Chapter 21
It was one week before the November elections, and Stan had just picked up Kristina to take her to a candidate forum sponsored by the Richardson Chamber of Commerce. It wasn’t a full-fledged debate, but after each candidate had spoken, they did have an opportunity to ask their opponents a few questions. Kristina was nervous about this aspect of the event and asked Stan about it.
“So, what do you think Wells will ask me?” Kristina asked.
“I don’t know. Do you have any skeletons in your closet?”
“No. I don’t think so.”
“Then your tender age and lack of experience would be my guess.”
“Well, I hope you’re right. I’ve answered that question a hundred times already.”
“What are you going to ask him?” Stan inquired.
“Oh, I’ve got three good ones.”
“Really? What are they?”
“I did some research and discovered he always manages to show up for a vote one of his lobbyist friends is behind but only half the time on other legislation.”
“That is a good one. What else?”
“Did you know he took eleven trips out of the country at taxpayer expense?”
“Really? That’s a bit odd for a state representative, but I’m sure he’ll come up with a good reason for each trip.”
“Good. I want to hear him try to explain it. The voters need to know this kind of stuff.”
“And your final question?”
“I’m not quite sure yet. I’ve got a couple possibilities.”
“Forget them. I’ve got one for you.”
“Really? What is it?”
“Ask him what he’s going to do if the government indicts everyone on the Silver Springs Ventures investor list.”
Kristina frowned, and then her eyes lit up. “You dog! His name is on the list. That’s your dirt on him?”
“Yes. What do you think?”
“Oh my God! What do I think? I may win this election.”
“That’s what I’ve been telling you. Now he’ll probably try to ignore the question or say something irrelevant.”
“Okay. Should I have a follow-up question?” Kristina asked.
“No. Don’t say anything else. The reporters will ask you why you asked the question later. You can respond by simply saying you have been told by informed sources that Representative Wells will be extremely tied up, so to speak, if everyone on the list is indicted.
Kristina laughed. “You’re wicked.”
“No, I just think the public has a right to know his name is on the list. If there is an explanation, he’ll have to provide it. Maybe he is just an innocent victim, who knows, but the voters can consider that possibility on election day.”
When they arrived at Plano Senior High where the event was being held, a good sized crowd had already gathered. This was one of only a few opportunities for the voters to see all the candidates together and ask questions, so it always drew well. Stan went with Kristina to where the candidates had gathered, wished her good luck, and went into the main auditorium. Spotting Don Karnes, Stan went over to him.
“This should be interesting,” Stan observed.
“Hey, Stan. How you feeling? Have you recovered from your trip to Mexico?”
Stan sighed. “I think so. How’s Melissa holding up?”
“Oh, she’s a tough woman. She’ll move on.”
“Yeah. I guess that’s about all you can do.”
“What did the FBI say to her after Brad’s murder?”
“Oh, they still expect her to testify against the other investors.”
“So, they’re still going through with the indictments?”
“Uh huh. Apparently.”
“Did they find that mercenary that got hit by the fishing boat?”
“Yeah. Two days later he showed up in a Mexican hospital. I guess he was knocked unconscious but his life jacket kept him from drowning. When he woke up he was able to swim to shore. Someone found him on the beach and took him to the hospital.”
“Wow. That will be something to tell the grand kids about. . . Do the feds have any leads on Morales?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been focusing on politics. I haven’t’ talked the FBI lately.”
“So, is there any hope for Kristina?”
Stan nodded. “Yes, after this forum is over, things are going to heat up in the state representative race.”
“Oh, really? Kristina’s still five points down in the last poll that was out.”
“Right. Like I said, things are going to change. I’m going to need you to talk to your friends at the paper and make sure they don’t let Ron Wells weasel out of what’s coming down on him today.”
“What do you know that I don’t?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”
Don just stared at Stan as he moved on to someone else he’d spotted in the audience—his law school buddy Lamar Jones.
“Hey, you made it,” Stan said.
“Yeah, well, you said this event would enhance my political education, so how could I miss it?”
