My laugh catches me off guard. “What?”
Danny just looks around and lowers his voice. “This is entirely off the record, but the senator isn’t as shiny as he likes to make out.”
I put the coffee down on the side and shift closer. “Seriously? Why do you work for him then?”
Danny shrugs. “Figure I can do more good on the inside, you know?”
I raise a brow. “How very heroic of you.”
“Shh you or I’ll take back the coffee.”
I twist my lips. “About that, I actually kind of hate coffee.”
“Ah, well, there goes my plan to ask you out for coffee this weekend.” He shoots me a sheepish smile, and I realize flirting your way into places comes with consequences.
“Oh, I um. I’m actually seeing someone.” You know, if you count accidentally going on a date with a serial killer and then letting him interrogate you with a vibrator as seeing someone.
Danny reaches into his jacket pocket and hands me his card. “Well, if you change your mind, the Senator is hosting a fundraising gala this weekend. Might be a good way to get close to him…”
I smile in amusement. “Are you leveraging your insider knowledge to get me to go on a date with you?”
Danny grins. “Is it working?”
“Nope, definitely not,” I say, even as I take the business card. He shifts his hand a little, so our fingers touch, and I shoot him a look.
His eyes round, all innocent and puppy dog. “An accident, I swear.”
“Uh huh, why don’t I trust a word you say?”
Danny glances up at the still blacked out office. “Because I work for a corrupt politician?”
He says it as a joke but all the evidence found with Flynn’s victims flick through my mind. I think I came here to warn Senator Claren, but what if he’s not the good guy?
“Is he? Corrupt?”
Danny glances around the office before looking back at me, his voice quiet. “I guess that’s what we need people like you to find out, right?”
I blink, buying time in the space it takes me to remember I’m supposed to be a reporter, then nod along. “I guess so.”
Danny straightens up and nods towards the card between my fingers. “Come to the gala, Hazel.” He walks away before I can give him an answer and I’m left standing by the coffee bar, not entirely sure what to do with myself. All I know is that the count for attractive, non-deadly guys who want to date me has just gone up to two and yet the only guy I’m thinking about is Flynn.
Upstairs, the glass wall turns see-through again and I catch sight of the senator leaving his office. A moment later he appears on the floating stairs, briefcase in hand.
Sleuthing 101 here we go.
I hang around by the coffee machine a little longer and then time my walk so I’m following him out onto the street. If I’m honest with myself, I came here to warn Claren. Maybe the senator is corrupt. Maybe Flynn has a reason for wanting him dead. But when it comes down to it, I’m not sure I can stand by and let Flynn kill another person. Not when I can do something about it.
The street outside is fairly busy, office workers heading out to grab some lunch. Ahead of me, a chauffeur opens the door to a Sedan and I pick up the pace, my converse slapping against the sidewalk. The senator glances back at me and I imagine what I’ll say.
Hi there, I know you’re busy, I just thought I should let you know that I think the Vigilante Choker is going to try and kill you soon.
I wince. Even I can tell it’s enough to get me committed to a psych ward. Still, the senator’s almost in his car and I have to say something.
My mouth is half open when a hand scoops over my face and I’m swung into a side street.
I scream into the hand, limbs flaying to fight my attacker but then I’m spun around and Flynn’s trademark curls come into view.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Lilac?”
