I believed Jimmy when hesaid he’dbeen trying to help. The evidence backed him up. He had no reason to lie, andthe story didn’t even sound that ridiculous. Howelsewould you ruin amedical research company than by bringing their research into question?
On the one hand, everythingJimmy had done was wrong—he’d broken into Miles’ office, car, andhome, and left himfeeling unsafe in all of them—but he’d been doing it in the pursuit of helpingMiles out.
This wasn’t an easyquestion, and there were no easy answers, and I felt like I was in way over myhead.
I grabbed the stack offiles, flicking them open properly this time, and found annotations in red penall over them, like he’d said.
He was right about the kids,too. They deserved to get the benefit of the trial, since it didseemtobe working. Even if no one else would see those benefits—at least, not for along time.
The more I thought aboutthis, the crueler and more cunning it got. Jimmy was certain Mr. Emerson wouldshut it down, but I wasn’t so sure. Like Miles, he seemed like the kind ofguy who’s heart was in the right place.
“Okay,” I began just as Ithought of it. “But Emerson Seniormustknow something’s up, otherwisewhy would he hire a bodyguard for Miles?”
“He knows John is out to gethim,” Jimmy said. “He probably thinks that’s what the car and the office wereabout. Which, I mean… maybe it’s just as well he thinks that. Miles needs you.Someone like you, anyway.”
“Someone like me?” I asked,eyebrow raised. What the hell did that mean?
“Someone who can take careof him. Someone hetrusts. God, just… someone who can get pastall the layers and love him like he deserves. I couldn’t do it, I’m not theright guy for the job, but you seem… capable,” he finished, gesturing vaguelytoward me.
I decided it was acompliment. Or at least, not intended as an insult.
“Okay.” I sighed, runningover everything I knew in my head one last time. Miles was in trouble. Hiswholecompanywas in trouble.
Thinking straight with thathanging over my head wasn’t exactly easy, but I could at least see the nextstep.
We had to talk to him.
No.
Ihad to talk tohim.
Jimmy would have to come,too, so he could explain all the shit about the reports that I had no hope inhell of understanding, but Miles had to hear the worst of it from me. Fromsomeone he trusted.
I really,reallyhoped he trusted me enough for this.
“Miles needs to know,” Isaid, finally, meeting Jimmy’s gaze and holding it. “Everything. From thebeginning. So I’m gonna tell him, and you’re gonna come with me to explain thescience parts. Got it?”
“That’s all I wanted in thefirst place,” Jimmy said. “You’re not… you’re not gonna call the cops?”
“Not yet,” I said. I wasn’tabout to promise I wouldn’t—a lot would depend on how Miles reacted—but rightnow, I needed Jimmy a free man.
Miles probably wouldn’t want to presscharges once he knew who’d been responsible, and why, but I wasn’t going tomake that decision on his behalf.
“You’ll have to convinceMiles if you don’t wanthimto, though. I’d start with an apology.”
Jimmy looked down at thetable, running his thumbnail over a scratch in the finish. “I just wanted toprotect him. Is that so wrong?”
“It’s not,” I said, becauseI really didn’t think it was. Stupid as he’d been, Jimmy had been doing hisbest under the circumstances. And it wasn’t as though he was the only personwho’d done stupid things in the pursuit of doing therightthing.
“But telling him what’sgoing on and helping him out of this mess might start making up for it,” I added,wanting to encourage Jimmy to help. The last thing I needed him doing wasgiving up on the idea now. Better to be certain he was on my side. Miles’ side.
Miles was what I cared aboutmost, here, and then the kids in the trial, and then whatever dumbass feudbullshit was going on at Emerson Medical. As long as Miles got out of it okay,they could mud wrestle each other for the goddamn company for all I cared.
“I’ll text him and let himknow to be ready to talk,” I said. “Andyouwill be on yourbest, politest behavior.”
“Yes, sir,” Jimmy mumbled,still focused on the scratch on the table.
Lucky for him, I was asucker for people who looked like they needed a hug. Not that I was about togive him one, but I knew heneededit, and that meant I wasn’t inclined to betoo hard on the guy.
