Chapter 18: The Informant

Marissa arrived home early Monday afternoon. She’d missed Brad as he’d been at work for several hours. Though she’d tried she couldn’t concentrate on her consulting work. Too many things were going on and she didn’t feel in control. So instead of working she began a marathon session of cleaning. Just after six, the doorbell rang.

She looked out the window and saw a black SUV in the driveway and as she approached the front door, she could see the FBI agent from the airport along with a man in a suit, undoubtedly another agent. Reluctantly she opened the door.

“Mrs. Henderson, this is Agent Jackson we’d like a little more of your time,” said Ferraro.

“I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten your name.”

“Ferraro ma’am.”

“Agent Ferraro I’ve told you everything that I know.”

Agent Jackson stepped forward, playing the bad cop, and said, “Mrs. Henderson you know bribing a United States Senator is very serious, not to mention a charge in Nevada for prostitution and who knows what else...” He let that sink in and as Marissa’s face fell, he then added, “If you cooperate Agent Ferraro and I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t have any legal troubles.”

Marissa looked at the floor and stepped aside. “Come in,” she said with any enthusiasm. As the two agents entered the living room, she offered them coffee and they accepted.

As Marissa made coffee, Ferraro said, “Perhaps you could start at the beginning of your involvement with Ms. Dodge and Mr. Rockford, step by step.” Marissa nodded and Ferraro added, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to make a recording of this.” She took out a small recorder, turned it on and placed it onto the counter. She stated everyone’s names, the location and the date and time for the record before signally Marissa to begin.

Marissa told them about being hired to do web development, but she’d been drugged by the Senator and had sex with him and that was when they’d had her give him the first envelope. They both nodded and Agent Jackson wrote furious notes as well.

Marissa continued, “And then Alex and Rocky paid me to have sex with a commissioner.” She started to cry. “I’m sorry, I just, I don’t want my husband to find out about any of this.”

“There’s no reason for him to find out,” said Agent Jackson.

“Please continue,” added Ferraro.

She told them, indignantly, how the Sergeant Barnes had raped and stolen from her afterward after the commissioner left and how Rocky had arranged to have a crooked judge take care of the sergeant; but then she’d had to have sex with the disgusting little man as payback. She left out the part where the judge had the waiter fuck her while the judge watched.

“What was the judge’s name?” interjected Jackson.

“I don’t know. I don’t think that I was ever told his name.”

“Okay, go on,” nudged Ferraro.

She told them about how her husband had lost more than they could afford in the casino and it forced her to have a second date with the Senator where she handed him another envelope full of cash.

“And you told us that you had sex with him?” asked Agent Jackson.

“Yes,” admitted Marissa.

“Was it consensual?” asked Ferraro.

“Well, I certainly didn’t feel like I had a choice. Rocky threatened to put earlier videos of me and the Senator on the internet and then tell my husband.”

While she talked Ferraro was delighted to hear about the Senator and she was sure that they could nail Rockford and his girlfriend, Dodge, on intrastate trafficking and bribery of the Senator.

And then Marissa told her about the date with Manaford and his invitation to visit him in LA. Ferraro was delighted to hear this since this was her original reason for contacting Marissa in the first place.

“Mrs. Henderson we’d like you to take Mr. Manaford on his offer.”

“No, that’s crazy. I won’t do it,” she exclaimed emphatically.

“You know,” said Agent Jackson, “you are subject to Federal arrest for bribing a Senator as well as various state charges.”

“I’m not a prostitute and I didn’t bribe the Senator; Rockford and Alexandria did.”

“Well, we have only your word on that,” he said. Ferraro remained silent as he continued, “If you assist us with Manaford, this will all go away.”

Marissa began crying and Ferraro reached over and put a hand on her arm. “One date, one night is all that we need,” Ferraro continued quietly, looking directly at her. “You see we have a problem. We have a warrant to wiretap his house, but we can’t get by his security system. You would be helping your government.”

“It means that I would have to have sex with him.”

“It’s better than the alternative Marissa,” said Ferraro, sympathetically. Marissa only nodded her acquiescence. “Here’s my card,” said the female agent. “Give me a call before you visit him.” The two agents got up and left.

Marissa was tempted to rip up the card, but instead she took it upstairs and hid it in her underwear drawer. She certainly wasn’t up to calling Manaford and arranging a date. Maybe the problem would go away, and she wouldn’t have to do anything more.