Page 73 of After The Storm

“What do you mean?” Kate asked, confused. If Jonas had been right all along, how was this not a case of police corruption involving the governor?

Persephone walked to the foot of Kate’s bed and set the remote back on the dresser as she began to explain the whole sordid tale. “In 2007, two years after Hurricane Katrina, a twenty-five year old woman named Diana Preston died in a Lafayette, Louisiana apartment in a building rebuilt with federal money given to the owner of the building, a man named Joseph Battier. This Joseph Battier was a friend of the mayor of Lafayette at that time, Charles Williams, who helped him get the federal money. In 2008, Charles Williams ran for state senate and won. But when he was mayor of Lafayette, he and a few of his friends, including Joseph Battier, took federal money to rebuild properties while they cut corners, which led to Diana Preston’s death. He continued to funnel money to his cronies even after he went to Baton Rouge.”

“Did he and Battier know the shoddy work on the apartment had been responsible for the woman’s death?” Roman asked.

“From all Xavier has been able to find out, yes, they did. In 2012, Williams was elected governor, and as Governor Williams, he helped his friends in Lafayette when Diana Preston’s estate sued Joseph Battier. He sent the state police to intimidate people involved in the case, including Diana’s neighbor who witnessed the shoddy construction in her apartment and moved out right after her death and her friend who had been staying with her at the time of her death. Those initials you found in your boss’s files were those of the officers involved. That neighbor was your boss’s client, Kate, Samuel Darnell. It seems when he first approached Jonas Flynn, he thought it was a police harassment case. It was only when Jonas began doing some digging that he found out that the state police intimidation was just the tip of the iceberg.”

Kate stared at Persephone in stunned amazement. Never in her wildest dreams did she believe Jonas had stumbled up a conspiracy like the one she’d just heard. He was just a local personal injury attorney, and he’d succeeded in scaring the governor himself so much that he had him and Samuel killed. She hung her head as tears filled her eyes, sad that they’d paid the ultimate price simply because Jonas had wanted to know the truth.

“I want you to know I think you’re a very brave woman, Kate. Roman’s told me all about what you two did, and while I never like to see any client of ours get hurt, I’m honored to meet you.”

Lifting her head, Kate dried her eyes. “Thanks. I don’t feel brave. I just wanted to find out who had killed Jonas and Samuel and try not to die in the process. All the bravery belonged to Roman.”

“Your boss may have started all of this, but it’s because of you and Roman that the governor’s corruption has been uncovered. I made sure to let the lieutenant governor know that when I presented him with what we found.”

Roman added, “And Xavier. Don’t forget him.”

Persephone smiled. “I’m sure he won’t let me. Well, rest up and don’t worry about a thing.”

Before she left, Persephone looked over at Roman, and Kate noticed how her expression changed from the happy one she’d worn just a moment ago to one that seemed to show worry when she looked at him. He’d done his job, so why would she not be happy with him?

Alone with Roman, she said, “It looks like you fulfilled your mission, I guess. Thank you for everything you did. You saved my life.”

He kissed her softly on the lips and leaned back to look at her. “I didn’t have a choice, and it wasn’t because of the mission.”

“It wasn’t?”

He shook his head. “No. I love you, Kate.”

Before she told him how she felt about him, she needed to know about his relationship with Persephone. “That woman is your boss? She didn’t look too happy with you. Why? Does she blame you for my getting shot? Because I’m more than happy to tell her how much you did for me. Unless it’s something else.”

“I think it might be. I think she knows how I feel about you.”

“Is there a problem with that?” Kate asked, worried he was unhappy about Persephone knowing how he felt about her. Was there something between Roman and his boss?

“Not with me.”

Kate searched Roman’s dark eyes desperate for the answer she wanted to hear. “Are you sure? I mean, if there’s something I should know, tell me. Don’t feel like you have to lie to me to save my feelings because I was shot. I’d rather know the truth, Roman.”

For a moment, he seemed confused and then he smiled broadly, shaking his head. “Oh, you think Persephone and I are together? No way. She and Nick started all this together after something similar to what happened to you happened to her. There’s nothing between us except she’s my boss.”

“Oh.”

Roman kissed her again and whispered against her lips, “Let’s try that again. I love you, Kate.”

“I love you, Roman,” she answered back, happy but unsure what the future held. “So what happens now?”

He pressed his forehead to hers and smiled. “I don’t know, but whatever happens, it’s going to be the two of us together.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Roman walked intothe very room where he’d first met Nick and Persephone and the rest of the men who would join Project Artemis with him. He’d attended weekly meetings in that room whenever he wasn’t out on assignment, but today’s meeting would be different from those others because his part in the group was about to change.

The rest of the group, except for Dax and Marius who were out on assignments, walked in and took their usual seats on the couches and chairs while he remained standing near the window where he always positioned himself whenever they got together. He’d never truly become friends with any of the others, preferring to keep to himself. But like every one of them, he remained committed to the cause he’d signed up for that night when Persephone told them what she wanted Project Artemis to be.

Nick walked in alone and made his way over to where Roman stood. They shook hands as they did each time they met. Nick was that kind of guy.

“So Persephone tells me Kate is doing well. I would have stopped over at the carriage house, but I didn’t want to interrupt anything,” he said with a sly grin.

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