Lost Lake

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Two weeks later, Ami Vergano closed the door of a small, windowless room in the federal building in San Diego and set her briefcase and a package wrapped in brown paper on the floor before taking a seat across the table from Carl Rice and Vanessa Kohler. Carl’s hair was short, his beard had been shaved off, and he was dressed in casual clothes. Vanessa was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt.

“Mission accomplished,” Ami said as she took copies of several documents out of her briefcase and gave them to the couple.

“This first set of papers dismisses all state and federal charges against you, and grants you immunity from prosecution, in exchange for your testimony against Morris Wingate in any state or federal proceeding.”

Vanessa looked at her incredulously. “Are you saying that you got us full immunity?” Vanessa asked. “They have me dead to rights on the jailbreak, and Carl admitted under oath that he killed Eric Glass.”

“Remember during the trial when Brendan went to the DA’s office to bring General Wingate to court to testify?”

“Yeah,” Vanessa said.

“Victor Hobson took me aside and explained what was going on. Brendan was in on everything. His job was to get your father to testify that he hadn’t seen Carl between high school and the rescue attempt at your father’s mansion. But they still needed me to get your father to deny he’d ever heard of the men in the Unit. I told Victor that I wanted immunity before I’d help. I reminded him that you’d both been victims and had taken a terrible chance in testifying in order to bring down your father; furthermore, without the two of you, there’d be no case. He agreed to come through with immunity in exchange for Carl’s complete cooperation in the government’s case against Wingate.”

“I was happy to oblige,” Carl said.

“Did they have second thoughts after Sam Cutler agreed to testify against my father?” Vanessa asked.

“Some,” Ami answered, “but it was too late. Carl and I had already followed through on our part of the bargain.

“Here’s something else I want you to read,” Ami said as she handed the couple more documents.

“This second group of documents is the paperwork that will get you into the federal witness protection program,” she explained.

As Vanessa examined the paperwork, she showed none of the joy or excitement that Ami had expected to see.

“Is there something wrong?” Ami asked.

“Do you remember the last scene in The Graduate?” Vanessa asked.

“I think so. I saw it on TV a year ago. Dustin Hoffman has just spirited the girl away from her wedding, right?”

“Katharine Ross played the girl,” Vanessa said, “and she and Dustin are sitting on the bus and they’re together, but they have this scared look on their faces when they realize that they have no idea what they’re going to do next. I feel like that. My entire adult life has been dedicated to getting revenge on my father. Now I’ve won, but the life I’ve built for myself during the past twenty years is what I’ve had to sacrifice to get him. I have no idea what I’m going to do from this day forward.”

“Was it worth it?” Ami asked.

“I guess I’ll find out, only I’ll never be able to tell you or anyone else I’ve ever known the answer to your question. I’ll have to cut all my ties to the people and places I used to know.”

“Once your father is in prison you’ll be safe.”

“We’ll never be safe, Ami,” Carl said. “The General has a network that stretches back to the nineteen-sixties. He’ll have people on our trail until he’s dead, and maybe even after that.”

“Are you sorry you agreed to testify against him?”

“I had no choice,” Carl said. “Besides, my life won’t be so different. I’ve been on the run so long I don’t remember any other life. It’s Van I worry about.”

Vanessa reached out and took Carl’s hand. “I’m tough, Carl. I made it through the asylum. I conquered drugs. I’ll live through this.”

Carl squeezed her hand. “We’ll get through it together.”

Vanessa smiled at Ami. “At least your life will go back to normal now that you’ve gotten us out of your hair.”

Ami laughed. “I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t glad this case is over. I don’t like being a celebrity. Can you believe that two people stopped me in the airport this morning and asked for my autograph?” She shook her head. “Drawing up a simple will is going to seem like heaven after being attacked by assassins and groupies.”

“I bet people are asking you to handle more than a simple will after the publicity you’ve been getting,” Vanessa said.

Ami blushed. “I have been asked to handle some bigger cases.”

“Are you going to take them?”

“I don’t know. I can use the money, but I’m worried about Ryan. I don’t want him to turn into a latchkey kid.”

“Why don’t you hire an associate? With the money you can charge now, you can afford one.”

“I’m thinking about it.”

There was a sudden silence as the trio ran out of things to say. Ami had promised herself that she would keep this meeting businesslike, but she felt herself tearing up.

“I’m going to miss you guys,” she said. “You’re both special.”

“I’m going to miss Ryan,” Carl said.

Ami brightened. “He tried the curveball in his last game.”

“How did it go?”

She laughed. “He struck out a batter the first time he threw it. But the next guy hit a homer off him. But he’s not discouraged. We practice every day.”

An embarrassed quiet settled on the room. Then Ami remembered her package.

“I brought you something. The marshals said they’d make sure you got it when you’ve settled into your new home.”

Ami took off the brown paper. Under it was the landscape that Carl had admired at the Portland Spring Art Fair on the day they’d met.

“This is great, Ami. This is perfect.”

Ami reached across the table and placed her hands on top of Carl’s and Vanessa’s. She was crying unashamedly now.

“You take care of yourselves.”

“We will,” Vanessa said.

“You’ve been an important part of our lives, Ami,” Carl said. “We’ll never forget you.”

Brendan Kirkpatrick stood up when the door to the interview room closed. Ami’s eyes were red and her face was flushed. He could see that she’d been crying, and he handed her his handkerchief.

“Are you okay?” Brendan asked.

“I’ll be fine. I’m just worried about Carl and Vanessa.”

“Those two are survivors, Ami. Remember, Carl escaped from a North Vietnamese prison camp, survived the jungle, and fought his way back to the states. And Vanessa had the courage to challenge her father, who just happened to be a billionaire candidate for the White House. These are two tough guys. They’re going to survive this, too.”

Brendan pushed the down button and the elevator doors opened. Ami stepped into the car.

“I know you’re right,” she said. “This whole thing has just overwhelmed me. I’m not used to seeing my face on the front page of the paper. I don’t like being the center of attention.”

“I know you don’t, but you’ve been magnificent.”

Ami blushed. “Thank you, Brendan, but I don’t feel magnificent. I feel…I don’t know…exhausted, I guess.”

“I don’t doubt you’re exhausted, but you’re also one of the gutsiest women I’ve ever met.”

Brendan laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Ami asked.

“I was just remembering that stunt you pulled in the hospital when you kept me from asking Carl if you were his lawyer. You have no idea how pissed off I was at you.”

“Oh, I have some idea. What you don’t know is how scared I was. As soon as you left, I collapsed. I was so frightened that you were going to arrest me that I was shaking.”

The elevator doors opened on the main floor and Ami was shocked to see that it was dark outside.

“Do I still scare you?” Brendan asked with a grin.

“Nah, you’re all bark and no bite.”

“I’m also famished. I was down here in San Diego about a year ago working with the feds on a drug case and one of the U.S. attorneys took me to a terrific seafood place in the gaslight district. Want to join me? I’m buying.”

“I don’t have much of an appetite.”

Brendan shook his head and laughed ruefully “You must be tired.”

“What do you mean?” Ami asked warily.

“Because you usually pick up on stuff pretty fast. I’m asking you out on a date, Vergano. I’m not nearly as interested in the seafood-which is really good-as I am in spending time with you.”

“Oh!” Ami paused. “Okay, I’ll have dinner with you, especially if you’re buying.”

“You’re not a gold digger, are you?”

Ami slipped her arm through Brendan’s. She had an impish grin on her face.

“You’ll have to figure that out, won’t you?”