"Ricky can't find you. He's checked all of the hotels in that little shit town. Where are you staying?"
"Ricky Powers?" Jayden almost groaned. That jackass would sell his mother for a byline. "Why is he looking for me?"
"I want this story, and you're not getting it to me fast enough. I sent Ricky down there to help you."
Crap!
Jayden thrust his hand into his hair and pulled. "I don't need Ricky's help."
"Well, apparently you do or I'd have the story already."
"It's my story!"
"No, it's my story, and I want it. If you won't get it for me, Ricky will."
Oh he would, and he wouldn't care who he destroyed to get it.
"Look, I know you want the story, but do you want the fast version or the full version? I have a couple of leads I'm following up on. If they pan out, they'll throw this thing wide open. You'll have enough to cover the front of the newspaper for a month."
"What sort of leads?"
"Look, the story isn't the senator meeting a mistress in Cade Creek. The story is the ex-wife." Jayden prayed Marv bought his pack of lies. "An anonymous source told me she's been burning up the phone lines in D.C. trying to get in touch with him, which is why he's staying in a place she'd never think to look for him."
"So, he's avoiding her?" Marv was practically salivating.
"That's what my source says."
"Do we know why?"
"No, but that's the lead I'm trying to track down. I've spent most of the day getting in touch with my contacts in D.C. to see what they know. I'm also trying to track down a copy of their divorce decree."
"I can get that for you," Marv replied. "I'll fax it to your hotel."
"No, just email it to me. I'm not staying at the hotel anymore. I'm mobile right now."
"Why?"
Jayden winced as he ran through all the plausible excuses he could think of. "Senator Khor was staying at the same hotel. I thought it was best if I checked out."
"Why would you do that?" Marv snapped. "That would have been the perfect cover for keeping an eye on him."
"Because he's not there anymore. He checked out. As soon as I figure out where he went, I intend to follow him."
But only to warn him the sharks were circling.
"You don't know where he is?"
"Look, Marv, the last time I saw him was yesterday. He was meeting some friends. I went back to the hotel and started doing some research. When I went to check on him, he'd checked out of the hotel. I've been looking for him ever since. Cade Creek is a small place. I'm bound to find him at some point."
"Well, keep looking. I want him found."
"Oh, I'll find him." If only to warn him.
"And find Ricky, damn it. Between the two of you, you should be able to cover that entire town."
Yeah, that wouldn't be happening. Jayden planned to do everything he could to avoid Ricky Powers. The man didn't even care if he reported the truth. He'd make up lies if he had to, just as long as he got the front page.
"I've got to go, Marv. I have another phone call coming in."
