Last night weighed heavily on Scarlett’s thoughts, but she didn’t have time to dwell much longer as the day had already started with a troubling phone call on her burner.
“We got an issue,” her buddy with the FBI, Special Agent Conrad Griggs, said. “I’m giving you a heads-up that pressure is coming down hard to bring your man in. I don’t know whose cornflakes he pissed in but he’s made the wrong people take notice. My boss just ordered me to make bringing Scott in a top priority.”
“Damn it,” she muttered, shaking her head. “Why?”
“I don’t know but I’ve never seen Platt so agitated about a case that’s basically below his pay grade. He doesn’t give two shits about most arrest warrants but he’s ready to throw every resource needed to put Scott’s head on a platter and deliver it with mustard sauce.”
“Do you know anything about Wakefield Industries?” she asked.
“Doesn’t ring a bell. What is it?”
“A company that’d been ready to strike a deal with McQuarry right before he died. Think you can poke around for me?”
“I don’t know. There’s a fair amount of heat on this case, which means that there’s more to it than anyone is willing to talk about.”
“Yeah, my thoughts, too. I know it’s asking a lot but do what you can to stall your team. We’ve got some leads we’re running down but we need more time.”
“Time is the exact thing you don’t have. I don’t know, maybe the best thing would be to convince Scott to come in on his own. We could do some digging behind the scenes once he’s in custody.”
That idea gave her a chill. Maybe Xander’s paranoia was contagious but she firmly believed that Xander wouldn’t make it out of lock-up alive.
“Not an option,” she answered, shaking her head. “Look, there’s something dirty going on and that affects us all, not just Xander. If they could frame a highly decorated vet, what’s to stop them from framing you or me? None of us are safe when there’s an internal threat—you know that.”
A beat of silence passed between them until Conrad responded with a heavy sigh. “Yeah, you’re right but we could both end up on the wrong side of this fight depending on how high up the threat is.”
“I’m well aware of the danger,” she said. “Can you do this for me?”
She was asking a lot but she didn’t have much of a choice.
“Yeah, I’ll do what I can,” he finally agreed, and she exhaled in relief. Having Conrad on their side was a big advantage. She only hoped it didn’t get him fired. “I’ll be in touch.”
Conrad clicked off and Scarlett immediately called Zak. “FBI is starting to gear up. I’ve got someone on the inside running interference but I need you to dig into the following names: Carlton L. Sheffton, Gary S. Williams and Lana J. Holbert.”
“Sure thing,” Zak said. “You got some leads?”
“Yeah, but we’ve got some more digging to do. In the meantime, I need background intel on these people ASAP.”
“You got it, TL.”
She clicked off just as Xander exited the bathroom, towel wrapped around his midsection as he dried his hair. “Anything worth sharing?” he asked.
“Yeah, we’re screwed if we don’t kick it in gear. FBI wants you bad. All resources are being directed toward bringing you in.”
“Damn, look how I rate,” he joked but she didn’t find it funny. People were walking a razor tightrope for Xander and he’d better start realizing it.
“Humor is neither appropriate nor appreciated,” she said, rising to strap on her weapon. “You seem to forget that the world doesn’t revolve around you.”
“Hey, hey, settle down, sheathe those claws. I didn’t mean to be dismissive. I was just trying to lighten the mood. Bad idea on my part. I’m sorry.”
She rolled her head on her shoulders, her neck cracking in several places. Mollified by his apology, she said, “Our timeline just got shorter. We need to hurry if we’re going to find answers before the FBI finds you.”
Xander nodded in agreement. “We should talk to McQuarry’s widow and his mistress and see if their stories match up.”
“Good idea.” She cut him a dismissive glance. “While you get dressed, I’m going to get some coffee.”
She didn’t wait for his response and left the room. She was currently operating in bitch mode, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Xander hadn’t been completely honest with her last night. Her intuition was something she never questioned and it’d kept her alive when circumstances had tried to snuff her out.
But why would Xander lie?
The nagging sense that Xander was hiding something kept eating at her but with the FBI breathing down their necks, she didn’t have the time to pull the truth out of him.
Not now at least.
Later, she’d find out what he was hiding and then decide the appropriate course of action.
