Retribution

By Michael Calhoun

A small vigilante team comes together in Bel Air, California to right some of the wrongs that are threatening the very fabric of American decency. Talk is over. Now is the time to take a stand against pure evil. Get ready for a wild ride that takes the reader from the glitzy streets of Beverly Hills to Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Lake Tahoe, Miami, Cuba, Chicago, Atlantic City, New York, and Las Vegas. A lot of very bad criminals are brutally put to rest but danger for the team is becoming a reality. America is asking "who" could be responsible for these dramatic assassinations of so many highly publicized criminals and "why" is it happening? Is this right or wrong is the moral question to be answered. But who is going to protect the innocent victims? And how? RETRIBUTION covers a five-year period that will keep the reader mesmerized and guessing what's next. The main characters are Carl, who becomes the facilitator of the group and Laura, the estranged wife of the Senator, fall in love. Senator Patrick Garrity is a despicable human being that in his mind must become the next President of the United States and nobody can stop him. His son, Steven, is sixteen at the beginning of the book and at the age of eighteen becomes the driving force behind the team. By twenty-two he becomes the most valuable player in the National League, a world series hero and at the same time continues his benevolent and very dangerous journey packed full of gripping twists and turns filled with terror at every turn from a hidden foe in hot pursuit. Will the team make it through the ever-present hidden danger that lies ahead?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639855537

Book preview

Acknowledgments

Iwant to especially thank my beautiful wife, Zonia, for all the hours she endured as I read and reread page after page to her at all hours of the day and night. She was a tremendous help in giving me an honest woman’s opinion on many of the issues that came up for discussion. I couldn’t have done it without you. Love you forever.

My sister Marcia Weckesser was an integral part of several chapters that she contributed to. No sugarcoated analysis—she gave me her opinions, and I was able to add and subtract some vital parts to the book. Thank you so much. Love you.

Sabrina Cruz, my editor, typist, analyst, and graphic designer. I bounced a lot of different ideas against the wall, and she was able to tighten up a lot of loose ends. She was extremely helpful with her knowledge of behind-the-scenes real-life events that have taken place in her life. We were able to weave some of these incidents into several chapters. Appreciate all your help.

David McGauley, Mike Adams, and Steve Roberts, three dear friends who I have played baseball with for over twenty-one years. Their knowledge of the game of baseball is unsurpassed by anyone I personally know. In addition to playing professional baseball, they were very helpful in setting the stage for the baseball parts of the book. Thanks, guys—a lot of great memories on and off the diamond!

I want to acknowledge The Turtle who supplied me with intimate knowledge of attack weapons, attack helicopters, and certain poisons that were mentioned. With his seals, special forces, and private security background, he was spot-on. With his help, the details became very real and very scary given today’s violent climate that permeates throughout the world.

Joe Garrett, my dear friend who encouraged me to keep going no matter what happens in life. I appreciate your support and friendship over the last thirty-five years. I think we hit a home run.

Finally, my son Ryan, who listened, argued, and debated many issues in the book. We went over hours and hours of detail. You were a great help. I love you, and let’s always stay as close as we are today.

Chapter 1

May 2017

Carl stared in to get a phantom sign from the would-be catcher, nodded, and began his windup from the top of the pitcher’s mound, and in one smooth motion he released a fastball heading toward the inside corner of the plate about midthigh. Steven, at six feet, two inches, with an already sculpted body at only sixteen years old, drove forward with all his 184 pounds and made solid contact with the eighty-miles-per-hour pitch. A tremendous crack echoed throughout the eight-acre Bel Air mansion as the baseball rose toward a group of eucalyptus trees and finally landed halfway up one of the forty-foot-high trees some four hundred feet from home plate. Steven and Carl both stared at the result of a maple wood bat compressing a hardball with such ferocity.

Carl yelled out from the mound, That’s one of the most beautiful sounds that mankind has ever produced! Steven, did you get it all?

Steven looked at Carl with a big grin on his face and replied, Yes, sir. Between 420 to 440 to right center if that big tree hadn’t stopped it. Yes, I caught it right on the barrel.

As Carl walked toward Steven, both batting practice pitcher and batter sweating profusely under the ninety-two-degree Southern California sun, he said, The swing looked terrific. Beautiful extension and perfect balance. Bat head speed is right on. How do the hands feel? Are you okay for another ten pitches?

Steven quickly looked at his sports Rolex and said, We’ve gotten our fifty minutes of batting in, and I still feel strong. If your forty-five-year-old arm can still bring it, let’s go!

Okay, let’s get it on.

Carl retreated to the mound and grabbed a white pearl from the ball bag, toed the rubber, peered into the plate where Steven was semicrouched, and yelled, Two outs, two on, bottom of the ninth, and your team is down by two, and you have a 2–0 count!

Carl got into his stretch and then unleashed a seventy-six-miles-per-hour slider that was going to catch too much of the plate ending up in the kill zone as if it was set on a tee. Steven’s eyes suddenly got big as he strode forward, and with his left-handed swing generating incredible power, he crushed the ball to deep right field, and to both their amazement, the ball hurtled through the air in a tremendous arc, clearing the trees, bounced on the road, and disappeared into a neighbor’s yard.

Wow! What a sound…what a feeling…I’ve never hit one that far before! The crack of the bat meeting the ball brought back memories of high-powered Remington rifle shots echoing throughout the Montana mountain wilderness.

It was during last Thanksgiving break that Steven’s father, US Senator Patrick Garrity, decided to take him along on his first hunting trip at age fifteen. Despite the tension that had been building between father and son for the last five or six years, Steven decided to go, thinking perhaps there could possibly be some bonding between the two of them, and it might just be fun.

