Total pages in book: 183
Estimated words: 174715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
His line buzzes. “Mr. Brooks is here.”
I sigh and press my hands to my face before looking at him. “I didn’t want him here. I didn’t tell him I was coming.”
“Well, let’s see if he’s on the same page with you, because if he’s not, what good is this conversation?” He punches the button on his phone. “Send Mr. Books in.”
I stand up and in a few beats, Cole is in the door. “What the hell is this?” he demands.
I whirl around to face him and grab his arms. “I need us all to just end this, Cole. Please. If you love me, just let the lawsuit be it.”
“He let Roger out without telling us.”
“That was a clerical error,” Tom replies.
“Bullshit,” Cole growls and looks at me. “Leave us.”
“Cole—”
“I need to speak to the DA alone.”
“No,” I say. “No, I won’t leave. End this. End it for me.”
“What do you want from me, Lori?”
“When we settle, we call a truce. We hold a press conference. We all support the victims of the murderer and their families. Then it’s over. We live happily ever after and so does our District Attorney.”
He stares at me long and hard with so much anger in his eyes that I know he wants to deny me this request, despite knowing that Royce is still going after him. Finally, though, he turns to the DA. “I’ll agree if I’m happy with the settlement.”
“You will praise me in the press conference,” Tom says. “Do you understand?”
“I will not praise you,” Cole says. “But I won’t punch you now or ever.” He takes my arm and leads me to the door.
A few minutes later we’re on the street where we pause to talk, only to have Cole’s cellphone ring. “Reid,” he says answering the line, and in a matter of thirty seconds, he disconnects. “The DA agreed to four times his initial offer. He believes we’ve backed off. It’s done. Or we’re done. Now it’s in Royce’s hands.” His cellphone rings again and he glances at the number. “Speaking of Royce.” He answers the line and shock registers on his face. “When?” He pauses. “We’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” He disconnects. “The CIA just showed up at Royce’s office and took Ashley.”
Chapter eighty-one
Cole
Lori and I enter the lobby of the Walker offices to be greeted by Royce Walker. “What the hell is going on, Royce?” I demand. “Where is Ashley? I’m her attorney. She has rights.”
“Not under the Espionage Act, and that’s what they stated when I said the same thing,” he says, his hands settling on his hips. “I have a few good men who are ex-CIA. I have them working on answers.”
“What will they do with her?” Lori asks. “Where will they take her?”
“If we’re lucky, they’ll question her and let her go.”
Smith walks into the room and joins us. “Or they use her for bait for her ex,” he adds grimly.
“Or that,” Royce agrees.
“Did you get her to tell you anything?” Lori asks, focused on Smith.
“Just that she was a fool,” he says. “Per her, not me. And that ‘fool’ comment seemed to cut deep. It could be about a broken heart, but my gut tells me there’s more.”
“I need a number to contact,” I say. “Did they leave a card?”
“They flashed badges and I called them in before I let them take her. I can give you the main number, but it’s not going to get you anywhere.”
“I need that number,” I say, and he reaches in this pocket and hands me the card, flipping it over, to show me the handwritten number on the back. “I knew you’d insist.” He motions to the reception desk. “Use it or take my office. Whatever suits you.”
“We won’t be staying,” I say, pulling my phone out of my pocket and walking toward the reception desk while Royce glances at Lori. “Coffee?”
“No, thanks,” she says. “I’m a little too on edge. We just came from the DA’s office and he already called Reid. The settlement is done, verbally at least. Once we have the signed paperwork, we’re going to do a press conference with him.”
Meanwhile, I have a machine I’m dealing with, and a million options that promise a human on the other line. I try the one I think will work and end up on hold.
“Is he convinced you’ve backed off?” Royce asks Lori of the DA.
“Yes,” we both say at once, and she glances over her shoulder, giving me one of her perfect smiles. “And Cole was the perfect, angry husband who gave in for the love of his wife,” she adds.
“I suspect that wasn’t a hard job for him,” Smith comments. “Even I know that and I haven’t been around you two that much.”
“Is there a way to get to a real human, Royce?” I ask.