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“This doesn’t mean we didn’t get the right guy.” Connor was staring at the screen. “I chased him down. I tracked him. I shot him. He had the rifle in his hand.”
“I thought the Secret Service took him out.”
“No.” Connor shook his head.
The supposed assassin had been a young man with schizophrenia who had tried to kill then-candidate Hayes because he’d thought Hayes was sent from Satan and had been using television to send him messages. The news had devoted hours to going over his crazy journals and talking to all his so-called friends who claimed they should have seen it coming.
Lara knew better.
“But Troy Hill has an airtight alibi for two of the three rallies. He was being held in jail for drunk and disorderly. His mother didn’t have the money to bail him out so they held him for seventy-two hours. I’m sorry. He wasn’t responsible. He was a patsy. Think about it, Connor. What type of rifle was used? A hunting rifle? Something he could have easily gotten his hands on?”
“It was a Dragunov.” Connor’s hands became fists at his sides. “It was a fucking Dragunov. How stupid am I?”
“That sounds Russian,” Gabe said, his gaze moving between the bathroom and Connor as though he couldn’t decide who needed his help more.
“It is,” Lara pointed out. “According to Freddy, it’s the preferred weapon of the Russian mob for long-range assassinations. It’s why I think Natalia Kuilikov is tied somehow to Joy Hayes’s death. The Russians are all over this thing. At first I thought the president might have hired a Russian assassin and Natalia had proof.” She winced at the outcry that brought. “I’m sorry. I don’t know him the way you do. I don’t think that now. I do think someone wanted Zack Hayes in office and they were willing to kill to get him there.”
Roman shook his head, his stare fused to the screen like he couldn’t believe what he’d seen. “I was right beside her during every one of those speeches. I was sitting right there and I didn’t notice someone was aiming a sniper rifle at her.”
“You were watching Zack, like you were supposed to,” Lara pointed out. Of all of the group left in the room, Roman seemed the most shaken. She was a little worried he would need the bathroom, too. He was a pasty white and she could see the way his hands shook. He couldn’t fake that. Roman Calder was known for being unflappable, utterly ruthless, and cold as ice. He didn’t look like any of those things now. He looked like a man who’d had his world upended.
“I didn’t even question it,” Connor said. “I killed that kid because I just knew he’d meant to kill Zack and had missed. I never thought to look back over any of the previous speeches for anything unusual. Why would I when they’d seemed to go off without a hitch?” He swallowed, shaking his head slowly. “I didn’t question whether or not that kid had pulled the trigger or whether Zack was the target. It seemed obvious.”
Gabe stood and turned to Connor. “That guy was running from the scene. Two witnesses saw him coming down the stairs and he was carrying a weapon. He raised that rifle your way, Connor. He seemed like the natural suspect. You had no choice.”
“I was behind you,” Dax said. “If you hadn’t shot him, I would have. I would have made the exact same call. Why would the Russian mob want Zack in office?”
“We don’t know it was the mob who wanted him there.” Everly took her fiancé’s hand. “We only know whoever did it very likely hired a Russian assassin. It’s more important than ever to find Natalia and figure out what’s happening here. It’s connected somehow. Perhaps Lara is right and Natalia knows who hired the assassin, or she can lead us to the man who pulled the trigger and he can tell us who hired him. We just don’t have enough pieces to see the whole puzzle yet. Lara, I would really like to see whatever your informant gave you.”
Zack stepped out, his face pale, but it was obvious he’d cleaned up and calmed down. He looked to Lara. “I did not kill my wife. My wife and I were friends, very close friends. I loved her. I won’t lie and say I was in love with her. Ours was a marriage of political convenience, but I cared for her deeply. The last thing I would have done was have her killed. I needed Joy. I didn’t want to do any of this without her. I tried to pull out of the race after she died.”
Roman stood, looking toward Zack. “I wouldn’t let him. It wasn’t what Joy would have wanted. I’m the one with every reason to have done this. I’m the most obvious suspect so you need to eliminate me. I’ll open all my records. Every file I have is yours. I’ll answer all your questions. Hell, hook me up to a lie detector or something else. Connor, surely the Agency has something.”
Zack shook his head. “I know you would never have done this.”
“Why not? I’m a ruthless bastard. I’m the asshole who wants to win at all costs.”
“You loved Joy. You would never have hurt her,” Zack said quietly.
Roman took a step back. “I . . . How did you know?”
“I always knew.”
“Zack, I never touched her. I never would have.”
There was an infinite amount of sympathy in Zack Hayes’s eyes, and Lara realized she would never question him again. This was the man with all his defenses down. This was the private man and all he seemed to want to do was comfort his friend. “But you loved her all the same and you’ve mourned her all these years. I believe she loved you, too. I’m not questioning you, Roman. I would never do that. If there’s one thing I know in this world, it’s that you have my back, no matter what. I know what you’ve sacrificed for me, so no one will investigate you. But there will be an investigation. Lara, I’m going to ask something of you I shouldn’t.”
“No.” Connor took a step toward her. “Zack, no. I want her out of this.”
The president wanted her to investigate. This mystery had caused her nothing but trouble and heartache. It was the most important investigation of her life and it dangled right in front of her. She probably should say no . . . but she couldn’t. “I’ll do it.”
“With my help.” Everly stood beside her, a united front. “Don’t even think of forbidding it now that it’s gotten a little dangerous, Gabriel.”
Gabe simply sighed and shook his head. “It’s only getting dangerous now? I seem to remember plenty of danger. But I won’t stop you. I’ll help you, love. We’re in this together.”
Together. She wasn’t together with Connor, but she could stay in his circle for a little while.
That shouldn’t have been appealing. She shouldn’t want to stay anywhere close to him. But she was ass deep in this investigation now and she had to see it through. “Mr. President, I want to find out what happened. I want to solve this. I’ll do it.”
“Thank you. Connor, I’m sure you understand this means I’ll need you to protect her.” Zack Hayes neatly sprung his trap.
Son of a bitch. He was a sneaky bastard.
Connor nodded and she couldn’t miss the relief she saw in his eyes. “I wasn’t planning on going back to work anytime soon. I’ll watch over the women. We’ll be in D.C. for a few days, but then we’ll head up to the city, and Everly and Lara can work on it from there.”
He would isolate her. One glance told Lara he intended to keep her close and try to work his charm on her.
Would he really go to all this trouble for a disposable woman?
“I would love to spend some time in New York. I think Everly and I will work well together.” She would figure out what to do about Connor later. She hated to admit that being forced to spend more time with him was almost a relief. “But Lincoln has to come with me.”
Connor shrugged. “I would expect no less. My place is on the Upper West Side. He can crap in Central Park.”
So he wasn’t going to fight her on bringing the dog. “I’ll need to find a good vegan grocery store.”
“You can find anything in Manhattan, Lara. And my place is a three-bedroom. You can have your own room. For however long that lasts.” His voice was a silky promise.
“Good,” Zack said, taking a
long breath. “That’s settled. I need some air. Don’t tell the Secret Service agents.”
He walked out to her balcony, the door closing firmly behind him.
