On a different note, I want to thank the National Guard for protecting the power grid. It is very important that the sanctity of the power generation apparatus be protected. We certainly do not want a repeat of the Baku Azerbaijan incident. Thank you all.”
***
Daphne St. John went into Private Quarters, a bar just outside the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. She looked around until she saw the trim, short-haired man drinking alone. The man was wearing ‘civvies’, but he looked like a soldier, a very nervous soldier.
Daphne shook her long hair free and opened the top button of her blouse. She slowly walked up to the soldier.
“Hi, my name is Daphne, can I get you a refill?”
The man looked like he was about to stand and take off, when Daphne put a hundred dollar bill down in front of him. The man sat down again.
Daphne said, “Did you hear about Charlie Haines’ offer of $500,000, for information leading to the brains of the attack?” The man nodded. Daphne continued, “I have a phone number of an honest DA who can get you access to that half million, if you’re interested. He’ll bring in the FBI. This is breaking fast. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t have Mitch in chains by tonight. You could wait and the Sarge could get it, or …” Daphne held out the number. “All I ask is to be able to get the scoop, an interview with you.”
“Uh I don’t know what to say?”
“Do you want the $500,000 and get a dishonorable discharge or just the dishonorable discharge and jail time?”
“What makes you think I know anything?”
Daphne St. John said in a lower voice, “Let’s take a booth shall we?”
Daphne led the corporal into a corner booth and sat next to him. “Let me make it easy for you. I’ll do a practice interview. I will both ask and answer what you said. Correct me if I don’t use words you like or if I get things wrong, OK. The tape recorder is off.”
The corporal nodded. “On April 14th at 9 PM I was in my barracks when Sarge got a call to come to General Mitchell’s office. He was told to bring a hand picked assistant. That was me. We saw the general who gave each of us a thousand dollars, cash, to assist him with a big favor. He said, and I quote, ‘I could make this an order, hehe, but I’d rather you assist me for the money.’ End quote. Sarge and I agreed, like we had a choice! He told me quote ‘all I needed to do was carry some water, some special water. It’s like a late April Fools joke.’ End quote. The Sarge and I met with General Mitchell on April 16th at 5 PM, where he told me I needed to switch the jug of bottled water that Corporal DeCruz loves to drink, without letting Private Collins, the private stuck at Gate B guard duty early shift, know about it. At 7:45 that night, I told Collins that I could spell him, while he went to the can. I know he doesn’t drink water, only cans of pop. After he left, Sarge and me switched the water with a jug that General Mitchell gave us. We stashed the good bottle before Private Collins returned.” Daphne paused and asked, “Is this good?”
The corporal was white-faced and just nodded. “That’s exactly what happened, I forgot some of it. But it’s exactly like you said. How the hell did you know?”
Daphne continued, “A few minutes later Corporal DeCruz arrived, on time for duty. Sarge saluted and commended him for being on time. I tried to keep my face straight. Fortunately DeCruz didn’t notice me grinning.” The Corporal’s hands were shaking.
Daphne continued, “Sarge and I, wearing gloves, stole the bird, with the live warhead, put it on the carrier and brought it through the gate, where DeCruz was out cold. I put the old bottle of water back and emptied the drugged one by the sewer drain on Avenue O. I put the empty bottle in the rack of empties. Forth down, third to the right. Don’t worry, that’s where you put it. Sarge and I followed the General to this warehouse in Abingdon, Maryland, where the general gave clear instructions and the keys to two guys I never saw before, until this morning on the news. Then we drove the General back to Aberdeen. Sarge and me woke DeCruz up and placed him under arrest. I wasn’t told about the missile and live warhead until the night of the theft. By that time I couldn’t do anything. Is that a good interview?”
The Corporal downed the last of his drink, with trembling hands. “How did you know?”
“Let’s just say I saw illegal videos of you, the Sarge and the General at every step along the way. But I will deny it. I will say you told me everything. So, I’m going to turn my tape recorder on and you’ll tell me exactly what happened. Or not tell me and I’ll speak to the Sarge. Please feel free to add any details, I omitted.” Daphne turned the tape recorder on and signaled the waitress to bring refills.
***
Four hours later, an FBI team had collected the empty water jugs and sampled the water in the Avenue O sewer. Knowing what to look for, fingerprint evidence found the General’s prints on two places on the jug. Residual chemicals were detected in the sewer and the jugs.
The Sergeant was located, and hoping for part of the reward told the FBI team his part of the story.
The General delayed his attempted suicide too long. He was knocked to the ground when the military police came to arrest him. It was never determined how the General’s gun was taken from him, nor how he got bite marks on his hand.
Seeing that his whole life was crashing around him, and wanting to do the honorable thing, General Mitchell told the interrogating JAG officer and the FBI interrogator that he had gotten the order directly from Vice-President Chamberlain. He said that the Vice-President got the approval from the President. The latter information was not released to the public.
***
Daphne St. John appeared at the home of Frances King, secretary to the Vice President, in charge of security, Paul Warez of Sunoco Oil. It was 8:30 PM. Daphne knocked and heard an older woman answer. Daphne was wearing a phone attached to his right ear.
