“The only proof you have is what Howard Gabay did. You can’t prove I blackmailed him.”
“One plus one equals two, Dominique. There’s no other reason Howard would have been selling you his firm for so little.”
“You can’t know that.”
“But I do. I spoke with Howard earlier this morning, telling him I found out everything you had against him.”
Dominique crossed her arms. “Nah, I’m not buying it. Why would he confess to this? He’ll lose his license to practice law.”
“He was tired of having it weighing on his conscience. But you had to see how your blackmailing him would have painted a target on your back. You were forcing a man out of a company that had been in his family for generations. Yet you kept quiet, thereby interfering with a murder investigation.”
“No, that’s not true. How could I have known that Howard would order a hit on me?”
Amanda grimaced. Dominique’s powerful reaction showed the thought had crossed her mind. She’d hold off disclosing who was behind the hit for now. “When you beckoned Howard for dinner on Saturday night, it was just to make sure he was stillunder your control.” Her further chat with Howard also cleared up the true nature of their dinner conversation.
“None of that matters.”
“You needed to assume the power that he took from you years ago,” Amanda added.
“I don’t know what you’re…”
“He raped you back in college. You filed a police report, but charges were never laid against him.” This wasn’t something Amanda found in the safe. Howard had confessed this to her.
“The police did nothing to help me.Nothing.I suffered the embarrassment of a rape kit, and it was just stuffed into some cabinet. Howard’s father had powerful people in his pocket with a reach into the MPD. But that humiliation… it never goes away.”
Police failing her in the past might be another reason she resisted their help. “I feel for you, Dominique, I do, but that doesn’t excuse blackmailing your attacker. It doesn’t bring back an innocent woman who was murdered in your home. She was a mother and had people who loved and cared for her. Or your friend Joel Blackburn, who died because he got caught up in your mess. Yet, still, you said nothing.”
A single tear dropped on Dominique’s cheek that she was quick to swipe away. “I never thought Howard would have the balls to do this.”
“Here’s the thing. Howard Gabay didn’t order the hit on you. His son, Sullivan, did.”
“Sullivan? Why? I never did anything to him.”
“From his standpoint, you came after his father.” The bigger picture that Amanda didn’t need to spell out was that a father had protected his son, and now the son was repaying the father. Even the rough edge that Sullivan projected against his father had been a performance. Amanda waited a few seconds, then said, “Silence has consequences just like actions do. You will becharged for blackmailing Howard Gabay. He has nothing left to lose, and I’m sure he’ll testify against you.”
“It will never hold up. You’ll see.”
“We will, but you better get accustomed to cramped quarters. I am also charging you with obstruction of justice for interfering in a murder investigation.”
“No, please, you can’t be serious.”
Amanda stood. “I’m serious, Ms. Sharp. People lost their lives, others were hurt, some will be burying their loved ones. If I have any say in the matter, you will go away for a very long time.” She’d also lose her license to practice law. But as Amanda left the room, she was saddened by the other repercussions of Dominique’s choice to remain silent. Riley Lane was delayed closure, Joel Blackburn would still be alive, and Trent would be by her side and not in a hospital bed.
FIFTY
Amanda filled Malone in on her conversations from that morning and was now walking through the hallways of the hospital toward Trent’s room. Her heart was hurting as she drew closer to his room, despite the nurse saying he was doing great “considering.” It was theconsideringpart that played on her mind.
She stopped outside his door, took a deep breath, and went inside.
Trent was lying in bed watching the television across the room. He smiled when he saw her and turned off the TV.
“How are you doing?” Her steps were leaden as she walked toward his bed.
“The doctor says I’ll live.” He laughed, making light of his ordeal.
“Well, that’s good.”
“I think so. And now I’ll have a fresh scar to go with my previous ones.”
