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At the end of the two–day period Bagger was $100,000 richer.
“Want to try for five million, Jerry? That’ll get you half a million in interest in forty–eight hours.” A
“Only if you hang around until it comes back,” Bagger said.
She winked. “That’s part of the deal, Jerry. You get me all to yourself.”
“So you keep telling me. Where’d my money go, by the way?”
“Like I told you, El Banco del Caribe.”
“No, I mean, what overseas operation did it fund?”
Leo spoke up. “She could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you both.” There were a few moments of awkward silence until A
Two days later the $5–million wire had ballooned by $500,000.
“Damn,” Bagger said, “this is better than printing money.” He was again in his office with A
A
He laughed. “My motto hasn’t changed in forty years: Every asshole for himself.”
And a motto never fit anyone better than that one does you, A
Bagger leaned forward in his chair, glancing at Leo as he did so. In a low voice he said to her, “You ever lose the shadow?”
A
“On what?”
“On how good of friends you and I become.”
“I know how we can be really good friends.”
“Tell me.”
“We do a run for ten million, and I get an even mil for my troubles. Can Uncle Sam cover that action?”
“Just wire the money, Jerry.”
“And you stay right here until I get it back?”
“We both do,” Leo said.
Bagger grimaced and spoke in an even lower voice to her so Leo couldn’t hear. “I suppose I’d get in deep shit for whacking him, wouldn’t I?”
“You remember the scum of the scum I talked to you about? You harm him, they show up on your doorstep. I really wouldn’t advise it.”
“Well, damn,” Bagger complained.
“It’s not a total loss, Jerry. In two days you make a million bucks for doing nothing except eating and drinking with me.”
“I wa
“Jerry, I knew that the first time you tried to put your hand up my dress.”
Bagger roared with laughter. “I like your style, lady. You’re too good for the government. You should come and work for me. We’d take this town to a new level.”
“I’m always open to future prospects. But for now why don’t we work on the next million for you? I want you to be able to afford to keep me in the ma
“You’re killing me here, baby,” he said in a pathetic whine.
Oh, no, that comes next.
Chapter 24
Two days later Bagger was ahead by a total of $1.6 million since he’d run into A
Bagger’s happiness was palpable, particularly since he believed his dreaded antagonist, the government, was footing the bill. Sitting in her luxurious hotel room, upgraded to the presidential suite by Bagger himself after the latest payday, and awash in flowers sent by the casino king, A
Passing each other in the hallway, A
Before she stepped onto the elevator that would take her to Bagger’s office, A
She arrived at his office and was quickly ushered in, the muscle having grown accustomed to seeing her around. Bagger greeted her with a hug that she allowed to drift down lower than it should have. His hand reached her bottom, gently squeezing before she removed it. Still, she’d let him go a little farther each time, which she knew was all he really required right now. Smiling, he stepped back and said, “What can I do for my magic money genie this morning?”
She frowned. “Bad news. I’ve been recalled to my field HQ, Jerry.”
“What? What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I’m being reassigned.”
“To where?” He looked at her face and said, “I know, you can’t tell me.”
She held up the section of the newspaper she’d brought with her. “This might give you a hint.”
He took the paper and glanced at the article she was pointing to. It detailed the breaking story of a government corruption scandal involving a foreign contractor in Russia.
Bagger looked up at her, stu
She took the paper back. “Not just any foreign contractor.”
“You know them?”
“All I can say is it’s in the best interests of the United States that this case never gets to court. That’s where I come in.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“Hard to say. And after Russia it’ll be someplace else.” She rubbed at her temple. “You got some Advil?”
He opened a drawer of his desk and handed her a bottle. She swallowed three with a glass of water he poured for her.
He sat down. “You don’t look very good.”
She perched on the edge of his desk and said wearily, “Jerry, I’ve been to so many places in the last year I’ve lost count. If I used a real passport, I’d have gone through about twenty of them. It just gets to you sometimes. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
“Why don’t you get out, then?” he urged.
She laughed bitterly. “Get out? And what, screw my pension? I’ve put in too many years. Even civil servants have to eat.”
“Come and work for me, then. I’ll pay you more in one year than you’d make in twenty with those clowns.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I’m serious. I like you. You’re good.”
“You like the fact that I just made you over a million and a half bucks.”
“Okay, I won’t deny that. But I’ve got to know you. And I like what I see, Pam.”
“My name’s not even Pam. That’s how well you really know me.”
“That just adds to the fun. Think about it, willya?”
She hesitated and then said, “I have been thinking about my future lately. I’m not married; my life is my work and vice versa. And I’m not exactly a spring chicken anymore.”