“CISSY’S DEAD?”
Decker stared across at Natalie.
She had been formally charged, had lawyered up, and was being held because she was considered a flight risk. Because of the sensitive nature of the case, the sole court proceeding conducted so far had been done in the judge’s chambers.
The woman looked like she had aged ten years since they had stopped her from flying out of Dulles.
Decker nodded. He had asked to meet with Natalie alone. The others were waiting in another room.
“She was executed, actually.”
“Why would anyone do that to her? She was our housekeeper.”
“Since you were little?”
“Yes. Cissy had worked for my parents since as long as I can remember.”
“Well, someone did kill her.”
“But why do you think it’s connected to our family?”
“I don’t know for certain that it is. But I have to check out the possibility. It is a little coincidental, you have to admit.”
Natalie nodded. “I guess it is. Do my mom and sisters know?”
“Yes. They all took it hard.”
“Mom raised us, but Cissy was always there for us. And Mom loved her. Dad was gone a lot, and I’m not sure what Mom would have done without Cissy.”
“I’m sure. You were lucky to have her.”
“So why did you want to see me?”
“Have you gotten your deal yet?”
“I think they’re still working on it.” Her lips trembled. “My lawyer thinks I’ll have to do some time in prison.” She looked up at Decker. “I won’t be able to see my daughter if I’m in prison, right?”
“Have you talked to your husband?”
She nodded and used a handkerchief to blow her nose. “He said he’s flying over with Tasha.” She rubbed her eyes. “That was all bullshit about him. Corbett’s actually a really good guy. All this crap I’m in, it was my fault. I got addicted to gambling and I couldn’t stop. He tried to help me, but I was sick, I guess.”
“Admitting that is a big first step to getting better.”
“Yeah,” she said despondently. “I guess my family knows about me?”
“We told them some. They’re very worried about you.”
“Can I see them at some point?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“I’ve really messed up my life, haven’t I?”
“You’re not the first and you won’t be the last.” He hunched forward. “But you can help yourself by helping us.”
She shot him a glance. “But I’ve told you everything I know.”
“You actually might know some things you don’t even know that you know.”
“I don’t understand. Like what?”
“When the money was sent to pay off your true gambling debts, did you call your dad and let him know?”
“Of course I did.”
“He thought it was ten million, though, right?”
She nodded. “That’s what I told him because that’s what they told me to say.”
“And they did that because they wanted your dad’s only recourse to be selling classified information. That would be the only way he could raise that kind of money in the short term.”
“Agent Decker, what if he had just refused to help me? Then what would have happened?”
“They might have had a Plan B to get to your dad.”
“And the gambling debts?”
“That would have been bad for you. But they apparently read your dad right. They knew he wouldn’t refuse you.”
“That makes me feel even shittier. I killed my father. And the only thing he ever did for me was pretty much everything.” She put her head down on the table and quietly sobbed.
“Natalie, when you called your dad about the money being paid and your being safe, what did he say?”
She slowly lifted her head. “He said he was so relieved, but that he wanted me to get some help. He said if it came to it he would fly over and bring me home to make sure I got the right help.”
“But he never made any mention of how he’d come by the money?”
“No.”
“But did you suspect?”
She said slowly, “I didn’t know their net worth, but I didn’t think they had that sort of cash lying around. Maybe mortgage the house.”
“Maybe sell secrets?”
“I won’t lie to you. I can’t say that it didn’t cross my mind. But even though it wasn’t ten million dollars, the people I owed the money to were going to kill me. That I know for a fact.”
“I don’t doubt it. I know people who’d slit your throat for an OxyContin pill. Did he say anything else? Other than what he said about thinking you know somebody but really don’t?”
She sat back in her chair and wiped her eyes with her sleeves. “I didn’t tell you everything. The last time I talked to him was two days before he shot that woman.”
Decker leaned forward. “Why didn’t you tell us before?”
“I was in shock. I guess I couldn’t believe what I’d done to my father. I was terrified everything would come out. And of course it did.”
“Did he call you?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“He sounded so…sad. So hopeless, when he was the biggest optimist I’d ever known. I just figured it was the cancer. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to beat it. That would depress anyone, right?”
“Right. What else?” prompted Decker.
“He said that whatever happened, I should remember our family as it was. The happy times. When we were all young. Before…before all the crap in life just took over.”
“What did you say to that?”
“I tried to cheer him up. I told him I would come and visit him soon. But it was like he wasn’t listening to me. He said that when you’re looking at the end of your life coming, it was the most clarifying moment he’d ever had.”
“Clarifying moment? I wonder what he meant by that?”
“I don’t know. I tried asking him. But he just wasn’t listening. I thought he was starting maybe to lose it.”
“What else?”
Natalie choked back a sob. “It was so stupid. He asked me if I remembered when I was a little girl and we had all gone to Disney World. And I went on one of the rides and I had a really bad asthma attack. I mean really bad. They had to take me to a hospital in an ambulance. Mom was unhinged by it, so she stayed with my sisters while Dad rode in the back with me. He was very comforting because I was so scared. My dad was always so strong, so calm, no matter what.”
“What did he say to you about that time?”
“I told him I remembered it really well. I had nightmares about it for a year after. I literally thought I was going to die because I couldn’t catch my breath. I had no idea why he was bringing that up now. So when I asked him he said, ‘Remember when the going got tough, who was there for you. Remember your old man was right there holding your hand. Always think of me trying to do the right thing, honey. Always. No matter what.’”
“Why do you think he said that?”
“He was dying. I didn’t read any more into it other than that. I didn’t know he was going to shoot someone two days later and then kill himself. I just thought he wanted me to remember him in a good way. He didn’t have to tell me that. I would have done that regardless. I loved my dad.”
“But now that you know what he did, does it change how you interpret his words on that call?”
Natalie looked at him curiously through bloodshot eyes. “I…I hadn’t really thought about it that way, I guess. Do you think it changes things?”
“I think it might change everything,” replied Decker.