She was silent for a long moment. I thought she wouldn’t respond, but when I refused to break eye contact with her she looked more confused than upset that I’d discovered her big secret.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“Tad was blackmailing you,” I repeated, refusing to back down. This was our one tangible lead and I had no intention of letting it slip away. “You used to be Leona Lewis. You lost your job for sleeping with a student.”
The color drained from her cheeks and I thought there was a chance she might pass out. Instead, she reached out to grab the back of a nearby bench to keep herself upright and let out a shaky breath. “You know.”
I knit my eyebrows as I tried to put the pieces of what was happening together. “You don’t seem upset that I know.”
“I figured it was only a matter of time once I started getting the letters.”
“The letters?” Now I was confused.
She dug in her purse and came back with a simple sheet of notebook paper. It still boasted the ragged edges from where it had been torn from a pad. A simple message scrawled across it: If you don’t want anyone to know what you’ve done, you’ll pay.
That was it. “I don’t understand.” I lifted my eyes to meet her gaze. “Why would someone leave a note like this when there’s no option for you to pay to keep them quiet? I knew Tad was an idiot, but this is beyond anything I’ve ever seen from him.”
“I’ve been getting the notes for three weeks now. I thought for sure I would get a demand for a payoff, but so far, nothing. It’s very ... strange.”
“Well, Tad has always been strange.”
She was silent for a moment and then shook her head. “I don’t understand,” she said finally. “Why do you keep saying Tad? Are you suggesting he sent the letters?”
“He had a file with the information, so yes, I’d say he’s your blackmailer,” I replied simply. “Isn’t that why you shot him?”
Her face was blank. “I didn’t shoot him. You shot him. That’s what the cops say.”
“I didn’t shoot him. You did, and you framed me to cover up the fact that he was blackmailing you.”
Her hands landed on her narrow hips. “I hate to break it to you, but that is just ... ridiculous. Tad isn’t the smartest of men, but he wouldn’t blackmail someone in this manner. He’d be more organized ... and he wouldn’t ask for money. He would’ve forced me to drop out of the race.”
She had a point. “Did you really have sex with a student?” I opted to buy time to think. “That’s really gross, by the way.”
“He was eighteen ... and he seduced me.” She was indignant. “I think I was the one taken advantage of.”
I made a face. “Yeah, we’ll have to agree to disagree about that. I don’t know the specifics — though will soon enough — but he was a student, vulnerable to your position. I don’t have any sympathy for you.”
“Perhaps not, but you hate Tad.” Keen interest kindled in the depths of her eyes. “You don’t want Tad to win any more than I do. I think there’s a chance we can come to a meeting of the minds here, so that I can win the election and you can get what you want.”
Did she really think that? Part of me was upset because that meant my Tad Derangement Syndrome had gone off the rails. Clearly I had to tackle this situation head on. “That’s not going to happen. The second I’m back on the job I’ll be breaking this story.”
“But ... .”
“No.” I shook my head, firm. “I may hate Tad — and that’s truly an understatement because there are days I would like to douse him in honey and stake him out for the fire ants — but he didn’t sleep with a student. I’m not making a deal that allows you to win this election.”
“But he’s a horrible human being,” Leona protested.
“From where I’m standing, you’re not any better. You might actually be worse. He never went after a child.”
“He was an adult ... and he came after me.”
I felt somewhat sick to my stomach as I shook my head. “If I were you I’d pull out of the race now. It will only be more embarrassing when Tad trounces you.”
“It’s not over yet.” She was adamant. “I could still win.”
“Even if you do it won’t last. I’ll break this story one way or the other.”
“Not if you don’t get your job back.” The wheels in her mind were clearly turning. “They might not take you back. It’s possible. You’ve caused so many problems that they might think this is a blessing in disguise.”
She was grasping for anything to hold on to. It was a bit sad, but the more she talked, the more I disliked her. “Then I’ll make sure somebody else gets the story, Marvin or Devon Lange at Channel 4 or someone else. I won’t just let you waltz into public office.”
“And what makes you think you can stop me? This election has been earmarked for me from the start. This is my seat.”
She was delusional. “Not any longer.” I refused to back down. “You’re going to lose. Tad’s a worm, but he has public sympathy working for him. You’ve lost, even if you won’t admit it.
“Even if you managed to pull it off, scandal would take you down within days of being elected,” I continued. “You would never be sworn in.”
“You don’t know that. You might come to your senses. People might not believe you. I mean ... he was an adult. I was the victim in all of this.”
I took a deliberate step away from her. She was crazy ... and not in a fun way like most of my family members. Somehow I hadn’t seen it. “You should probably get some help.”
“I don’t need help. I’m going to be a county commissioner.”
“You’re really not.” When I turned, I found Eliot standing there. He’d been watching, and the look he gave me was full of sympathy. “I don’t think it’s her,” I said finally. “She didn’t even realize Tad was the one blackmailing her.”
“So ... back to square one?”
“Unfortunately.”
24 Twenty-Four
“We need to see Jake.”