The three-day trip ended up being a disaster. On their return home, the black Porsche Cayenne SUV could be seen approaching the massive compound’s front double-gated entry. Boris Grünner, who had headed the gate security detail since the completion of the mansion eight years ago, began to open the electronic gates for the senator and his son. Boris would always stand up in the guard office and politely wave and greet Senator Garrity with as much respect as he could muster, to which the senator would arrogantly nod and basically ignore him as if he didn’t even exist.

As the senator drove up the long winding driveway surrounded by some of the most luscious landscaping one could imagine anywhere in the world, the site of the 38,000-square-foot soft creamy peach-colored Mediterranean mansion stood out like a palace or villa that one might find in the wealthiest regions of Europe surrounded by hundreds of acres. The twelve-bedroom, sixteen-bath estate was simply magnificent in all its grandeur. The compound included an Olympic-size swimming pool, two spas, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, guest houses for the hired help, and of course, the four-acre backyard that had been turned into a lush baseball field. Even though Steven had lived there the entire time, he still couldn’t believe how truly beautiful the place was, but at that moment, he just wanted to get out of the SUV as fast as he could and get away from his father. As they passed by the huge water fountain and pulled into the porte cochere, Steven could see his mother, Laura, waiting for them in front of the twelve-foot-high massive iron gate doors. Steven had been gone for only two days, but he was amazed at how happy he was to be back home with his mother. At forty-four, she was still the most beautiful mother that he had ever seen in person. At five feet, ten inches, 132 pounds, she was trim, tan, and very athletic. With her stylish medium-length blond hair, brilliant green eyes, full lips, and a smile that would light up any room, he understood why she had been runner up in the Ms. America contest at twenty-two years old. After a brilliant All-American tennis career at UCLA, she moved with grace and agility. Sometimes he wondered if he would ever make her truly proud of him, but he was beginning to believe in his heart that whatever he ended up doing in life, it would be fine with her. In his eyes, she was the most perfect mother a son could ask for.

As the senator came to a stop, he peered over at Steven with a menacing look and said, Son, why don’t you run along now and cry on your mother’s shoulder and tell her how awful a monster your father is… Go on! Get the hell out of the car. I can’t stand to look at you anymore today. You’re just a little goddamn sissy afraid of your own shadow. Now go cry like a fucking little bitch! And don’t you dare tell anybody where those bruises came from or there will be big trouble, understand? I said, you understand what I’m telling you?

Steven looked at his demented father with such hatred and contemptible disdain, with clenched fists, caught himself for a second, and then yelled at him, Go fuck yourself, you pervert! as he threw open the door, jumped out stumbling to the ground, barely eluding a wild punch thrown by his father that was aimed directly at his face.

Seeing what just happened, Laura came running up to the SUV screaming at her husband, Stop! Stop it, you son of a bitch!

Steven quickly got to his feet and pushed his irate mother away. Forget about it, Mom, just forget about it!

But, Steven, look at your face. You have cuts and bruises all over. Did he hit you again?

Just drop it, Mom. I don’t want to talk about it right now. I can’t—I mean, I just want to let it go. Let’s just get into the house. Come on, let’s go. Steven put his arm around her and whispered, It will be okay, I promise, as they hurriedly walked toward the front doors.

William Smythe, a powerfully built six-foot-six-inch, 265-pound, fifty-two-year-old butler opened the door and rushed toward Steven and Laura, looked at Steven’s face, and empathetically asked, Are you okay?

Steven nodded and said, Everything is okay, it really is, William. Just need to figure out a few things. He paused for a few seconds and then asked, William, would you please grab my stuff out of the SUV? I really don’t want to get near him right now.

I understand fully. Certainly, I will bring your gear up to your room right away. Is there anything else I can do for you? he asked as he stared coldly at the senator, who was still behind the wheel of the Porsche.

No, that’s all I need, William. I appreciate your help, thanks.

As Steven and Laura walked through the massive foyer, past the library and the game room on the left and the living room on the right, they found themselves in the stunning kitchen, which was well over eight hundred square feet.

Steven asked, Mom, where’s Elizabeth?

Oh, your sister was invited to go to Yosemite with the Weinbergs.

Sounds like fun. Do you think it’s safe?

That doesn’t sound like you, Steven. They went to Yosemite for four days, staying at the Ahwahnee Hotel. Not exactly roughing it.

Well, I was just thinking, she’s twelve now and just, you know… I’m always worrying about her. There are a lot of weirdos out there. You know what I mean, don’t you?

Laura looked away for a fleeting moment then faced Steven and said, Yes, I know it can be a very dangerous world out there, and we’ve got to protect each other as best we can, but right now let’s get you looked at by Ellen. You know she’s always anxious to see you and make you all those sandwiches and your protein shakes. Are you hungry? Sit down over here and we’ll put some more muscle on those bones.

Okay, okay. Mom, that sounds wonderful, but I want to find out about how you are feeling.

Just then Ellen Nordstrom, a beautiful thirty-five-year-old blonde originally from Stockholm who has been Steven and Elizabeth’s nanny for almost sixteen years, came rushing into the kitchen with the familiar worried look on her face that Steven immediately recognized as real concern.

Steven, you look terrible! What happened to your face? Ellen exclaimed.

Come on you, guys, it’s not that bad, is it?

Ellen responded, It looks like a truck hit you! She tenderly took Steven’s face into her hands and said, You poor thing. What happened in Montana?

Laura responded quickly, Ellen, would you mind putting together a nice lunch for the three of us and then we can all talk?

Okay, Laura, but where is the senator? Will he be joining us?

Just then the sound of squealing tires and a powerful engine accelerating could be heard through the open front doors.

