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He rolled his finger in circles on the table before answering, as if the tidbit he was about to tell me was juicy. “His father is currently a key advisor to the governor, one brother is a senator, and the other a high-ranking military man serving in the Pentagon. That’s why the kid got off. Not because the prosecutor of the case botched it. Someone was paid very well to provide an alibi.”
I sat back. “This situation smells of a conspiracy that’s been going on for a long time. That also makes me think that in eliminating these particular women, widespread threats were issued. If I had to venture a guess, I’d say after the murders several power players suddenly either stopped backing a political opponent or put all their money behind a member of what we’ll call a secret consortium.”
“You are very astute, my friend. With what you provided today, the pieces are starting to fall into place.”
“Except you’re surprised women are behind this well thought out coup.”
“Yes, I must admit it. And if the assumptions we’ve made are anywhere close to being correct, then we will need to act quickly.” He lifted his glass. “And hunt down the people involved.”
“Agreed. However, a bloody war isn’t in our best interest.”
“For once I agree with you.”
We clinked glasses and while I wasn’t convinced this was some political coup that had been going on for years, I couldn’t erase the facts. It would seem my beautiful attorney would become more valuable than she realized. Getting her out of town was imperative before she was considered a liability. We both tooklong swallows and I immediately moved to stand. “I’ll provide you with my personal information and be in touch. I’m leaving tonight. The pipeline will be open as soon as it’s feasible. My beautiful friend will work on how best we can derail this plan.”
“What is the saying, my friend,” Liam said as he stood. “Good things come to those who wait. I will ask that when we find out who killed my brother and sister-in-law that I be allowed to handle that particular situation.”
“Fair enough. The pain of losing a family member is difficult.”
“Yes, more than I understood. Safe travels. Just a word of warning. The people you’re talking about are powerful in a different way. My brother always warned me that even highly respected people usually will cross the line into the dark side if they are convinced or coerced into doing so. Where we are up front about our intentions, they are not.”
“Yes, that’s very much something I understand. As my father told me. Everyone has a price.”
He laughed. “So true. Don’t forget your case of whiskey. It should keep you warm on those cold nights in Montreal. Perhaps I’ll get up there one day.”
“You’re always welcome.”
“Thank you for the invitation.”
As I walked out, the crowd became quiet as it had done before but no one attempted to make a move on us. I was no fool, knowing that Liam couldn’t be fully trusted and given the chance, he’d cross that line into a darker side. But for now, the blood loss would remain at a minimum.
Unless we both determined otherwise.
CHAPTER 19
Sedona
Espionage.
That’s what I was planning on doing by stealing information from my office. Well, technically it shouldn’t be considered thievery. Who was I kidding? If my affair with the sexy man didn’t end my career, what I was in the middle of doing certainly would. I rubbed my hands down my arms, trying to control my breathing.
And my perspiration.
While I’d had little time to go through my suspicions, they’d been enough to realize that what was likely happening would soon become explosive. However, the conspiracy theory we’d developed wouldn’t be easily believed by anyone. That’s where what I intended on doing came in. The more evidence we found, the better off we’d be.
Or we’d both be killed.
It was crazy what I was thinking, the thought driving me to the point of being physically ill. But my gut told me I was right about Christine and her friends. Now if only I could find something that would begin derailing their plan. Maybe I was fooling myself I could do something of this nature without being caught. Jonny had almost refused to allow me to come to work, only doing so after I made a damn good argument about gathering evidence.
I was very good at my job.
Somehow, the admittance didn’t provide any comfort at this point.
Working throughout the day had been difficult, but necessary. I was meeting Jonny after work at a restaurant downtown, which wasn’t necessarily in my best interest or his, but we had to determine a course of action. The court date was looming, and I’d need to pretend I was working toward getting a conviction or Christine and her merry band of vicious women might find another way of attacking.
I still had difficulty believing she could be so evil in her determination to fulfill her childhood dreams, but in truth, nothing should surprise me any longer. That didn’t mean I wasn’t sick to my stomach, everything I’d believed in being challenged. I’d been the good girl, following rules to the letter, ensuring I did the right thing. Now I was beginning to wonder whether I hadn’t been drinking some of the Kool-Aid Christine obviously had been, my desire to become the most highly respected prosecutor at a young age pushing me into something wrong.
I’d spent some time thinking about other cases, wondering if in my push for a guilty verdict I’d cut corners or stretched evidence.Christine had mentored me closely over the years, providing tips and tricks.
