Room 702 (41 page)

Angel Lee carefully sits a digital tape recorder on the glass-topped coffee table in front of her and tries to calm her nerves.
 
She also checks the recording function on her iPhone and, feeling secure she has both a primary and secondary device to tape the upcoming conversation, sits back against the couch.
 
This is potentially her biggest story ever, and she doesn’t want to risk any sort of technical issue in recording what the whistleblower has to say.
 
The story was all but dropped in her lap, and knowing the players involved, she knows she has to act fast – faster than she would prefer or will give her time to adequately research her subject.
 
Still, it’s a lead and she’ll take it – she would be an idiot not to.
 
The past few days have been a flurry of calls and interviews, but she still doesn’t feel entirely ready.

And that includes her clothes.
 
She looks down and wonders if she’s dressed the part.
 
Undoubtedly, her subject will be in a suit, an expensive one and she wishes she had the funds to pull off the same.
 
The reality is that the freelance writing she’s been doing doesn’t pay that well and her Ann Taylor clearance suit is going to have to work.
 
While she saw a minor rise in her professional career earlier in the year by gaining access to an anonymous but important player of a major drug dealer trial, Angel needs something to take her to the next level.

Although the days of hard hitting and investigative newspaper reporting are slowly fading towards ‘infotainment,’ Angel hopes there’s a chance she can still make it to the big leagues.
 
Well aware she has a face for radio, there’s no way this story will end up as a package on a local television station.
 
Furthermore, her whistleblower is shy – and has specifically asked for no cameras to be present during his interview.
 
The allegations the whistleblower was bringing forward today are big, and would grab headlines around the city, maybe even the country.
 

There is a knock on the door and Angel jumps up, then breathes a sigh of relief when she checks the peephole.
 
The arrival is just the snacks she’s ordered.
 
Although she can’t afford room service or the hotel room, she has bent to the demands of the whistleblower and arranged this meeting at the Winchester.
 
As she fusses with the placement of the fruit, coffee, and tea, there is another knock on the door and Angel looks at her watch, noting the gentleman is right on time.

“Mr. Simpson?”

“Yes.”

He looks uncomfortable, which Angel expected, and she tries to put him at ease, sensing he still might back out at any moment, “Please, come in.
 
I’ve ordered us some refreshments.”

“And you’re the only one here?
 
No police?
 
No colleagues?”

“Yes, as you requested, I am alone.” He walks past her and scans the room, allowing her to study him.
 
Unlike most people, Karl seems taller than the pictures she’s studied of him.
 
He wears a navy suit, probably bespoke.
 
His hair, very light blond is professionally groomed and clipped short, very conservative.
 
Although he is not her type, she understands how many people of both genders are attracted to him.

“No video camera?”

Angel had actually brought one just in case, but given how uneasy her guest seems, she decides to leave the device in her bag and says, “None.
 
Nothing hidden, just you, me and a tape recorder.
 
Are you still okay to go ahead?”

“Yes.”

As the man pours himself a cup of coffee, Angel follows her guest to the seating area and asks, “You realize you have certain privileges, correct?”

“As in?”

“I know you want to go officially on the record as yourself, but you can be protected if you choose.
 
As a source, I am not required to give up your identity.”

“I’m aware.”

“But you still want to have these charges and accusations accredited to you?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re certain?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”
 

 
“You are and I am grateful.” Angel picks up a clipped set of documents and says, “As we’ve agreed, here is the latest agreement for this interview.”

“My lawyer agreed?”

 
“He did.” Angel grits her teeth and says, “You have the rights to approve the final draft.”

Ken signs with a flourish and Angel breathes another sigh of relief.
 
At any moment, she expects her interviewee to get up and leave the room.
 
“Then let’s get started.”
 
Angel picks up her iPhone and the digital tape recorder and presses record on both devices, asks, “Can we begin?”

He takes a sip of his coffee and nods.

Hoping she sounds professional, Angel asks, “Can you please, for the record state your name and the date?”

“I am Karl Simpson and today is September 29th.”

“What is your current job?”

“I am the campaign advisor for Reginald Hartley.”

“What do you want to tell the public in the state of California?”

“I would like to go on record by stating that Reginald Hartley has been stealing from the campaign funds and using them for personal gain.”

“Mr. Simpson, you are aware these allegations are bold and not to be taken lightly.
 
Do you have evidence to support what you’ve said?”

“Absolutely.
 
I’ve recently come across bank statements which clearly show the movement of funds from the main campaign fund account to one of his personal accounts.
 
I’m prepared to share these details with appropriate authorities if necessary.”

“How much money was moved between accounts?” Angel hopes the number is significant.
 
If the funds are not in the tens of thousands, she doubts people will even care.
 
In a political landscape where secret gay lovers and picture of genitals seem to be in the press on a weekly basis, Angel is cautiously optimistic.

“Close to five million dollars has been moved.
 
I have copies of the bank statements.”

“Have you approached Mr. Hartley to ask him why the transfer was made?”

“I did.
 
In an e-mail, which I can provide, I asked him why he moved the money, and his response was that ‘it must be a bank error.’
 
Furthermore, when I approached our director of campaign finance, the woman who actually releases money from the account, she disavowed any knowledge of Mr. Hartley’s order.”

“What date did this transfer of funds take place?”

“Around September 1st.”

As much as she’s prepared for this interview, the date instantly connects in Angel’s mind.
 
She taps a finger on her lips and asks, “Is that or is that not around the date you announced your engagement to Mr. Hartley’s daughter, Rachel?”

