The Washington Lawyer

Praise for
The Washington Lawyer

“The Washington Lawyer
is a thrilling tale of intrigue and revenge at the highest levels in the American government—told from an insider's point of view. The action is nonstop, from the gripping prologue to the satisfying end. Not to be missed!”

—Joan Johnston

New York Times
best-selling author of
Sinful

“Archeologist professor Allison Boyd doesn't believe her beautiful twin sister, congressional aid Vanessa Boyd, drowned in the Caribbean while away for the weekend alone. Vanessa was many things but ‘alone' was never one of them. Convinced Vanessa was murdered, Allison heads to Washington to uncover the truth. As she finds herself caught up in a tangled web of power players, she begins to realize how far some people will go to keep a secret. No matter the cost.

Fast paced and action-packed, Topol expertly weaves together power, murder, and intrigue to paint a chilling picture of the sinister underbelly of Washington politics. A thrill ride that doesn't let up.”

—Beth McMullen

Author of
Original Sin
and
Spy Mom

“Rich with international intrigue,
The Washington Lawyer
bristles with insider details, heart-stopping action, and memorable characters. This is Washington politics at its most revealing, told by a top attorney who knows where the truth—and the bodies—are buried.”

—Gayle Lynds

New York Times
best-selling author of
The Assassins

“Morals, ethics, values, and integrity often go out the window when temptations come your way. What happens when two men let their greed and desire for wealth and power overtake their moral compasses, and find that one simple indiscretion leading to one wrong choice can bring down your entire world? …

Once again author Allan Topol delivers a plot and storyline that will keep readers in suspense from start to finish … When the truth is revealed whose damage control wins out? Find out when you read this five-star novel.”

—Fran Lewis

Author, creator and editor of
MJ
magazine, and host on Red River Radio Show and World of Ink Network

Also by Allan Topol

F
ICTION

The Fourth of July War

A Woman of Valor

Spy Dance

Dark Ambition

Conspiracy

Enemy of My Enemy

The China Gambit

The Spanish Revenge

The Russian Endgame

The Argentine Triangle

N
ON
-F
ICTION

Superfund Law and Procedure (coauthor)

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations within cities, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events and locales or persons described, either living or deceased, is coincidental.

Copyright © 2015 by Allan Topol

All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher.

This edition is published by SelectBooks, Inc.

For information address SelectBooks, Inc., New York, New York.

First Edition

ISBN 978-1-59079-266-7

ISBN: 9781590792964

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Topol, Allan.

The Washington lawyer / Allan Topol. – First Edition.

p. cm.

Summary: “In the high-stakes world of Washington politics, hotshot lawyer Andrew Martin is put to the test. When longtime friend Senator Wesley Jasper calls, with explosive news–a sex tryst at Martin's beach house in Anguilla has gone horribly awry–Martin must decide how far he'll go to secure his nomination for chief justice”– Provided by publisher.

ISBN 978-1-59079-266-7 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Adultery–Fiction. 2. Scandals–Fiction.

3. Washington (D.C.)–Fiction. 4. Political fiction.

I. Title.

PS3570.O64W37 2015

813'.54–dc23

2014030930

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dedicated to my wife, Barbara, my partner in this literary venture

Acknowledgments

I
have enormous gratitude for my publisher, Kenzi Sugihara, who founded SelectBooks. Kenzi read
The Washington Lawyer
in a weekend, and his enthusiasm for the novel gave me a huge boost. This is our third novel together and it has been a pleasure working with Kenzi.

All of the people at SelectBooks have been wonderful: Nancy Sugihara and Molly Stern in the editing of my manuscript, and Kenichi Sugihara as the Marketing Director.

My agent, Pam Ahearn, added critical advice on key story elements as well as editorial insights. Again, it has been terrific working with Pam.

A special thanks to my wife Barbara, who added valuable insights and suggestions on draft after draft. She particularly helped me shape the characters as what was known in our house as “the sisters book” gradually became
The Washington Lawyer
.

Anguilla

Sunday, November 10

L
ife could never be better than this, Senator Wesley Jasper thought. He closed his eyes and leaned back in the chaise on the sand at Shoal's Bay. It was eleven in the evening, and above the deserted Caribbean beach a full moon, in a cloudless star-laden sky, peered down on the island of Anguilla. What a way to spend the long Veteran's Day weekend. He was sated from the food, wine, and most of all the mind-blowing sex with Vanessa Boyd. But then tomorrow … Oh well, all good things have to end.

“Hey, I'm not losing you, am I?” Vanessa said.

“Just relaxing,” he replied, opening his eyes, “after that wonderful dinner.”

“Don't forget what happened before dinner.”

“Are you kidding. I could never forget that. I still have the taste of you in my mouth.”

“Wes, you're an amazing lover.”

