Page 50 of Kiss Me Now
Her laugh came across the line. “Smart boy. But it’s not my fault you read her so wrong.”
“Gran. It’s one hundred percent your fault I read her so wrong.”
“No, you did that because you’re jaded. Anyone who spent his time around decent folk all day would have seen right through to Brooke to her solid core, not found a grifter.” She laughed again. “Come on, admit it’s funny that you got her so wrong.”
“Too soon,” I grumbled. “And now I’ve made it worse. This is becoming a pattern with her.”
“Then break it,” Gran said. “But maybe not with spider peonies. Will I see you this weekend?”
“I’m not sure,” I said. “I got a new case, and I think the partners want this one expedited. I’ll come if I can.”
“It’d sure be a lot easier for you to smooth things over with Brooke in person.”
I imagined spiders crawling out of flowers and shook my head. “I somehow doubt that. But I promise, if I can, I’ll drive out.”
I hung up and pulled the Rink dossier closer, but instead of opening it, I reached for my phone. I searched long and hard before finding the perfect gif to send Brooke, a little animated spider wearing a sombrero and doing a dance.
A half hour later, she sent a reply.How did you hear? I haven’t even told Miss Lily.
I smiled and tapped out a response.Like a spider, I have a lot of eyes.
I regretted it immediately and regretted it even more when she replied.
Like a spider, I find that super creepy.
I sighed.I know. I heard it as soon as I sent it.
A minute of silence passed, and I texted again.I’m sorry about the bouquet. Wasn’t my intention.
Don’t worry, she answered.I know. They were pretty until the spider thing. But I still have the ones from last week, and those make me smile.
A goofy little wave of warmth traveled through my chest at the thought that I’d made her smile.As penance, Bixby’s is on me tomorrow too.
OH GOOD, she replied.WILL BE GETTING A HUGE CHOCOLATE ÉCLAIR AND FANCY COFFEE.
I laughed, sensing I was forgiven.You deserve it. No more flowers.
Sherrie poked her head in. “Did I just hear you laugh?”
I set my phone down. “Yes. But Schill has a new case for us, and there’s nothing funny about it. Have a seat, and we’ll dig in.”
Sherrie and I spent almost an hour poring over the Rink dossier. There was a factual accounting of the bills he’d sponsored and passed, the hearings he’d conducted as the chairman of the powerful appropriations committee, the commendations he’d won over the years. On their face, they painted the picture of a shrewd but fair legislator, committed to sound fiscal principles, honorable in the execution of his office once he’d put the scandal of his old extra-marital affairs behind him. He’d often worked with senators across the aisle to pass laws in the almost-forgotten tradition of an era past.
But.
The whisper network told a different story: the story of a man whose behavior in private was a betrayal of his constituents’ faith. And I’d learned that the whisper network rarely ever got it wrong.
I pushed the folder away and leaned back in my chair to think. “Are you familiar with the term ‘whisper network’?” I finally asked Sherrie.
“Sure. It’s pretty much always subordinates gossiping about their superiors, yes? Like servants in the old days in mansions, or actresses in Hollywood warning each other about predatory directors.”
“Yeah. The kind of thing that can’t be discussed openly because the predators are savvy enough to skirt the rules in a way that makes it hard for accusations to stick. Or because disclosure means the whistleblower risks losing their job.”
“What do you see in Rink’s file that makes you think the whisper network will have some info?”
“Nothing concrete.” I pinched the bridge of my nose as I considered the feeling in my gut. I trusted my instincts, and they were telling me that Rink was dirty. But a hunch wasn’t proof. “I think Rink came to Washington as a young senator and treated the social scene as his personal hunting grounds, lining up a string of conquests. When that caught up to him and the scandal threatened his re-election, he did the talk show apology tour, cried that he was sorry, and promised to reform.”
“You don’t buy it,” Sherrie said.