It had been quiet in Eliot’s office for a full hour as he researched names from the file he took from Ingalls’ office and I read over the documents I’d screenshotted while in Tad’s house.
“Excuse me?” I was dumbfounded. “You want to willingly go to Jake. Is that what you’re saying?”
He remained calm in the face of my disbelief. “He has information we need. Right now, I feel as if we’re lacking context with a lot of these names.”
“Uh-huh. And how will you explain how we got those names?”
“I thought we would just gloss over that part.”
I snorted. “Please. He’ll ask. He always asks.”
“Then I’ll fall back on investigator-client privilege.”
I stilled, surprised. “So ... you would lie to him?” That didn’t feel right. “I don’t know. We’re asking him to share information with us but withholding from him. That seems kind of skeezy.”
“Not if you pay me a dollar to put me on retainer. Then you can be the client I’m protecting.”
He never ceased to amaze me. That big brain of his was always working. “You know, you’re more than just a pretty face.”
“Aw, I think that might be the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
If that was true, I was severely lacking in the girlfriend department. That was a constant fear of mine, so I opted to let it go. “Do you think we’ll actually benefit from talking to Jake?”
“I think that we’re circling and not getting anywhere. I also think he might be doing the same thing.”
“But the state police have taken the case from him.”
“They have, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t digging on his own, just like us. He wants to clear you. He’s not going to turn us over to the state police for sticking our noses into the investigation no matter how much of a blowhard he pretends to be. He doesn’t have it in him to betray you.”
I rubbed my fore
head, weariness momentarily taking me over. “I’m afraid that we’ll put him in a bad position if we do this. We’re already in trouble. I don’t see how adding him to the mix will do anybody any good.”
“Then we’ll be careful that he doesn’t get in trouble.”
That sounded easier said than done. “Okay, but if I sense things going south I’m pulling the plug. We need a code word for that.”
Amusement lit his features. “A code word? What have you been watching?”
“Alias.”
“Ah. You do love that show. What’s your code word?”
“I was thinking we could just slide ‘Millennium Falcon’ into the conversation if either of us senses things getting off track.”
“Millennium Falcon?”
I bobbed my head. “Yeah. That’s the code word.”
As he ran his tongue over his teeth I could tell he was debating something. He shook his head. “Or you could just say that you’re hungry and suggest we get lunch. It might be easier to work that into normal conversation.”
I frowned. “What’s wrong with using ‘Millennium Falcon?’ I think it’s a great code word.”
“How are you going to work that into conversation?”
I dropped into my best Jake impression. “So, Avery, how did you come by this information that only somebody who broke into several homes and offices could have?”
Eliot’s lips quirked. “Is that how he sounds in your head?”
I ignored him and continued in my normal voice. “Well, Jake, I can’t divulge sources, but haven’t you always wanted to go on a ride in the Millennium Falcon? I think I would be an awesome pilot.” I brushed my hands together and grinned. “Easy-peasy.”
“I stand corrected.” Eliot managed to keep his face immobile, but I could tell he wanted to smile. “I’m not as gifted as you when it comes to code words. How about we stick to the lunch thing, huh?”
“I guess, but that’s nowhere near as fun.”
“We’ll have to forego fun for this conversation, but maybe later we can squeeze it in.”
“Oh, there will be no fun to be had. Trust me. Jake will know we’ve been up to no good. He’ll sniff it out, we’ll get into a big fight, and then I’ll need ice cream.”
“I’m glad you’ve already figured out how it’s going to go.”
“I’m good that way ... and I’ll want hot fudge.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
THE TROLL DEPUTIES BEHIND THE PROTECTIVE bubble in the sheriff’s department lobby made us wait in uncomfortable plastic chairs while they notified Jake that we wanted a meeting. I glared at the men as they bent their heads together, stared in my direction, and whispered before breaking out in riotous guffaws.
“Do you think they’re talking about me?” I asked after about the third hearty laugh.
Eliot, busy flipping through a magazine from 1997, briefly looked in the direction I indicated. “Does it matter?”
“Yeah, because I’m going to have a list of people I want to pay back in a few days and they might be on it.”
“You have such a healthy outlook on life.”
“I think so.”
“Just sit back and relax. Ignore them.”
I just loved it when he said things like that. Oh, wait, I didn’t. Thankfully, at that moment the secure door that led to the inner sanctum, where the detectives and Jake had offices, popped open and Derrick leaned his head out.
“He’ll see you now,” he said perfunctorily.
Eliot dropped the magazine on the table and stood. “Here we go.” He put his hand to the small of my back and prodded me forward. “How about you let me do the talking?”
Yeah, that sounded nothing like me.
Jake sat behind his desk, his smile friendly. From all outward appearances he looked politely intrigued. But I knew him well enough to sense his agitation. He was practically bouncing off the walls ... which I didn’t take as a good sign.
“I’m surprised to see you,” he said as we sat, his eyes briefly traveling to Derrick. “You don’t need to stay. I know you have other things going on.”