“You’re a smart man. Today you’re going to see how to supercharge a hopeless campaign.”
“Okay. You’re definitely going to need that since I see your lady is way behind in the polls.”
“Come on. Let’s go find a seat. The show’s about to begin.”
Stan and Lamar found a spot and sat down. The moderator, Martin Vince, opened the meeting and thanked everyone for attending. There were eleven different races with state representative being near the end. Stan and Lamar listened impatiently for over an hour before the moderator finally announced that the next speakers would be Kristina Tenison and Ron Wells. After he’d introduced them, they both gave brief statements about themselves and then took questions from the audience. When the last question had been answered, the moderator asked each candidate to ask their questions.
“Representative Wells, what is your first question for your challenger?”
“Thank you, Martin. Well, Ms. Tenison, do you plan to recklessly attack the leadership of the state legislature for the obvious influence lobbyists have on them as you claim they have on me? I’m not the only legislator who spends time with lobbyists.”
Martin turned to Kristina.
“Yes, if you take out the word recklessly, then that’s exactly what I plan to do. Anyone who is taking orders from anyone other than their constituents is fair game.”
Martin raised his eyebrows. “Okay, Kristina. It’s your turn.”
“Representative Wells, since we’re talking about lobbyist, I did some research and discovered you always manage to show up for a vote that’s important to one of your lobbyist friends, but on the basic legislative agenda, you miss nearly half the votes that come up. How can you say you’re a good representative of the people here in the 67th District when you don’t even bother to vote half the time?”
Martin stifled a laugh. “Representative Wells, how do you respond to that?”
Martin scowled at Kristina. “Well, here again, Ms. Tenison’s lack of experience is showing. Anybody who knows anything about the legislative process knows that most of the votes that take place are procedural or votes on amendments to bills. A legislator is so busy he can’t be bothered with many of these insignificant votes. If my vote will make a difference in anything that comes to the floor of the House, my staff notifies me, and I show up immediately.”
“Alright, Mr. Wells. Do you have a second question for Ms. Tenison?”
“Yes, I do. Since she just got in the campaign, I would like to know who she supported in the primary—Ford or Reagan?”
“Ms. Tenison?” Martin said.
“I like them both, actually, and since, at the time of the primary, I was working for the County Chairman, I made it a point not to support either one. Today, of course, I stand firmly behind the President.”
Stan smiled at the
answer. She’d answered the question without revealing her true political position, thereby not alienating any of the Ford or Reagan supporters.
“Alright, Ms. Tenison. do you have another question for the incumbent?”
“Yes. How do you justify taking eleven trips out of the country at taxpayer expense when your job doesn’t involve anything going on outside the state of Texas?”
Mr. Martin bowed slightly. “How do you respond to that one, Mr. Wells?”
“That’s simple, and if Ms. Tenison were not so inexperienced, she’d know that the state of Texas does much business abroad and our relationship with foreign governments and foreign corporations is very important.”
“What business were you attending to when you took your two sons on a two-week safari to Africa and spent six days gambling in Monte Carlo?”
The audience laughed.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Tenison. Under the rules, you can’t ask follow-up questions.”
“I’m sure Mr. Wells is grateful for that rule,” Kristina retorted.
The audience laughed again. Wells turned red but kept his mouth shut. Lamar looked at Stan and smiled.
“Alright, Representative Wells, do you have a final question for the challenger?”
“Well, I must set the record straight. I paid for the safari as well as the R&R in Monte Carlo. Since we were traveling in those areas anyway, we decided to take a few extra days, and it didn’t cost the taxpayers a dime.”
“Okay, Ms. Tenison. What is your response to that?”
“Well, I’d beg to differ about it not costing the taxpayers a dime. I believe on these junkets Representative Wells travels with a secretary and two other staff members. I’m sure the record will show he paid for the safari and gambling, but who was paying the hotel bills for this staff?—and I doubt they were staying at Motel Six.”
The audience laughed again, and Wells shifted in his seat.
“Ms. Tenison,” Martin said, “your final question, please.”
“I was curious as to what he’s going to do if the government indicts everyone on the Silver Springs Ventures investor list.”
