The agent walked to the reception desk and asked for the phone. The agent made a phone call, and there was a bit of back and forth before the agent turned back to Rawlins and said, “Sorry, no can do. They don’t want to be disturbed. And since yourclientalready has representation with him, I’m not inclined to take you upstairs until I get the go-ahead from the agents in charge.”
A teenage girl entered the FBI building and let out a squeal before running over to Ric. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, you’re like my totally favorite member. Can I get a selfie?” the girl asked, but whipped out her cell phone and took the picture before Ric even smiled.
“What the hell is this?” Agent Anderson asked as the door opened, and a couple more groupies entered the building and let out delighted squeals.
“I guess we’re trending on social media,” Zach said quietly to Stephanie.
“You didn’t?” Stephanie asked.
“I may have posted that we were here right before we left the SUV,” Zach said with a wink. “I figured we could use the publicity in case the FBI tried anything fishy.”
“Call security,” Agent Anderson barked at the receptionist. “Did you do this?” Anderson asked, pointing a finger at Rawlins.
“I can assure you,” Rawlins said in his best lawyerly voice, “I do not know what is going on.”
Within seconds, a team of security personnel tried to escort the increasing number of fans from the building. In a look of exasperation, Agent Anderson yelled, “Lock the front doors. No one is coming in or out.”
Zach shot Stephanie a sly grin. Stephanie shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Pray this doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass,” she said.
Zach looked through the glass door and noticed the first television crew in front of the FBI building. “Well, all eyes are officially on this place. Let’s save Ethan.”
* * * *
Agent Murphy
Murphy and Harper sat on one side of the table, looking at Ethan, Blayne and Kira, who sat on the other. The group had spent the last hour putting together the best timeline of events Ethan could muster. Periodically, Murphy or Harper would ask a question to clarify the information Ethan had provided. Thankfully, the lawyer hadn’t jumped in to stop her client from saying anything. Murphy had a yellow legal pad in front of her and was jotting down notes, her pencil scratching the paper’s surface furiously as Ethan provided details.
“So, let me get this right,” Murphy asked. “You two,” she said, pointing to Ethan and Blayne, “had never met before Ethan flew to Houston?”
“We’d been talking for over a year,” Blayne said.
“On a gay dating app?” Harper questioned, stressing the last three words as he drew them out.
“Yes,” Ethan said, squeezing Blayne’s hand.
“And you two aren’t dating?” Murphy asked.
“Nope,” Ethan said. “Look… I know how this looks,” he said, raising Blayne’s hand off the table. “We haven’t even discussed anything ourselves. We hinted at things and flirted a lot, but it’s been a crazy few days.”
“I’ll say,” Kira muttered under her breath.
“Okay. So, why was Blayne pretending to be Ethan yesterday?”
Murphy jotted Blayne’s plan for getting rid of the paparazzi in her notebook. Blayne and Ethan detailed everything from the initial idea to Blayne wearing Ethan’s clothes and using his cell phone to make sure everything looked good to the paparazzi.
“So, you were having coffee when you were shot?”
“Yes,” Blayne said. “Same place where the photo had been taken the day before.”
“And you were having coffee because you met with one of Kira’s clients?”
“Yes. Dr. Reich, Kira’s client’s mother, is my graduate adviser. I’ve known Dr. Reich and Jamie for a few years. They’re like family. When Jamie was bullied at school, Kira took him on as a client.”
“Then, when Jamie was viciously attacked,” Kira added, “I filed a handful of lawsuits on his behalf.”
“First, I’m sorry to hear the kid was attacked. Second, I know someone who works in the civil rights department at the Department of Justice, so I’d be happy to put you two in touch if the Texas courts don’t take your case seriously,” Murphy offered.
“I’ll definitely keep that in mind,” Kira responded. Kira pulled out a small metal case containing her business cards. She slid one across the table to Murphy, who pocketed the business card in her jacket.