As the noise subsided, Steven sarcastically said, I don’t think my loving father will be joining us for lunch, at least not today, and probably not tomorrow either. I think he’s having another bad day.

Laura added, Oh, Steven, I’m so sorry that I let you go with him. I was afraid he might hurt you again, but he promised me over his dead mother’s grave that he was going to bond with you and try to patch up the differences you two have. I’m such a fool for even thinking he could change. He has never been the same since his mother and father died before you were born. I still believe that he hated them up to the day they both were killed in that awful car accident. He just became a different man in private. Moody and mean yet in public he is so loved by the people. Or at least those that keep voting for him.

After a short silence, Ellen said, Excuse me, I’ll put the lunch together. Steven, what would you like? I can whip up one of your favorite Monte Cristo sandwiches.

Thanks, Ellen, that sounds great.

And, Laura, what can I get for you?

You know, Ellen, I haven’t had one of those sandwiches in twenty years. Let’s make it two, okay? And, Ellen, please join us for lunch.

Oh, definitely. I can’t wait to hear what Steven has to say.

After sitting for a moment, Steven said, Excuse me. I’m going to go up to my room and freshen up. I won’t be long.

In a concerned voice, Ellen replied, When you come down, I will take care of the bruising with some ice, and I want to put a butterfly on that cut above your eye just in case. We don’t need a scar on that sexy face of yours. The girls will appreciate that.

Come on, Ellen, you’re embarrassing me.

Laura added, Steven, we aren’t blind, we see how the girls look at you. So go on, get cleaned up and hurry back down. We really want to hear all about the trip.

As soon as Steven left the kitchen and headed upstairs, Laura uttered to Ellen, What a great kid. He’s so grounded and is always concerned about everybody else.

I absolutely agree with you. He has grown up before my eyes into a really caring young man that could have easily gone the other way with everything that has been handed to him. I’m sorry, Laura, I didn’t mean that in a bad way, just…you know…so many kids that grow up with that silver spoon in their mouth seem to be turning out not so good.

Laura added, I know. I talk to other mothers all the time about the problems these rich kids are facing, and it just seems that most of them are not handling them very well. Too much violence, too many drugs, everybody seems to have ADD. Nobody seems to be focusing on the important things. The family unit is in shambles. That’s why for all these years I’ve tried to keep this family together, but, Ellen, I can see the writing on the wall. Laura sighed and continued, I won’t be with the senator at this time next year.

Doesn’t surprise me. I don’t know how you have put up with your situation for this long. I’m sorry, Laura, maybe it’s not my place to say such a thing, but you know how deeply I care for Elizabeth, Steven, and of course, you. You really have been a hero to me over the years. Ellen hesitated for a moment and then continued, Laura, there is something that I must talk to you about, and I don’t know if this is the time and place to do it, but I’ve got to get this off my chest.

With a very concerned look, Laura said, Go ahead, Ellen… I don’t think Steven will be down for a few more minutes. Go ahead, spit it out.

Okay, here goes. Sixteen years ago, when you guys hired me, I was very desperate for work, as you well knew, and I really needed this job and was so excited to keep it. Well, anyway, the senator started casually flirting with me after the first three months or so, and then one night when you were gone to your sister’s house in Scottsdale, he really put the pressure on me, and I finally relented. We had sex in my bungalow, and afterwards he apologized profusely to me and said it wouldn’t happen again.

With tears welling up in her beautiful blue eyes, she blurted out, I’m sorry, Laura. I didn’t mean to do anything with him. It just happened. I know I should have fought him off more, but I was so afraid to lose my job that I didn’t have the guts to say no. The tears started flowing down her cheeks as she continued, "And that wasn’t the end of it. Over the next three years, he coerced me into doing it more and more until I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown! He must have sensed that I would not continue anymore, and he finally stopped until one night when he was really drunk. You and the kids were gone.

"He came into my house, I guess he had a key made, and he raped me. I was screaming and kicking at him, but he didn’t care. I scratched him so hard it must have left a scar on the back of his neck. Then he punched me so hard in the stomach that I almost fainted. He yanked me by the hair, pulled me across the room, stripped off the rest of my clothes, and then…Laura, I don’t know how to say this… He began choking me until I thought I was going to die. Then he flipped me over and sodomized me with such ferocity that I thought he was going to kill me. I just kept crying, thinking that this couldn’t be happening to me in my own home by my own employer and with such hatred and total disrespect towards me.

After he finished with me, he casually got up from the bed, looked down at me with an almost inhuman snarl, and spit on me. As he was buckling his belt, he said, ‘I’m done with you. You’re just a little slutty bitch, somebody else can have you. I can’t stand to look at you any longer,’ and he savagely kicked me in the ribs so hard that three of them were fractured. I could hardly breathe. I pulled myself up and half crawled into the shower and tried to rinse away all the disgust that came over me caused by that evil, despicable man.

With a look of both anger and deep sorrow, Ellen continued. Laura, I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t know what to do. He threatened to kill me if I said anything. Laura, you have to believe me. Again, I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but you really need to know for everybody’s sake. I don’t think you can trust him anymore with both your own safety and Steven and Elizabeth’s well-being. He’s a monster, Laura! You need to realize how dangerous he really is!

Laura paused, reflected for a moment, and then hugged Ellen while repeating over and over, It’s okay, it’s okay. I understand.

After a few minutes, Laura compassionately released Ellen and said, Now I really understand a lot of things about him that I had no idea about in the early years of our marriage. I guess I should be hurt and angry at you for having an affair with my husband, but I’m not. I now totally understand what a sinister man he has become since the death of his parents. I’m beginning to wonder how they died. There were rumors going around about how odd the circumstances of the accident were and all that money that was left to him from their huge estate.

