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She nodded, anger and purpose in her eyes. “I’ll do whatever I can to help bring him down. Even though my husband retired, Carson continued to threaten his reputation. In a town like this, it’s all you’ve got, you know? Oh, how I despise that man.”
Tanner nodded. He’d wondered why Imogene was still loyal to Carson. “Okay, we’ll get on a call with Alan Litrell, and he can give you the particulars.”
“I’m ready. And Tanner? Thank you for giving me a second chance. This was the worst thing I’ve ever done in my life. I’ve felt terrible about it.”
“I know. And we forgive you.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Carly
Istopped bythe office after leaving the hospital, and when I arrived, I noticed both Tanner and Imogene’s cars there. It hit me then; Imogene was the informant to Carson. I’d not taken the time to think it through earlier. It explained why she’d been late to work yesterday since we were still low on coffee.
They were on a call together in the conference room when I got inside. Tanner waved me in. I lifted my eyebrows in question. Clearly, they’d made peace—and a deal with Alan Litrell.
“Imogene, I appreciate your willingness to work with us and I assure you we will have your back at all times during this process.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Litrell. I’m honored you’re putting your trust in me, and that—well—that Tanner is willing to give me another chance. I feel terrible about ratting them out to that awful man.”
My earlier suspicion about Imogene was now confirmed. I looked over at Tanner and saw the disappointment in his grim expression. I guess he’d already figured it out and decided to try and capitalize on it. An offer she couldn’t very well refuse.
“We all have the same goal here, so let’s leave it in the past. What we’ll need you to do is—” Alan went on to lay out a plan to plant bugs in Carson’s office. She would meet with Carson at the end of the day as scheduled. Tomorrow they would supply her with the listening devices.
Once the call ended, we all kind of looked at each other, slightly awkwardly. “Carly—I want to apologize—” Imogene began.
I held up my hand to stop her from saying anything further. “I accept your apology. You’ve been in a tough spot. Carson has been manipulating people all over town for a long time. We’re going to stop him and you’re going to be a big part of that.”
Imogene nodded. “I’ll do everything I can to help bring him down.”
“Good. It will solve a lot of problems, especially for Tanner.”
Tanner looked up from writing notes on his legal pad. “I’ve still got a court date Monday to appear in front of Judge Keller, as ridiculous as that sounds.” With everything else happening we hadn’t really discussed his going to court to fight Carson’s lawsuit against him.
“You’ve got to get Carson to drop the suit so you can get on with your life and get started with your business.”
“They’re both under investigation now. It’s such a conflict of interest to have Keller involved at all. There’s no way Carson will give an inch on this. It’s his only play now to hurt me. He’s like a rat backed into a corner ready to chew his way through anything or anyone in his path.”
I nodded. “I’m not one to underestimate him, even backed into a corner.” Carson was somebody that nobody should discount, not until he was locked in a cell with a long, long sentence. “What about the threats to bring him before the state bar for his behavior?”
“His only response to that was when he stormed over the night we had our fish fry. Otherwise, he’s never responded to them. He’s certainly not dropped his complaint with the court.”
“Maybe Judge Watkins can have the case pushed to him instead of Keller since there’s such a conflict of interest with all the recent stuff you’ve filed. I mean, there’s no way Keller would find in your favor after you’ve brought evidence to the DA regarding his corruption.”
“If everything plays out like it should, there won’t be a case because Carson will be in jail,” Tanner said.
“I hate to tell you this, but I’ve got to go to Carson’s office now. I’m supposed to be there to give him an update on what y’all are doing,” Imogene said. “So, what would you have me tell him?”
Tanner looked over at me. “What do you think would sound realistic?”
“Maybe she should tell him that we were discussing the court date and that we’re concerned about Judge Keller’s being on the bench for the hearing. It gives him information but nothing specific aboutwhatwe’re doing. Oh, and tell him Marie is in the hospital. It’ll let him know that nobody can get near her.”
Imogene nodded. “Yes. I know he doesn’t want anything else provable tied to him. He underestimates me. Thinks I’m so frightened that I would never turn on him. The old buzzard.”
“That should be enough to satisfy him for today. Tomorrow we’ll get you set up with the listening devices.”
After Imogene left, I remembered to invite Tanner over for stuffed crabs at Nana’s house. “I know it’s been a long day, but she wants to celebrate our springing Marie from Pine Hill. Plus, she’s been cooking all day. Jake and Leah will be there and my parents, of course, though that’s not a selling point, I know.”
Tanner laughed. “I’d be delighted to join your family for dinner. I’ll head over to the trailer and take a quick shower and meet you there. Ithasbeen quite a day, hasn’t it?” He smiled at me then.Thatsmile. The one that had my inner middle school girl crush waking up to full attention like latent antibodies when exposed to a known virus. Only not to fight it.
