‘Her things? You mean the things you had me buy for her?’ Fury shrivelled her face, and red blotches covered her cheeks. ‘You broke up. I just took them back.’
‘Oh, Margaret,’ Bowtie Boy groaned.
Josh had heard enough. He started leading her to the door. ‘Let’s go down to the station, and you can tell me all about it.’
The woman dug her flat brown heels in and craned her head over her shoulder. ‘She wasn’t good for you, Samuel. I had to make you stop.’
The senator’s eyebrows jumped, and he stepped forward. ‘Margaret, did you call those reporters?’
Josh stopped in his tracks. Had she?
The senator’s face flushed. He stood rigidly, with his jaw tightened just like it was that night at the Emissary Hotel. ‘Did you have them break in on us? Did you think you could intrude on my personal life that way?’
Gunderson waited for a response, but his assistant looked away. She stared at the door with tears now spilling down her cheeks.
It wasn’t a confession, but it wasn’t a denial. Josh would have to press for one or the other when he got her into interrogation.
‘Come on.’ He jerked his chin, and the Capitol policeman opened the door.
Josh was carving a path through the onlookers when behind him he heard the senator call his remaining assistant.
‘Get me Brody Haynes.’
* * *
Hours later when Josh stepped into the Luxxor lobby, it was fuller than he’d ever seen it. People were standing about, talking quietly. He stopped just inside the door. Maybe it wasn’t the best time for him to drop by.
‘There he is,’ Rielle said, spotting him.
He lifted an eyebrow when everyone turned. He didn’t usually get this kind of reception. People typically ran the other way when they saw him coming. His gaze went to Nina, but she wasn’t giving him a warning look.
Or an icy look or a haughty one.
He kind of missed those. They’d made him want to shake her up. But this? He wasn’t certain what he was supposed to do.
She glanced at the others. He expected her to wave him to her office to talk, but instead she surprised him by hooking her hair over her ear and stepping towards him.
‘What happened?’ she asked. ‘Did you arrest Margaret Harris?’
So they were going to do this here? All right. He planted his hands on his hips. ‘She’s being processed as we speak.’
‘Yes,’ Rielle squeaked. She turned to Sienna and gave her a hug.
Nina took another step forward. The shoes today were orange to match her snug skirt. Orange with straps up her ankles. Where did she find the things?
‘So she’s the one?’ she asked. ‘Is this all over?’
Josh looked her square in the eye. He knew how much she wanted to hear that it was, but he wouldn’t lie to her. ‘She broke into Genieve’s place. I got her dead to rights for burglary. You called it. She’s in love with Gunderson. She couldn’t bear to see him with someone else.’
Especially a flashy extrovert like Genieve.
‘But the rest?’ Nina pressed. ‘The break-in at the hotel?’
And the photo of the two of them? She didn’t say it, but that was the missing piece that was bothering him the most, too.
Josh shook his head. ‘I haven’t been able to make any connection there yet.’
‘She wouldn’t talk?’
His eyes narrowed. ‘She lawyered up. Compliments of your friend Brody Haynes, I suspect.’
He watched as Nina’s pupils flared and her toe began tapping in that insanely hot shoe. She wasn’t happy about that either. Good.
‘Why would he do that?’ Rielle exclaimed ‘I thought Brody was on Genieve’s side.’
Nina wrapped her arms around her waist. Her expression was contained, but Josh could see the tiny muscle in her temple throbbing. She was more than unhappy. Haynes was about to catch some of the heat that he used to.
‘He probably did it to keep her quiet,’ she said icily.
The corner of Josh’s lips twitched. Oh, yeah. He hadn’t seen this side of her for a while.
‘But she’s the one, right? This Margaret Harris?’ Rielle asked. ‘You just haven’t been able to prove it yet.’
Josh looked at the pretty office manager. ‘Maybe.’
‘But your gut says no.’ Darien was leaning back against his girlfriend’s desk with his legs stretched out before him. The laidback pose was misleading. He was reading all the subtle tells, too.
