Chapter 15

Snelling was awake and fairly coherent and the first words out of his mouth when Bob walked in were, "what the hell is happening to me here. Why was I kidnapped?"

"I don't know anything mister, I'm just hired to make sure you are medically safe. I've got to give you an injection to help you, so just relax."

"Hell no, I won't relax. I want an answer and, by God I want it now."

He started struggling and straining at his restraints. Bob went about his business and inserted the needle into the bottle holding the Pentathol and withdrawing the proper amount. Then he put a tourniquet around his upper arm and told him to quit struggling so he could do his job. Snelling continued to try to thrash around and finally Bob clamped his thumb and forefinger on the Brachial Plexus nerve on his shoulder and squeezed until he got Snelling's attention.

"If you thrash around and break the needle off, I'm going to get fired and you're going to die. So make it easy on both of us, do you understand?"

Snelling quit thrashing partly because of the pain and partly because of the words. Bob inserted the needle in the vein and then slowly released the tourniquet. As he injected the drug, Snelling started to calm down.

Frank waited until he was about to go under and he walked in.

"Mr. Snelling, I am working for the White House and I need to ask you some questions. There has been a very big security leak and we need to plug it. We understand it probably isn't you, but we need to check everyone that could possibly have broken the chain. We think someone might have gotten access to some of your files and we need to ask you a series of questions so we can determine who that might have been. Do you understand me?"

"I guess, what is your name," he responded in sort of a slurring voice.

"My name isn't important and if you don't know it, then we will not need to suspect you if it gets out. Ok?"

"I need to know what is happening here? Who are you and why am I here?"

"I told you, I'm from the White House and you are here to answer some questions."

"Who are you and who sent you?"

"If you need a name, then you can call me Mr. Smith. The White House Security sent me to try and find the leaks that have been happening."

"Who from the White House sent you?"

"If I told you, then I'd be leaking information, wouldn't I?"

"I guess, but I need to know who sent you?"

"I told you, the White House. They want to make sure that nothing leaks out during the Convention. Do you understand that?"

"I don't know. Why would they think I've been leaking information? I help them all the time and would never do anything to injure them."

"That's probably correct, but we need to verify that fact. After we do that, then we can start questioning other people. The sooner we get started, then the sooner we will finish and get you on your way. Now can you answer some questions for me?"

"How do I know you're from the White House?"

"You'll just have to believe me. Just like you do with the phone calls you get to help the White House. You don't ask for their names, do you?"

"No, but I recognize their voices. I don't recognize your voice."

"That's because I've been brought in just to handle this case. I'm not normally around the White House. I am a consultant they hired to do just this job. Now can you help me so we can get this taken care of quickly?"

"I don't know. I am not sure I can trust you."

"If you couldn't trust me, why would I tell you I'm from the White House?"

"I don't know. It's really confusing. I want to help them all I can, but I just need to know who sent you."

"Like you, I don't get names. I got a call and they asked me to do this for them. I've done other things for them like this in Arkansas."

"You don't sound like you're from Arkansas."

"I am not from Arkansas. I just said that I helped them take care of things when they were in Arkansas."

"So you've dealt with them a lot then?"

"Quite a bit. They had several problems in Arkansas and I helped straighten them out."

"But how do they contact you?"

"I generally get a phone call saying the White House needs my special help."

"Who is it that calls you?"

"Just like you, I don't know who calls me, but I recognize their voice and I help them. That's what they pay me to do."

"How do you get paid if you don't know who sent you?"

"They put money in my bank account in the Bahaman's."

"I don't really understand what you want?"

"Well, if you will trust me and answer some questions, it will be clear to you that I am just looking to help them. The same way you are. What we need to know is not something you might have done, but maybe something that you know, maybe in the back of your mind. Maybe it was just something you heard or saw, but didn't think it was important at the time. We need to probe your memory. Will you help us, by talking with us and answering the questions, so we can get you on your way?"

"Yes, I guess. What do you need to know? I know nobody could have gotten my files. I keep them locked up all the time and they are all encoded."

"Well, that is always good. Now, how did you start your association with the Clinton's?"

"I helped on their campaign in Virginia. I did a bunch of phone work and tried to line up contributions."

"And when was that?"

"I started when they opened their headquarters there, in '90."

"Who did you work for there?"

"It was some big guy from Arkansas, I don't remember his name, but he had a real thick accent."

"Was he young or old?"

"Probably in his late 30's."

"Can you describe him?"

"I think he was about 6 foot 2 inches or so, and probably about 230 lbs. He had a crew cut and never liked to dress in a tie."

"Ok, we know who that is. What else did you do? Well, I was pretty good at getting contributions, so they moved me up to that area and I just worked there. They'd give me a bunch of names to call and I'd phone all of them and try to get money from them."

"When did you first meet the Clinton's?"

"That was in late '91. I kind of fell in love with her. She's so pretty and really nice to be around."

"Did you have much contact with them?"

"Well, they thanked me for doing such a good job and asked me questions about where I worked. Someone was with them and took notes and she told me it was good to have government workers helping their cause."

"Did you have any other dealings with them?"

"No, but I talked to a bunch of people from their headquarters. One guy in particular wanted to know how if I could get information from the computer at work. I told I could, but it would be very risky. He told me I'd be rewarded for my efforts."

"What information were they wanting?"

"We've got things stored on our computers by deductions and then by taxpayer. They wanted to get a list of political contributors who gave over $10,000. I told them I could do that, but it would be a while before I'd have access to the computer to make a run like that. I had to wait about 3 weeks before I had a project that I needed to get to the main computer on. We only get so much time to get our run through and then we have to get back in line. So I made the run for the contributors first and let it print out. Then I made the run for the office and I got through with some time to spare. I gave it to the man that weekend when he was visiting from Arkansas."

"Who was it that you gave it to?"

"I don't know his name, but he was about medium build with a receding hairline."

"Did you get other information for them?"

"Yes, from time to time, they'd ask me for things on particular people and I'd be able to get that without doing a run on the main computer."

"What would they ask you for?"

"Mostly about certain corporations and how much they gave to each political party. Sometimes, they'd ask for information about a person, but mostly it was about corporations."

"Well, it sounds like we've been given the wrong information. You've done a lot of things for this Administration."

"Yes, and they made sure I got my promotion. That way I could continue to help them after they took office. And I have helped them a lot. I've gotten things for them and made sure their orders were carried out so they could get try and get their programs through Congress."

"How have you helped them do that?"