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“What about the federal charges?”
“Those are a bit trickier.”
“How so?”
“The Feds have indicated they’re planning to play hardball on the money laundering.”
“Are those the same Feds that work for my son?”
“Indirectly. The Justice Department is supposed to be independent from the president.”
“Could he tell them to back off?”
“He could, but it wouldn’t be a wise move on his part. It would be seen as an inappropriate use of presidential power.”
“He never does anything inappropriate.”
“He does seem to color inside the lines, from what I’ve seen thus far.”
“He gets that from his father.”
Collins chuckled. “I think it’s safe to assume there’s no help coming from him.”
“Agreed. We’re not on the best of terms.”
“We may have another option.”
“What’s that?”
“If you agree to community service and make a huge donation to a youth crisis organization, we may be able to plead the federal charges down to a misdemeanor with probation.”
“How big of a donation are we talking?”
“A million dollars?”
“I don’t have that!”
He raised a brow.
“I don’t!”
“Not even in offshore accounts?”
How did he know about them? “I, uh…”
“You have the money to buy your way out of this, Nicoletta.”
“But that’s my nest egg. My security.”
“Which is worse? Being penniless or being in jail?”
“Is that a multiple-choice question?”
His smile made her weak in the knees. Good thing she was sitting, or she might do something mortifying, such as swoon.
“This is all my bitch daughter-in-law’s fault. She sent the FBI after me.”
Collins was taken aback. “Do you know that for certain?”
