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And while she was still stewing and considering another intimidation tactic, Elle had the gall to say, “I have a busy day, too, Ms. Calloway.”
Swallowing her pride, Shauna said, “Name your conditions.”
Elle disconnected, tossed down the cordless extension of Glenda’s landline, and turned to Calder. “Did you hear what she said? She implied how lucky it was that the shooting had amped up my book sales. Myjourney? When she said Charlie’s name as part of that treacle, I wanted to scream.”
“That was all a power play. She was champing at the bit; she just didn’t want you to know it.”
Elle shoved back a hank of hair. “At least the interview is on. She agreed to the terms.”
“Don’t take her word for it.”
“If she begins to fudge, I’ll walk out.”
“Walk out of where? You told her you’d text her the location. Not here, surely.”
“No. But I’ve given it thought. Glenda’s dad keeps a boat in a huge warehouse on Lake Ray Hubbard. It’s tricked out. Jukebox. Large bar. He hosts parties there. Otherwise, it’s locked up tight and enclosed by a tall cyclone fence. No one will be around.”
She took in Calder’s visible worry. “What? You don’t like that location?”
“It’s not that. It’s the whole thing, Elle.”
“When I advanced the idea, you said, ‘I like it.’”
“Now that I’ve had time to think, I’m second-guessing.”
“Why?”
“For one thing, Compton and Perkins will go apeshit.”
“This coming from the man who’s defied and eluded them twice?”
“Which is why they’ll go apeshit.”
“If I ask permission, they’ll confer, ponder, weigh the pros and cons, ask the sheriff himself, and ultimately the answer will be no. I’m doing it. I’ll beg their forgiveness after.” She could see that his concerns weren’t assuaged. “What else?”
“I should go with you.”
“No. Your presence would change the dynamic. The interview can’t be about our triangle.”
“It won’t be. We’ll stick to the subject.”
“There’s no way the three of us can be in close proximity and not radiate hostility. It’s bound to come across. Besides, doing this by myself will have more impact. A challenge to the shooter coming from me will be much more effective than one coming from you.”
“How do you figure?”
“An aggressive message would be expected of you, a male. I’m eight inches shorter and eighty pounds lighter. I’m a homebody who writes about clouds. Tears and trembling are what everyone will expect from me, including Shauna. I want to take her and the shooter off guard.” She waited, then said, “I’m right. Admit it.”
He didn’t admit it, but he didn’t relent, either. “It’ll make for better viewing if you emotionally crumble. She’ll push you for tears.”
“I’m prepared for that.”
“You’renot. She’s got a bottomless bag of tricks.”
“Like what?”
“Like tripping you up, getting you to say more than you intended, admit something, deny something. She’ll throw out a question so unexpected that it’ll disarm you, leave you stymied. I’ve seen her do it a thousand times to people who have undergone training on how to handle the media. They’re thrashed before they know what’s hit them.”
“What you’re saying is that she’s smarter than I am.”
