The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (34 page)

John was revolted by what he had heard.  He looked at David.  David almost had a look on his face that said,
“
And you thought I was bad?
”
 
Lisa was evil in John
’
s book.  Not just evil, but despicable.  John had to hold his face steady and not smile.  He was about to bring down the
wickedest person he
’
d ever met
and he didn
’
t want to tip his hand.

“
Is there anything else either of you think needs to be told?
”
John asked.

“
I think the world has heard everything I wanted them to.
”
 
David replied.  David let Lisa go.  He walked over to a chair near John holding the gun by its barrel.  He laid the gun on the chair, stepped back several steps, got down on his knees and put his hands behind his head with his fingers
inter
locking. 

John picked up the gun and placed the camera on the desk still pointing toward Lisa and David.  Lisa stayed away from David.  John walked between them just in case Lisa decided to kick David in the ribs or something.  John faced Lisa.

“
Lisa,
”
began John. 
“
What I
’
d like to say to you is . . . You have the right to remain silent, however I
’
m not a current agent,
”
as John was speaking he was walking across the room to open the door to the inner office.  There was Trip with his handcuffs out.  He crossed the room and began to put the cuffs on Lisa.  John continued. 
“
And since I
’
m not
,
I
’
ll just have to watch Trip arrest you and settle for that.
”
 

Trip shouted all clear and began to read Lisa her rights.  The
S
ecret
S
ervice and FBI agents flooded the office.  One agent cuffed David and whispered to him that he deserved a medal.   The agents read David his rights as they walked him away.  David mouthed the words,
“
Thank you
”
to John as they took him off.  Trip was still reading Lisa her rights.  John spoke.

“
So this whole thing,
”
John began by waving his hand at the oval office. 
“
This whole thing happened just so you could become the President, and when that didn
’
t work out, you decided the next best thing you could do was be the
f
irst
l
ady?  Is that about right
,
Lisa?
”
 
Lisa didn
’
t say a word, obviously invoking her right to remain silent.

Trip had finished reading Lisa her rights and shook his head, amused with John
’
s questioning. 

“
Really
,
John?
”
 
Trip asked. 
“
You think she
’
s going to admit that someone didn
’
t do exactly what she wanted?  You think she was going to allow someone who wasn
’
t on her level of society take her down?
”
 
Trip was looking at Lisa disgustedly as he spoke. 
“
This woman would never a
dmit that someone
she felt was
below her station in life
could
affect
her.
”

One of the agents
standing beside the two of them shook his head at John and Trip
’
s conversation. 

“
You realize you two just took down the
f
irst
l
ady of the United States of America and you
’
re trying to get her to incriminate herself?
”
The agent asked.  John and Trip looked at each other and nodded.

“
Yeah that
’
s about right,
”
said Trip.

“
We
’
re just trying to save the American people some money on a trial,
”
said John with a smile.  Trip groaned.

“
I think you have all the incriminating evidence you need,
”
said the agent.

Lisa was listening to the exchange, but the last comment by the agent bothered her.  She had taken all she could stand and had one of her famous Lisa Nichols outbursts.

“
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!
”
 
Lisa screamed.  Trip and John turned slowly with huge grins on their faces to face the
f
irst
l
ady. 
“
You idiots have arrested me!!! 
How!?!?
”

             
John smiled and walked over to President
’
s desk and brought back the camera.  He pointed to the red light on the end of the camera.  Lisa shrugged her shoulders to say,
“
so
?
”

             
“
Lisa.
S
weetie,
”
began John.  Lisa was glaring at him. 
“
I lied.
  The red light means that we are transmitting live.
”
 
Lisa
’
s face fell.  The smile fell off of John
’
s face.  He was deadly serious. 
“
You see
,
ma
’
a
m, I
’
m a Kentucky boy myself.  I
’
ve seen many of those
. . .
what was the phrase again?
”
 
John asked Trip.

             
“
Pieces of trash,
”
replied Trip helpfully.

