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I am dismantling this nest of vipers.
Your willing protectors won’t be able to save you this time.
Villefort has fallen.
Danglars has fallen.
You are next.You will lose it all and the truth will come out.
Brenda Montgomery Spring“It’s all a bunch of nonsense. I have no idea what the person is referring to and the fact that they keep using my wife’s name…” The crack in Gerald’s voice brought Shane’s eyes back up to the other man. He felt for him. Losing a beloved wife and then seeing his attacker use her name in such a disrespectful manner. It was more than painful…it was odd.
“I’ve seen your wife’s name in newspapers a few times, and it was always listed as Brenda Spring. Did she usually include Montgomery? That’s her maiden name, correct?”
“Yes, and no, she didn’t use it after we married.” Gerald paused and gave a little shake of his head as if to clear it. “I thought this person was using it as a way to prove that they know my personal life. But my wife made no secret that she was born a Montgomery. You could find that in a two-minute search online.”
“Villefort and Danglars?”
“No idea. Never heard of them.”
Shane nodded, staring down at the paper in his hands. The names sounded familiar, tickling some shadowy part in the back of his brain, but he couldn’t begin to guess where he’d heard them. He needed to get back to his office and start digging around. Talk to Quinn. The hacker had a quick brain and an insane store of random knowledge. It would be good to bounce the note off him.
“Shane, I need this settled as quickly as possible,” Gerald said with a new urgency.
“I know, sir.”
“I’m worried about my girls. I need to protect them. I’m terrified of this person getting desperate when there’s nothing to find. I don’t want my girls in danger.”
“I won’t let that happen, sir. I know we can track this hacker down and catch them before the election.” He set his empty glass on the edge of the mayor’s desk and folded the threatening message before putting it in his back pocket.
“Thank you, Shane.” Gerald paused and pressed his fingers onto his forehead, rubbing. His gaze became distant, staring off in the direction of the kitchen. “I…I just don’t know what I’d do without my girls.”
“I’ve noticed that you also have a private bodyguard.”
Gerald nodded. “Carl Smythe. He’s been with me for a few years now. Since I first took office. There were some threats in the early days. Nothing major. Just some noisy trolls. I brought him on just to settle my wife’s mind.”
“Do you have any other security?”
“The usual home security and the guard at the gate during the day. I don’t want to bring on more. It would only disrupt my girls’ lives and frighten them.”
“I understand. We’ll get this taken care of soon. I know it.”
Gerald led the way back to the main entrance. Shane stopped at another wall of pictures. There were more of the mayor’s wife here and Shane stepped close, his attention caught by several. He recognized the greenhouse from the Krohn Conservatory. Brenda Spring, small and delicate, stood smiling with a group of people in several of them.
“She adored that place,” the mayor said as he came up behind him.
“Did your wife work there?” Shane pointed at one of the images. “This looks like a company Christmas photo.”
“She volunteered there while our daughters were in school during the days.”
“Thanks. I’m going to get back to the office and see what I can find about this email.”
The girls waved good-bye as he left. Before Shane was out of the driveway, he had his father on the phone. “Hey, Dad, do you still have that friend at Krohn Conservatory? Could you hook me up with her?”
There was a clatter in the background and the loud rock music Abe played while working in his garage was abruptly turned off. “Son, she’s sixty.…And since when do you need help getting a date?”
Shane snorted. “Like I’d ask you to set me up. And with a woman?”
His dad laughed.
“This is work related. And yeah, I do fine on that all on my own.”
“Oh really?” More shuffling noises sounded and he wondered what kind of furniture the old man was building now. He’d been an accountant most of Shane’s life and he still worked freelance—especially during tax season. But more and more, he’d been leaning toward woodworking projects. They’d started out as gifts for friends, and it turned out Abe Stephens had a knack for it. Plus, he loved it so Shane was thrilled people had started ordering pieces from him. Abe cleared his throat. “Anyone you want to introduce to your old man, yet?”
Quinn’s face, slack with pleasure, filled his mind and he grew warm thinking about seeing that expression again later tonight. “No, Dad. I’m not looking for anything serious enough for that.”