“You mean for a guy my age?”

“Nonsense. You've ruined all of the thirty-something-year-olds for me. After this weekend, why would I want one of them? They don't know what it takes to satisfy a woman the way you do.”

Jasper wanted to believe that the gorgeous blonde—definitely natural—former runway model meant it, but deep down he knew she was flattering him. Still, he enjoyed hearing her say it. He felt younger with her. Maybe next week he'd color the gray starting to form at the temples of his coal-black hair.

He watched her reach into her purse on the small table that held a bottle of red wine and two glasses.

She pulled out a half full pack of cigarettes and fished around inside, cursing, “Dammit. I brought four for the weekend. There's got to be one more joint in here somewhere. I did such a good job concealing them to avoid a customs search that I can't find the sucker.”

He cringed at her words. In his position, the last thing he needed was to be busted for drugs; and Anguilla had a zero tolerance policy.

“Aha, success,” she said pulling out the joint carefully.

She crossed over to his chair. He moved his bare feet to give her room to sit between his legs, facing him. The only sound came from the gently lapping Caribbean against the beach. As she leaned over to light the joint and her long hair cascaded over her face, he saw the tops of her breasts and the protruding nipples beneath the thin yellow sundress with spaghetti straps. He felt himself becoming aroused again. God, he hadn't been like this in twenty years.

She took a deep drag on the joint, closed her eyes, and blew out the smoke. Then she held it out to him.

“Sorry, I don't do that.”

“Creep.”

With one hand she held the joint. With the other, she stroked the white cotton slacks covering his crotch. When she finally finished the cigarette, she lifted a wine glass and took a long sip.

“Great wine,” she said. “I intend to learn something about wine. That's one of my projects for this fall. That and making a decision about graduate school or law school for next year.”

“Your hand feels so good. You've got a fabulous touch. To think you used that same hand to blast tennis balls at me this afternoon.”

“Very funny. Most of the time I was trying to get my racket on the ball and hang in there. You were doing all the blasting.”

“Well, I've been playing longer. A lot longer, I'm afraid.” He recalled being on the Yale tennis team. Despite their twenty-year age difference, he was in better physical shape from regular exercise. Unlike most men in their mid-fifties, Jasper didn't have a protruding gut.

She moved her hand up to his face and caressed his cheek, then down to his left arm and to his hand. She fiddled with the gold band on his third finger. “Where does your wife think you are this weekend?”

He pulled back and sat up. For three days he had banished Linda from his mind. Now reality returned with acute clarity. He had a wife who was in Denver visiting her mother. He had a son, and a daughter in college almost Vanessa's age. Ah well, they wouldn't know. They wouldn't be hurt.

“Argentina on business. Ever been there?” he asked, eager to change the subject.

“No, but I'd love to go. Will you take me someday?”

“Sure.”

“When will you leave your wife and marry me?”

She said it in a matter of fact tone. No intro or lead-in, as if she were calmly placing a live grenade on the chair. But her words hit him like a ton of bricks. He viewed Vanessa as a sexual play toy. Regardless of how good the sex was with Vanessa, he couldn't possibly leave Linda for her. Wesley Jasper loved his position in the Senate as the powerful chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He was facing a tough reelection battle. Trading Linda for a committee staffer would finish his political career. Besides, he had his family, children whom he loved.

He carefully weighed his response. He had to play this carefully. By going public, Vanessa could make trouble for him. He'd seen it happen to other colleagues. He had to put this genie back into the bottle until after the election. He'd worry about it then.

When he didn't respond, she added, “In May when we were in Paris, you said that you would marry me, but you wouldn't say when.”

“That's right. I will leave Linda, and we will get married. It's just that the timing's not good right now with my reelection coming up next year.”

Her face hardened. “I'll wait another year. That's all.”

Her words conveyed a veiled threat.

“What do you mean?”

“I've been lied to by other men about marriage. This time I have an insurance policy to make sure you keep your word.”

“An insurance policy?” He was stunned.

“When we were in Tokyo in July and sharing a suite in the Okura, I was in the bedroom when you held your top-secret late night meeting. You know what I mean?”

His heart began pounding. “You were asleep in the bedroom. I was reading in the living room. There was no meeting.”

“Don't lie to me.” She sounded indignant. “I hate it when men do that.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Before the trip, I overheard you scheduling the meeting. So, I planted a recording device in the living room. I now have a CD with the recording of your meeting. I listened to it again a few days ago. I have no doubt that if I delivered it to the
Washington Post
you'd lose a lot more than your political career. You'd go to jail for a very long time.”

Jasper was furious. He couldn't believe she'd done this. What an ungrateful little bitch! After all he'd done for her. He'd taken her to Paris and Tokyo. And the gifts he'd given her—a Chopard watch and a Bulgari bracelet. My God! Now this!