Page 62 of False Evidence

His phone rang as he was nearing the Jersey Turnpike. Caller ID said it was Lee, so he hit the answer button, then reached for the mic he’d clipped to his collar at the start of the drive and slipped the attached headphone in his ear. “What’s up?”

“I did as you asked and got an update from the prosecutor who filed charges against Spaulding.”

JT had asked Lee to get the update, as he needed the information to back up his decision with Drake. Lee had promised to keep Lex’s real name to himself. JT would use her name only if absolutely necessary.

It would probably be impossible to avoid, but JT was trying to respect her wishes. “I assume he’s out on bail?”

“Yes. First thing Monday morning. Fifty-thousand-dollar bond. He put down the required five grand and got a bondsman to cover the rest. Next court date is set for six weeks from now. Prosecutor feels confident she’ll have enough to go to trial. We all will be needed to testify, so you can’t keep your identity secret for long.”

He’d known that. He was going to be integral to the prosecution. There was no way Lex wouldn’t learn he was Spaulding’s ultimate boss. All he could do was put off the inevitable as long as possible.

He’d been in talks with HR about the firing, and he was on solid ground. If the guy hadn’t been at a company party and JT hadn’t witnessed the drugging of the drink himself, there could be issues with firing someone who hadn’t been convicted of anything yet, but his contract had a morality clause, and JT would see that it was enforced.

“Thanks, Lee. Hopefully, she’ll decide to tell me her name sooner rather than later.”

“There’s another thing you need to know. Spaulding went to her place yesterday.”

JT only just managed to stop himself from causing an accident at that news. He scanned the highway for an exit and moved to the right in anticipation of pulling off or over. A sign indicated a service plaza was a mile ahead. “Hold on. I’m going to pull off and call you back.”

He clicked off the call and, two minutes later, was pulling into a parking space at a busy truck stop. He left the engine running as he called Lee back.

“What happened?”

Lee relayed the story, which he’d gotten from the police report, not the prosecutor, who had only just been informed of the incident minutes before Lee’s conversation with her.

“I’m going to call Curt Dominick—remember him? From karate?—he’s an assistant US attorney in the DC office, which is also the DC District Attorney’s office. I want to know what he thinks about the Bethesda cops failing to contact the county prosecutor handling the case about the assault at the apartment. Especially because she specifically told them he must’ve just gotten out on bail.”

“Motherfucker. So the cops took the report yesterday morning and didn’t notify the prosecutor until today?”

“Yep. And the police report goes into great detail noting she was still dressed in clothing from the night before, and her refusal to submit to a drug test.”

JT was glad he’d pulled over because he could no longer see the convenience store in front of him. No way could he drive as rage rushed through him.

“She refused to tell them the name of the person she was with prior to returning home.”

He snorted at that. Not that she could, but she had to know he’d back her until the end of time. Wait until the cops learned he was Senator Talon’s son. Because they would learn.

He’d make sure of it.

Alexandra put the DVD ofBridget Jones’s Diaryin the player and settled on the couch with a bag of cheese puffs and a big box of wine. Kendall had just left an hour ago, and finally, she could relax and let herself fall apart.

The BlackBerry on the coffee table next to the bowl of puffs signaled a text, and she hit the Pause button on the DVD.

Received:Hey. I just heard what happened yesterday. You okay?

She stared at the screen. She should have realized he’d hear about it. He was a witness for the prosecution. Of course he’d be in the loop. Or insert himself in the loop.

Did he know her name?

Did it really matter?

She took a sip of wine. Honestly, it was Kendall’s potential betrayal that took priority now. If she didn’t have Kendall, she had no one.

She held her breath to prevent tears. She did not want to cry about something that might not happen, but in a way, it felt like it already had.

She stared at the BlackBerry and typed a reply before she could think it through.

Sent:I want to see you. Tonight.

---