The Rockets' Red Glare
The maple trees that rimmed the church parking lot had almost finished their shedding that gray Tuesday morning as Martin Watson awaited his visitor. The Washington Post lay untouched on the coffee table of his study, between the right-angle couches where he counseled. The pastor had not had time to read the paper that morning; he was too busy going through files and wondering what the IRS agent had in mind. The new wing of the church had been finished for a couple of years now, providing sorely needed classroom space. Watson had come to this suburban church in Fairfax, Virginia, more than a decade before. The congregation of two hundred that welcomed him was now closer to six hundred, and the trim, fifty-year-old pastor with graying hair had reason to be gratified. His two daughters were doing well in college, and he and Eva had been moved into a new parsonage not long ago. The stranger with a briefcase arrived promptly at ten. He was cordial enough as he shook Martin's hand, then sat down across the desk. He delivered his message quietly: the Internal Revenue Service, as part of its ongoing program of review and enforcement, would be auditing the Watsons' last three years of tax returns. Martin pressed him for what might have triggered this inquiry, but the agent was noncommittal. He assured the pastor that the probe might turn up nothing at all—in fact, he hoped so. The two men continued talking for a while, the pastor producing what records he had on hand and starting to jot a list of things to be collected for the next meeting. There was a soft knock at the door. "Come in," Martin called. His secretary entered. She hesitated as she looked at the agent, then handed her boss a Special Delivery envelope and quickly left. Marvin ...
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