“It was.”

“Do you think the two are connected?”

“I’m not sure.”
 
“What do you think the money is for?”
 
“I have no idea, but it is not his money.”

“Have you approached your fiancé about the subject?”

“Not yet.”

“But you’ve approached her father?”

“Yes.
 
I believe my roles here are separate.
 
I can equally be Rachel’s fiancé without letting our relationship interfere with my job.”

“What do you intend to do with this allegation?”

“I am reporting what he’s done.” Karl looks confused at the question.

“Yes, you are, but not to the police or any official government committee that might want to prosecute Mr. Hartley’s actions.”

“How he is charged is not my decision to make.
 
I consider myself a public servant and I’ve chosen this way of bringing the story to the public.”

Angel leans back and turns off both of the recorders.
 
Sensing there’s something else going on behind the scenes, she asks, “What’s your angle in all this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you hoping to take down Hartley and step into his place?”

“No, and how dare you insinuate that’s why I’ve come to you?”

Angel decides to push the envelope, and says, “I’m not unfamiliar with the political scene in this state, Mr. Simpson.
 
Furthermore, I’m aware of timelines in consideration.
 
We both know Mr. Hartley is far ahead of any competitors, so, I’m going to ask again, how do you expect to benefit from this accusation?”

“I’m not here today to discuss my future, I’m here to talk about Mr. Hartley.”

Angel looks over the man in front of her.
 
While Mr. Hartley is distinguished and powerful, Karl Simpson is handsome, young and perfectly conservative.
 
At this point, she wouldn’t doubt if his recent engagement was also on a well planned timeline.
 
Activating both devices again, she asks, “And if those in the party decide you are the best person to take his place should he decide to step down?
 
What would your response be?”

“I’m not going to answer a hypothetical question.
 
There are too many mitigating factors I would need to account.”

 
Lying through your teeth, Angel thinks to herself.
 
Trying to keep her body language neutral, she keeps her hands folded on her knee and asks, “What do you think your fiancé would say if she knew you were talking to me?”

“Rachel Hartley is a young woman with a lot of integrity.
 
She is also someone familiar with politics.
 
I think she would understand what I’m doing.”

“And if her father sees jail time as a result of this conversation?”

“Listen, I’m almost entirely sure Reginald will be willing to return the funds and as long as he does that, no law will be broken, except the trust with those who have supported him.”

 
Realizing there was a connection between Hartley, his daughter and the man in front of her, but without extra time, Angel can’t decide who is playing who.
 
Trying to buy herself some further time, she asks, “Do you have any idea what he might want to use these funds for?”

“No, and before you ask, he wouldn’t tell me.”

“Do you find that strange?”

“How so?”

 
“The campaign advisor is one of the closest people in an organization to the candidate, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And you’ve been with Mr. Hartley for the past eighteen months, yes?”

“It is public knowledge I was brought on to run his re-election campaign.”

“And were you acquainted with Mr. Hartley prior to being hired by him?”

“Yes.”

“So, how long have you had a relationship with Mr. Hartley?”

“We first met when he came to speak at a College Republicans meeting and since then he’s acted as a mentor to me.”

“And after all he’s given you, you’re going to throw him under the proverbial bus?”

If Karl is affected by the accusation, he doesn’t show it.
 
He answers smoothly, “He’s never broken the people’s trust before.”

“To your knowledge.”

“I can’t know everything, Ms. Lee.”

“No one is asking you to, I’m only bringing up what questions people will inevitably ask.”

“I don’t need to explain what I can’t know.
 
Let them question.
 
I have nothing to hide here.”

“Another question people will want to know, is, why do you think Mr. Hartley made this transaction if he knew you were going to find out about it?”

“Maybe he thought I would look the other way.”

“Maybe.”

“When will this go to press?”

Angel thinks this query is a strange direction for the interview to go, but answers, “Once I’ve transcribed the interview, and you’ve sent me documentation of your accusations and I receive your approval, then I’d say a week to ten days.”

“What publication?”

Angel works freelance, but knows a junior editor at the
Los Angeles Times
. If this story works out like she wants it to, she hopes her pitch will land her a front page by line above the fold on a Sunday.
 
She answers, “Most likely the
Los Angeles Times
. I’m also debating going directly to one of the powerhouse blog sites.
 
However, I’m not sure if they’d take it though, this article might be too regional them.”

“Seriously?
 
Even with his daughter, ahem, my fiancé?”

Rachel Hartley is the ongoing source of constant national interest.
 
Her mother had been a well-known actress before dying of breast cancer after a very public battle with the disease when Rachel was only five years old.
 
People have watched her grow up and have a strange parental interest in the motherless young woman.

She asks, “Why should they?
 
He’s a congressman from a staunchly conservative district in Orange County.
 
His ‘borrowing’ from campaign funds is not going to stop people from going about their day to day business.”

“Everyone knows he’s getting ready for something bigger.”

“Really?
 
Which role?” Angel’s heard rumors and would love a bonus scoop for her article.

“I don’t know, Governor, Senator…” Karl answers vaguely, letting his voice trail away.

“President?”

“Doubtful.”

“So, I’ll ask again – why are you doing this now?”

“Integrity is my priority.”

“Testing out campaign slogans already?”

Karl gets up and says, “I don’t have to be a part of this.”

“I know you don’t, but here you are and we’re going to finish.” Amazingly, he sits down, and Angel asks, “You realize I’m going to have to go to Mr. Hartley and give him a chance for rebuttal and to explain himself, right?”