Josh folded his arms across his chest. He wasn’t being called out. Maybe somebody in this room could help him see the forest for the trees. ‘I can’t find a link between Margaret Harris and the reporters. If she picked them at random, wouldn’t she have gone with a news station that was more well-known?’
Darien nodded. He was tracking the logic.
‘And why send them to the hotel like that? If the senator’s career was damaged, then hers would be, too. He’s up for re-election. If he’s not in Congress next year, she doesn’t have a job.’
Nina tapped her nails against her elbow. They were orange to match. Josh was suddenly developing a serious thing for the colour.
‘Maybe she didn’t care.’
He frowned.
‘About the job,’ she said. ‘I looked her up today too. She’s a small-town girl. Maybe she thought if she got rid of everything in her way, he’d finally see her. He’d finally turn to her, and they could run away and start a life together.’
‘That sounds like a fairytale,’ Sienna said.
And it sounded like exactly the thing Margaret Harris would believe. Josh hadn’t had much time to question her before her lawyer had swooped in and closed down all discussion, but it fit. The woman was so wound up in Gunderson, she didn’t see very far beyond that.
‘You really think so?’ He watched Nina carefully. The male-female thing was more in her realm of expertise than his.
‘People can’t think straight when they’re in love,’ she said.
No kidding.
‘You’re right about that,’ he said softly.
It all fit, in a Picasso sort of way. Yet there was still the matter of the photo that had been sent to Higgins. Margaret Harris hadn’t recognised him. Had she been too overwhelmed about being caught? Because that photo of him and Nina kissing was pretty damn unforgettable.
No, that photo was key.
Someone had tried to get him kicked off the case. Or worse.
‘Well, Genieve must be happy to know Margaret’s been caught,’ Rielle said.
‘She is,’ Josh said. ‘I just spoke to her.’
‘And Brody?’ Nina asked.
‘You should probably let Genieve have first crack at him.’
Darien pushed himself off the desk in a smooth motion and caught his girl’s hand. ‘Maybe you don’t have all the kinks worked out yet, but I think we should still celebrate. Who’s up for dinner?’
Rielle’s eyes widened, but the expression on her face turned hopeful. Sienna’s hand went to the end of her braid, and she waited, too.
Josh looked at Nina. They hadn’t exactly made a public announcement. They’d been seeing each other, but he doubted she’d said much to her staff. He knew how she felt about them gossiping about her. To be honest, he hadn’t said anything to anyone either. Higgins and the captain had seen the picture, but that case had been put to bed.
Then again, they hadn’t exactly been quiet the other day when they’d been locked inside her office together. How much soundproofing did the walls around here have?
He waited – and found his skin prickling.
Nina stood stock-still. Her pretty brown eyes flared, but just enough for him to see. ‘I’d like that,’ she finally said softly.
And Josh found he could breathe again. ‘Sounds good to me.’
Rielle beamed, and Sienna blinked fast.
Darien just clapped his hands. ‘Good. No more tiptoeing around that. Where are we going? Stoney’s?’
Josh rolled his eyes. The place was a little too ‘down home’ for Nina. It was his first night out with her. ‘Maybe someplace a little classier than that?’
‘Is that the place with the grilled cheese sandwiches?’ she asked.
He frowned. ‘You’ve been there?’
‘No, but I’ve heard about it.’ Her hand brushed over her stomach inconspicuously.
She was hungry. And no wonder. She’d been eating like a bird since all this had gone down. Screw the awkwardness of the whole new couple thing. Josh caught her hand. ‘I’m buying. Let’s go.’
The others hurried to follow, except Sienna who begged off to have dinner with Jason. They all loaded onto the elevator, and Darien hooked his arm around Rielle. He looked pointedly at where Josh still held Nina’s hand. ‘Stop it, you two. You’re embarrassing us.’
Rielle swatted his chest. ‘Darien.’
Josh watched as Nina lifted an eyebrow.
Uh oh.
