Washington Power Play Read online

  Praise for The Italian Divide by Allan Topol

  “A fast-paced page turner perfect for beach and cabin reading.”

  —Yale Alumni Magazine, July/August 2016

  “If you’re looking for a thriller immersed in politics, revenge and intrigue, unfolding in an international stage, start reading.”

  —Ambassador Magazine of the National Italian American Foundation, Fall 2016

  “Allan Topol is a master at pulling together several pieces of current events and creating a fast paced, tight action spy-thriller novel…a perfect start to an early summer vacation.”

  —Night Owl Reviews, April 29, 2016

  “The Italian Divide is a “highly charged and electrifying novel by the internationally famous and award winning author Allan Topol . . . the ending will leave you speechless.”

  —Fran Lewis, Just Reviews/MJ Magazine

  “The Italian Divide is an international thriller of the highest order, one which this reviewer eagerly recommends for those who love this dynamic genre of writing.”

  —Crystal Book Reviews, April 10, 2016

  “The characters are eerily believable…Topol spins such a captivating tale that it is hard to put The Italian Divide down before the nail-biter of an ending.”

  —Mystery Maven Blog, March 31, 2016

  “Topol’s latest Craig Page thriller is an electrifying foray into the world of international intrigue.”

  —Book Reviews & more by Kathy, March 16, 2016

  “The Italian Divide is a thriller I recommend to everyone who enjoys adventure and intrigue in the high stakes world of international banking, reeking with power and revenge, and a hero who is real, daring and dedicated to finding justice . . . 5 stars and counting! Bravo!”

  —Fresh Fiction Review, March 15, 2016

  “The Italian Divide is a real page turner!”

  —Outnumbered 3 to 1 Review, March 17, 2016

  “Allan Topol’s latest Craig Page thriller is an electrifying foray into the world of international intrigue.”

  —Teddy Rose Book Reviews, March 15, 2016

  Praise for The Washington Lawyer by Allan Topol

  “Pity the poor political novelist. After all the real-world skullduggery of recent decades—Nixon’s Watergate, Clinton’s intern—how can fiction possibly compete with reality? Washington lawyer Allan Topol can’t beat those odds, but in The Washington Lawyer he’s given us a lively insider’s portrait of political mischief featuring a senator who is a traitor and perhaps a murderer, a nominee for chief justice of the United States who is desperately trying to cover up his own misdeeds and a gang of Chinese spies eager to bribe or, if necessary, kill our politicians to obtain the Pentagon’s innermost secrets . . . Topol’s version is entertaining and at times has the ring of truth.”

  —Patrick Anderson

  “Book World,” The Washington Post

  “The Washington Lawyer is a thrilling tale of intrigue and revenge at the highest levels in the American government—told from an insider’s point of view. The action is nonstop, from the gripping prologue to the satisfying end. Not to be missed!”

  —Joan Johnston

  New York Times best-selling author of Sinful

  “Archeologist professor Allison Boyd doesn’t believe her beautiful twin sister, congressional aid Vanessa Boyd, drowned in the Caribbean while away for the weekend alone. Vanessa was many things but ‘alone’ was never one of them. Convinced Vanessa was murdered, Allison heads to Washington to uncover the truth. As she finds herself caught up in a tangled web of power players, she begins to realize how far some people will go to keep a secret. No matter the cost.

  Fast-paced and action-packed, Topol’s novel expertly weaves together power, murder, and intrigue to paint a chilling picture of the sinister underbelly of Washington politics. A thrill ride that doesn’t let up.”

  —Beth McMullen

  Author of Original Sin and Spy Mom

  “Rich with international intrigue, The Washington Lawyer bristles with insider details, heart-stopping action, and memorable characters. This is Washington politics at its most revealing, told by a top attorney who knows where the truth—and the bodies—are buried.”

  —Gayle Lynds

  New York Times best-selling author of The Assassins

  “Morals, ethics, values, and integrity often go out the window when temptations come your way. What happens when two men let their greed and desire for wealth and power overtake their moral compasses, and find that one simple indiscretion leading to one wrong choice can bring down your entire world? . . .

  Once again author Allan Topol delivers a plot and storyline that will keep readers in suspense from start to finish . . . When the truth is revealed whose damage control wins out? Find out when you read this five-star novel.”

  —Fran Lewis

  Author, creator and editor of MJ magazine, and host on Red River Radio Show and World of Ink Network

  “The Washington Lawyer is a thrilling tale of intrigue and revenge at the highest levels in the American government—told from an insider’s point of view. The action is nonstop, from the gripping prologue to the satisfying end. Not to be missed!”

  —Joan Johnston

  New York Times best-selling author of Sinful

  “Rich with international intrigue, The Washington Lawyer bristles with insider details, heart-stopping action, and memorable characters. This is Washington politics at its most revealing, told by a top attorney who knows where the truth—and the bodies—are buried.”