Martin frowned and then looked at Wells expectantly. Wells’ mouth opened and then closed. He looked around, seemingly confused. Finally, he said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Martin looked back at Kristina for clarification, but she just smiled at him. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen, that’s it for the state representative race. Thank you, Representative Wells and Ms. Tenison. That was very interesting.”
Wells and Kristina left the stage. Stan motioned to Lamar that they should leave. When they caught up with Kristina, she was talking to two journalists.
“All I know is I’ve been informed that Representative Wells will be quite distracted when the indictments come down. I was hoping he would clarify why those indictments would have any impact on him,” Kristina said.
“Are you saying he’s going to be indicted?” one of the reporters asked.
“No. I’m not saying anything. I’m as much in the dark as you. You should check with your sources and find out how the indictments will affect him. I don’t know for sure. I’m just telling you what a very reliable source has told me.”
“Can you identify the source?” the second reporter asked.
Kristina looked at Stan and smiled. “Oh, no. Of course not. If I revealed my sources, they’d quit giving me juicy information.”
“But—“
”That’s all. I’ve got to get home. Thank you.”
Kristina walked off, and Stan and Lamar joined her, motioning for the journalist to back off. When they were alone, Stan congratulated her.
“That was perfect.”
“You think?” Kristina asked.
“You were awesome, Ms. Tenison,” Lamar agreed.
“Oh, Kristina. Have you met Lamar Jones? He’s a friend from law school. He wants to be a politician, so I suggested he come today to get a lesson in political maneuvering.”
“Oh, nice to meet you, Lamar. Well, Stan’s the pro. I’m just doing what he tells me.”
“I don’t know,” Lamar said admiringly. “You seemed to be a tiger up there. It didn’t sound scripted.”
“Well, the last question was.”
“I have no idea what the last question was all about,” Lamar confessed. “I guess I’ll understand as the week plays out. What I loved were your questions and how you managed to get him on the defensive. It was a knockout in my book.”
“Yes, it was,” Stan said. “Unfortunately, there are not enough voters here to do much good. That is why we had to resort to pointing out that our dear state representative is on the verge of being indicted for money laundering.”
“Oh, really?”
“I’m not sure he’ll be indicted, but his name was definitely on the list, and the people have a right to know about it before election day.”
“I agree,” Lamar said. “The voters definitely have a right to know all the facts. So, how about I buy you both a drink?”
“Oh, that sounds great,” Stan replied, “but I’ve got to get back to the family. I promised them I’d take them to dinner and a movie. Have you seen Rocky yet?”
“No. I heard it was good though,” Lamar said.
“Yeah, me too. You guys go ahead.”
Kristina looked at Lamar and smiled. “This is a dry area, but I’ve got a membership at Friday’s. We can go there.”
“Fine. I’ll buy you dinner too.”
“Oh, that sounds good,” Kristina said excitedly.
Stan shook Lamar’s hand, gave Kristina a hug, and then headed for the exit. On the way, he was accosted by the two journalists who’d interviewed Kristina.
“Mr. Turner, I was wondering if you know what Ms. Tenison was getting at in her last question to Representative Wells.”
“Did you ask Wells?” Stan asked.
“He left immediately after the program and wouldn’t answer any questions.”
“Well, I’d keep pressing him for a response, or you could go to the US Attorney’s office. They’re handling the investigation into Silver Spring Ventures’ involvement in the Burilo drug cartel. I was told a number of indictments would be coming down soon. They should be able to give you more specific information.”
“So, you’re saying Ron Wells is going to be indicted.”
“I didn’t say that at all. Grand jury deliberations are private. I have no knowledge as to who they indicted, if anybody.”
“Alright. Thanks a lot, Mr. Turner,” the reporter said sarcastically.
When Stan got home, Rebekah and the kids were all ready to go out to dinner, so when he pulled into the driveway, the door opened and they all came running out. Stan got out and helped them get seated, then Rebekah handed Marcia to him, and he put her in the car seat. On the way to Cici’s Pizza Stan filled Rebekah in on Kristina’s confrontation with Ron Wells and her interview with the reporters afterward.
