Page 60 of Little Empty Promises

Which, of course, was correct.

“I apologize if I’ve offended you in any way, Georgiana,” he said.

“What are you sorry for—coming here and teasing me about having a source who’s feeding you information but not giving me his name?”

He frowned.“I guess.I had no idea you’d take it this way.I’d like to start over, hit the reset button on our conversation.”

“Without a name, I can’t start over.”

“I can see now that it was wrong of me to come here, wrong of me to mention my source in the first place.The idea that I know a little more about the case than I should compromises the person who gave me the information.If I give you his name, it could cause trouble for me and for him.I suppose I hadn’t thought that through when I opened my mouth.”

He sighed, rubbing a hand across his jaw, like he was disappointed in himself—but not for coming across information pertinent to the case, I presumed.Rather, he’d allowed his egotisticalI know what you’ve been up toattitude get the better of him.And it was too late.The genie was out of the bottle.

“You say giving me a name will cause trouble if you do,” I said.“I say it will cause trouble if you don’t.”

I reached into my pocket, pulling out my cell phone.

“Who are you calling?”he asked.

“Chief Foley.Maybe the three of us should have a chat about your source.You’re withholding something from me.You’ve admitted as much.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake.Put the phone down.”

“Why should I?”

“As a gesture of my good faith, and to prove my intentions are only about wanting to see this case solved, I’ll give you his name.”

It wasn’t a gesture of good faith.

It was him being backed into a corner, a corner he’d put himself in.

I set the phone next to me and leaned back, waiting.

He took a deep breath in and said, “He’s a good kid.It’s not his fault, okay?I asked him to poke around.”

“His name?”

“Donovan Cole.”

The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

And then it came to me.

“Isn’t he a reporter for the county paper?”I asked.

“Yes, he is.In fact, I helped him get the job.”

“I’m beginning to understand what’s happening here.You helped him get his job, and he’s helping you by feeding you information.Am I right?”

“It’s nothing as scandalous as you’re suggesting.He knows about my interest in this investigation.He’s just as interested.”

“He’s been following me, hasn’t he?”

Benjamin raised a brow.“I wouldn’t know anything about that.”

“What information has Donovan given you?”

“He knows you found evidence the police missed inside Cordelia Bennett’s house.”

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