty. The elevator did not appear to stop on any other floor on the way up or on the way down.

At approximately 6:45pm, Peterson departed the bar area and, also, took an elevator to the 7th floor before the elevator returned to the lobby empty. The elevator did not appear to stop on any other floor on the way up or on the way down.

At approximately 6:55pm, Montgomery departed the bar area and, also, took an elevator to the 7th floor before the elevator returned to the lobby empty. The elevator did not appear to stop on any other floor on the way up or on the way down.

A subsequent sweep of the 7th floor revealed no individuals in the hallways or stairwells.

The Vice President of the United States and his Secret Service security detail were observed in the hotel’s restaurant, adjacent to the bar area. No attempt was made to follow the Vice President.

Rosemary stopped reading to digest the contents.

“I’m not sure this is really anything,” she said.

Mac tilted his head. “I’m not done. I accessed the public visitor logs for the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Sure enough, Peterson, Montgomery, and Horner, along with Madelyn’s husband, Fred Sawyer, went on three separate occasions to meet with the vice president. On one of those occasions, Congresswoman Faye Chambers was also in attendance.”

Rosemary sat back in the chair. “Thatisodd. I don’t see why Peterson would be meeting with Whit and the VP.” She wondered if Faye would be able to shed more light on this. She was a good friend of Rosemary’s.

Mac leaned forward. “But this is where it gets really strange. I checked the flight manifests for Air Force Two over the past nine months. On three occasions, both Horner and Peterson were on it. One of the trips Whit was there too.”

“Where did they go?” Rosemary asked.

“Once to Nebraska, once to Michigan, and once to Oklahoma. I did some asking around. The dates all coincided with the opening of a new HUD housing community. They were all there for the ribbon cutting. I get why the VP and senator and congressman were there; these are government initiatives to increase public housing. But what does Peterson, a lobbyist, have to do with them? He mostly represents commercial builders of privately owned housingprojects. Something doesn’t smell right.” Mac shook his head. “I’m gonna keep digging.” He exhaled. “On the other matter…I did go to Arlington, but Michelle Sommers wasn’t there. Their housekeeper said they were out of the country, and she’ll have Michelle call me when she returns. Athena Karras seems to check out. If the facial recognition program turns up anything strange, I’ll let you know right away.”

“I appreciate it. Now, I insist that you let me feed you. Come on, let’s go into the dining room. I’ll have Matilda bring us some lunch, and we can catch up. It’s your favorite.”

Mac’s eyes lit up. “Corned beef and cabbage?”

Rosemary nodded. “Only for you.”

After Mac left, Rosemary did some research on Peterson. When she was finished, she dialed Faye’s direct line. She and Faye had been friends for over fifty years, and although she saw Faye less than she’d like these days, whenever they did get together it was as if no time had elapsed at all. After Rosemary’s husband died, it was Faye who’d dropped everything and stayed with her day and night that first horrible week.

“Hello?”

“Faye, Rosemary here.”

“Darling! Good to hear your voice. How’ve you been?”

Rosemary got right to the point. “Better. Do you have a minute?”

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