Chapter Fourteen

Two days earlier – 1:00 AM

The tires of the Lincoln Navigator squealed as Stuart Jaffe maneuvered his SUV through the almost empty parking garage at the Tyson’s Galleria. When he got to the top of the garage he slowed, leaned across, opened the passenger door, and pushed Victoria Baker’s inert body out onto the pavement. He was reasonably sure no one had seen him. The last of the late night movie goers had gone home. Before heading back down to the exit, Stuart allowed himself to take one more look at Victoria in the rearview mirror. She’d been a lot of fun. Why did she have to go and mess it up?

When he was back out on Route 123 he reached for his cell phone and punched in the programmed number of the only person he could trust. Even at one o’clock in the morning his call was answered quickly with a crisp “Yes, Boss. Is everything okay?”

“No. Meet me at my house in thirty minutes.”

He ended the call without saying goodbye and headed for his home in Great Falls, careful not to exceed the posted speed limit.

Carl was waiting at his front door when he got there. Jaffe unlocked the front door, walked directly to the bar and poured himself a scotch. He didn’t offer one to Carl who had followed him inside and was waiting wordlessly a respectful distance away, waiting for his boss to speak first.

Jaffe didn’t say anything until he had drained the glass, poured himself another drink and settled himself comfortable in a leather chair near the unlit fireplace.

“Carl, I messed up.”