Feeling generous, she returned with two coffees, pleased to find Xander had already set up meetings with both women.
“You have some strange voodoo that enables you to get what you’re after,” she said. “How’d you get the women to agree to meetings?”
“I told them the truth...”
“The truth?”
“Yeah, that I was investigating McQuarry’s death.”
“From what angle?”
“I was vague on that point but they took the bait without much more needed.”
“Interesting. All right, what time?”
“In an hour with the widow, lunch time with the mistress.”
She nodded with approval. “Good. Let’s make it happen. Time is ticking.”
Grabbing her coat, she swung it around her shoulders but was surprised when Xander pulled her close by her lapels.
“What are you doing?” she asked, wary.
“Just reminding you what’s between us,” he answered, brushing his lips against hers, igniting heat with the slow slide of his mouth. She didn’t need reminding. Her mouth opened and his tongue accepted the invitation, dancing with hers. A dangerous fire burned between them but they didn’t have the time to play. It took extreme force of will to break the kiss but she did. Xander released her and she left everything unsaid, choosing to spin on her heel and walk out the door.
Physical attraction didn’t erase the feelings of doubt and it sure as hell didn’t prove Xander’s innocence.
And by God, he’d better be innocent or she’d put him down herself.
Something with Scarlett was off, but she was too focused to let personal feelings interfere with the investigation.
He admired her willpower. Scarlett would never find herself addicted to pills. Scarlett would probably chew her own arm off before she succumbed to something as basic as pill addiction.
Yeah, that line of thinking was productive. Not.
Xander shrugged off his own thoughts and put his head in the game where it belonged. “The widow agreed to meet at her place, which is in some gated community filled with the ultra-rich.”
“Not surprising,” Scarlett said with derision. “Have you ever known a bigwig politician to live modestly?”
“Nope.”
“Exactly.”
They climbed into the car and headed for the widow’s mansion in the tony area of Tulsa, arriving with ten minutes to spare.
The colonial mansion, built in the 1800s by a founding father, had been restored and upgraded with stately elegance, flanked by exquisitely manicured lawns and foliage that probably cost a fortune to maintain. No wonder McQuarry needed that kickback. This place seemed a bit above his pay grade, even for a lawyer turned state senator.
“Nice digs,” Xander murmured and Scarlett agreed. “Must cost a pretty penny to keep the lights on.”
Scarlett knocked politely and within moments, the door opened. A stereotypically attractive older blonde woman with stylish attire and a smart bobbed haircut answered with a strained smile.
“You must be Detective Jones,” she said, extending her hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Scarlett slid her gaze over to Xander but remained quiet, following his lead. “Yes, thank you, Mrs. McQuarry, for meeting with me and my associate during this difficult time.”
She nodded and ushered them into the beautifully furnished home to a quiet sitting room filled with books and assorted antiques that complemented the home’s colonial style.
It was definitely camera-ready for any home-and-garden-type magazine.
“You have a lovely home,” he said, playing the part of the gentleman. If Scarlett was choking on her tongue, she showed no sign of it. Another point for her power of will. Xander knew she was probably resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Xander purposefully sat near the widow while Scarlett took a position where she could watch the exits. Force of habit. Always know your points of entry.
“Have there been any leads into who did this to my sweet Kenny?” she asked, her voice quavering a little. “He was such a good, God-fearing man. I can’t imagine who would want to do this to him.”
“And the other innocent victims,” Scarlett added quietly.
“And yes, of course, the other victims as well,” Mrs. McQuarry said with a delicate sniff as she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. “It’s all so awful.”
“So tell me what happened from your point of view that day,” Xander said.
Mrs. McQuarry drew herself up, gathering strength to recall. “Kenny was scheduled to speak, kicking off his campaign re-election trail. Of course, we decided he should start with Tulsa because that’s where our dedicated base begins but I never would’ve imagined that someone would do something so horrific on what was supposed to be a wonderful day.”
“Did your husband have any enemies?” Scarlett asked.
“No, he was beloved by everyone.”
“Even Senator Williams?” Xander asked.
At the mention of Williams, Mrs. McQuarry stiffened slightly, her fingers curling into her handkerchief. “They were colleagues and peers. With men of their position, they were bound to disagree at times but never enough to warrant murder.”