Just then, Steven walked into the kitchen with a look of anguish and began to console Ellen. I’m so sorry, Ellen. I couldn’t help but overhear what you were saying to Mom. I can’t even imagine what torment you must have gone through, but I’m beginning to understand more and more about my father.

Ellen and Steven tenderly embraced each other, just holding on, both feeling the pain caused by the senator. Laura looked at the two of them with tears still streaming down Ellen’s face and immediately understood what her son and Ellen had endured. She thought to herself that it was hard to believe he could commit such atrocities against Ellen, who had become a real part of their family, and Steven, his only son.

Laura quietly suggested, Why don’t we just sit down, take a deep breath, and try to figure this situation out.

Steven and Ellen nodded in agreement and took their seats at the twelve-foot-long kitchen table overlooking the lush grounds surrounding the pool.

I still can’t believe what my father has become. Those awful things he has done to you, Ellen. And, Mom, I hope he hasn’t abused you, but I wouldn’t be surprised now that I know what he’s capable of doing.

Laura looked Steven in the eye and asked, Steven, tell us what happened on the trip. How did you end up getting beat up like that?

Well, the flight was fine. The corporate jet is always nice, as we all know. We landed at the airport in Bozeman and then jumped into a seaplane that took us to the lake. We packed up all the gear and the rifles, threw everything into a Range Rover, and took off to the ranch. It was really nice. It had a shooting range, pool, jacuzzi, and a very good chef. The senator—as Steven sarcastically referred to him—"had an instructor ready to teach me how to shoot. The guy’s name was Benny, who really knew his stuff. After two to three hours of shooting deer rifles and shotguns, I was getting real sore from all the recoil, so he suggested changing to handguns. He had me try out three or four Glocks and said to take the one that feels the most comfortable. So anyway, my crash course in learning how to kill ended up going into the early evening. Father was civil at dinner, nothing too heavy. Benny and I watched some football. Everybody hit the sack early, knowing we had a five-o’clock wake-up call the next morning.

"At 5:30 a.m., the three of us drove for about an hour until we got to our destination. Benny handed me a deer rifle. I felt a little anxious, but at the same time it felt kind of cool. I really didn’t know what to expect. The scenery was spectacular. The crisp fresh air was wonderful. Benny kept asking me if I was having a good time, and I just said, ‘Yes, this is really cool.’ Around one o’clock, after tracking two deer for over two hours, we had a beat on both of them.

"Father said, ‘It’s time to become a real man. Line it up and take the shot at the buck.’ I was really nervous, and my palms were getting wetter by the second, but I raised the rifle, sighted the buck in the crosshairs, and then just froze. He whispered, ‘Take the shot…go ahead…do it now!’ I couldn’t do it. He could tell I wasn’t going to pull the trigger, so he lifted his rifle, and in a second I heard the crack of the rifle and then almost instantaneously heard another crack from Benny’s rifle. In the distance, I could see both deer crumbled to the ground.

"As I found out later, both shots were perfect hits. I’m sure they died very quickly. Once the shooting stopped, Father set his rifle down and started swearing at me and asking why I didn’t pull the trigger. I said I just couldn’t kill that defenseless animal. Then he just came unglued and started calling me a chickenshit, pussy, good-for-nothing son who would never amount to anything in life. Then I started really getting teed off and shouted back at him. Then he just lost it. He grabbed me by the collar and started punching me in the face and threw me facedown on the rocks.

"It really hurt when he hit me with a couple of shots, but when he threw me down, that really hurt, almost knocked me out. I could hear Benny shouting at him, but I think I was half out of it for a minute or two. When I regained my senses, I started to get up, but I fell down. I was pretty shaky. Then Benny saw that I was trying to get up again, so he quickly came over to help me out. I groggily looked up at him and asked where the senator was, and he said Father had already taken off to secure the two deer. Suddenly, out there in the wilderness, it became very apparent to me that he really didn’t care too much about me. I realized in that moment that there is something very seriously wrong with him. He is truly dangerous.

"I found it very ironic to be staring at such an unbelievably beautiful setting and, as the pain was setting in, to know that such violence could be caused by my own father. It just blew me away. Benny looked at me with such a pained but not disbelieving look, almost as though he had seen this type of violence many times before but maybe never aimed at a son by his father. He kindly gave me some water and then pulled out a first aid kit and started cleaning my face. He applied some band-aids and taped up some of the cuts. Benny said it won’t be as bad as it probably feels right now. With a smirk, he said, ‘Everything will heal up just fine. The ladies will still love you.’

"I looked up at him with a half smile and said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

"He said, ‘We better get going to help take care of the deer.’

"I told him I wasn’t going to help my father do anything and that I would meet them back at the Range Rover. He said the senator was going to be irate, really pissed. Apparently, the senator told him to ‘teach me how to grow up and start acting like a real man.’ I told Benny to tell him to go to hell where he belongs.

He shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘Don’t get lost going back to the Rover because he probably would leave you out here to survive on your own.’ I grabbed my rifle, said goodbye, and took off. It took me over two hours to find the Rover, but I got there before dark. They showed up an hour later with both deer and did what they had to do. We took off in total silence. Not one word from either one of them all the way back to the ranch. I got out of the car and went directly to my room. I had room service, could barely eat anything. He let me know that we would be going home the next morning early, which was, of course, today. I could hardly get out of bed. I am really sore. The seaplane picked us up, went to Bozeman, and we took the jet home. Not a single word was spoken. Interesting trip, huh?

Laura and Ellen stared in disbelief at Steven. Finally, Laura said, Steven, what a nightmare this whole thing must have been for you. I had no idea that things could get this ugly. I’m so sorry that you had to go through something like this. My god, I can’t believe this is happening to my family! She began to cry.

