Free The Wrong Lawyer by Donald W. Desaulniers Page A

done quite well for yourself, haven’t
you Mr. Kennedy? Our financial analysts insist however that you’re foolish to
keep all your investments in government guaranteed term deposits. They would
recommend at least some exposure to the stock and bond markets. They claim that
you’re missing out on solid opportunities for capital gains and much larger
returns on your money.”
    This revelation
was downright scary but I maintained my composure.
    “All right, Swami
who knows all; tell me when I last got laid.”
    “Our records don’t
go back that far,” Matthews retorted to the great amusement of his cohorts.
    “What’s the point
of this ridiculous show and tell?” I demanded. “I’m obviously no terrorist.
Take me back to the airport so I can catch my next flight.”
    “So sorry, Mr.
Kennedy, but we’re going to hold you for a few days while we assess whether you
actually are an ongoing threat to the national security of the United States of
America.”
    “Are you out of
your mind? I only play the quarter slots. I’m not going to clean out the Las
Vegas casinos.”
    “I’m afraid that
you won’t be doing any gambling in your immediately foreseeable future. If you
keep your mouth shut and mind your own business, then we’ll permit you to catch
your return flight to Syracuse on Saturday.”
    “Are you authorized
to inform me as to the purpose of my incarceration or would that be above your
pay grade?” I asked insolently.
    “I’m sorry, but
that’s a matter of national security. Be assured that you will be very well
treated.”
    To accentuate the
total bullshit Matthews was feeding me, no sooner had he uttered that promise
of me being well looked after, when the other two agents stood up and
approached me.
    I’m about six feet
tall but with a slender build and I don’t work out, ever.
    The first bloke
grabbed me in a vice-like grip while the other gentleman put tape over my mouth
and placed a hood over my head. Then I felt handcuffs being secured on my
wrists. As the Borg used to say on Star Trek, “RESISTANCE IS FUTILE,” so I knew
enough to behave since I was helpless to defend myself.
    “No harm will come
to you,” one of the men snarled. “These precautions are merely to ensure that
you can’t escape and don’t know where we’re taking you. It’s simply part of our
reluctant witness protocol.”
    I was led blind
out into the hallway and down an elevator.
    Once outside, they
gently eased me into the back seat of a vehicle and off we drove. I recalled
that the SUV which brought me here had heavily tinted windows so I knew there
was no chance of any passersby spotting that a hooded person was inside.
    This wasn’t
turning out to be the carefree vacation I had been expecting.

CHAPTER
14 (A Luxury Prison)
     
    We must have
driven for at least an hour. The only words spoken were by Matthews giving
instructions to the driver. At first I assumed we were on some freeway and then
it appeared that we had entered a large metropolitan area, probably the city of
Washington itself. I knew from maps that the Washington Dulles International
Airport was quite a distance west of the city.
    Eventually we
encountered stop and go traffic. Horns were blaring all around us which
indicated that rush hour had begun.
    After perhaps
thirty minutes in the city, the SUV stopped and I was guided gently out of the
vehicle and into a building of some sort. After another ride in an elevator, I
was led down what seemed to be a long carpeted hallway and through a doorway.
    The hood was removed
from my head and I found myself standing in a very plush hotel room.
    The handcuffs were
removed as was the tape over my mouth.
    The two men in the
room with me were the same fellows from Matthews’ office. The Special Agent
himself wasn’t present.
    What could I
possibly have done to warrant such extensive attention?
    Edward Snowden had
grossly underestimated the surveillance capabilities of the American government
agencies. Somehow