“What do you want with me?” I clarify.
“You need to understand how things work.” He places the now empty plate on the table beside him, lowers the footrest and leans forward with his elbows on his knees. “I’m not the bad guy here. I’m in charge of retaining balance. I gave you a chance to make all your dreams come true and yet you try to come after me? All your little news stories, they’re a pain in my ass. All you liberal media types are all the same. You think you’re the first to want to catch me?”
“Fuck you.”
“All you special snowflakes.” He laughs. “Think you can change the world but there’s a system here. I provide for many, I’m due what’s owed to me. That simple.”
I repeat my previous sentiment.
“Maggie, I’m tired.” He sighs again and rubs his eyes. “I’ll cut to the chase here: I want you.”
I stumble back. A new type of terror ices me.
“Not like that, doll, come on now. We’ve had our fun, and you ruined it. I want you to work for me. I want to own your loyalty.”
“Right.”
He stands. I tighten my grip on the gun.
“I’m serious. I’ve been tracking you for some time.”
This startles me and it must be obvious because he grins.
“I can’t have a loose end. You left that hotel in such a rush. You disappeared. Poof.” He snaps his fingers. “It really got to me, I’m going to be honest. I’m still not sure how you did it. Probably the same way you’re getting all this information.”
I hate how visible I am. I wish I could go Under. I can’t stand him seeing me. But there’s no point. Nowhere to run. If I leave now, I’ll have accomplished nothing. At least he’s talking.
“I couldn’t find you. Nobody knew you. Tell me how you did it?”
I don’t say anything.
“Didn’t think so. Anyway, I had to stop looking for you because one by one people all around me, very close to my inner circle but not quite in it, started getting arrested. It was the darnedest thing.”
He stops and tilts his head back, mouth open, exasperated.
“There’s this new reporter on the scene. She has information there’s no way she could have unless she was in rooms there was no way she was in. You must know this really threw me for a loop. I’ll admit you got me there.” He waves a finger at me like I was a naughty kid and he’s Santa.
“At first, when I found out who you were—” He stops to chuckle. “Oh, this is really great, it was my wife who showed me your work. She’s a fan of yours ever since you wrote that silly little article about the wives of Hollywood. Poor twit has no idea what she did. When the pieces fell into place, I thought I’d just threaten you. Get dirt on you, do whatever to make you stop.” He takes a few steps toward me.
“The noose around my neck was getting tighter.” He pauses like he hasn’t rehearsed this monologue. “Okay, not really. The noose wasn’t even close to my neck.” He stops right in front of me and holds my stare. “You should know you’ll never be able to bring me down. You’ll never be able to stop me. I’m in so many pockets, you can’t even imagine. That’s how it works in the real world. I’m protected because I keep everyone else safe.” He starts pacing again and waving his hand around. “So less like a noose, more like a gnat. Annoying me and needing to be crushed.
“But after that séance. After you walked right back into my life, I knew it was a sign. My wife was over the moon that you were undercover at our house. I was worried she’d blow it all. Honestly, I was just going to blackmail Roe for loyalty, but then he brought you into my life. Does he know that you’re a reporter?”
“No. Please. Don’t tell him. He has no idea.”
“Looks like you’ve gotten close.” He looks me up and down and shakes his head with something like disappointment. “I thought reporters knew better. You really can’t help yourself around men, can you? Spreading for whoever shows you a bit of attention. Poor Maggie.”
His words slice me. My neck inflames. I curse myself for the outburst. I may have done more damage than good. Now’s the time to go back to not speaking and not giving anything away.
“I’m not sure how you’ve convinced him he can ‘see ghosts’ but you’re talented. I truly believe we’re made to work together.”
“You’re insane.”
“Listen, this’ll all go a lot faster if you just agree. I’ve given you your little gun so you can pretend to have a semblance of power but you don’t. I own you.”
“You’ll never own me.”
“You act like it wouldn’t be beneficial to you. Money out the ass. Cars. Whatever you want.”