Mom, it’s okay. We will make things work out one way or another, Steven said.

It was the first time that Steven had ever seen his mother cry in front of him. He put his arm around her, and in a very confident voice, he said to both of them, Things will get better somehow, some way. I don’t know how we’re going to do it yet, but we will succeed. Enough about me. I want to hear about both of you. Mom, I need to know how you’ve been feeling the last couple of days.

Steven, don’t worry about me right now.

Mom I’ve got to. You’re the only mother I have and I love you very much. We need to stick together and beat all this crap that is trying to destroy us. What is the latest word from Switzerland?

Laura reluctantly responded, The doctors are saying that I have an 80 percent–20 percent chance of survival if I start their experimental program very soon. I’m scared, but I’m going to do it. They all agree the cancer has spread too quickly to wait for any traditional treatments that probably would never stop the spread. I leave in two days and hope for the best. Ellen, I would appreciate it if you would come with me. I’m going to need some help.

Of course, I’ll go with you. I hope you can get past my indiscretions and love me the same way you always have.

You know you’re part of our family and always will be. Everybody makes mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and you didn’t really have any choice. So let’s put that ugly history behind us, okay?

Ellen, tears welling up in her eyes again, hugged Laura and said, Thank you so much for forgiving me, and I will never disappoint you again. Ever.

I know you won’t. I want you to forget about this as far as I’m concerned. You need to heal and get past that episode in your life.

Steven chimed in, Ellen, I didn’t hear everything you said about my father, but it must have been awful, and I want you to know that I will always support you the best way I can now and in the future. Like my mom, I hope you can get past this ugliness and have a great life. I’m sure you will. He gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Ellen whispered, Thank you. That means a lot to me.

Mom, I know you are a tough cookie, but I don’t want you to have to go through this without me. I want to come to Switzerland with you and Ellen. Elizabeth could stay with Grandma and Grandpa for a while. I think she would be okay with that, don’t you?

Honey, I appreciate your support, but I really need you to stay around and watch Elizabeth as closely as possible.

Mom, what’s going on with Elizabeth? asked Steven with obvious concern in his voice.

I don’t know, but I have a terrible feeling that something dreadful has happened to her and maybe is still happening.

You’re really scaring me! What are you talking about?

Steven looked at both of them. There was silence for about ten seconds, and then he pleaded, Come on, tell me what’s going on! I’m her only brother. I need to know!

Laura looked at Ellen and then back at Steven before saying, I never wanted either of you—and of course not Elizabeth—to know what the senator has done in the past, but I think it is time to come clean about everything. I think you both will know what I tell you is the absolute truth and probably needs to remain only with us, at least for the time being. I think it is in our best interest to keep everything silent until we can decide what to do about everything.

You’re really making me nervous. This sounds very ominous.

I know it does, but let me finish, and it will make more sense.

To start with, it is safe to speak openly here in the kitchen. In the past, I often thought that the house was bugged, and there was never any true privacy. Carl has assured me that wasn’t the case. With a deep sigh, she continued, In the last three years I have gotten very close to Carl in more ways than one. Carl and I have always liked each other, ever since your father hired him after Elizabeth was born. It’s just been in the last three years that our relationship has become more than friendship. I’ve fallen in love with him. Your father probably knows about it, or at least we suspect that he knows. Patrick and I have not been close since the birth of Elizabeth. That’s a long twelve years of living with somebody who you no longer love or even respect. God, it’s been a nightmare living with him. First off, Ellen, I didn’t know for sure, but I suspected that something was going on between the two of you around the time you said. He had this attitude, it’s hard to describe, but it was like he possessed you in some weird way. He would stare at you, and then all of a sudden that look and attitude changed completely. It was about the same time, Ellen, that you said you fell off the horse in Malibu and fractured your ribs. I sensed that he had done something physically to you, but I didn’t know what. I confronted him, and he would always blow me off and say there was nothing between the two of you. I, of course, didn’t believe him.

But I really thought it was not obvious. I tried to hide my hatred for him as much as I could, but I guess you could see through all of it.

Laura continued, While playing minor league ball, Carl blew out his elbow and couldn’t pitch professionally any longer. He had successful surgery and shortly thereafter joined the Navy, and it didn’t take long until he became a Navy SEAL. He graduated to special ops with CIA interaction. Thereafter, most of his ‘operations’ were unsanctioned by the government. He was assigned to some very nasty missions that he said he was not very proud of and after a while could no longer bring himself to do them. He asked for early retirement, and somehow it was granted.

He really was a special ops guy like in the movies? Or what you hear about? Steven asked excitedly.

He was and apparently was extremely capable—to the extent that a couple presidents actually referred to him by his first name when certain things needed to be done that could never be traced back to the president. I am telling you this stuff because there will come a day, I’m afraid, that we are going to need Carl’s help. You see, I don’t remotely trust the senator, and I believe he is capable of anything if people get in his way or even threaten in any way to potentially disrupt his precious career, which happens to be his life. Carl has told me that Patrick has never let anything or anyone stop him from succeeding, which I confirm. It doesn’t matter what it might be or who he has to eliminate or step on. Bottom line is, don’t get in his way to the top, which of course is his ultimate prize—being the president of the United States.

Mom, are you serious? He expects to be president of the United States?

Laura nodded and said, "From the time that he played baseball in the minor leagues and then with the Dodgers and Padres, he always had these lofty expectations and goals that he set, and sure enough he has succeeded. First, to make the major leagues, then to be an All Star, then Most Valuable Player, then a World Series MVP. The money started flowing in, he started setting up business after business, even while still playing, and things started getting very interesting, to say the least.