             
“
Ah, yes,
”
said John. 
“
I
’
ve seen many of those
‘
p
ieces of
t
rash
’
,
”
John said using air quotes. 
“
Make their lives out to be so much better without the help of condescending brats like you.
”
 
Lisa was turning red and making strangling noises.  John ignored her and continued.  
“
When I had put enough together and found out that David had you hostage, I just had to find a way to get you to tell what really happened.
”
 
John moved in really close and spoke quietly where only Trip and Lisa could hear him. 
“
But you see, part of your story just doesn
’
t jive with me, if you know what I mean.  I don
’
t think your daddy is quite as innocent as you would like me to believe he is.
”
 
John turned to Trip as he said that.

             
Trip put his left arm across his chest to support his right arm.  With his right arm he was tapping his finger
against his lip.  He had
a
“
hmm
”
face as he did this.  He lowered his hand and turned to John.

             
“
Do you think we should open a file on Mr. Archibald Staples?
”
 
Trip asked.

             
“
I think he has to be considered at least a
s a
person of interest, don
’
t you, VERONICA?
”
 
John said her name with contempt.  The color drained from Lisa
’
s face.  She tried to keep her composure.  She responded with four simple words.

             
“
I want my lawyer.
”
 
Trip turned to the other agents.

             
“
Get her out of here,
”
said Trip.  He turned and saw a man in a suit enter the room. 
“
Aw crap.
”
 
John turned to see what
had Trip
bothered.  Trip turned back to John. 
“
That guy in the suit is with the FBI brass in Washington.  I have a feeling we
’
re about to meet with at least them, if not the President as well.

             
“
I
’
m probably not his favorite person right now, am I?
”
 
Asked John

             
“
You think?
”
 
Trip replied.  The two walked over to the man who had entered the room and followed him out of the Oval Office.

             
John and Trip followed the man deep down into the White House.  John had always heard that there were rooms underneath the building.  Now it seemed
he was going to find out first
hand.  He was sure they wouldn
’
t be shot and dumped down here somewhere . . . well, he was fairly sure. 

             
They finally entered a room and found themselves face to face with the President of the United States.  He shook both Trip
’
s and John
’
s hand and offered both of them a seat.  After the President sat, John couldn
’
t take the mounting pressure inside and he just began to blurt things out.

             
“
Mr. President, I would like to apologize to you.  This case developed so quickly we never had an opportunity to give you a heads up about what was about to happen.  I
’
m sorry if we have caused you any embarrassment.
”
 
Trip looked at John like he
’
d like to strangle him.  John shrugged.  The President nodded and answered.

             
“
John, Trip, neither of you will receive any reprimand in this case if I have anything to do about it,
”
the President responded.  John and Trip were both a little taken aback with that. 
“
I asked you here to see if there was anything else you suspect that was not brought to light during my wife
’
s
on-air
revelations.  It is obvious from what I saw today that I have been duped.  I now wonder if I have been duped by just Lis
.
.
.Veronica
, or also by Archibald Staples.
”
 
John gave a low whistle, he hadn
’
t thought about that angle yet.  John looked at Trip and Trip gestured for him to take lead.

             
“
S
ir.
”
 
John wasn
’
t quite sure what to say
;
this was the President after all.  He decided to talk to him man to man. 
“
Sir, I have no proof about Archibald Staples.
”
 
The President looked relieved and began to relax in his chair. 
“
However,
”
the President stopped his relaxing. 
“
I believe Archibald Staples is as dirty as the day is long.
”
 
Trip looked up at the ceiling and blew air out of his mouth.  Trip prayed internally that he would still have his job when this was all over.

             
“
Do you think a fourteen year old child could orchestrate all of those parents being run out of town so easily or the payoff to Mrs. George?
”
 
John asked.  The President shook his head.  He was hearing all of the doubts that he already had
himself
. 
“
I have not yet begun to dig
into
this man, but I think there is quite a bit there.
”