She stepped away from the side of the elevator and turned on those impossibly high orange heels. She let go of his hand only to catch the lapels of his jacket and tug him forward. He went willingly, wrapping his arms around her tight waist as she pressed her mouth to his. The kiss was hot enough to curl his hair. When he heard a merry ding and the doors opening, he realised he’d missed three floors.
She pulled back and tidied her lipstick. She caught his hand and threw the other couple a challenging look as she pulled him out of the elevator.
Darien and Rielle looked stunned.
Josh hid his grin. They’d messed with the queen bee and had gotten stung.
He was a lucky man.
* * *
Stoney’s was halfway busy when they arrived, but they found a table for four in the back. Josh saw Nina eyeing the carousel with ketchup and mustard sitting on the table. He wondered how long it had been since she’d been inside a joint like this. Had she ever? He glanced around the place. To him, it was kind of sharp with its bright-blue and red walls. It was just a neighbourhood bar, but she’d gone to finishing school. She attended events at the Capitol and hung around with sports stars, politicians and millionaires.
Yet the woman was hungry for a grilled cheese sandwich. He waved his hand to signal a waiter. Damned if he was going to make her wait for one.
They ordered, and he caught her hand under the table. She squeezed back, and he settled their joined hands on his thigh.
The waiter brought their drinks, and Darien took a sip of his beer.
‘Are you back to work?’ Josh asked.
‘Yeah, started this week.’
‘Not a moment too soon,’ Rielle teased.
‘You look like you feel better,’ Nina commented.
Darien trailed his finger down Rielle’s forearm over the scar that was still red. ‘This hurts me more than anything.’
Josh knew what the guy meant.
He didn’t like the thought of Nina in danger. Did Margaret Harris really have the wherewithal to go after Luxxor the way she had? Or was it just Genieve who’d been in her line of sight?
‘You’re thinking about the case again,’ Nina said softly.
‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘Comes with the job.’
‘So lay it out for us,’ Darien said. ‘What are you stuck on?’
Josh shrugged. ‘It’s the TMI News thing, for one. You didn’t see the look in Margaret’s eyes. I don’t think she would have gone after Gunderson like that.’
‘You think the job was important to her?’
‘She knew it was important to him. And then there’s the sex thing.’
Rielle’s cheeks turned pink, and she shot a look at Nina.
Josh rolled his shoulders in discomfort. ‘Genieve and the ol’ boy weren’t doing anything too risqué, but Margaret Harris seems pretty straitlaced. I don’t think she’d want him filmed while doing that.’
Darien nodded. ‘And what else? Something’s niggling at you.’
Josh hesitated for a long moment. What could it hurt? ‘Somebody sent a picture of Nina and me out on our first date to the station.’
Rielle’s eyes widened. ‘I didn’t know that.’
‘That’s why they tried to toss you from the case,’ Darien said.
‘Margaret Harris didn’t even blink when she saw me, though. I don’t think she knew who I was.’
‘Maybe she knew you had her for the burglary, but she didn’t want to implicate herself for anything more?’ Nina suggested.
Josh shook his head. ‘It doesn’t fit. Why push it that hard? She wanted to break up Genieve and the senator. I don’t think she wanted him thrown in jail for soliciting.’
Everyone at the table went still.
Hell. Nice way to go on their first date out with mixed company.
Nina squeezed his hand. ‘Even if she did, she came away with no proof.’
He sighed and squeezed her hand back. ‘Yeah. There was no proof.’
Their food came then, and their attention turned to eating. Josh watched as Nina daintily picked up the grilled cheese sandwich from her plate. The bread was toasted just right, and the cheese had been melted to the point where it threatened to drip. One bite, and her eyes closed in pleasure.
He smiled. She could go slumming with him whenever she wanted. He was happy to put on the penguin costume and accompany her to her fancy events in return. He was a Morgan. His mother had made sure his table manners were good and he knew all the social niceties.
He relaxed, happy in the moment. There were plenty of obstacles in their way, but maybe they could find a way to meet in the middle.
