Page 16 of State of Suspense

“Don’t worry,” Gonzo said. “We will.”

“How did you feel when your son was arrested on murder-for-hire charges?” Sam asked.

“How do you think I felt? You have kids. How would you like to hear that one of them had been arrested for such a thing?”

“I understand you were estranged from Randy and his sister.”

“So? That doesn’t mean it didn’t upset me to hear he’d been charged.”

“Did you tell Tom Forrester to release him or else?”

“Or else what? I didn’t tell him to do anything.”

“And yet, men who worked for you had his family stashed at the Washington Hilton,” Sam said. “Interesting coincidence.”

“Whatever they did with his family was on their own. I had nothing to do with that.”

Sam snorted, which the congressman didn’t appreciate.

“What’s so funny?”

“You are. You expect us to believe your son was arrested, Tom Forrester’s family was kidnapped by men who work for you, and Forrester ordered us to release your son—and you had nothing to do with any of that? Or the murder of the prosecutor who was about to turn your life upside down while you’re facing a primary challenger? Don’t you see how funny that is?”

“I don’t find the humor in any of this.”

“What goes on at Capital Retrofitters?” Gonzo asked.

“What’s that?” Bryant asked with a blank expression.

“The place where your pal Zach was found murdered. We were told you run a business out of there.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Did you have someone kill Tom Forrester?” Sam asked.

Bryant’s expression lost all color before it turned thunderous. “Get out of my house, and don’t come back here.”

“Is that a no?”

“Get out!”

As they got up and walked to the front door, Sam kept one eye over her shoulder. She wouldn’t put it past Bryant to shoot at them from behind. When people were cornered, they could be unpredictable.

She took a deep breath of the cool, fresh air that was a welcome relief from the stench inside Bryant’s house.

“I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t wait to see what the dumps of Bryant’s and Forrester’s phones show.”

“I can’t either,” Gonzo said. “The guy is so full of shit, his eyes are brown.”

“Do we like him for Forrester’s murder?” Freddie asked.

“Not sure yet,” Sam said as they got into the SUV. “He was locked up when it happened, as were his henchmen. You know how I feel about things being too obvious. What would he have to gain by killing the U.S. Attorney when the gig was already up for him?”

“Maybe to keep it from getting worse?” Gonzo asked.

“He’s already looking at multiple felony charges,” Sam said. “What would one more do to change the equation?”

“What if that one more was the worst one yet?” Freddie asked.

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