Page 45 of Dark Terror
“Who gets to be the bad cop on this one?” Gabe asked.
“Me. Pick me!” Harry pressed her palms together as if in prayer. “Please, please, please. I hate cheaters, so it would be next to impossible to be nice to the slimeball.”
Gabe laughed. “I knew you were going to say that. That’ll probably work best anyway. I can be the understanding douchebag dude. The senator and I can give exaggerated winks to each other behind your back. You know, ’cause the little lady just doesn’t understand a man has needs.”
“You wink like that behind my back, Gabe Calder, and I’ll shoot you. And you call me little lady again, I’ll aim my gun at your balls.”
“Christ, Harry, my balls just shriveled up. You really have to stop threatening to shoot your partner, especially there. He’s going to start having nightmares.”
She snorted a laugh. “Your lips are twitching. You think I’m funny.”
He did, not that he’d ever admit that to her.
A young man wearing an ill-fitted suit appeared. “Senator Winslow will see you now.”
They followed the aide, most likely an intern based on his young age and clothes, to the senator’s office. “Senator Winslow, Detectives Harrison and Calder.” After introducing them, the aide stepped out, closing the door behind him.
Winslow stood, his gaze immediately going to Harry, and Gabe saw appreciation in the man’s eyes. Gabe swallowed a smirk. The senator didn’t have a clue what he was dealing with where Harry was concerned. If he wasn’t careful, his balls were going to be the ones in her line of fire.
“I’m Detective Calder,” Gabe said. “This is my partner, Detective Harrison.”
“A pleasure,” Winslow said, his hand outstretched toward Harry.
Gabe knew Harry picked up on his emphasis onpleasureby the tick in her jaw. When Winslow held on to her hand a bit too long, Gabe stuck his hand out, forcing the man’s attention onto him. “Thank you for seeing us.”
“Please, be seated. You have me curious. What could two detectives from Dark Falls possibly have to talk to me about?” His gaze stayed on Harry.
“Your affair with Sheri Carstad,” Harry said, her voice cold. “Want to tell us about that?”
“Now, Delaney, play nice.” Gabe purposely used her first name, throwing a bone to the dog that was Senator Winslow. He’d watched first the surprise, then the blanking of Winslow’s expression at Harry’s accusation. But it was a practiced look, one a man of power learned how to project early in his career when something he didn’t want to deal with arose.
“I’m sorry… Delaney, is it?” At her terse nod, he smiled. “I can’t imagine why you’d think such a thing. Ms. Carstad did work out of my Dark Falls headquarters on my campaign. I didn’t have much contact with her other than at a few events, where there were always other people. Why are you asking about her? Has she filed a complaint of some sort? If so, I should probably not say anything more without my attorney present.”
Before they lost him altogether, Gabe decided it was time to play good cop. “Senator, you have nothing to worry about. Ms. Carstad has not filed any complaints against you. We do know for a fact, however, that the two of you did have an affair.” Not exactly true since they only had a strong suspicion. “Can’t say I blame you. She’s a beautiful woman. But we have no intention of making our evidence public.”
“At least not at this time,” Harry said, letting the threat hang in the air.
“Hopefully never.” Gabe gave the senator a man-to-man smile. “Our intention is not to hurt you or your career.” As long as he wasn’t their killer. “Has Ms. Carstad ever demanded money to keep your affair a secret?”
“That’s what this is about? Blackmail?”
“You can’t deny you’re ripe for the picking, Senator, being a married man and with your stance on family values.” Harry’s grin was pure evil. “It would be in your best interest to talk to us, help us get a handle on the situation.”
Winslow sat back in his chair, steepled his fingers under his chin, and after staring at Harry for a moment—as if disappointed she wasn’t looking back with stars in her eyes—he turned his gaze to Gabe.
“Detectives, I still don’t understand exactly what the situation is, but reading between the lines, I’m jumping to the conclusion that Ms. Carstad is blackmailing someone. The question is, how do you even know that if you don’t know who her victim is?”
“I’m afraid we can’t share that information. Has she at any time demanded money from you for any reason?”
“No, she hasn’t. I’m not admitting to anything, but if I did have an affair with her, it lasted less than a month. I’m not fond of clingy women.” He leaned forward, placing his hands flat on his desk. “I’ve worked hard to get where I am, detectives. A lot of people count on me, and I’d never risk all that on someone like Sheri.”
Someone like Sheri?What an ass. “When was the last time you saw her?” Gabe sensed the senator was telling the truth, but he was a politician, and knowing how to convincingly lie came with the job.
“Almost a year ago, at my victory party the night I won the election.”
Gabe took a small notebook from his pocket and flipped through a few pages, pretending to read it. “Your home base is in Dark Falls. How much time do you spend there?”
Winslow eyed the notebook, and Gabe was positive the man was more than curious about the contents. “Not as much time as I’d like. If you have no further questions, I have a lunch appointment.”
