conversation short and looked down at his phone. He put the phone back to his ear. “Hey, Tom, I’ve got to take this call.I’ll talk to you later.” He clicked the phone and put it to his ear again. “Hello?”
“Wo Sung, my brother, it’s been a long time. How’s my favorite Chinaman?”
Wo laughed. “I’m doing fine, Congressman Waters. It’s always a pleasure to hear your voice. We haven’t talked in a few weeks. To what do I owe this phone call? Is it business or pleasure? You know I specialize in both.”
“Strictly business this time, Wo. I have a job that I know you’ll be interested in for a couple reasons. One, the payout is very generous, and two, it needs to be done quickly.”
“Well, let’s start with the generous part.” Wo looked over at the bartender, who was still talking to the same patron. “How much will this job pay?”
“Seven hundred fifty thousand up front and seven hundred fifty thousand upon completion.” There was a pause on the line. “Is that generous enough to get the esteemed Wo Sung’s attention?”
Wo checked himself out in the mirror, flexed a bicep, and nodded his head. “Yes, that’s gotten my attention and I’d like to hear more. Tell me what it is you’re looking for.” He pulled out a small notepad and pen from his pants pockets and sat down at the bar. Listening intently, he took notes as Waters went through the job.
After going through for twenty minutes what he wanted done, Waters asked, “Do you have any questions for me?”
“Hold on a minute,” Wo said as he continued writing. He slowly went back over the instructions he had written down and then answered, nodding his head, “I think I understand what you need taken care of. It shouldn’t be complicated to carry out. I will text you where to wire the money and I’ll get to work. If I have any questions or run into any problems, I’ll get back to you.”
“I’m going to be busy with some important legislation sessions this week, Wo, so I may not be easy to get in touch with,” Waters said, his voice lowered. “If there are any problems, get in touch with myaide, John Clayton, and he’ll relay your message to me. But I’m sure you’ll be able to handle this with no sweat. You’re a pro’s pro.”
Wo smiled and thought, And you’re a dirty politician, Eugene. “I’m sure I’ll be able to take care of this for you. I’ll let you know when I complete it so you can pay me the balance. I’ll be in touch with you soon.”
“One more thing, Wo. Once you’ve successfully completed this mission, I’d like to meet and discuss your Mexican project. I think I’ve got a way to help you facilitate getting your cargo to Mexico. We’ll talk when you’ve finished.”
Wo hung up and sat in silence, his mind running through the various options for getting the job done. He called out to the bartender, “Hey, Tan, get me a tequila shot with a lime.”
As he waited for his drink, he tapped his index finger on the bar and hummed to himself. I think I’ll do this myself. It’s just down the highway in San Jose and it’ll be easier for me to do it than explain it to another person.
The shot glass of tequila was delivered, and he tossed it back with one motion. He threw a five-dollar bill on the bar and left. He muttered to himself as he pushed through the door to exit, “This job is going to be a piece of cake. Why are they paying a million and a half to get it done?” He shrugged as he walked up the steep street. “What do I care, as long as I get paid? And if Eugene can help me with the Mexican project, that’s even better.”
T HIRTEEN
T he fairway to the fourth hole at Parkland Golf Course in Walnut Creek bent to the left halfway down the hole. The manicured lawn looked impeccable except for small divots at various places on the course. Jason stuck a small tee down in the ground and set the white Titleist ball on it. In a graceful motion, he smacked it straight, watching it
“Wo Sung, my brother, it’s been a long time. How’s my favorite Chinaman?”
Wo laughed. “I’m doing fine, Congressman Waters. It’s always a pleasure to hear your voice. We haven’t talked in a few weeks. To what do I owe this phone call? Is it business or pleasure? You know I specialize in both.”
“Strictly business this time, Wo. I have a job that I know you’ll be interested in for a couple reasons. One, the payout is very generous, and two, it needs to be done quickly.”
“Well, let’s start with the generous part.” Wo looked over at the bartender, who was still talking to the same patron. “How much will this job pay?”
“Seven hundred fifty thousand up front and seven hundred fifty thousand upon completion.” There was a pause on the line. “Is that generous enough to get the esteemed Wo Sung’s attention?”
Wo checked himself out in the mirror, flexed a bicep, and nodded his head. “Yes, that’s gotten my attention and I’d like to hear more. Tell me what it is you’re looking for.” He pulled out a small notepad and pen from his pants pockets and sat down at the bar. Listening intently, he took notes as Waters went through the job.
After going through for twenty minutes what he wanted done, Waters asked, “Do you have any questions for me?”
“Hold on a minute,” Wo said as he continued writing. He slowly went back over the instructions he had written down and then answered, nodding his head, “I think I understand what you need taken care of. It shouldn’t be complicated to carry out. I will text you where to wire the money and I’ll get to work. If I have any questions or run into any problems, I’ll get back to you.”
“I’m going to be busy with some important legislation sessions this week, Wo, so I may not be easy to get in touch with,” Waters said, his voice lowered. “If there are any problems, get in touch with myaide, John Clayton, and he’ll relay your message to me. But I’m sure you’ll be able to handle this with no sweat. You’re a pro’s pro.”
Wo smiled and thought, And you’re a dirty politician, Eugene. “I’m sure I’ll be able to take care of this for you. I’ll let you know when I complete it so you can pay me the balance. I’ll be in touch with you soon.”
“One more thing, Wo. Once you’ve successfully completed this mission, I’d like to meet and discuss your Mexican project. I think I’ve got a way to help you facilitate getting your cargo to Mexico. We’ll talk when you’ve finished.”
Wo hung up and sat in silence, his mind running through the various options for getting the job done. He called out to the bartender, “Hey, Tan, get me a tequila shot with a lime.”
As he waited for his drink, he tapped his index finger on the bar and hummed to himself. I think I’ll do this myself. It’s just down the highway in San Jose and it’ll be easier for me to do it than explain it to another person.
The shot glass of tequila was delivered, and he tossed it back with one motion. He threw a five-dollar bill on the bar and left. He muttered to himself as he pushed through the door to exit, “This job is going to be a piece of cake. Why are they paying a million and a half to get it done?” He shrugged as he walked up the steep street. “What do I care, as long as I get paid? And if Eugene can help me with the Mexican project, that’s even better.”
T HIRTEEN
T he fairway to the fourth hole at Parkland Golf Course in Walnut Creek bent to the left halfway down the hole. The manicured lawn looked impeccable except for small divots at various places on the course. Jason stuck a small tee down in the ground and set the white Titleist ball on it. In a graceful motion, he smacked it straight, watching it
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