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“Yes. As highly ranked in the New World Sparrows as Smythe.”
“Garry… Smythe’s known about Aoife for years. He found her for me, for God’s sake. Why’s he leveraging that information now?” He scowled. “You’re wrong. Garry can’t be a goddamn Sparrow. He’s my youngest son’s godfather!”
“I’m afraid he is, sir.”
“Where’s your proof?”
“You don’t want to know what proof I have. If you knew, you’d have to act, and you can’t.”
“Why can’t I? I’m the president of the United States!”
“You’re a POTUS who’s pledged to eradicate the New World Sparrows from his government when his top advisor and his AG are Sparrows! You’d be laughed out of the Capitol.
“They’re a problem, sir. They won’t go away. They’re all pests that are difficult to eradicate but they’re due to meet in a day’s time. I will be intercepting that meeting and they’ll no longer be a problem for either of us. However, I need your help.”
“I don’t need to know this,” he choked out. “If the truth comes out, it comes out. I won’t hide her—”
“Don’t be selfish,” I snapped, my anger genuinely focused on his goddamn ego and his inability to process that this option was not beneficial for the daughter he professed to care about. “You might be okay with, how did you phrase it? Your ‘dirty little secret’ coming out, but Aoife’s got a life of her own. Do you think she needs to be dragged into your political battles? Her world torn to shreds by the press because you couldn’t keep it rubbered up when you were cheating on your wife nearly thirty years ago?”
His mouth rounded. “She’s my daughter. I shouldn’t deny her—”
“What you should do is consider her wishes first. If you can protect her from the truth coming out, then that’s what you should do.
“She’s a businesswoman in her own right, an influencer who’s built her reputation on good values. You could destroy everything she’s worked so hard for by being reckless.”
“Reckless? I’d be ruining my reputation too!”
“Unnecessarily!”
“And what do you propose I do?”
“Let me deal with our mutual problems.”
He stared at me. “You mean murder them?”
“I mean ‘deal with’ them,” I said coolly.
“I can’t be involved in this,” he rasped. “Losing my career is one thing; going to jail for conspiracy to commit murder is another.”
“You’re not conspiring to do anything,” I disregarded. “In the aftermath of their disappearances, it will be revealed that David Foundry owns shares in a brothel in Las Vegas. It’s a farm for blackmail as a lot of senior politicians use it.
“I will pass on the information to the press and they will start their hunt into the clients of said brothel and your government will be in a shitstorm that you can ride through with your fancy approval ratings to reelection. Unless you were also a client?" At his rapid headshake, I mused, "There's no point in lying to me. I'll find out soon enough."
"I'm not lying. Whores have never been my vice."
I hummed my disbelief but merely said, "Regardless, amid the maelstrom, Foundry’s and Smythe’s disappearances can be covered up.
“That’s your role in this. Don’t ask questions. As you said, Smythe has become a part of your family. The president would wade into any investigations on his next-of-kin's behalf. Don’t do that. Keep your distance.”
“It’ll seem strange if I don’t!”
“It won’t. You should expect a call from Mr. Kuznetsov later.” His eyes bugged at Kuznetsov’s name. “He permitted me to speak to you before him which I’ve done as a courtesy to Aoife. This isn’t a request, sir. It will become an order.
“Much like you helped provide your wife with a pocket of space where she found herself without the Secret Service, you will appear to facilitate the investigations into Foundry’s and Smythe’s disappearances but you will do no more than you are legally obliged to. Much as you’ve done with the investigation into the First Lady’s death.” My top lip quirked into a sneer. “Turning a blind eye is something I think you’re good at.”
Straightening, I moved from the wall and headed into the living room.
Before I reached the doorway, he rasped, “In our Brothers we trust?”
