Page 293 of Lodestar

“I’m right, then. Last year, you were in touch with him?”

“Of course. I come into contact with him fairly often. Too frequently in all honesty. The man’s a grade-A creep.”

“Fits the profile,” I muttered.

Star nodded. “We’ve come to learn that he’s a Sparrow.”

Rachel’s lack of reaction was telling. Then, in the background, I heard the sound of a pen being tapped against a hard surface.

“Does that come as a surprise to you or not?” was Star’s brusque retort, and when she received radio silence for her pains, she urged, “It’s important, Rachel.”

“I’m not an idiot, Lodestar. I managed to figure that out on my own. How do you know he is?”

“We believe he was associated with Justin DeLaCroix. Along with Sheridan Reinier and Garry Smythe. Each is a top-ranking official?—”

“Garry Smythe?” she bit off.

“Yes. The White House chief of staff.”

Rachel’s exhalation was audible. “You didn’t hear this from me.”

“Of course,” Star complied easily.

“Foundry negotiated the purchase of a…” She cleared her throat. “…brothel in Las Vegas.”

“A brothel?” My brow furrowed. “Why would the attorney general involve himself in a business like that?”

“Because it’s a special kind of brothel. One of my clients used it for a blackmail source.”

Star and I glanced at one another. “Don’t suppose you’ll give us the particulars?” she wheedled.

“No, but I can tell you which company he used to transfer ownership over to him.” Another loud exhalation. “I suppose that I should have known.”

“What’s the name, Rachel?”

“The Bird’s Nest LLC.”

I choked out a laugh. “Original. They take this 'Sparrows' shit too seriously.”

“The clientele is highbrow and nearly all politicians. I suppose that’s handy when the chief of staff is a friend.”

Star’s mouth tightened. “Thank you for the information, Rachel.”

“You’re welcome.” She hesitated. “I’m glad you’re back, Lodestar. You might be a treacherous pain in the ass, but I wouldn’t want you on anyone’s side but my own.”

When she cut the call without another word, I drawled, “You make friends wherever you go, don’t you?”

She shoved me in the side. “Hush.”

Grinning, I snatched her hand and kissed her fingertips. “So, the White House has its own internal source ofinfluence… Interesting that Davidson isn’t a Sparrow but Smythe is, don’t you think?”

“Depends. You know how the Capitol works. It’s ‘you suck my dick, I’ll lick your ass.’”

“Think most of the fuckers up there would prefer not to believe they had homosexual tendencies.”

“Jackasses,” she agreed, her gaze distant. “What’s their endgame?”

“World domination,” I said lightly.

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