Page 38 of Insidious Threats
“I know what cringe means,” she confirmed. “Okay, that’s unseemly. But Landon’s deathwasgood for your case.”
“I know, but the man was dead, and my father was celebrating. It was gross. Plus, Delone knew before it hit the news. He knew before anybody. Well, I guess he didn’t know before you and your husband. But he called the next morning from freaking South America to tell Dad.”
Thatwasstrange. She filed the tidbit away for later consideration. But, then, Delone was the richest person on the planet. Surely he had all sorts of information at his fingertips.
“What’s the second thing?”
This time, there was an eye roll. “Remember that conference with Judge Cook?”
“Of course. Your dad showed up late, but you did an impressive job until he got there.”
She watched Ellie brighten at the compliment, and her wheels began to turn.
“Thanks. Well, you said you were going to be at a party with your client and told me to call you there if we could get the district attorney to agree to a court-appointed monitor as a condition of settlement.”
“I remember. You said you’d see what you could do.”
“After we left, Dad went off on me for overstepping or whatever. And he said it wasn’t even up to the district attorney. Delone was calling the shots.”
“Completely unethical, but probably true,” Sasha observed.
Ellie cleared her throat and dropped her gaze to her lap. “Yeah, but when he called the DA … he told him about the party and that you’d be leaving around nine o’clock. And …” She lifted her chin and met Sasha’s eyes. “And he asked DA Botta to have the cops pull you over and intimidate you on your way home. I’m so sorry. I did try to talk him out of it, but he told me if I didn’t want to know how sausage was made, I shouldn’t have become a butcher.” She barked out a bitter laugh. “I hadn’t realized I was a butcher. Here, I thought I was a lawyer. So I got back to the office, sent Maisy the documents, and quit. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you. I was a total coward.” Tears shone in her eyes.
“That’s why you quit? Because your dad set the corrupt Milltown cops on me?”
Ellie swallowed and nodded miserably.
Sasha gave her a long look. “Eleanor, think for a minute. I’ve known your dad for over a decade. I know what kind of man he is. Right?”
Another nod.
“I shared a lot of information about where I was going to be and when I’d be leaving, didn’t I?”
“Yeah?”
“Much of which wasn’t strictly necessary. Unless …”
Understanding sparked in Ellie’s eyes. “Unless you wanted him to act on it. Youbaitedhim?”
“I did.”
“I quit my job. I’ve felt like a piece of human poo for six months because of what he did, and you lured him into it? But why? Why would you do that?”
“Tell you what. If you can tell me why I did it, there’s a job for you at McCandless, Volmer & Andrews—if you want it.”
Ellie was quiet for a moment. Then she spoke, slowly and uncertainly at first. “You used the interaction with the cops as leverage. Maybe you recorded it.”
Sasha nodded, and Ellie went on, more confident now. “Then, the next morning, you sent Maisy to see District Attorney Botta. She probably played the video, and he knew he was screwed, so he agreed to the settlement and to record a statement for the news. And knowing Ron Botta, he told her it was all my dad’s idea—which you already knew.”
“I did. But Maisy got the confirmation I needed.”
Ellie shook her head and laughed. “Damn, that’s elegant. You forced him to resign or else be exposed for what he’d done.”
“So, when do you want to start?”
Her eyes widened. “Wait. That was a serious job offer?”
“If you want it to be. Yes.”
