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It’s evident from Mancuso’s tone how he feels about that arrangement. Some of these stinking wealthy individuals really do believe they’re above any rules of law or decency. They also tend to be slick as snot, and callous enough to let others do their dirty work for them.

“You need to get Withers talking.”

“I know,” the agent confirms. “I’m hoping this connection we’ve unearthed might give us some leverage. I’ll give it another shot this afternoon.”

“Although, if he was willing to kill Merrick because the mayor was becoming more of a liability than an asset to the cause, he may not be so easy to sway.”

“Unless we’re able to point out to Cody how easy it would be for Daddy Dearest to leave him taking the fall for it all. Get him thinking about that,” Mancuso suggests.

It would definitely plant a seed. After all, if Arlo is indeed his father, it’s gotta sting he hasn’t officially acknowledged Withers as his son, and is keeping him and his mother living as servants in the house he shares with his real family.

I go over the list of loose ends in my mind and wonder how many of them we’ve been able to tie off after yesterday’s events.

“What about the third commissioner? Had any luck with that? The vote is next week,” I remind him.

“Not yet. Still keeping an eye on the possible players. If I can get our suspect to open up, he might be able to tell us who it is.”

“We can hope.”

Because if not, we may have a hell of a time exposing the right individual. After yesterday, I’m pretty sure whoever it is, they’re likely hiding in the shadows, which would mean we may never know who was involved in the conspiracy.

Chapter 29

Dana

* * *

“Do you want children?”

I open my mouth to answer, but then reconsider. It feels a little like a trick question, and I’m not sure what the right answer would be.

Yesterday, when Rick was off looking for his mother’s phone, I was already subjected to a facsimile of the Spanish Inquisition by the sisters. Julia, as expected, had been a bit more aggressive than Isabel, but both were clearly very intent on finding out as much about me as they could while their brother was out of earshot.

I thought I’d gotten through that relatively intact, but then this morning, the older sister invited me to drive with her to the hospital, while Isabel went with Rick to pick up some coffees at Strange Brew for everyone.

Theresa is supposed to be released this morning, and the plan is for the sisters to drive their mother straight from the hospital back to Coeur d’Alene so she can recover in her own bed. Rick and I will have to say goodbye at the hospital before we are to meet with the FBI at the sheriff’s office.

It’s a little too early—and I’m clearly not prepared—for a topic that emotionally charged.

I always thought I’d have children, one day, when the time was right. Problem was, I could never quite get to a place where I felt the time was right. I never really had the kind of relationship where children might have become something to consider down the line.

In the end, the right time kind of passed me by, and I thought I was okay with that, but I’m not so sure now. Not after seeing that picture of Rick with his little girl, the happy love radiating from the snapshot. I keep picturing what he would look like carrying our child on his shoulders. Would it look like him, the same way Charlie did, or would it be a mix of us both?

My first instinct had been to blurt out yes, I want kids, but aside from not even knowing if Rick would want more, we’ve only been together a short time under unusual circumstances. Besides, I’m forty-one-years old, I’m already late to the game. Maybe too late.

“It doesn’t seem like a difficult question,” Julia pushes, challenging me.

I don’t think she’s being purposely abrasive, but she seems intent on getting an answer.

“And yet it is.” I look over at her and catch a glance she darts my way. “It’s not that I don’t want children, I’ve definitely thought about it, but I’m also recognizing there could be situations where, for one reason or another, it’s just not an option. For one, I’m no spring chicken.”

“That’s a cop-out. Plenty of women have babies later in life these days. Heck, sometimes they don’t even need a partner to have one.”

I narrow my eyes on her. “You really seem to want me to give you a clear answer on the subject, why is that?”

Her eyes are on the road, but her lips are tightly pressed together, making the lines around her mouth stand out more. She looks stern and a little intimidating, and I imagine she’d be a formidable opponent in a courtroom.

But when we pull up to a red traffic light and she turns to look at me, I see warm concern in her eyes.