Page 11 of Dirty Rotten Cheating Husband

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “Describe further.”

AGENT BENTLEY: “I don’t understand the question.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “Answer the question, agent. What did you do to entice Clementine Adler into a sexual relationship with you?”

AGENT BENTLEY: “Flowers. Dinner. The usual.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “What is ‘the usual,’ agent?”

AGENT BENTLEY: “I don’t see how this is relevant.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “Let the court be the judge of what’s relevant and not. How did you entice the subject to enter into a relationship with you?”

AGENT BENTLEY: “I asked her on dates. I listened to her. I gave her flowers.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “Did you have sex with Clementine Adler?”

AGENT BENTLEY: “I don’t see how this is relevant.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “Answer the question, Agent Bentley.”

AGENT BENTLEY: “Yes.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “Why did you have sex with Clementine Adler?”

AGENT BENTLEY: “To get her to trust me.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “So, this was not a real relationship? You were not actually legally married?”

AGENT BENTLEY: “Correct.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “Would you say you succeeded in your mission? You made Clementine Adler fall in love with you?”

AGENT BENTLEY: “Yes.”

PROSECUTOR GONZALEZ: “Did you ever feel guilty? About the deception you were perpetrating on this innocent woman, simply because her father was accused of governmental fraud?”

AGENT BENTLEY: “No. I was just doing my job.”

CHAPTER 6

Grayson

Is this what a fucking midlife crisis feels like?

I used to be perfectly happy with my life. Working long hours as an FBI agent, with casual, no-strings-attached sex on my day off.

It’s kind of ironic, because I used to be quite the devoted family man. At least, to all outward appearances. I was the husband who went to the farmer’s market every Sunday, contributed 50-50 to all the household chores, preferred tennis with his wife instead of golf with the boys.

Except, of course, it was all a lie.

I don’t think about those two years with Clementine.

It was a job I completed. Nothing more. When you’ve been deep undercover, it doesn’t do any good to go back over the job and think about what might have gone differently.

After Harvey Adler was arrested, I was showered with medals and awards. I’m the most decorated person in my department now, the obvious candidate for taking the Chief’s job after he retires. Our department is still close-knit. The Chief, Vivi, Nakamura, Williams, and me. We have the best prosecution record in Fraud. Even Senator Mancini has been to our office to give me a special commendation for my service. The walls of my office are sagging with the weight of all my awards for meritorious service to the country.

It’s everything I’ve worked for all these long years.

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