Phillip Margolin - Capitol Murder

PHILLIP MARGOLIN has written fifteen New York Times bestsellers, including his latest novels Supreme Justice and Fugitive . Each displays a unique, compelling insiders view of criminal behavior, which comes from his long career as a criminal defense attorney who has handled thirty murder cases. Winner of the Distinguished Northwest Writer Award, Margolin lives in Portland, Oregon.

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I f I kept my mouth shut about the number of people who helped me with the research and writing of Capitol Murder , everyone would think I was a genius, but the truth is that I could not have written Capitol Murder without a lot of help from a lot of wonderful people who were willing to take time from their busy days to give me the information I needed to make the book work.

Much of the book takes place in the United States Senate, and I have to thank my friend United States senator Ron Wyden for not only letting me hang around his office for several days and giving me access to his staff so that I could pester them with questions but also for personally taking me on a tour of the Capitol dome. Special thanks go to Jennifer Hoelzer, who helped set up my interviews, took me all over, and generally made my visit to the Senate a success. Thanks also to Chief of Staff Jeffrey Michels and staffers Joel Shapiro, Jayme White, Isaiah Akin, and Lisa Rockower. Finally, a warm thank-you to David Najimi, who conducted the dome tour, and was then kind enough to e-mail me the answers to specific questions. I wanted to put a scene in the dome, but it didnt work out. Be sure to ask your congressperson to arrange a tour the next time you are in D.C. It is really interesting.

Many scenes in the book take place in the Department of Justice. I want to thank Assistant United States Attorney Charles Gorder for helping make my visit there possible, and for answering my questions about various aspects of the federal criminal justice system. Tremendous thanks to Jeff Breinholt, who showed me around the DOJ, and thank you to Erin Creegan and Steve Ward, who answered my questions about the routines of DOJ attorneys.

Thanks to Guy Berliner for showing me how the concessions at FedEx Field work, and thanks to Mike Unsworth of the Portland Police Bomb Squad, Medical Examiner Karen Gunson, Steve Perry, Dennis Balske, Steve Wax, Krista Shipsey, Anass Shaban, and Gina Farag.

Additional thanks to Mitch Berliner, Andy and Ami Rome, Daniel Margolin, Robin Haggard, and Carolyn Lindsey.

Capitol Murder is my tenth book with HarperCollins, and I am very grateful for the support of Jonathan Burnham, Brian Murray, the sales force, and the art department, all of whom have made my long tenure with the house so enjoyable. I want to give special thanks to my wonderful editor, Claire Wachtel, and publicist par excellence Heather Drucker. And a belated thank-you to Caroline Upcher.

I thank my agents Jean Naggar, Jennifer Weltz, and everyone else at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency in every acknowledgment, but Ive got to. Jean, Jennifer, and the rest of the crew are amazing, and I wouldnt even be writing this book if it hadnt been for them.

And last but never least, I thank Doreen, who is gone but who still inspires me.

Lost Lake

Sleeping Beauty

The Associate

The Undertakers Widow

The Burning Man

After Dark

Gone, but Not Forgotten

The Last Innocent Man

Heartstone

WASHINGTON TRILOGY

Executive Privilege

Supreme Justice

Capitol Murder

AMANDA JAFFE NOVELS

Wild Justice

Ties That Bind

Proof Positive

Fugitive

A s soon as Dana Cutler and Jake Teeny walked into the China Clipper, Dana took off her motorcycle helmet and shook out her shoulder-length hair. Brad Miller had been watching for them, and he waved from the booth in the back of the restaurant where he and Ginny Striker were waiting. The private detective and her photojournalist boyfriend were a striking couple. They had driven over on Jakes Harley and they were both clad in black leather jackets and jeans. At five ten, Dana was an inch taller than Jake, but they were both lean and athletic. Jake had wavy brown hair, brown eyes, and dark skin that had been blasted by the desert winds and baked by the scorching suns of the war zones and exotic places his assignments had taken him to. Danas green eyes and auburn hair attracted attention from men but something hard and dangerous about her made these same men think twice before approaching her.

When the couple arrived at the booth, Brad shook hands with Jake, but he knew better than to hug Dana. Physical contact made the private detective uncomfortable, and Brad knew why. The fact that Dana was sleeping with Jake said a lot about the strength of their relationship.

Brad was five ten with a straight nose, clear blue eyes, and curly black hair, which was showing a few gray strands, the result of two straight years of heart-stopping adventures that included bringing down an American president and saving the life of a United States Supreme Court justice. Ginny was a few years older than Brad; a tall, slender blonde with large blue eyes, shed grown up in the Midwest and spent several years as a nurse before applying to law school. The couple had met a little over two years ago when they were new associates at a big law firm in Portland, Oregon.

How are the newlyweds? Jake asked with a wide smile. Brad and Ginny blushed and Jake laughed. He had seen the couple a few weeks ago at their wedding. Theyd had pale complexions and a case of nerves. Today they were deeply tanned and looked relaxed and happy.

Tell us about the honeymoon, Dana said.

Ginny grinned. Is what we tell you going to be a headline in your sleazy rag?

Dana occasionally did investigative reporting for Exposed , a supermarket tabloid whose bread and butter was UFO, Bigfoot, and Elvis sightings, but which had won a Pulitzer for a series that had been a major factor in Christopher Farringtons loss in the presidential election to Maureen Gaylord.

Dana laughed. None of what you say will find its way to Patrick Gormans desk. Now, where did you go? You were very mysterious about your plans.

Just then the waiter came for their order.

Justice Moss gave us an amazing wedding present, Ginny said as soon as the waiter left.

Better than the Ashanti fertility doll we gave you? Jake asked.

Dana elbowed Jake. Let them talk.

Ever since Brad saved Justice Mosss life, weve had the press all over us, Ginny said. So she asked Tyrell Truman to let us stay at his estate in Hawaii so we wouldnt be hounded by reporters.

The movie star? Jake asked.

Brad nodded. Justice Moss met him when she was with Martin Luther King. He wasnt a movie star then, just a struggling actor. Theyve been close friends ever since.

Trumans on location somewhere in Asia, but he had his pilot fly us to the estate in his jet, Ginny said. It had leather seats and wood trim. And they gave us Champagne and caviar.