27
“Good job,” Ryan whispered as they walked onto the elevator. “I think they understand now that you can’t be pushed around.”
“Thanks,” she said. “You were a huge help. I mean it. Hey, do you have a way to find out more about those lawsuits against Martin? I don’t want to check those off the list without doing some due diligence.”
“Absolutely. Even with a nondisclosure agreement about the settlements, I should still be able to get the original complaints. We’ll know the allegations, but won’t know whether or not they could have been proven in court.”
“I’ll take anything you can get,” she said. “Thanks.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t know how I can help you with the Longfellows. The Bells said that the police cleared them, but how are we going to nail that down? I can ask around my golf club. I’m sure we have mutual friends.”
“Actually, I think I’ve got an in with the senator himself,” Laurie said, crossing her fingers that she was right.
• • •
When she got back to her office, she found Jerry lingering over Grace’s shoulder, looking at her computer screen. They both looked startled when they caught sight of her.
“Will the two of you stop acting as if I’m the boss from hell like Brett Young? Why the guilty looks every time I turn a corner?” she asked.
She noticed Grace clicking her mouse, closing windows on her screen.
“What are you two up to?”
“We’re not hiding anything,” Jerry said, his voice innocent. That only made her more suspicious.
“Sure you’re not,” she said drily.
As soon as she was at her desk, she called Alex.
“Hey there,” he said. “I was just about to text you. Did you see Rhoda’s email? She wants us to look at a place on Eighty-eighth and Lex after work. Can you do six o’clock?”
“Of course. At least she’s looking in the right neighborhood. In the meantime, I’ve got a huge favor to ask. Can you get me a meeting with Senator Longfellow? I need to talk to him and his wife about the Bell murder case.”
Alex had worked closely with the offices of both senators from New York during his judicial confirmation process. With Timmy around during last night’s dinner, she hadn’t had a chance to tell Alex about Kendra’s suspicions regarding her husband and Senator Longfellow’s wife.
“Oh boy.” She could picture Alex wincing on the other end of the line. “I can’t imagine that phone call will make him happy.”
“I know. But the other option is to have his and his wife’s name bandied about on TV. I assume he’ll want a chance to comment.”
“I remember that move,” he said. When Alex was on the show, they often used it to get people to cooperate, by helping them to imagine the alternative that would occur in their absence. “Feels like old times.”
“Except better. Hopefully you don’t know all my moves already.”
“Don’t worry. You never cease to amaze me. Let me call Longfellow’s office and see what I can do.”
Laurie’s next phone call was to Caroline Radcliffe. It wasn’t even lunchtime. Kendra would be at work, the kids would be at school, and Laurie was eager to speak to Caroline alone.
Caroline picked up the phone after two rings. Laurie could hear the apprehension in her voice when Laurie explained that she wanted to speak to her about the night of Martin’s murder.
“Everything I know was already printed in the papers,” she said.
“I’m sure Kendra told you about the nature of our show. She agreed to participate. Although that doesn’t bind you, she’s aware that our expectation is that you’d also cooperate.”
Laurie expected Caroline to say she wanted to speak to Kendra first, but instead she asked Laurie if she was willing to come to the house. “I still need to shop for groceries and need to pick up the kids at three.”
“I can be there in half an hour,” Laurie said.