ERICA CAN’T STOP HER SHARP inhale but otherwise hopes her poker face holds. The fox is in the chicken coop. And she’s the chicken.
Ed Spellman crosses to her and extends his hand. They shake. He smells citrusy and rich, his nails are coated with clear matte polish, his hair looks like it was cut with a diamond blade.
“What a pleasure,” Spellman says.
“Likewise,” Erica manages. The room feels like a sauna. Prickly heat races over her body.
Spellman steps back, next to Wilmot and Nylan. Erica looks at the three men—the three rich, powerful white men—standing over her. Even David didn’t face a hydra-headed Goliath.
“Erica, I considered Kay Barrish a friend. Her death was a terrible loss.” Spellman’s voice is edged with emotion. “We are going to make sure whoever is responsible pays the price.”
“Do you have any idea who that might be?” Erica asks.
“At this point we believe the murder was engineered by the Kremlin. Barrish had said some very harsh things about Vladimir Putin. He did not want her in the White House. We’ve been able to identify one of the middlemen in the plot. He’s a capo in the Russian Mafia.”
“What’s his name?”
“Leonid Gorev. Unfortunately he’s disappeared. He probably sensed that we were closing in on him and returned to Russia. Without Gorev, I’m afraid the trail has gone cold. Temporarily, of course.”
“Of course,” Erica says. It’s called hitting a brick wall you built.
“I’m a bulldog, Erica, and I’m not letting go until justice is served.”
“Keep me posted.”
“I’ll let you know the minute we learn anything new.” He takes out his card and hands it to her. “Call me anytime night or day. I’m at your service,” Spellman says with a smile that stops at his upper lip. “Let me get back to work.” He nods to Nylan and Wilmot and leaves.
“I hope this addresses your concerns,” Nylan says.
“As for your court records,” Wilmot adds, “I can guarantee you they will never see the light of day.”
Nylan and Wilmot are staring at her, smiling, expectant.
Think. Think fast. You’re cornered. You need room. You need time.
“It does address my concerns. Spellman seems highly competent.” She sits up in the chair and slaps the arms. “So! I am officially dedicating all my time and energy to The Erica Sparks Effect. Let’s make great television together!”
Erica stands up and thrusts out her hand. Nylan ignores it, opens his arms, and hugs her. She shudders but covers it up with a half-hearted hug back.
Nylan nods at Wilmot, who opens a cabinet to reveal a large television. He clicks a remote, and footage from Jenny’s birthday party fills the screen. There’s Claire: “On behalf of everyone at GNN, I want to welcome Jenny to our family.” Wilmot pauses the footage—Jenny’s sweet, tentative face fills the screen.
Erica’s stomach turns over.
“What a wonderful future the GNN family has together,” Nylan says.
Erica knows a thing or two about families—but she forces out a bright “Indeed.”