Chapter Nine
Maria
“You look like hell,” Ryan says as soon as he sees me come through the door of the small secure meeting room we’ve taken over in the building.
It’s not my favorite way to be greeted in the morning, but I can’t fault him when I know it’s accurate.
I stare at him a second, trying to process his words; Preacher must’ve gotten to whoever was after Ryan before they had to chance to try anything. Lucky him.
“I sometimes have trouble when I travel. Adjusting to a new bed and all. But I’ll be fine in a day or two.”
“Well, let me know if you need anything. We’re both going to have to be on our game today, just like every other day with our client.”
I nod and set my briefcase and laptop down on the table and take up a seat across from him. “I’ll be fine. But thanks for your concern.”
Ryan shrugs and checks his watch — a Rolex, but an older one, and not nearly as expensive-looking as I’ve seen around the office in Chicago. “If you need to step out at any time to get some coffee or some fresh air, feel free. If our client continues to keep the same attitude he’s had for our last couple meetings, today will be another frustrating and short day.”
I nod. Part of me is grateful — the idea of a short day, a chance to rest, and of less time around David Ardoin — is appealing. But the rest of me knows that another short day means I’ll be spending longer here in Missoula. Which means more time around my creep of a client and more chances for whoever wants to kill me to do the job correctly.
I trust Ozzy with my life, but the logical part of me knows that there might come something that he’s not able to protect me from. The longer I’m here, the more likely I am to die. This is the price I have to pay for my career.
A screeching electronic buzzer and the heavy click of a lock coming undone cuts through the silence of our little meeting room. Neither of us bats an eye at the sound — we’ve both heard it before and I’m honestly too tired to react to much anyway.
David enters in handcuffs, with two officers at his back. They shackle him to the chair, check the cuffs several times, and give Ryan and me a hasty nod ‘good morning’ before exiting the room.
“Well, well, aren’t you just a beautiful sight this morning, Ms. Houlihan,” David says, winking at me with his good eye. “Even with bags under your eyes, you’re striking.”
“Cut the shit, David,” Ryan says, interjecting and, thankfully, talking forcefully enough that David gets his creepy eyes off me. “Have you thought any more about the US Attorney’s offer?”
“I have,” he says, languidly drawing out the words in his southern drawl. “I thought about it earlier, while I was taking my morning shit, and it had me wishing I had that offer on paper with me, so I could flush it down where it belongs. Like I’ve said to you before: I have a lot of valuable dirt to give. I can hand him more than a couple high-value individuals and organization on a silver platter and I am ready to cooperate. But not if I’m going to serve any jail time.”
About halfway through David’s little tirade, his eyes settle back on me. They don’t move, and they don’t blink. Everything about him: his stubbornness, his entitlement, his blatant perversity, pisses me the hell off and sickens me to my soul.
“How many enemies do you have, Mr. Ardoin?” I snap.
“How long is a piece of string, sweetheart?” he says.
“Cut the bullshit. You know you’re lucky as hell to even get an offer like what they’re putting out there. I mean, seriously, fucking manslaughter? Five to ten years at most? This isn’t a time to go waving your dick around. Take what you can get.”
“You might think differently if you knew just what I had to wave. Course, I’d be more than happy to show you. Especially if you get on your knees and ask me nicely. I promise you, you won’t regret it.”
I stand up, my chair screeching across the concrete floor. “Is this just a game to you? Do you know how many people’s lives you’re putting at risk? Do you think that the people you used to work with won’t try and kill you? Your time is running short, you fucking nitwit. They’re going to kill you.”
“Oh bless your heart, are you concerned about my safety?” he says, grinning.
“What are you saying, Maria?” Ryan says, cutting in.
I pause, looking away from David’s disgusting face.
“I’m saying, as I’m sure you’ve informed Mr. Ardoin on multiple occasions, that the longer he delays, the greater risk he runs. Either the risk of his former associates deciding to eliminate him as a liability, or of the US Attorney deciding to withdraw the deal and prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law because they’re tired of our client’s masturbatory self-aggrandizement.”
Ryan looks down at his files for a moment, considering, then back to me. “Outside. Now.”
With that, he gets up, and heads to the door.
I follow him, doing my best to keep as far from David as I can. Out in the hallway, after a nod to the guard to tell him to go take a hike, Ryan leans in to whisper, “what the hell is going on?”
“What do you mean?” I say.
“I mean, what the hell are you doing in there? Did something happen?”
“I’m fine. I apologize for my temper and lack of composure. It was a slip-up that won’t happen again.”
He laughs. “Lack of composure? Hell, we both know that bastard deserves whatever reaming he gets. But that’s not the point. It’s our job to represent him as professionals. That’s what he’s paying us to do. If you have a problem with that, fine, you can leave. I’m sure Mark can send someone else out here to assist me.”
Ryan’s words hit me like a slap in the face.
I don’t even want to entertain the thought of just how my boss would react to me giving up on the job. He’d have every justification to put my advancement on hold, or even fire me.
“I can handle this. There’ll be no more issues,” I say.
He pats me gently on the shoulder and it takes everything I have not to flinch at his touch. After last night, the only man I’m even remotely comfortable with touching me right now is Ozzy.
“Mark highly recommended you, and he almost never says complimentary things about anyone. I understand our client can be a son of a bitch, but I have your back. So keep a handle on your temper, all right?”
“Yes. Thank you, sir.”
“If he starts to rile you up, just remind yourself that this case can make your career. The last time Mark’s firm was looking for an additional partner, he must’ve called me half a dozen times for my input. Stick with it, prove yourself, and this will pay off.”
I stand up straighter, and can practically feel the frustration seep out of me. I’d known Mark and Ryan were friends, but hadn’t realized just how connected they were.
There’s a light at the end of this dark tunnel. I have to make this work.
“Yes, sir,” I say.
He nods. “Now, let’s go back in there and see what useful information we can prise out of him, so we can keep the US Attorney interested and keep these negotiations alive. I’m not optimistic we’ll get the kind of deal Mr. Ardoin’s hoping for, but it’s our duty to try.”
He opens the door for me.
I do my best to steel myself for what I’m sure is going to be a long day.
I need to get David Ardoin to talk.
Because there’s no way in hell I’m giving up on this case, no matter who might stand in my way. Ozzy included.