“Even if there was a lot of money on the line?” Xander watched Mrs. McQuarry’s reaction closely.
“What do you mean?”
Was that real confusion or feigned? It was true not all men included their wives in financial decisions but Mrs McQuarry seemed sharp enough to be involved with her husband’s political career, so why stop there? Xander decided to gently clarify. “We recently discovered your husband was very close to closing a lucrative deal with Wakefield Industries but Williams and Sheffton weren’t in favor.”
“Everyone knew about the Wakefield deal. It was going to revitalize industry in Oklahoma. For goodness’ sake, it was going to be a blessing!”
“There were some who believed Wakefield would’ve been a nightmare with their rampant environmental hazards. Not everyone was on board with bringing Wakefield to the state.”
“Small-minded people, perhaps.” She lifted her chin, her gaze glittering. “My Kenny always wanted what was best for his constituents.”
“But was Senator McQuarry truly brokering that deal for the people or his pocketbook?” Scarlett asked pointedly.
“How dare you!” Mrs. McQuarry gasped, outraged at Scarlett’s question, her face flashing a spectacular shade of red. “And who are you again?”
Xander sidestepped her question. “I apologize for my colleague’s abrupt nature but were you aware that Senator McQuarry stood to gain a substantial amount of money from the deal if they closed?”
Mrs. McQuarry opened her mouth, presumably to fire off another angry retort but she stopped short. Maybe it was something in his expression that warned her lying wasn’t in her best interest or maybe she was simply tired of playing the part of the devoted wife because her expression cooled as she settled against the sofa to answer. “Kenny worked hard for his constituents. It seems only fair to be compensated.”
“So you were aware.”
“Of course. Kenny and I had no secrets.”
Xander shared a look with Scarlett before going for the next skeleton in McQuarry’s closet. “So you were aware of the affair he was having with Lana Holbert?”
Mrs. McQuarry drew a measured breath before sliding a shrewd look toward Xander. “Are you married, Detective Jones?”
“No.”
“Then you can’t possibly understand the intricacies of a lifetime with the same person, sharing hopes and dreams, children, career goals...”
“No, you’re right. I can’t.”
“Then I can’t possibly explain to you how sometimes when you’re in a partnership, you have to make certain sacrifices to ensure the success of that union.”
“So you knew about Lana,” Scarlett supplied.
“Again, like I said, Kenny and I didn’t have secrets,” Mrs. McQuarry answered with a layer of frost. “Of course I knew.”
“And you were okay with him sleeping with another woman?” Scarlett asked, incredulous.
“Is there a point to the direction of these questions? I fail to see how Kenny’s extracurricular activities could have any bearing on his horrible death.”
“That’s the thing. We don’t know that it doesn’t. If we left any stone unturned, it could be the one with all the answers. I’m sorry if our questions seem intrusive. We don’t mean to be disrespectful.”
Xander’s apology seemed to help, but so far Mrs. McQuarry was turning out to be a dead end.
“Is there anything else you can tell us that might help us in our investigation?” he asked.
Mrs. McQuarry looked down at the handkerchief in her hand and shook her head. “No, like I said, Kenny was beloved by nearly everyone he met. He was charismatic like a Kennedy. Everyone said so.”
And politics aside, Kennedy had been a rampant philanderer.
Maybe there was more than just one mistress out there?
Xander rose and Scarlett followed. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. McQuarry. We appreciate your willingness to revisit a painful topic for the sake of justice.”
“I loved my Kenny,” she said. “He was a good man.”
Xander nodded but didn’t comment. He’d never understand the dynamic between husbands and wives in politics. But he wasn’t one to lie and kiss ass so a life in the political arena had never been in the cards for him.
Thank God.
Mrs. McQuarry saw them out and as soon as they were out of earshot, Scarlett said what he’d been thinking.
“How much do you want to bet that as much as the wife thought good ol’ Kenny was on the up and up, he still had secrets she didn’t know about?”
Xander nodded. “And sometimes mistresses know more than the wives could ever know.”
“Here’s hoping Lana Holbert has more to say about the good senator,” Scarlett said. “Or else, we might’ve just wasted precious time following a dead end.”