“So, you think that will be enough to win?”
“I don’t know. It depends on how the media spins it. It would help if the grand jury indicted him, but the government works very slowly.”
“So, Kristina went out with Lamar, huh?”
“Yeah. They seemed to hit if off very well. Lamar would be a good catch for Kristina.”
“Lamar wants to be a politician. He may not be willing to support Kristina.”
“That’s true. He could just be intrigued by her charisma—trying to figure out why people react positively to her.”
“I could tell him that,” Rebekah said. “She’s honest and straightforward, a real genuine human being with strong moral fiber, and she’s very passionate. It doesn’t hurt that she’s funny too.”
“Wow! I didn’t know you were such a fan.”
“I like her a lot. I’d like her even more if she didn’t have such an obvious crush on you.”
“Huh?” Stan said, feigning ignorance.
“You know she does. Tell
me you don’t flirt with her.”
“I wouldn’t call it flirting, per se. We just kid around.”
“Uh huh. Well, I’m sure she thinks you’re flirting. You need to be more businesslike. You’re her campaign manager and that’s it.”
“She knows that.”
“I bet a lot of people think she’s your girlfriend the way you two act.”
“No. That’s not true.”
Fortunately for Stan, they arrived at Cici’s Pizza, and the place was so hectic, there was no way to continue the conversation. The ride to the movie theater was so short the matter didn’t come up again, and by the time Rocky was over, the topic of Kristina was forgotten—or at least Stan hoped that was the case.
When they got home, Rebekah took the kids upstairs to get them ready for bed, and Stan turned on the TV. The lead story on the ten o’clock news was Ron Wells’ connection to the Burilo drug cartel.
“We’re taking you live to Veronica Brooks, who is at the home of State Representative Ron Wells,” the newscaster said.
“Veronica Brooks here at the home of State Representative Ron Wells, where we’re waiting for a statement confirming or denying that he was a partner in the Silver Springs Ventures currently under investigation by the FBI and United States Attorney’s office.
“The possibility that the State Representative was involved in this questionable venture first surfaced in a candidates’ night sponsored by the Richardson Chamber of Commerce. Since then, the media has been frantically searching for answers.
“In a related matter, I’ve been advised that a story will appear tomorrow in the Austin American Statesman analyzing another allegation from Kristina Tenison concerning Wells’ frequent travel out of the country at public expense. The story reported will confirm what she said today and expose even more abuses.
“Okay. . . . I’m told Ron Wells will be out in a minute to make a brief statement.” In the background, the front door opened and Ron Wells stepped out.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “questions have come out today about my investment in the Silver Springs Ventures. It is true that I am a partner in that investment, however, I do not manage my finances and can say with a clear conscience that I wasn’t even aware of the investment until Commissioner Barnes resigned from the race. His resignation prompted my staff to review my investment portfolio for anything questionable. When I was advised of the investment, I immediately told my staff to divest me of it, however, due to the FBI investigation, it couldn’t be done at that time. That’s all there is to it and all I have to say about it at this time.”
“Will you be withdrawing your bid for re-election?” a reporter asked.
“No—absolutely not. Like I said, I knew nothing about the investment, so it shouldn’t be a factor in the race. Thank you.”
Wells turned and went back into the house amidst a barrage of questions from reporters.
“So, there you have it,” Veronica said. “Representative Ron Wells has confirmed he is an investor in the notorious Silver Springs Ventures currently under investigation by the FBI. If you will recall just a few days after the FBI launched its investigation into the venture one of its investors, Rob Shepard, and his family were murdered. Since then, the founder of the venture, Brad Thornton, has also been murdered. Finally, the abduction and attempted murder of Stan Turner and Melissa Thornton are also connected to this suspected money laundering operation. This is Veronica Brooks for NBC Channel 5 News.”
Stan turned off the TV, a little concerned. Everything had gone as planned, but Wells’ profession of innocence bothered him. Would the voters buy into his claim he knew nothing about the investment? The more he thought about it, the more worried he became.