Voice: Frances is nearing retirement at Sunoco. She’s reached the pinnacle of her career. She is a deeply religious and intelligent woman. I suggest you appear humble and above all honest. She’s torn between standing by her boss or turning in a murderer.
“Yes, can I help you?” Francis King was a dark skinned negro woman with grey/white hair. She was wearing a simple black polka-dot dress. The door still had the chain barring entry.
“Mrs. King, my name is Daphne St. John, of the Boston Globe. Here are my credentials ma’me and my driver’s license. Have you heard of the recent attempt on the life of the philanthropist Charlie Haines?” Daphne St. John had a very contrite demeanor.
“Of course, I heard they caught the people who did it too.”
“Yes, ma’me, but not the people who planned it. I was wondering if you could help me with something? May I come in?”
Mrs. King hesitated a moment, then opened the chain. “Yes, of course.”
Daphne was ushered into a cozy living room, where she sat opposite Mrs. King. “Have you heard of the offer that Charlie Haines made of a half million dollars to anyone with information on the assassins who tried to destroy C H Electricity?”
“Yes.” Mrs. King hesitated.
“I have a phone number for the hotline, it’s a direct number to their head.” Daphne handed the woman a note with a number. “Your boss Paul Warez was implicated by one of the two assassins.”
Mrs. King’s face turned ashen. “He was?”
“Yes ma’me. Did you remember him writing out a very large check for say three hundred thousand for cash about three weeks ago? If you do, you might want to call that number. I’d be honored if you might also tell me if you did. As you know, I’m a journalist, and my job is to uncover the truth, especially when someone has done something very, very wrong. Do you know that if the electricity and car power died there would be thousands on thousands of people who would die in the rioting and loss of power? Like patients in hospitals and in cars and in planes?”
Mrs. King thought for a few minutes. Paul Warez was
a person who frequently got mad at all the people under him, but always kissed up to his boss. She clearly remembered the check, and her double-checking with him. She had gone to his office and asked if it was appropriate for a check of that size to be made out for cash. Paul had screamed at her. She remembered Paul asked for the President of Sunoco to countersign it, usually it was handled by accounting. The President signed it without any questions after she said it was needed by Paul.
She told the whole story to Daphne, the nice man at the information hotline, and then later to the FBI team and the local district attorney.
***
At 11:40 PM that night, Paul Warez was woken by a loud knock on his door. Looking through the peephole he saw three policemen and four men in suits. One was holding out his identification.
“Federal Bureau of Investigation, chief inspector Cummings, may we come in?”
Paul opened the door. He had no other choice. He knew that they had caught the henchmen and the news intimated that they were close to finding their bosses. That was him. He had wondered if the claim by Haines, that they would go light, applied to himself.
“How can I help you, officer?”
“Not officer, chief inspector Cummings of the FBI. These gentlemen also special agents. We’re investigating the interstate transport of a United States missile stolen for use in an attack on the power structure of the United States.”
“I think I’d like to speak to a lawyer.”
“That is your right sir. But I was authorized to make you a deal. If you would turn State’s evidence, we are prepared to offer you a five-year prison sentence, instead of attempted murder, high treason, and terrorism. Charlie Haines will also give you citizen’s award of two hundred thousand dollars.”
“I thought the reward was five hundred thousand dollars.”
“Sir, you have been identified by the two people who commissioned the crime. You co-signed a check that was cashed by a local bank. General Mitchell further identified you and is now in custody. You were also identified by a motel clerk in Alpharetta Georgia on the day of meeting with the criminals. Furthermore, traffic photographs at red lights place you near the warehouse. If I had any choice, I would not be so lenient. I was told by Charlie Haines that this is a one-time deal. The usual penalty for high treason would be death or life imprisonment. Take it or leave it. I personally hope you don’t take it. We got you.” Chief inspector Cummings sneered.
Paul Warez knew that he was caught, he decided for the reduced prison charge and two hundred thousand would be better than nothing. And nothing was what he would make after prison, assuming he got out of prison.
“I’ll take the offer. What do you want to know?”
“Who requested you kill Charlie Haines?”
“My boss, Robert Mosley.”
“When did he speak to you about it?”
“Sometime in February.”
“Can you pin it down better?”
“I’m going to have to go upstairs to check my calendar.”
“OK, but the FBI agents will accompany you, if you don’t mind.”
Paul returned with his calendar, “It was February 21st. Mosley called me into his office and told me he needed to get the company back onto the black. He wanted me to disrupt C H Electricity.”
“Did he say how?”
“He said I would be getting access to a bunker buster missile from the military. And I would be handing over $300,000 in cash to give money to this military guy.”
“General Herman Mitchell?”
“I never knew his name. But I can recognize him.”
“Did he mention who authorized it, the missile, and the attack?”
Paul was feeling very nervous and he looked around.
The Chief Inspector detected this. “Need I remind you that the deal is conditional on you’re turning State’s evidence. So far, you haven’t told us anything we don’t know, the check, who countersigned it, Mitchell. We know all that. Either you tell us everything or the deal is off.”
In a very low voice Paul said, “Vice-President Chamberlain.”
