Free Poisoned Politics by Maggie Sefton Page A

staffers who want more drugs than their doctors give them. And no records.”
    â€œYou got it. Anyway, that’s when I came on like the older and wiser Capitol Hill staffer. Big brother, like. Told him that I’d heard about his delivery business on the side, then added he might want to keep a low profile now that Wilson was dead from an overdose that he delivered.”
    â€œYou probably scared the crap out of him when you said that. What’d he do?”
    â€œTurned white as a sheet,” Larry smirked as he glanced over both shoulders before crossing Jefferson Drive. Trees bordering the Mall up ahead beckoned. Shade was almost within reach. “Then I told him he might want to think about leaving town until the Wilson death was put to bed completely. I mean, if I could find out about his delivery business, the cops sure as hell could. Too many people knew. He started shaking like a leaf.”
    Spencer’s deep chuckle sounded over the phone despite the traffic noise. “I’ll bet.”
    â€œThat’s when I gave him that disposable cell phone’s number. I told him to call me if he needed help because I knew people who could provide some cover. I then added that I liked his ambitious spirit and didn’t want to see him get dragged down by Quentin Wilson’s problems. Wilson had been screwing around on his wife for a long time. She probably found out and filed for divorce. His wife was bankrolling Wilson’s career. So, he’d be Ohio roadkill from now on. No surprise the guy swallowed those pills.”
    Spencer laughed low in his throat. “Damn, that’s good. You’ve almost got me believing it.”
    â€œYeah, well it may sound like a worn-out cliché, but that’s why it’s believable … hey! Watch it!” Larry jumped out of the way as several tourists on large-wheeled touring vehicles passed right in front of him. “ Son of a bitch! ” he muttered into the phone.
    â€œWhat the hell happened?”
    â€œDamn tourists nearly ran into me on those ridiculous rolling things! Tourists on wheels. They’re a damn pedestrian hazard!” Larry scowled as he walked. Now that he was on the Mall’s well-trod ground, he’d be plagued by even more tourists, kids dripping ice cream cones, screaming babies.
    â€œDon’t be so hard on them. They bring in a ton of cash,” Spencer joked.
    â€œPain in the ass, if you ask me,” Larry said as he reached the tall trees’ shade at last. He could feel a sunburn starting already on his rarely seen-the-sun skin. He spied an empty bench and sat before a group of sticky-fingered kids claimed it.
    â€œHey, it’s July. High Season. They’ll start heading home third week in August. Get the kids into school, back into jobs and routines. You know, family life. Oh…that’s right. You didn’t have any kids so you don’t know about all that.”
    Larry could hear the jibe in Spencer’s voice. “You’re right. Snotty-nosed little urchins crawling on my lap never appealed to me.”
    Spencer laughed softly. “You’re all brain and no heart, Larry. Just what we need. That reminds me, we may need some gossip-media help keeping the Wilson story on script. So get your contacts ready.”
    â€œThey’re always ready,” Larry said, deliberately sending a big smile to the family group walking the Mall path in front of him.

six
    Wednesday
    â€œHey, Casey!” I called as I spotted the security guard leaving the Russell kitchen, coffee mug in hand. “Do you have a minute?”
    â€œSure Molly. What’s up?” he said as we met in the middle of the hallway.
    I glanced toward the open doorway leading to the garden. “I wanted to run something by you. Why don’t we step outside for a second. It’s such a glorious morning.”
    Casey’s weathered face crinkled into a smile. “In other words, you