Page 42 of 2nd Strike
The reporter flaps a hand at the lone cameraman. “Make sure you’re getting this.” She shoves a microphone at me. “What do you make of the allegations that Charlize is sleeping with JJ Carrington? That they used the Havers kidnapping to further their careers?”
My poor sister. This is her worst nightmare. Whether we’re live or they’re simply taping, I need to fix this. I face Lily, the traitorous bitch who’s betrayed my sister.
“Lily, you know Charlie worked night and day on Ethan’s case. I have no idea what you’re doing right now, but you should stop. Before I’m forced to defend my sister from these horrible allegations. Unlike Charlie, I have no problem letting out whatever secrets of yours she uncovered during her investigation. And, just a reminder, I sat in your house the other day and watched you and Carl snipe at each other. America’s sweethearts didn’t look too sweet to me. If I were you, I’d think long and hard about how comfortable you are with your personal life becoming public fodder.”
My slamming pulse warns me that I’ve taken the mother of all fliers. Outside of what Charlie has told me, I’m clueless as to what’s in her case files.
But, we all have secrets.
Lily’s eyes flash and a bout of smugness slows my raging heart rate.
“Lily,” the reporter says, “what’s she talking about?”
“You bitch,” Lily hisses at me.
“Me? You put your fifteen-year-old son’s case out there for public consumption then come to our door spewing this nonsense andI’mthe bitch? I think you’d better take a good long look in that mirror you’re so fond of. There’s a whole lot of ugliness to be seen.” Now I face Joclyn. “Get your facts straight before we sue you and your show.” I lean in a little, lowering my voice the way folks do when they want to make a point. “I will bury you. Now get off our property. Right now.”
19
Charlie
I'm stunned, Ethan watching with me as Meg takes on Lily, the live broadcast on his phone.
The kid is as devastated as I am, which says something about his level of compassion––which the woman who's been his mother all this time doesn't seem to possess.
Meg comes storming into the room. “Before you bawl me out, I had to do something to get her off our butts."
I stand and hug her. “Thank you. You did great."
"I tried to channel you." She smiles.
“You always have my back, and I appreciate it." The words feel insignificant for what she's done. “Thank you," I say again.
JJ rubs a hand over his face, as dumbfounded as I am. I sink low in my chair and drop my head into my hands. “How the hell did she find out about us?"
I seem to have taken the steam out of Meg and she glances between me and JJ. "I didn't confirm anything."
“Doesn’t matter," JJ tells her. “The cat’s out of the bag. If there's even a hint of impropriety, a whiff that we have a personal relationship, regardless of the fact we didn't during the Havers’ investigation, it smacks of personal misconduct and conflict of interest. I'll be lucky if I'm not suspended for six months or longer. I'll probably lose my job."
My god, my god, my god. This thing has spun so out-of-control, I don't know what to do. I feel mentally paralyzed.
I sink lower in my chair, sliding halfway down and blow air out my lips. “And every case we worked together while I was an agent could be thrown out and need to be retried."
Matt hangs in the doorway. “Only if they have proof, Charlie, which I assume they don't, since the two of you would never do anything immoral or unethical like that, right?"
He knows me well.
JJ does too. “A mere allegation of misconduct is not a sufficient basis for prosecutorial recusal,” he says, as if convincing himself as much as me, “or in this situation, enough for anyone to reopen cases and start throwing them out.”
A mere allegation. Sounds so…quaint.
I never thought I'd be airing my sex life in front of everyone, but what the hell? “There was nomisconductwhile I was with the FBI working cases with you, and there's no evidence to suggest otherwise."
“We’ll still come under investigation,” JJ says, preparing me for something I’m already dreading, “but only if my supervisor or a judge determines Lily’s accusations are serious enough to warrant an official one.”
“I think you should sue that bitch," Meg says, and then clears her throat when she remembersthat bitchhas been the woman Ethan believed was his mother for the past eight years. “What she's doing is slander. Call Jackie right now.”
"Wait.” The kid frowns between me and JJ. “You two hooked up?"
