Chapter 8

VIII

Threats Against President Get Action
FBI and Secret Service Launch Investigation

By: Heather Surlier
Associated News

May 26 - Washington D.C. The Secret Service and high-ranking officials in the FBI today announced an investigation into hate mail sent to the President, and numerous federal and state officials. The mail allegedly originated from members of a national white supremacist organization.

"There is no question that this is a well organized, national effort," said one FBI spokesperson. "We intend to follow up on each and every one of these incidents."

"Threats made against the President are a federal offense. We in the Secret Service take each and every one seriously." Said Jay Wiley, a Secret Service spokesman.

Although we have not seen specific examples of the threats, we can tell you that they were apparently wide spread, crossing federal and state boundaries. Most of the threats appear to have come via email, but some were also faxed. As yet, we have had no statement from the separatist organization.

ã Copyright, Associated News.

For all the reasons stated, the next member of the team was harder to recruit. Angel Christensen was a registered nurse with lots of loving care for her patients and no time for anyone else. Other than being a first class healer, her claim to fame was being quite possibly the best looking woman and the worst sales person in the world.

Crowds Spill into Hayden Lake
Local Lawmen Left Guessing

By: Neil Owens
Northern Idaho Sentinel

May 26 - Unusually large numbers of visitors have descended on the small town of Hayden Lake. Local law-enforcement-officials have been unable to account for the sudden influx.

Chief Rick Palmer said, "Some of them claim to be looking for Gold, and others are waiting around for a rock concert we don't know about. Hell, one of them even tried to put flowers in my hair and kiss me."

The Chief was somewhat shaken when we interviewed him, but he did tell us that so far, things had remained peaceful. He has no immediate plans to arrest anyone, saying, "So far no laws have been broken. We don't have the damn jail space
anyway."

So, for the moment, the mystery continues.

ã Copyright, Northern Idaho Sentinel. All rights reserved.

A few years ago, in an entrepreneurial fit, I started a small software company. Angel looked to me like a natural salesperson. She was outgoing, loved to talk to people, and could get into any office in the world if a man was in charge. Unfortunately for the company, the clients never bought anything from her. They were afraid that if they did, she would stop coming back. The only solution was for me to marry her. And that, as they say, was the end of a beautiful friendship. She went back to school for her nursing degree, and moved out on graduation day. I couldn't blame her. I was working twenty hour days, and wasn't the easiest person in the world to live with. We kept it on a friendly basis, but there weren't any parts of me that she wanted to have anything to do with.

We met outside the hospital just as she was getting off shift. She was dressed in scrubs and still as beautiful as ever. A lock of her golden hair had fallen out of place and rested across her forehead. Looking at her, I thought again that this was a woman with absolutely nothing wrong with her, except her attitude toward me. I put on a smile, and greeted her.

"Hi beautiful. How have you been?"

"What do you want M?" She said wearily.

"Just to talk. We can talk can't we?"

"Look I've had a long day. I'm not going to do it, what ever it is you want."

"Hey. I have an idea. I'll go back out and come in again."

"It won't make any difference."

"Angel, we aren't married anymore. You don't have to be nasty to me." I thought this last line might be particularly effective.

"I suppose I should count my blessings." She said.

"Come on. It wasn't that bad."

"Ok. Maybe it wasn't most of the time. But you never come around just to ask how I am. You always want something. Now, what is it?"

"Damn, you're hard woman. I just stopped by to see how you were. And already I'm back in trouble. Are you sure we aren't still married?"

She finally smiled, and said "M. I know you. Don't bullshit me."

"Ok. I'm in need of medical attention."

"Check yourself into a hospital."

"It isn't for me. It's a friend of mine. I think he may be hurt bad and I need help."

"I knew it. What's wrong with your friend? And, why don't you check him into a hospital?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I haven't seen him yet. But, if he's alive, I know he'll need help. And you are the best help I know of."

"Oh M. Are you ever going to grow up?"

"I don't know. Say. How are things going at that hospice you started?"

"Things are fine at the hospice. Or they would be if medicine was free and I had more help and fifty hours in every day."

"Would some money help?"

"No. Some money wouldn't help. Lots of money might."

"Darling have I got a deal for you. How about a week of your time for a hundred grand?"

"Learn to say no to drugs M."

"No. I'm serious. One week, one hundred thousand dollars."

"Where would you get that? The last time you came by you needed gas money."

"Well I didn't ask you for it."

"No. But you needed it."

"Well, then I did, but now I don't. Take a look at this here check. It has your name on it."

"M. Are you in trouble?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. It isn't me, it's my old buddy McGee."

"But you don't know what's wrong with him."

"That's right."

"Ok. One week, one hundred thousand. I won't get arrested will I?"

"Not unless it's for shaming all the other women in town."

"Don't start M. Just tell me what you want me to do."

For the next hour, we sat over coffee in the staff lounge and I told her about McGee, and the Busted Flush, and Meyer, and Sue. She seemed real interested in Sue. I never figured out why. At the end of the hour, she had the check, and I had her time for a week. As I walked away, I thought about that chapter in the Bible, where God puts enmity between man and woman. It didn't seem like the brightest thing he ever did. This life could be a heaven on earth if men and women could just communicate.

I still had a couple of calls to make if things were going to fall into place. Angel had reminded me of drugs, and their potential. We also needed an exit strategy. No plan is worth a damn if you can't get away clean. I'd think more about that tonight after I checked in with Meyer on the Internet.

My next stop was to see the "Bug Buster," long haul trucker, and American philosopher. We met at a Little America truck stop in Wyoming. He was wired as tight as a champagne cork. But as always, he tended to look on the positive side of life. I asked him to get together a few trusted friends of the road. The fragments of my plan were coming closer together. Take one outrage, mix in the salt of the earth, stir until at a boil, then stand the hell back.

From: M@google.net
To: MoneyMan@Quays.net
Sub: Time to move

Meyer, I'm hoping things are well. If Sue is OK, jump a plane to Coeur d'Alene. Get me the flight info and I'll meet your plane. We need to do some strategy work. Just make damn sure Sue is safe before you leave.

Our cover story is that we are in town to look for property to buy. Hell, we may even buy some if we need to.

______________


From: MoneyMan@quays.net
To: M@google.net
Sub: Flight info

Meet me on Delta flight 788 arr. 5/28 20:10 Coeur d'Alene. All is well. Lenny is taking a week off to stay with Sue.
Remember: Location, location, and location.