Part 30 (1/2)
Was.h.i.+ngton reached into his pocket and retrieved a business card. ”Here's my card. Call us if you think of anything, all right?”
”I definitely will.”
They left, and I collapsed into a seat at the counter, grateful I'd survived their interrogation without a breakdown. I honestly didn't think they suspected anything, and why would they? I had no ties to Mark that anyone outside of a few people close to me could ever find.
No sooner had they left, Blake appeared.
”What happened?”
”Nothing. They had photos of Mark and me dancing at the gala. They wanted to know how we knew each other. I explained that we were only acquaintances and he'd been flirting with me. They seemed satisfied and left.”
”So they don't believe Mark's death was a suicide?”
”I couldn't say for sure. They didn't seem too concerned that it wasn't. Seemed like they were hitting a bunch of dead ends and about to pack it in. But I have no idea.”
”All right, come back up.”
”I'm here now. Let me get cleaned up, and I'll come up there when I'm done.” As much as I wanted to be in my warm and safe Blake bubble after weeks of separation, I needed a minute with my thoughts.
He paused a second. ”Okay, don't be long.” He kissed me and left.
I stepped into the shower and washed. I thought about going back upstairs, where we'd be hiding. Sure, hanging out in bed with Blake all day wasn't exactly an inconvenience, but I also knew why we were lying low. So far, the only solutions on the table were coming out as Daniel's daughter, a saga I couldn't begin to antic.i.p.ate the complications of, or Blake could bring attention to the shady dealings that would undoubtedly ruin Daniel's campaign, possibly his entire career. I had a hard time accepting either as a viable option.
I toweled off and glanced out the window. Connor was parked down the street, almost out of my view. A rush of emotion surged through me, and I knew what I needed to do.
I pulled on my blue jeans and a T-s.h.i.+rt and slipped on my sneakers. I scribbled a quick note and left it on the counter before I rushed downstairs. I stepped outside. Clay was standing guard against the Escalade.
”Ms. Hathaway.”
”Clay. Long time no see. Back on the clock, I see.”
”Yes, ma'am.”
”Well, good luck. I'm walking down to the store. I'll be back in a bit.”
He nodded. I started a brisk walk down the street. I only had a few minutes to do what I needed to do. I crossed the street and knocked on Connor's window. He rolled it down, giving me a hard stare.
”Take me to him.”
”Get in.”
I opened the back door and let him drive us away.
I had no idea where we were going until I saw the familiar Boston Sand and Gravel storage tanks come into view. We took several back roads under the tangle of highways until we were in a secluded area, cut off by train cars and warehouses that stood empty on the weekend.
Daniel leaned against his Lexus SUV, dressed in khakis and a white collared s.h.i.+rt. He was smoking again. He should probably stop smoking, I thought idly. He pushed off the car and walked toward me. I scoped out the surroundings. We were so very alone right now. With the bypa.s.s above us, no one would hear me if I screamed. I stepped out of the car, fighting the urge to run in the opposite direction. Despite every reason he'd given me not to, I was determined to meet him head-on.
He flicked his cigarette and stood before me with his arms crossed. His lips were set in a firm line.
”Connor tells me you've been all over creation with Landon. I'm pretty sure we covered that.”
”Did he tell you that the police stopped by this morning too?”
His eyes widened and shot to Connor. For the first time ever, I saw emotion in Connor's face. He seemed...fl.u.s.tered.
”I didn't see them, sir. I'm sorry.”
Daniel looked back to me.
”Must have been on a coffee run. No worries, I had a little chat with them.”
”What did you tell them?”
I waited, wanting the antic.i.p.ation to burn in him.
His lips thinned. ”You'd better start talking.”
”They had photos of Mark dancing with me at the gala.”
”What did you tell them?”
I stared hard into his eyes, keeping my face as steady and emotionless as I could.
”What did you tell them, G.o.dd.a.m.nit?” He grabbed my shoulders and shook me.
”Let me go.” I wrestled free from his grasp, breathless from the adrenaline that pumped through my veins. ”Don't touch me. Ever.”
I saw Connor moving from the corner of my eye. He had a wide stance, like he was ready to act on Daniel's command.
”I lied, Daniel. I lied like a pro. You'd have been proud. And do you know why?”
”Indulge me.”
”Because as I've much as I've grown to hate you, for some inexplicable reason, I still care about you. I care about your life and your freedom, and I even care about your stupid f.u.c.king campaign. My finger's on the trigger, and I can't shoot.” I took a breath, trying to keep the tremble at bay. ”Because that's not who I am. I'm never going to be like you. I'm never going to play the game for the sick, greedy fun of it.”
”I'm sure that's not the only reason.”
”It is the only reason. I'm not scared of you anymore.”
He shot me a chilling look, his lips curled into a snarl. ”Maybe you should be.”
”You'd no sooner kill me than I'd send you to jail for murder, Daniel. Oh, and let's not forget obstruction of justice.”
His eyes narrowed a fraction.
”Yeah, Blake told me about all that. How does it feel knowing that all those great pains you went to covering Mark's a.s.s paved the way for him to do what he did to me, the same way he did it to so many other girls?”
His jaw clenched.