They finished the meal of comfort food and were lingering over drinks when a news report came on the television nearest their table. It was about the arrest of Senator Gunderson’s Congressional aide and how she’d broken into his ex-girlfriend’s home and most likely prompted the break-up in the first place. The story really did come together nicely from that angle.
Gunderson’s polling numbers were through the roof.
He was up by twenty-six points over his rival, Kevin Murphy. They showed the oft-repeated clip of Gunderson breaking down when he told the press that Genieve had left him.
‘Mr Murphy,’ the reporter said as they cut to another clip. ‘Any comments?’
‘It’s sad to see a small-town girl from Kenosha Falls drop to such a level, but it’s time that we start talking about the issues important to voters, not the senator’s love life.’
The reporter finished the story, promising to bring viewers updates as they occurred, but Josh sat up so quickly in his chair, it scraped against the laminate flooring. ‘Kenosha Falls? How’d he know about that?’
‘It’s Margaret Harris’s hometown,’ Nina said. ‘I looked it up today. Very small, under a thousand people, maybe.’
Josh looked straight at Darien. ‘Where’s Murphy from?’ they asked at the same time.
Four smart phones came out, but Rielle had the fastest thumbs. She turned hers around. ‘Kenosha Falls.’
Suddenly, the puzzle pieces snapped together. Who would have the most to gain from the senator being disgraced or arrested? Who could best tap into the frustrations of a young woman out in the big, bad working world but somebody from back home?
Josh dug into his pocket for his wallet and tossed enough money to cover his and Nina’s meals onto the table. ‘Sorry to eat and run, but I need to go.’
Nina took her napkin out of her lap and folded it. ‘Thank you for inviting us. It really was delicious.’
Josh stared at her. ‘Where do you think you’re going?’
Her chin lowered, and she met him with a steely-eyed look. ‘With you.’
Chapter Fourteen
It wasn’t difficult to get Kevin Murphy’s address – not when you moved in the circles that Nina did. It also wasn’t difficult for her to get an appointment with the man. She simply called and asked for one.
‘He’s just inviting us over?’ Josh said. His expression darkened. ‘I do
n’t like it.’
‘He knows why we’re coming,’ Nina said. ‘It’s time we all talked.’
She pushed her hair behind her ear and looked out the window. It was dark. Spring had been pushing sunset back further and further, but nighttime in DC was still her favourite time of the day. All the monuments were lit, and they were somehow even more majestic with the stark backdrop of stars.
She looked at the Jefferson Memorial as they crossed the Potomac into Virginia. The state was only a river away, and the proximity gave DC residents their closest view into state politics in return.
From what she’d seen, that part was ugly.
They drove past the urban sprawl of northern Virginia and headed northwest to Loudoun County, DC’s horse and wine country. It was getting almost past acceptable visiting hours when they arrived at Murphy’s residence. The estate was impressive. The Senate candidate had a nice piece of land, complete with a red barn and horses. The animals were bedded down for the night, but Nina saw the corral that awaited them in the morning.
‘He did well for himself in the news game,’ she said.
‘Why would he leave it for politics?’ Josh asked.
‘The need for power … The desire to do good …’ The two could get so easily flipped. She’d actually paid some attention to the man as a candidate. She toyed with her earring. As a DC resident she had no vote to cast, but she had a feeling she was about to change her opinion.
Josh stopped the car in the circular drive in front of the house. It was lit up just as brightly as the Lincoln Memorial just a few dozen miles away, complete with white pillars holding up the wrap-around porch.
He got out and rounded the car. He opened her door, and Nina smoothed her skirt. Orange really wasn’t her choice for a confrontation like this. She would have preferred her black suit or, even better, the red. But orange would have to do.
The shoes certainly went for the throat.
‘Remember, I’m taking the lead,’ Josh said.
She took his arm and walked at his side.
‘I’m serious, Nina. Stay behind me if something happens. This is police business, or it could be.’
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