  —Gayle Lynds

  New York Times best-selling author of The Assassins

  “The Washington Lawyer is a fast moving thriller from a very articulate writer. A tangled web showing the corrupt and selfish Washington elite and the tarnished government officials that will stop at nothing to reach their goals and pay any price to succeed. You can’t put this spy-adventure down until the last thrilling pages. Allan Topol knows the Washington scene and is masterful in his depiction.”

  —Pat Pascale

  FreshFiction.com

  “A lawyer, Andrew Martin, who is a longtime friend of Senator William Jasper, needs help. A sex tryst at Martin’s beach house in Anguilla has gone awry, and congressional staffer and former model, Vanessa Boyd, is dead. Martin must decide how to best protect his reputation and the senator’s. What unfolds are hairpin plot turns as human vice and power collide and race toward catastrophe for both men. Here’s an intriguing and entertaining look inside the circles of power. . . . If you’re looking for a great read, you will find it in this novel.”

  —Book Reviews by Alan Caruba

  Also by Allan Topol

  FICTION

  The Fourth of July War

  A Woman of Valor

  Spy Dance

  Dark Ambition

  Conspiracy

  Enemy of My Enemy

  The China Gambit

  The Spanish Revenge

  The Russian Endgame

  The Argentine Triangle

  The Italian Divide

  The Washington Lawyer

  NONFICTION

  Superfund Law and Procedure (coauthor)

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations within cities, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events and locales or persons described, either living or deceased, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 by Allan Topol

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission
in writing from the publisher.

  This edition published by SelectBooks, Inc.

  For information address SelectBooks, Inc., New York, New York.

  First Edition

  ISBN 978-1-59079-426-5(ebook)

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Topol, Allan, author.

  Title: Washington power play: a political thiller / Allan Topol.

  Description: First editon. | New York: SelectBooks, [2017]

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016047177

  Subjects: LCSH: United States–Relations–China–Fiction. | China–Relations–United States–Fiction. | Government investigators–Fiction. | Women detectives–Fiction. | Conspiracies–Fiction. | Political fiction. | GSAFD: Suspense fiction. | Mystery fiction.

  Classification: LCC PS3570.O64 W375 2017 | DDC 813/.54–dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016047177

  10987654321

  Dedicated to my wife, Barbara, my partner in this literary venture

  Acknowledgments

  I am very fortunate to be working with Kenzi Sugihara, the founder of SelectBooks. Washington Power Play is our fifth novel together, and once again Kenzi offered sound advice and enthusiasm from the time that I raised the idea of doing another Washington novel. I was thrilled when Kenzi judged Washington Power Play to be a gripping story on his first reading, and I could not ask for more from a publisher.

  Nancy Sugihara and Molly Stern did a superb job of editing. They were relentless in raising queries that forced me to focus on numerous details for this intricate plot, while at the same time they smoothed the sentences and caught those pesky grammatical errors.

  Kenichi Sugihara, the marketing director, has again developed an amazing cover. He has led the marketing effort with energy and creativity.

  My agent, Pam Ahearn, played a critical role in helping me shape the story and providing valuable editorial suggestions. She is an outstanding editor, and I am grateful to have her assistance.

  Again with this book, I have enormous gratitude to my wife, Barbara, for her help with the story and her encouragement.

  “As China asserts itself as a naval and air power, and as America responds, the risks of confrontation are growing.”

  —The Economist, May 30, 2015

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue: December, in Bejing

  Part I: January, One Month Later

  Bethesda, Maryland

  Washington

  Hong Kong

  Chevy Chase, Maryland

  Washington

  San Francisco and Chevy Chase, Maryland

  Washington

  Part II: April, Three Months Later

  Bethesda and Washington

  Beijing

  Washington

  Washington and Saint Michaels, Maryland

  Saint Michaels, Maryland

  Chevy Chase, Maryland

  Washington

  Chevy Chase, Maryland

  Washington

  Beijing

  Washington

  Washington, One Week Later

  Washington, One Week Later

  Charlottesville

  Beijing

  Charlottesville

  Washington

  Chevy Chase, Maryland

  Part III: May, the Following Month

  Beijing

  Charlottesville and Washington

  Hong Kong

  Washington

  Washington

  Beijing

  Washington

  Beijing

  Washington

  Miami

  Washington

  Washington and Bethesda, Maryland

  Washington

  Paris

  Arlington, Virginia

  Washington

  Beijing and Countryside

  Chevy Chase and Washington

  Beijing

  Los Angeles

  Washington

  Rockville, Maryland

  Trinidad

  Washington

  New York

  New Jersey

  New York

  New Jersey and Connecticut

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  PROLOGUE

  December, in Bejing

  Liu Guan was anxious about his meeting with Yao Xiao, the president and supreme leader of China. That was an unfamiliar feeling for the powerful head of the Ministry of State Security, or MSS, China’s top intelligence agency. Mired in heavy traffic, Liu was riding alone in the back of a limousine.

