Not only was she his only hope, he was hers as well.
Enemies or not, there was one thing Annette had to keep in mind. There wasn’t a man in power in this city who had not achieved his position without help of some sort from Otis. Even Carson’s invitation to run for the office of Jefferson County District Attorney would have been a part of the good old boys’ strategy. He just didn’t see it yet. Drake and Wainwright may have extended the invitation, but she would lay odds that the approval had come from Otis Fleming.
Despite the differences he had with men like Wainwright and the occasional all-out war, Otis owned this city, lock, stock, and barrel.
And all of it was negotiable.
Outside, Annette climbed into the Tahoe she’d used to lose her federal tail. She had arranged several vehicles in as many locations around the city in the event they were spotted. Time was clearly running out. As soon as forensics had additional evidence that the .38 belonged to her, though it most certainly did not, she would be arrested for double murders. She had to get this done and be out of here before that happened.
She still couldn’t shake the unthinkable—the only man she had ever trusted had sold her out.
Why was she surprised? It wasn’t personal, it was simply business.
As Otis had said, she knew too much.Theywanted her out of their lives for good. To maintain his untouchable position, he would facilitate that effort.
As much as she considered her current dilemma to be about ousting her from power, some part of her was dead certain that therewas more involved. A deeper cover-up about which she only had snatches of knowledge.
So what if Dane had gone apeshit and murdered Carson’s family? Wouldn’t it be easier just to off the little son of a bitch? No matter how she looked at it, she was nearly positive that all of this was connected to something bigger than Dane’s screwup. The decision to take her down, Stokes, Carson’s sudden fall from grace. It all revolved around one central motivation.
The question was, what?
Better yet, why?
Frankly, after fifteen years, why did anyone care?
There had to be some part she couldn’t see.
Her cell rang; she dug it from her purse. “Yes.”
“Where should we meet?”
Carson.
She gave him the location of the black Range Rover. They would rendezvous there and take the Rover until the need to change vehicles arose again.
When he didn’t say more, she asked, “Did you learn anything from Elizabeth?” For some reason she despised the woman. Maybe it was the whole wholesome, Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes persona that gagged Annette.
“She doesn’t know where Dane is,” Carson said, frustrated. “But I promised her I would find him.”
How sweet.
“I forgot the two of you once had a thing.” Annette snapped her mouth shut. Hadn’t meant to say that. The idea that it smacked of jealousy irked her to no end.
“Yes, we once had athing.”
Her mouth went bone dry. “Do you still have athing?”
Shit. Shit. Shit. What was wrong with her? That she had asked a second idiotic question made her furious. And yet she sat on an emotional ledge awaiting his answer.
“I don’t think so ... maybe.”
“I’ll see you in ten minutes.” Annette disconnected. She didn’t want to hear any more of that tender emotion in his voice. She was stupid.
Of course a man like Carson Tanner would end up with Little Miss Princess, the pride of Birmingham’s elite. He wasn’t going to feel anything for Annette. Other than the urge for sex perhaps. And she cared nothing for him. Men couldn’t be trusted. Not even the so-called good ones.
She had learned that the hard way.
But then, what did she need with a man? She’d never really cared about sex either way until recently.