"He amassed a lot of his fortune in the real estate market, both residential and commercial. It didn’t hurt that his inheritance was over $80,000,000. He got to know congressmen, senators, and even worked closely with a couple presidents along the way. His networking skills were tremendous. With his sports fame, everyone would take his calls. He reached out to many different types of people, some good and some very bad. There were rumors that he had some very unscrupulous investors at times, but he was able to quash the rumors before they gained any momentum. He’s a very complex man who obviously is suffering from some demons that I have never been able to uncover.

"As you both know, I have been with Patrick for over twenty-eight years. At the beginning, things were good. Not perfect, but at least I can say they were good. He progressively got stronger and more violent, especially after a few drinks. I kept blaming it on the booze, but it gradually accelerated into both physical and mental abuse. He would sometimes hit me but never in the face, where somebody might make waves or a photographer might catch a juicy shot of me all bruised up. That wouldn’t fly in his heftier plans. To this day, I don’t understand why I stayed with him as long as I have. I know I wanted to keep us all together. He threatened me repeatedly whenever I threatened to divorce him. He would say, ‘We will work it out,’ but politically he couldn’t afford a divorce.

I have always known that, thank God, he was sleeping with other women, but as the good wife, I was supposed to shut my eyes and mouth and not say anything. Right now, he has a girlfriend who lives in one of the penthouses on Wilshire, where he visits her quite regularly. Her name is Stephanie. This is not the easiest thing to talk about, but it is time that everything comes out in the wash because he is dangerous. And I have a feeling that things may be unraveling for him.

Ellen asked, What do you mean by ‘unraveling’? Do you really think he would do more harm to any of us?

I have been reading a lot about psychopaths and sociopaths and how mental illnesses can affect people at different stages of their lives. Patrick is a very disturbed person, this I know, and you both can attest firsthand to what he has done to you. How does it relate to any future tendencies for him? I, of course, can’t tell, but my guess is if I were to divorce him and certain facts about him were to come out, this would send him over the top. I don’t know how violent his reactions would be, but I’m warning you that nobody would be safe, including Elizabeth. Maybe especially Elizabeth. Steven, you asked about Elizabeth. Well, I have a horrible feeling that she is being sexually molested by him, and Elizabeth is deathly afraid to say anything about it.

Ellen dropped her head into her hands and started trembling.

Laura asked, What is it, Ellen? Do you know something? Has Elizabeth said anything to you?

God, I should have seen something. I’m her guardian, her big sister, I’m supposed to take care of her. Goddamn him! If he has laid a hand on her, I will kill him.

Calm down, slow down. Tell us anything that you might have seen or heard or might have been out of the ordinary.

"Last month I took Elizabeth to Jerry’s Famous Deli. She said she had a sudden urge for a pastrami sandwich and a chocolate malt, which I thought was pretty strange, but I said, ‘Let’s go,’ so we went. We were sitting at a corner window table when all of a sudden she started crying. Not sobbing, but a soft cry. I asked her what was wrong, and she looked at me with those big brown eyes that were full of tears and started to blurt something out, then she just froze. I could see she either saw something or someone through the window on Beverly, and a look of panic came over her that I’ve never seen before.

"She was scared. I said, ‘Liz, what is it? What’s wrong?’ I looked behind me through the window, but I didn’t see anybody or anything that I thought might have shaken her so profoundly, but something did because she just clammed up, and for the rest of the meal, she tried to be her usual sweet self, but I could tell something really serious was bothering her. I told her several times that she could tell me anything and that it would just be a secret between the two of us. I could tell that she wanted to talk about something, but she backed off again.

The most I got out of her was that she saw her new boyfriend, Tommy, kissing or trying to kiss another girl on the playground. I asked her if Tommy was twelve or thirteen and if he was cute, and she just gave me a half smile and said she hates Tommy now, and it doesn’t matter. I knew this wasn’t what was bothering her, but she put up a good front for a precocious twelve-year-old supposedly smitten by Tommy. On the way home she didn’t say much. I could tell she had things on her mind, and when we got close to the house, she asked me not to say anything to you. I said, ‘Okay, but remember, Liz, you can say anything to me, and I have your back. Never be afraid to ask for help if you need it.’ As she turned to face me with tears in her eyes, she just nodded to me and said thank you.

With a distressed look in her eyes, Laura asked, Have you seen anything else that would indicate that this is happening since the trip to the deli?

She has definitely been quieter, not her happy-go-lucky self. I don’t think that’s my imagination because I’m around her all the time. I can tell she just has not wanted to talk about anything serious.

Laura turned to Steven and asked, Steven, have you noticed any difference in Elizabeth’s attitude, or have you seen anything that would shed some light on this?

I agree with Ellen. She just hasn’t been herself lately. I can’t put my finger on it, but what I’m hearing would probably make a lot of sense. God, I hope we are all wrong and are jumping to conclusions. I know he is an evil man, but do we really think that he would molest his own daughter? I don’t know…maybe…I wouldn’t be surprised.

Then Laura stared at Steven and asked, Steven, you seem to be deep in thought about something besides Elizabeth’s situation. Is there anything going on besides the obvious that you want to tell us about? We are here for you, and nothing said here goes any further.

Steven took a deep breath then sighed with resignation, and after contemplating how to say it, he began. Mom, do you remember when I was eight, and we had just moved into this house, and I started wetting the bed at night?