  “Use the siren and flashing lights,” Liu called to his driver. “I want to get there today.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  An hour previously, Yao’s aide had called to summon Liu to the presidential office in Tiananmen Square as though he were a misbehaving schoolboy. Ever since the call, Liu thought about the approach he should take with Yao. Though the Chinese president hadn’t told him the purpose of the meeting, he had no doubt Yao would rip into him for his failure to obtain the Pentagon’s Five Year Plan for Asia from US Senator Wesley Jasper.

  In response, Liu had no intention of telling Yao what had happened to Jasper. That would only magnify Liu’s failure. Instead, he planned to shunt that aside and move on to a new operation, which was sure to appeal to Yao. This new operation would address the difficulties the Chinese president was currently facing.

  The Chinese economic miracle, launched by Deng, Mao’s successor, was running out of steam. The intervening presidents, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping, had kept it sputtering along while at the same time building the country’s armed forces. The prevailing view among those three presidents and the Politburo was that as long as China’s economy continued to expand and the people enjoyed prosperity with an accompanying increased standard of living and a rising stock market, the pressure for freedom and human rights would simmer at a low level. If, on the other hand, the economic juggernaut came to a halt, the pressure would build.

  Yao’s solution to this dilemma was conquest throughout Asia. By dominating its neighbors, China could ensure additional markets for its exports while at the same time obtaining cheaper raw materials. And there was something else. Conquest and domination of the rest of Asia played into the Chinese people’s nationalism, which in turn was a powerful salve for a weakening economy. Yao saw Asia as a single monolithic ship with China at the helm. China’s military was strong enough to achieve this result. He faced only one obstacle: the United States and its Asian treaty commitments.

  When Liu entered Yao’s ornate office, Yao didn’t rise from his seat behind the large, red leather-topped desk. He motioned to the empty chair in front of the desk, and Liu sat down.

  The sixty-four-year-old Yao looked weary, Liu thought. He had marked creases on his face and bags under his eyes. Liu had learned from a servant in Yao’s house that the president rarely slept—at most an hour or two a night. Yao would either be at his desk reading documents or pacing the house. Sleeplessness took a toll on anyone—even the mighty president of China wasn’t exempt.

  “What happened in Hong Kong?” Yao asked.

  “I was forced to turn the army loose on the protesters, they left me no choice. Several dozen protesters were killed. Many more wounded. We rounded up and imprisoned the organizers of the so-called student protest movement who were not really students but agitators. Some of them were from Japan. We also arrested journalists who were instigating these people. I made sure we blocked any media coverage. I think Hong Kong will be quiet for a while now. How long is difficult to say.”

  “You made the right decision,” said Yao. “We had to nip this early. Otherwise, the protest movement would spread to the mainland.”

  “That’s what I told the leaders in Hong Kong,” affirmed Liu. “They agreed we had no choice. If we hadn’t moved decisively, it would have been worse than 1989.”

  Yao got up from his desk and walked over to the window facing Tiananmen Square. Liu guessed
Yao was replaying in his mind what happened there in June 1989. Liu didn’t have to look at the square to recall what it was like at the time. As a young intelligence officer, he had infiltrated the mass of protesters, initially reporting on discussions among their leaders and later targeting ringleaders who were then taken out by army marksmen.

  After a full minute, Yao wheeled around and said, “Let’s hope you succeeded in squelching the movement in Hong Kong.”

  “I believe I did.”

  Yao returned to his chair. He was staring hard at Liu. “Now tell me why I never received the Pentagon’s Five Year Plan. That’s what I most wanted and what you promised.”

  Liu knew Yao well enough to realize that being argumentative or showing anger would not only get him fired from his job, but tossed into prison. So he grabbed the sides of his chair to calm himself before replying, “We were on the verge of obtaining the plan when Senator Jasper was murdered. He was jogging near his home in Washington when he was targeted by robbers. It was a random act of violence.”

  “Humph.”

  Liu wondered what that meant. Yao couldn’t possibly know about Liu’s involvement in Jasper’s murder. It was unlikely that the ambassador in Washington would have told Yao after Liu had threatened to kill the ambassador’s child, a daughter living in Paris, if he did. The only other person who knew about it was Xiang, and he would not have been able to get access to the president to tell him anyway.

  Liu decided not to show weakness. Instead, he’d bull ahead. “Jasper’s murder is an example of the rampant crime in the United States, of their lawlessness.”

  “Failure is still failure,” frowned Yao. “Excuses won’t be tolerated.”

  Liu felt perspiration soaking his shirt under the arms. “Following the death of Senator Jasper, our primary American asset,” Liu said, “I developed a plan for a new operation entitled ‘New World Order.’”

  Yao sat up straight, his eyes boring into Liu. The spymaster clearly had the president’s attention. “Tell me about it,” he commanded.

  “Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has shaped and dominated the world order—both economically and militarily,” Liu began. “The Americans dictated the course of events. After more than seventy years, that order is in tatters and its architect, the United States, is in decline. During this same period, our great nation has recovered from its century of humiliation at the hands of the Western nations. We are now prepared to challenge the United States. The time has come to create a new world order with China in control. We will wrest dominance from the Americans.”