Could you repeat that, I didn’t hear you.”
“Vice-President Franklin Chamberlain. Robert Mosley said the Vice-President planned this and he said the President knew about it.”
“Did you hear this from Robert Mosley himself on the 21st?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. That was confirmed by General Mitchell too. You will be now transported to FBI headquarters for further questioning.”
***
Robert Mosley was expecting the interview from the FBI. He was told that Warez was absent from work, which was very different from his typical style. Nor was he even able to reach Warez’ secretary, even more unusual. With the announcement of the capture of the two henchmen, he expected the interview. His secretary had already announced his ‘visitors’.
“How can I help you Chief Inspector Cummings?”
“You have been implicated in the planning and financing of the attempted assassination of Charlie Haines and the destruction of C H Electricity.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about that.” Mosley smiled. It was just his word against Paul’s.
“I’m told that we will authorize that you be given a one-time deal of ten years in a low security federal penitentiary, if you turn State’s evidence. Otherwise we are going to impound all your assets and place you under protective custody for the rest of your life. Plus, you will be sent to a slightly less gentile prison. I should also tell you that George Hodson and Davis Stone of your board of directors are now being interrogated. So are the CFO and one of his accountants. They don’t want the company to go down because of your adventurism. That was George’s words. The Chief Financial Officer and one of his accountant’s eyes are bugging out with the $500,000 reward. We also have Warez who is singing like a bird. I guarantee to you that you will be given unpaid administrative leave as of this afternoon. You could have a protracted and very embarrassing court fight, but we do have the check you signed. It will be trivial to match signatures. We also have very well placed, high level, unimpeachable witnesses. In fact, in one hour, Daphne St. John, a reporter will be releasing interviews with Hodson and Stone. You’re going down. How hard depends on if you can name the same name that General Mitchell and Paul Warez gave us.”
“I need to think about it. I need to speak to my lawyer.”
“Feel free to, but the offer expires in three hours from now. I should tell you that your telephone log has already been requested from the phone company, by court order, signed by his Honorable Timothy DeCourso. We also subpoenaed your company phone log. I’ll be visiting anyone who you spoke to around the 21st of February.”
***
This is a special news report from National Public Radio, Nina Totenberg reporting. It’s been startling how fast things have progressed. The country is reeling with the news. The administration has attempted to have a special prosecutor named to investigate the attack on C H Electricity and Charlie Haines, but each time the prosecutor starts, more published revelations come to the public eye. Key criminals involved in the attempted assassination have been caught and have plead guilty. First, the two who fired the missile, they implicated General Mitchell who supplied the missile and Paul Warez who supplied the money. Then Mitchell and Warez both plead guilty and implicated Robert Mosley, former president of Sunoco Oil. There are rumors that very high-level members of the White House staff have been implicated. I now have Daphne St. John, the reporter from the Boston Globe who first broke the stories of Corporal Evans and Frances King, the Secretary to Paul Warez of Sunoco. Finally, she interviewed two members of the board of Sunoco who assisted in the placing of blame onto Robert Mosley. Can you explain how you were able to get your source information so rapidly?
Just good reporting, Nina. Once it became apparent that the missile was not stolen by foreign powers, I j
ust had a hunch it was an inside job. It didn’t take long to discover that General Mitchell had been very chummy with two non-commissioned officers. And they had been acting very suspiciously lately. I just cornered one, Corporal Evans. I told him about the reward and the promise of a plea bargain. He knew it was just a matter of time, so he went public. It was Evans who recognized Paul Warez from some photograph in the paper, a matter of karmic perfect timing. From there, I just spoke to the people around Warez. His secretary seemed like a great place to start. She is a good Christian woman and felt that the attempted murder of the great philanthropist was wrong, so she also was a wonderful source. She mentioned the head of Sunoco signing the check, so I figured that even he would need someone to turn a blind-eye to a few hundred thousand dollars. So, I spoke to various people on the board. It was a simple matter of getting information from them. The DA was also helpful in just wanting to get the top people and not bothering with the people in the background.
So where do you see the trail leading to now?
All I’m at liberty to say is that telephone logs and the direct testimony of Mosley and General Mitchell will implicate someone very high up in Government. As this is an on-going investigation, I can’t say anything more.
What about the charge of Senator Murphy of South Dakota that this is all one very elaborate hoax by Charlie Haines to embarrass the White House? He is calling a special commission to subpoena Dr. Haines. He claims that you are involved in the hoax.
A hoax? Let’s look at it. The missile is real and it blew up. The missile theft was an inside job. Thank god, the people who targeted it were inexperienced and it blew up prematurely. The FBI is still picking up shards all around the office building. They will confirm that it’s an Army missile. The US Army missile launcher is real enough. General Mitchell almost committed suicide, but for the brave work of a few MPs. He has spoken to the JAG and FBI. Paul Warez also agreed for a five-year prison penalty. You don’t agree to that unless you’re guilty. As far as Haines goes, he’s a recluse, a real mystery man. I heard that Howard Hughes was just like that too. But then again, even if he’s crazy and he thinks that people are trying to kill him, doesn’t mean that they aren’t.