Rules Violations

What if Vladimir Putin has been telling the truth all along? What if Russia didn't meddle in the 2016 Presidential Election? Who else had anything to gain by electing a political wild card to the highest office in the land? 'Rules Violations' reveals the answers in this mystery tale about a former spook who refused to give up until he uncovered an even darker conspiracy.

Retired intelligence officer Harry Wilson did his best to ignore the hoopla and stay focused on his fledgling consulting business. Ever since a billionaire neophyte had declared his candidacy as a Republican, the Presidential race had become a media circus. T. Tower Thurston III had bullied his way to the front of the pack with vile insults, blatant hyperbole and bald-faced lies. The media simply couldn't get enough of his outrageous antics, and he dominated virtually every news cycle.

Having seen his share of sham elections in Eastern Europe, Harry had no doubt about what could happen this time. Democratic candidates overpowered the weak field of GOP pols and newcomers, yet Republicans were desperate to retake the White House. Even though they controlled the Congress, their legislative initiatives had been thwarted by the wily Democrat who controlled the Executive Branch. If they failed to win again in 2016, the Republican Party could be history. Tower had no allegiance to anyone except himself, but he was emerging as their only hope.

Harry was more interested in executing a quick assignment for his favorite customer. Irv was a hen-pecked CEO who was rushed into buying a company because his wife's bridge partner had assured her that it was a steal. When the due diligence was complete, Irv's auditors determined that it had been used as a money laundry. Not wanting to embarrass his wife or her friend, he asked Harry to check it out before turning it over the proper authorities. What appeared to be a simple snooping task landed them both in the cross-hairs of an on-going FBI operation where no one would tell them what was going on.

While Harry was trying to extricate himself and his customer, powerful forces were working to solve their own problems: wealthy industrialists were at risk of losing personal fortunes if Democrats retained the Presidency; world powers could be held in check by an experienced and principled leader with an ethical worldview; and, right-wing media empires would lose critical market share if globalism became the dominant view. For others, the prospect of electing an egotistical con artist presented the opportunity of a lifetime. With so many compelling reasons to rig the outcome, it was certain that one or more would try.

Since the founders did not trust the average citizen to make an informed choice, U.S. Presidential elections are not decided by popular vote. The arcane mechanics of the Electoral College predestines the outcome to razor-thin margins in a handful of battleground states. That meant that a close election could be tipped with a few extra votes in the right place. Less than a 2% shift in Ohio voting would have put John Kerry in the Oval Office in 2004. A computer hacker with the right skills could have accomplished the result from anywhere in the world.

Even though Harry and his Company friends identified a widening circle of conspirators and possible financial crimes, the feds appeared to be disinterested and continued to stonewall them on the broader investigation. Links between money laundering and election fraud were becoming more distinct, but the source of the funds was still illusive. It wasn't until a legendary CIA analyst made the intuitive connection between Pacific rim nations that the answers fell into place. By then, it may have come too late.

'Rules Violations' is the seventh book in the Harry & Company Mystery series, all available through major on-line retailers.