Derrick looked surprised at being dismissed. Jake’s right-hand man rarely got cut out of meetings. What he didn’t understand — but I did — was that Jake sensed we were about to let something bad slip and didn’t want Derrick on the hook should there be fallout. He was an exceptional boss and friend.
“Okay,” Derrick said after a beat, hurt momentarily clouding his features. “I’ll ... um ... check in with you later.”
“Close the door on your way out.” Jake waited until the door snicked shut to fix his full attention on me. “Whatever you’ve done, I don’t want to know.”
“How do you know I’ve done anything?” I challenged. “Maybe Eliot’s done something ... or we’ve done nothing at all. That’s a possibility.”
“I’m not that lucky. And I know you,” he fired back. “If you are here to admit to some nefarious investigation that’s going to get me in trouble, I don’t want to know about it.”
“We’re not here to admit to anything,” Eliot countered, taking control of the conversation. “We are here to share information we believe you should have.”
Jake’s eyes immediately narrowed. “What information? Wait ... I don’t want to know.” He held up his hand. “If I know it then I’m complicit in whatever you’ve done.”
“It might help you with your investigation,” I offered, earning a quelling look from Eliot, which I promptly ignored.
“I don’t have an investigation, at least as far as you’re concerned. Because of my relationship with you, one of the biggest cases of my career has been taken from me.”
I made a face. “Oh, that’s a load of crap. Tad getting shot is nothing compared to other stuff I’ve dropped in your lap. People will forget about it five minutes after the election is over. Don’t be a moron.”
Eliot grimaced. “I thought you were going to let me do the talking.”
“I don’t remember agreeing to that.”
“I distinctly remember you agreeing.”
“You’re imagining things.”
“I’m definitely not imagining things.”
“I don’t want to listen to this,” Jake snapped. “I know this serves as a sort of weird foreplay for the two of you, but I’m over it. Just ... don’t tell me what you know. I’m better off in the dark.”
“That may be true from your perspective, but we need information from you,” Eliot said. “I know you don’t want to get involved ... .”
“Of course I don’t want to get involved!” Jake exploded. “If I get involved with you two I’m likely to lose my position. Why would I possibly want that?”
He was a nervous wreck. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him like this. Obviously the state police were putting the screws to him over his relationship with me and he was faltering under the pressure. Because of that, I made up my mind on the spot.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to worry about us.” I stood and turned to Eliot. “Do you know who can do the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs? Han Solo in the Millennium Falcon.”
Eliot worked his jaw. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Jake snapped.
“It’s ... a thing,” Eliot replied, shaking his head. “Sit down, Avery. We’re not done here. And that is not the code word. I told you that wasn’t the code word, but you still used it. I just ... you drive me crazy.”
“I told you I could work it into normal conversation,” I countered. “I totally just did. Jake didn’t suspect anything until you said that thing you said.”
Jake slapped his hand to his face, covering his eyes. “Do I even want to know what you two are talking about?”
“No,” Eliot replied.
“It’s a fascinating conversation,” I countered.
“Shut it.” Eliot jabbed a warning finger in my direction before focusing on Jake. “I know you
’re dealing with a mountain of crap right now. I know that protecting Avery means Jacobs is circling you like a hungry shark. I’m sorry for all of it.”
“But you still need my help,” Jake surmised, weary.
“We still need your help,” Eliot agreed. “We’re not having the luck I would’ve hoped for trying to find another suspect.”
“What about Maria?” Jake wasn’t the sort of guy to throw out suspect names willy-nilly, but he whipped out her name without hesitation. “I tried pointing Jacobs toward her. The spouse is always the obvious choice.”
“It’s not her,” I replied. “I just ran into her in the coffee shop a few hours ago. It’s definitely not her.”
“Because she says so?”
“That and she’s just not the type. She apologized to me for all the mean thoughts she’s had over the years, admitted she let Tad shape her opinion of me and mentioned that she’s looking forward to life without him. Her father has a lot of money. Tad doesn’t. There’s no benefit to killing him for her.”
“Except Ludington has a two million dollar life insurance policy and she’s still the beneficiary,” Jake shot back.
I was caught off guard. “I ... are you sure? She didn’t mention that.”
“Oh, she didn’t mention that she had a huge financial motive for shooting her ex-husband? I’m shocked.”
“She has an alibi.”
“She could’ve hired someone to shoot him.”
“Yeah, but ... I don’t think she did.”
“You’d better hope she did.” Jake’s face had turned a shade of red I knew he adopted when he was about to completely lose his temper. “If not, you’ll be the only feasible suspect.”
“Except I didn’t do it.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” His features twisted. “I never believed for a second that you did. That doesn’t change the fact that I am not in charge of this investigation. Jacobs has a real hard-on for the two of you. He’s completely fixated. I think he might arrest you soon.”
The news was enough to cause my heart to roll.
Eliot reached over and grabbed my hand. “I won’t let him arrest you.”
He was trying to make me feel better, but the words hurt more than helped. “I don’t think you should be thinking whatever it is you’re thinking,” I countered. “We need to focus on suspects. I thought Leona was a viable one, but she didn’t even realize Tad was blackmailing her.”
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