Yes, of course, but—

Hold on. Father had a friend that he called Uncle Charlie who would come over all the time to check things out. I guess about the construction going on or I don’t know, whatever. He would come up to my room sometimes and teach me some card tricks and other crazy things, but he always wanted to touch me, and I thought it was kind of weird. I told Father about it, but he said he’s like a doctor or some strange explanation like that. Well, anyway, one day I was in my swim trunks, and one thing led to another—

Laura screamed out, Oh my god, he didn’t! What did he do to you?

Ellen lamented, How could I not have seen this happening? Jesus, I can’t believe all this is happening to our family.

It’s over. I could say let’s forget about it, but I had nightmares for years about Uncle Charlie and my father sneaking into my bed and doing horrible things to me. With anguish in his eyes, he continued, It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

Laura gently asked Steven, What exactly did he do to you, Steven?

Steven hesitated and with an embarrassed look said, He fondled me at first and then he started sucking my penis. I was so scared I didn’t know what to do. He said it was good for me and that it would make me a man sooner. Jesus, can you believe that BS?

With a horrified look on her face, Ellen asked, Why didn’t you tell anybody?

Steven answered, I told Father everything, and his response was that I was making it up or dreaming and just to forget about it, never to say anything to anybody, it will be better in the long run.

Laura came over to Steven and embraced him, saying over and over, I’m so sorry…I didn’t protect you. I’m so, so sorry. Tears were flowing, and she started uncontrollably shaking, almost like she was experiencing a seizure.

Steven held her and said, You have been the best mom a kid could ever have, so don’t beat yourself up about it. You couldn’t have known. It wasn’t your fault. Please, I didn’t want to upset you, especially at this critical stage of your life. Dammit, I’m sorry I told you both. The point wasn’t to upset either of you. I…I just thought we all better know everything that’s going on around here. No matter how painful it might be.

Ellen half shouted, You’re right, Steven, and you are very brave to have told us. Now we need to do something about it. I don’t know what, but I am so angry and hurt that I can’t even think straight right now. How in God’s name could I have missed this? We’ve got to stop that goddamn monster from hurting Elizabeth anymore!

Laura added, I’ve got to think, really think this through. Figure out what we are going to do.

Mom, you’re all shook up right now. Please sit down, have something to drink, eat something. Let’s take it easy, not make any hasty decisions right now. Ellen, could you maybe put some food or drinks together? Maybe it will help calm us down and think things through more clearly.

Yes, of course. I’ll get some tea going. Steven, would you like some of your grape juice or a smoothie?

Thanks, Ellen, a smoothie would be great. Forget about the Monte Cristo sandwich, at least for me. Mom, do you still want one?

God, no! I can’t think about food right now. I have lost my appetite. I feel like getting drunk. Better yet, I feel like killing somebody.

But you don’t even drink, and I don’t think you know how to shoot, do you? Just kidding! Steven tried to lighten the mood.

A seriousness took over the room, and Ellen finally broke the silence by saying, ‘An eye for an eye,’ my daddy used to say.

Ellen, what are you saying? Steven curiously asked.

I don’t know. I just know that some very bad things have happened to people I love very much, and right now I feel like getting even with you know who.

Steven looked at Ellen and then at Laura and at that moment he could sense that there was an alliance that was forming before his eyes.

After a pause, Steven said, "I know we are all in an angry, vengeful state right at this moment, but we can’t, and I mean we absolutely can’t go off half-cocked not having a plan. We have to be clear on all the issues, and then we can react accordingly."

Laura responded, My god, Steven, you sound so mature. You don’t sound like a soon-to-be sixteen-year-old kid. I’m proud of you and the way you have grown up to be such a fine young man, despite what you have gone through with this dysfunctional family. And, Ellen, a lot of credit has to go to you for helping bring up my two kids in such a fine manner. I’m so grateful to you. Knowing what we know now, things could have gone horribly wrong.

Thanks, I appreciate that vote of confidence. It makes me feel a little bit better, and again I’m so sorry about how some things have turned out.

Again, it wasn’t your fault. You were trapped and manipulated by a very dangerous man. It’s important to me that you try and forget the past, and we all need to concentrate on the future.

Steven looked at both Laura and Ellen and asked, When is Elizabeth coming back from her trip to Yosemite?

On Sunday. In the afternoon, Ellen answers.

Yes, they are supposed to drop her off by about four o’clock or five o’clock, Laura answered.

Steven asked, How are we going to handle this with Elizabeth?

My god, a mother’s worst nightmare, asking your daughter if her father has or is molesting her. Can you imagine what she must be thinking? My poor baby… I am so angry right now. I am getting these visions, and I can’t handle the thought of him doing things to her… I’ll kill him if I have to! Laura’s face had turned a crimson red.

Mom, I know this whole situation has to be awful, but you can’t let yourself get too worked up. You know what the doctors said about hypertension and stress. That’s the last thing you need. We need you healthy and ready to take on the new treatment with a very positive attitude.

After some hesitation, Laura said, I want you both to know that I will fight as hard as humanly possible to live. I want to grow old and gray and see all of you successful and happy. I will never take my own life, and if by some chance I end up mysteriously dead, don’t believe what you might see or hear. I would not put it past him to permanently keep me quiet if I threaten his empire. We cannot underestimate him for a minute. He is very well connected and will not hesitate to eliminate his enemies. I can’t believe I’m talking like this about a man who gave me two beautiful children and who I actually was very much in love with at one time. Wow, what a strange world. How could it come to this?

Why don’t we all meet together with Elizabeth when she gets back. Laura? Steven? What do you think? asked Ellen.

Steven added, I think if we tell her some things, such as what happened to me, that might break the ice. I don’t know…maybe?

Laura added, Maybe I should talk to her alone. Ellen, if you could put yourself in her shoes, what would be the safest approach that would work for you?

