“So why did he target…” I can’t think, can barelybreathe. “Why?” I realize I’m crying. “We didn’t evenknowthe guy!”
Leo’s still not done. He lays his hand on my arm again, and this time his grip turns solid, firm, unyielding.
A grip to anchor.
A grip to restrain.
Leo takes a deep breath and looks me in the eyes. “His criminal attorney, Jasper Schoult, is the brother-in-law of Harris Ferrey, of the law firmFerrey, Jackson, Smith, and Rawlston. Gayle usedFerrey, Jackson, Smith, and Rawlstonto create his will, and to form trusts for some mineral and oil rights for properties he’d inherited and wanted to pass on. That same firm also handles class-action lawsuits for certain cancer cases. Mesothelioma, stuff like that.”
That law firm name sounds familiar. “Why do I know that law—”
“Chris.” He drops his voice, and I realize what he’s doing even as he does it, trying to keep me calm.“It’s the firm Edwin Markos works for. And Schoult lives practically across the street from Markos. The FBI is en route to Markos’ house with a warrant for his arrest, if they haven’t arrived already. They also have a search warrant. Edwin Markos is Gayle’s attorney of record for the trust filings for the mineral rights. And Markos liquidated funds in the same amounts and at the same times thatthe shell company paid out to the other shell companies, including this weekend. Schoult confessed that he received a call from Markos while he was with Gayle this morning, and that he handed the phone to Gayle so Markos could talk to him directly.”
* * * *
Despite what I promised Leo, I rip free from his grip and I’m up and running. I want Shae and Kev back here before this breaks wide openand they find out about it from a pool spray. And I want the kids home.
Now.
They arenotgoing to hear this from some little asshole with a cell phone, or from a teacher.
They’re going to hear it fromme.
Leo swears and races after me as I don’t even bother waiting for the elevator. I hit the stairs and take them two at a time, emerging on the first floor and nearly slamming into anotheragent.
“Transport,” I order. “Now. We’re going to the Hill.”
“Mr. Bruunt—”
“Now!” I scream. “Did Ifuckingstutter? Let’s go! You either drive me, or I’m taking off on foot. Which is it?” I belatedly thank god there aren’t any public tours today.
“Belay that order!” Leo barks, then turns on me again while the agent stands there trying to decide who to listen to, and other agents swarm towardus. “Chris,” Leo says, “youcan’tleave. It’ll be a fucking circus. I’ve already sent word to cut the meeting short as soon as they can, confiscate their phones, get them out of there ASAP, and bring them back here. And the kids are already en route.”
“I won’t have Kev and Shae broadsided by this and me not be there.”
Leo grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me. “Chris!Stopand think aboutthis for a minute. I mean,reallythink about this. You barreling over there, when it’s already a media circus, is only going to compound this and make it infinitely worse. We need to hold a press conference later today, once we receive word Markos is in custody and the FBI releases a statement. It hasn’t even broken in the news yet that Gayle’s dead—”
“That’ll be any second though. And everyonewill want Kev and Shae’s reactions!”
“Exactly. Which is why I’ve already sent word to get them out of there and confiscate phones.”
I stand there staring at him, watching him blur when tears burn my eyes as I finally process everything. I’m…
I’m sobbing. Three innocent people are dead, Kev nearly died, and the kids could’ve died, too, if they’d been in the car.
Charles and Tory’s baby.
Whatwould have happened to Kev had I left his hospital room and given Edwin Markos time alone with him like he demanded?
Would he have killed Kev right there?
My knees nearly give out as the adrenaline crash hits me.
Leo pulls me into his arms and asks the agent to call the elevator and help him get me back upstairs. He also gives orders to clear and keepallstaff off the second and third floorsuntil he gives the okay.
I’m…
Twenty-six years in the fucking Secret Service didnotprepare me forthis.
