“Thank you.”
“Any comment on—”
“Sorry, David. Not today, I’m having lunch with my sister, but call my office. We can set something up.”
He sits back down, but I can feel him watching as the host shows me to a booth in an alcove, separated from the main room by a carved wooden screen. It’s private enough for a real conversation. Public enough that I’m not hiding.
“Can I get you anything while you wait?”
“Just water, please.”
He disappears. I check my phone and see a text from Jamie, sent two minutes ago:Heading into Laura’s office now. Wish me luck.
I type back:You don’t need luck. Call me after.
I smile at the screen. Jamie’s been dreading this meeting, but Laura Day didn’t build her career by being squeamish. If anything, Jamie’s profile has never been higher. The exposé is being discussed all over again, reexamined in light of last night’s revelation. His work is being taken more seriously, not less. She’ll want him even more than ever.
I’m still looking at my phone when Kate slides into the booth across from me.
“Well.” She says as she sets down her bag, studying my face. “You look better than I expected.”
“Thanks?”
“Given that you just told the entire country who you’ve been sneaking about withandjust torpedoed your career, I thought you’d be more…” She waves a hand vaguely. “Destroyed.”
“It’s been a long few months. I’m done feeling destroyed. And it’s not torpedoed. At least, I hope not.”
Kate picks up the menu, scanning it without really reading. She grimaces, then sets it down.
“So,” she says. “Where’s the famous Jamie Dean?”
“Having an awkward meeting with his editor.” I take a sip of water. “Though apparently Laura’s initial reaction when he called her was enthusiasm. Something about there being no such thing as bad publicity.”
“She’s not wrong.” Kate sets down the menu. “His story is everywhere again. All the networks are re-running segments about the exposé, talking about how he stood by his reporting even when—” She stops herself.
“Even when we tried to destroy his reputation?”
“I was going to say ‘even under pressure,’ but yes. That.” She’s quiet for a moment. “I watched the interview. You were good. Both of you.”
“We told the truth. That’s all.”
“Since when is that ever all?” Kate signals the waiter, orders a gin and tonic without looking at the menu. When he’s gone, she leans back in her seat and fixes me with a look I recognize. The one that means she’s done with small talk. “Soooo…I guess we’re going to talk about this.”
“Yeah.” I hold up a hand before she can speak. “I’m not angry. I understand why you did it, but Mom hinted there was more. Was there?”
Kate is silent for a long moment. The waiter returns with her drink, and she takes a sip before answering.
“Yes,” she says finally. “There’s more.”
“Tell me.”
She sets down her glass. Her voice drops, though there’s no one close enough to hear and her jaw tightens. “Threats. Manufactured scandals. One woman lost her job, her apartment, her custody arrangement—all within three months of trying to talk to a reporter about bid-rigging on a state contract. A man who was going to testify about campaign finance violations had an accident that put him in the hospital for six weeks.” She meets my eyes. “Warren did the work. But Dad knew. Dad alwaysknew. I think he felt as long as he wasn’t the one doing it, then he didn’t need to take responsibility for it.”
The words settle in my stomach, heavy and cold. I’d suspected as much. Hearing it confirmed is different.
“Why didn’t you give Jamie all of it?”
“Because what I sent was enough.” Kate’s laugh is bitter. “I was naive. I thought if the financial crimes came out, they’d have to stop. That exposure would force them to change.” She breaks off, takes another sip of her drink. “I’m sorry, Carter. I should have told you. You were out there defending them, and I knew—I knew—and I let you keep doing it. I guess I didn’t want you to be in the same position that I was. If you knew, you’d either have to start lying or destroy everything.”