I think if she feels that there is positive support and an outpouring of love from all of us, this might make her more comfortable and more apt to talk to us. Make sure that she knows that none of what has been done to her was her fault. No guilt, period! Let’s think about it some more over the next two days and then make our decision by Sunday before she gets back.

Sounds like a solid plan to me. Let’s keep brainstorming, Steven chimed in.

Okay by me, agreed Laura.

How do we handle Father in the meantime? asked Steven.

I think we act mad at him and then play it by ear thereafter. Once we find out what has gone on with Elizabeth, then we need to set a plan of attack. I have no idea what it will be, but we can never let this go unpunished. We will leave for Switzerland on Monday and should be back in three or four days. By that time, we should know a lot more.

I will hold down the fort until you two get back. Mom, what about Carl? Where does he stand?

He knows about what Patrick has done to me, and he is very suspicious about Elizabeth’s situation. I have told him everything I know and suspect, and he’s doing some digging. As head of security for his empire, he might come up with something, but he has told me that despite being friends with Patrick years ago, he’s in love with me and will do anything that he can to help.

Steven asked, Mom, he would really be sticking his neck out, wouldn’t he?

He doesn’t care. He can get another very high-paying job just about anywhere he chooses. He has told me he stuck around here because he loves me, and he loves mentoring you, Steven. He loves the energy and the desire that you show towards your baseball career and life in general. He really cares for you a great deal and thinks of you as his own son.

I really like him a lot. He talks all the time about a lot of things that guys go through and how to best handle them. He’s very smart. I can tell he’s really been around, yet he is so humble. Doesn’t sound much like my father, does it?

I’m sorry, Steven, that I couldn’t have given you a better father, but who can ever tell at the beginning what’s going to happen at the end? I know it’s not fair, but we have to make life work as best as we can.

I know, and it sounds like you have had a rough go of it and much tougher than I had imagined.

Oh, don’t worry about me, sweetheart. We will get through this, and maybe our lives will somehow be enriched. Who knows? God works in funny ways. But, Steven, I want you to promise me that you will always stay humble and be kind to your fellow man, no matter how rocky life might get. Can you promise me that?

Sure, I promise. With that, why don’t we have a little lunch and chill out for a while. Then I can take my shower.

For the next two days, things were very tense when the senator was around. Understandably, nobody really was talking to him other than the hired help. For the last five years, Laura and Patrick slept in separate bedrooms and did not find it necessary to come into contact with each other very much at all. Steven worked out rigorously twice a day, usually in the morning hitting and fielding practice with Carl and then off to the elaborate gym that used to be a second theatre room. Steven had all the latest in workout machines, the best that money could buy at his disposal. Luckily for Steven, Patrick no longer chose to share the facilities with him. The short experiment two years earlier ended in constant shouting matches and general verbal abuse laid upon Steven by his father. Why the abuse continued on and on just befuddled Steven. He never felt like he was egging his father on, but things just were never cordial. The two were like water and oil. There were times when Steven could remember as a young kid experiencing happy times with himself, his mom, and dad, but then it seemed that after the incident with Uncle Charlie, things just started deteriorating. The communication between father and son became tenser and just plain edgy. Neither one ever spoke further about what had happened to Steven. A few times when Steven was going to bring it up, Patrick changed the subject immediately or suddenly had somewhere else to go. It became very evident to Steven that the subject was going to be taboo with his father, and he was way too ashamed and embarrassed to ever mention it to his mother. Finally, Steven said to himself, Screw it. I don’t really need my father for much of anything. My mom is great, but he is a real bastard.

Chapter 2

As Senator Patrick Garrity was being chauffeured by Rolf, his bodyguard of ten years, from Santa Monica Airport, where he had just landed from a three-day trip in Washington, DC, the cell phone rang.

Garrity here.

Patrick, it’s Frank Burroughs. How was your trip?

Productive. I might have changed some minds back east about who they should be voting for. Can you fucking believe that the Party would even consider that idiot Melvin? They have to have their heads examined. Sorry, Frank, I go on a tirade every time I think of that loser. I see red. Well, anyway, what can I do for you?

Patrick, I hate to ask, but I need a huge favor if you can. It’s important.

This phone is okay. So go ahead. What’s the problem?

Well, you know my son, Andy?

Of course. Will he sign this year?

Yes, but the problem is he was caught with two kilos of coke last night at a club on Sunset. They arrested him for possession and possession with intent to sell. I just bailed him out quietly this morning. No paparazzi or pictures that I know of yet. He’s never been arrested, and as you know, he’s basically a good kid. I have no idea what the hell he was doing with the coke. He’s on a pretty big allowance, has his BMW, and usually anything that he needs I supply for him. If this gets out, he can kiss his baseball career goodbye along with a lot of other options that he might have.

Frank, who has the case been assigned to?

I don’t know yet.

Okay, I will make some calls right now and see if we can put a lid on this before it goes too far. I will call you back as soon as I know something.

Patrick, you don’t know how much this means to me. I will take care of you, and I owe you one.

First things first. Let’s see what I can do. I’ll call you later.

Thanks. I appreciate anything you can do. Bye.

Rolf, head over to the Hollywood West Police Station and park two blocks down the street. I will walk from there.

Yes, sir, right away. We should be there in about twenty minutes.

Thirty-eight minutes later, Senator Garrity had the file in his hands talking to his old baseball buddy from USC, where they were roommates for two years. Barry, the head prosecutor, looked at the senator and asked for Andy’s file back and walked him to the back exit door.

I will see what I can do. Luckily, you got here before it was assigned to a couple of prosecutors who would have been very difficult to work with. I think we can do something. I will call you tomorrow. How’s Steven doing? Still killing the ball?

"I don’t get to see him much, but yes, he’s