Page 100 of The Wrong Side of the Law

“Hey, it works with some people,” he shrugs. “I can’t tell if Karin’s jealous that Emily’s getting you, though, or if it’s the other way around. She might be jealous thatyou’regetting Emily when she’s not.”

“Cove,” I say, my voice tight with suppressed anger. “Two things. Are you listening?”

“Recorder’s running,” he says, amused.

“First off.No. Comment.I will not dignify your filth in any way with a response. Is that clear enough for you?”

I don’t even wait for his answer, though.

“Second point. If you’re going to come in here and hint that I’m involved in some kind of misconduct with my staff, then you’d better bring along some specific allegations. And you’d best have some solid proof, not just innuendo and rumor.”

Goddammit. Karin. This is the final straw. You aredonehere. As soon as this prick is out of my office, I’m on the phone with Barbara. You finally gave me the perfect reason to fire your useless, spying ass when you let this shitweasel into my office.

And the shitweasel himself! I can understand having questions about propriety and appearances, but you didn’t come in looking for reassurance. And I’d have no qualms about giving reassurances. Maybe off the record, becauseno comment, but I’d do it. Emily Wilson has been nowhere near this case. She doesn’t know anything that could jeopardize the prosecution. I could tell this scumbag—with one hundred percent certainty and honesty—that Emily Wilson is a model employee who would not cross an ethical boundary to influence her brother’s case.

But no, Paul Cove came in looking for a sleazy angle to the story. If it bleeds, it leads, but if there’s no blood then sex will do just fine.

“Anything else to add to that?” Cove asks, reaching for the recorder on my desk.

“No,” I snap. “Actually, yes. I do have one more thing to add.”

I stand up, leaning forward on the desk with balled-up fists. I loom over the much smaller man with the outsized face. The stale smoke smell has me on the edge of gagging, and that just pisses me off even more.

“Take your filth andGET THE FUCK OUT OF MY OFFICE!”

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