Chapter 16
Blakely
Pepperoni pizza is my favorite but the one Lucky orders tastes like sawdust. Yawning, I pick at the meat while Isabella untangles her headset, stretches, and pours herself a Coke.
About now, I would die for anything containing caffeine.
She leans back in her chair, rubs her eye, then pats my greasy hand. “Gray says everything’s fine and to sit tight.”
Before the delivery guy showed up, we were in the middle of solving Yan’s murder so I start the conversation again. “I’m just saying, if Mr. Yan got killed with a bullet from my gun, it had to be Philip.”
“We’re in agreement, luv, but no one’s seen the bloody bloke but you.” Lucky grabs a banana, peels it, and stuffs half of it in his mouth at once.
I take a smaller one from the fruit bowl, break it open, and grimace when I realize the fruit is unripe. “Well, unless I’m delusional, he’s real. Maybe Philip shot Yan because of what went on in the tunnel. He was beat up pretty badly.”
Isabella rises, pulls open a bottom drawer, and tosses her crusts and paper plate in the garbage. “Well, we know Yan went back to the embassy and he was killed right after.”
After attempting another bite of green banana, I spit it out, and throw the rest away. “We need to look at the embassy’s videos. Can you think of a good reason the Chinese might want to help us out?”
Isabella shakes her head and empties the dishwasher. “I can’t think of a one. Lucky?”
He grabs the last piece of pizza, folds it, and holds it over his paper plate. “Blokes like the ambassador don’t do favors. They negotiate. That’s why the FBI hasn’t got anything from them yet.”
Sitting back down, I pout. This is not what I wanted to hear. “What do we have to negotiate with?”
“Money?” Isabella chimes in and Lucky laughs.
“That’s not negotiating, luv. That’s called a bribe.”
“Oh, true.”
Suddenly, I have a brilliant idea and jump out of my chair. “Izzy, do you have any journalist friends?”
She stops putting dishes away and turns to me with eyebrows raised. “No, but I got Grayson’s checkbook. What’re you thinking?”
“I want to make it impossible for the ambassador to say no when we ask for a favor. Do you think you can set up a press conference with me in front of the Chinese Embassy?”
“I suppose. Tell me what you have in mind.”
I do and by early afternoon, we have everything all set. Thank God, Grayson and Andy are busy trying to get Jack out of jail because they’d never agree to my scheme.
First, I need to prove Philip exists. Then, the FBI can stop seeing Jack as the only suspect and find the real murderer.
When Lucky drops us off, five TV news vans with cameras and reporters are already waiting by the Chinese Embassy. Three men and two women throw microphones in my face when I exit the vehicle.
“Dr. Taylor, is it true your husband has been arrested?”
“Dr. Taylor, are you here for justice?”
“Why are you visiting the embassy?”
“Mrs. Patten, why are you here?”
Isabella and I let these questions roll off our backs, Then, I give a great big smile for their cameras, wave, and step on the stool I requested.
Taller than all by at least a foot, I raise my hands. “Please, please. Quiet now.”
I wait until they all settle down with their microphones held high before I begin. “The authorities know Mr. Yan from this embassy met with a United States senator on Thanksgiving night and attempted to blackmail him. Now, my husband has been arrested for killing Mr. Yan. However, the Chinese have a video of the real killer and refuse to release it.”
