Mark closed his eyes, then dropped his head into his hands. A few seconds passed before he looked up at me. “Shit.”
Thank God.“I know.”
Mark crossed and uncrossed his legs. “You know my policy about not getting into details,” he said. “As you can imagine, that applies to Tim’s work, as well.” His eyes were imploring. Imploringme.It was all out in the open now—what I knew, what Mark knew, what had been done—and he wanted me to let him off the hook. To let his willful blindness win the day. After all, that’s what I’d always done before.
But I couldn’t do that now. Not this time.
“Darden killed Doug, Mark,” I said. “Phil Beaumont summoned him to a meeting that night and probably that same car that’s been following me drove him off the road.”
“Ha!” Mark’s laugh sounded more like a bark. But when I didn’t respond, his face slowly fell. “You cannot be serious.”
I nodded. “I believe they got rid of Doug to keep him quiet about the problems with Xytek. It’s a bonus that they can now blame those problems on Doug, who’s not around to defend himself. Or they can try to. At a certain point, those doctors are going to speak up.”
“You really believe …” Mark didn’t finish the thought.
“Iknow,Mark. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
“You’ve already spoken to the police?” he asked. “Or were they the ones you heard it from?”
“I haven’t done anything yet,” I said. “I came here to speak with you first.”
“Okay,” Mark said. He got up to pour himself a glass of water from the wet bar. Took several swallows, then turned back to face me. “I appreciate that.” His tone was grave. “What are you proposing we do?”
“Go to the U.S. attorney’s office,” I said. “I don’t think we have much choice.”
Mark exhaled. “That would be an ethical breach,” he said. “I mean, we can argue that any wrongdoing with Xytek is ongoing and so the privilege is pierced … But we are definitely in a gray zone here.”
“They’ve threatened Cleo, Mark. To get to me,” I said, trying to tamp down my alarm at hearing the words out loud. “I know you’re friends with Phil, but—”
“Kat, come on.” Mark waved the suggestion away. “I know the guy, that’s all. That doesn’t mean …” An angry flush rose in his cheeks. “Wait … And Cleo? What do you mean they threatened her? You’re absolutely sure?”
He was looking for an out. I swallowed back my irritation. “They sent a photograph of her and a demand for money,” I said. “An implied threat.” I didn’t plan to tell Mark any more than that—Cleo was what mattered, not what I’d done at Haven House.
“Oh … Well, a demand for money? Sounds vague. And you’re assuming this came from Darden because …”
“And you’re assuming it’s a coincidence? Mark, you know I’ve been getting to the bottom of situations like this for a very long time. The car that’s been following me is the same, or similar, to the car that drove Doug Sinclair off the road. The kind of threat they made against Cleo is similar to the one that was made against Doug—essentially faux blackmail that could be used to establish alternate suspects should something happen to me. Just like Darden hoped that Doug Sinclair’s involvement in some college scandal might insulate them from suspicion.”
Mark lifted his eyebrows. “Darden got what they wanted: the article in theJournal.Why would they threaten Cleo now?”
“Because I’m a secondary liability. I’ve spoken to Tim Lyall. I know about Doug,” I said, my voice catching the slightest bit.
“I am sorry about that, Kat.” And he really did look sorry. “I know that you and Doug were …” He let the words drift. And I might not have even noticed, had his face not twitched. For only a split second. But long enough. “Well, the whole thing is upsetting.”
I know that you and Doug were …It felt like I’d been slapped. Mark knew about Doug and me—our relationship. Even though I hadn’t told him. Even though he’djustpretended that he’d never seen the emails in Tim Lyall’s possession, including the one that proved a secret connection between Doug and me. The truth was, Mark had known all along. He’d helped Darden use me.
I needed to get out of that house, right now.
“Listen, I should get back to Cleo.” I stood calmly. Calm seemed absolutely critical.
“Are you sure it’s even safe for you to be going back to Cleo? I mean, alone?”
I avoided looking at Mark, afraid his expression would belie the implied threat. I worried I might be sick.
“Oh, I’m not alone. I’ve got the NYPD watching her. Close friend of mine, very close.” I could only hope Mark would pass along the warning to Darden. “So, she’s safe for now—completely. But thank you. You should look out for yourself, though. Right now, Darden seems willing to cast a very wide net.”
I waited until I was safely around the corner before I dialed Emily Trachtenberg, the intrepidNew York Timesreporter who’d been dogging Vivienne Voxhall. She answered on the first ring.
“Who is this?” Her voice was hoarse.
