“How did they let them down?”
“They’d tell them some big investor they’d sworn was interested in their project backed out. They’d crush their dreams, and in many cases, these people did things they couldn’t afford to do to try to stay in a positive light with the Circle.” Marilyn leans forward and lowers her voice as if someone else is here. “Some of these people spent money they didn’t have to spend to prove a product was viable. Some slept with members of the panel, multiple members of the panel, cheated on spouses, you name it.” She sits back. “It was too much for me.”
“How many of these events did you attend?”
“Three. I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t stomach it. I broke up with Rip. And he was like—okay. Just okay. I was a fool.”
Yep, I think. Either that or she’s covering her ass and never broke up with Rip. I need to know that answer sooner than later. “Did you ever sit on the board?”
“No. No way, but I was known as Rip’s girlfriend. I’m worried I could be a target.”
With good reason. No matter what her motivation for coming to me, she’s a valuable resource. She needs that protection she asked for.
“How do me and Kane fit into this?”
“Rip made up interested investors. He’d tell them this person or that person was interested. He’d tell them Kane Mendez was interested. And then he’d say he pulled out.”
“Holy fuck,” I murmur. “Did he not know the rumors about Kane?”
“Yes, but that’s why he thought Kane was a good choice. Who would dare mess with Kane Mendez?”
I think of the pig’s blood and the woman who showed up at our house pretending to be a sous chef. The killer is taunting Kane the way he feels he, or she, was taunted. And therefore, the answer to who would dare mess with Kane Mendez is a person so brilliant, he lacks common sense. So much so that he’s officially stupid. You poke a lion, particularly this one, you don’t just lose a finger. You get your face bit off.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Suddenly, this case is personal. I’m at the point in this game where I pull a gun while playing Monopoly.
The bottom line for me is that Kane’s a target. And the one thing worse than Pocher coming at him is someone we don’t even know coming at him. Marilyn has been informative, but not informative enough. Not yet, at least.
“I need a list of all the silver and gold event candidates. And all the fake investor names the Circle used. Those people are in danger.”
“Rip had a special online storage he kept everything in. I made a copy.”
“I need that,” I say. “It’ll save lives.”
“I don’t have it with me. It’s in a lockbox.”
“Okay. Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to check out your story, and if it clears, you’ll get full immunity for handing over that information.”
Her eyes go wide. “I need immunity?!”
“Rip and his Circle committed fraud. You were a part of his circle.”
“I wasn’t on the board.”
“You were there. You knew what was happening. Did you warn the people they were being tricked?”
“No. I was afraid of Rip. He knows how to ruin people. I thought he’d ruin me, too.”
“I need those files. And I’ll get you the immunity and I’ll get you to a safe house.”
“No,” she says quickly. “No safe house. No police protection. I don’t want my name associated with a reason to need to be in a safe house. I took a vacation. I’m going to go to my grandmother’s place in New Hampshire.”
“Then we’ll send one of Kane’s men with you to protect you. Someone I trust. I’ll have him meet us here. He’ll take you to the lockbox.”
“I need that immunity agreement to hand over this information, and a promise in writing that I’m kept out of this. And a promise of Kane’s protection until this is over.”
“I’ll get it. I’ll have our men take you home to pack so I have time to get the agreement together. I’ll bring it to you at the lockbox. Fair enough?”
“Yes,” she says.
“Sit tight. I’m going to make the calls.” I stand up and walk to the front of the building, and call Lucas. He answers on the third ring, sounding half dead. “Yeah.”
“You're still asleep?”
“I didn’t sleep last night, Lilah.”
“Well, I got you a job at the FBI. With a salary. So get the hell up and do your job now.”
“You what?” he says, sounding instantly awake.
“Marilyn Lennox. Find out the last time she communicated with Rip Vaughn. It should be six months ago. Her timeline says she started dating him a year ago. Broke up with him six months ago. And look for anything else I need to know about. Now. It’s urgent.” I hang up on him and dial Chief Houston.
“Well?” he answers.
“She all but broke the case. I need an immunity agreement for Marilyn Lennox, ex-girlfriend to Rip Vaughn, as well as a written confirmation that we will protect her identity. And I need it right now. She is trading me data from Rip’s hard drive that is likely more murder targets. Can you do it?”
“How do you know we can trust her? I need that to call the DA’s office.”
“Tell them some of the most prominent people in the community are at risk.”
“Give me names,” he demands. “That will help.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know your hearing aid was fucked up, Chief Houston. I said, she’s giving us the list in exchange for the agreement. I need that agreement and if you can’t get it, I’ll call my people and the FBI will get it done.”
“I’ll get the damn agreement. Get your ass here.”
He disconnects and I dial Kane.
The minute he answers, I say, “I need a couple of men to go with her to New Hampshire until this is over.”
“What else?”
“One of them needs to take her to her lockbox now. I have to go to the precinct and get an immunity agreement. Just send one man now, actually. I don’t want to overwhelm her.”
“Jay’s coming in.”
“Send him to the rear. And Kane, I can’t explain now, but I think you’re on the killer’s revenge list. Be careful what you eat or drink.”
I disconnect and rush back to the table to check on Marilyn, only to find her missing. Damn it, she got cold feet and ran.
Holy shit. Now I’m running toward the back door, bursting into the alleyway and I’m not alone. I draw my weapon as my night just gets a whole lot shittier. To my left, I find six armed men and three cars, men I can only call gangsters. One of the men is holding Marilyn who ran from me and found someone worse. One of the men steps forward, a familiar man who I’ve never met, but I’ve seen his picture. He looks like Kane’s father: tall, fit, with a mustache and thick dark hair striped with gray.