Everest Gilbert was flawlessly dressed in a designer suit, hair neatly styled, and his shoes polished, and Deegan was right. He was nervous. Although Kiersten would guarantee he was hiding something, the man didn’t have the criminal instinct.
The three of them stood in the park across from the fancy restaurant. Everest had his hands stuck deep inside his front pockets. “Just as I told you, Annie and I had been friends at work. I knew about her relationship with the politician, but I kept my nose clean. She was happy.”
“How long were they seeing each other?” Kiersten asked.
The man looked at her, grinning. “About the same time she was hired as his aide. Young desirable women can be an unhappily married man’s best friend.”
Hearing Deegan clear his throat, Kiersten didn’t look at him, instead kept her focus on the man standing before her looking like he needed a stiff drink. “You and Annie did socialize, though, outside of work.”
“Yeah, on occasion. She had big dreams. Liked to party. We checked out the locals together and had the same taste in men.” He winked.
Kiersten smiled. “She must have been stoked that she was hired on as Senator Kline’s aide. That seems like a stepping stone in the right direction to reach her dreams.”
He paced from one foot to the other. “Yeah, I guess it was.” He untucked his hands from his pockets and crossed his arms over his chest.
She knew she had to back off some, play this more gently. “RayAnn Mont told us you and Annie were pretty close.”
He rolled his eyes. “The only thing that bitch knows is how to hump a pole. I hope you don’t believe anything she said.”
“That’s why we wanted to speak to you. You seem like you knew quite a bit about Annie’s personal life and she must have trusted you. She did after all tell you about her love affair with the Senator.”
“We didn’t share play by play.”
“Of course not. So you’re a fan of Peter Clay?”
Everest patted the campaign pin on his lapel. “I guess Clay won’t have to worry about trying too hard on his campaign trail. Kline is done for.”
“I think we’ve seen each other before.” Kiersten watched him closely.
His façade slipped some. “You and me? No. I don’t think so. I bet we hang in different circles.” There was that smug smile.
“Oh, I must be a little off today. However, I’m curious, did you tell her about your love affair too? You know, tit-for-tat among buddies who share similar tastes in men, or should I say politicians?”
He blinked, his cheeks reddened, and he tugged at his collar. “What are you talking about?”
“Tell us everything, Everest,” she urged. “We just want to know what you know.”
He laughed, but it was shaky and raw. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He shook his head and directed his gaze toward Deegan “Is this what you brought me out here for? I have better things to do.” He started to walk, but Kiersten caught him by the elbow.
“Were you also having a love affair with Clay?” She went in for the kill.
“I don’t know where you get your information, but you’re wrong,” he stammered.
“If that’s the truth, then why do you look like the devil reached through your soul and grabbed your balls in his fist?” Kiersten asked.
“I don’t appreciate this—”
“Last month. The Historic Plateau. The luxury suite. I was there to sweep the place before Mr. Clay made his speech. You were on the list that security cleared, but I do believe it was under Boyd Stringfield. Now why would you need an alias unless you were hiding something.”
“This has nothing to do with Annie. I refuse to answer these questions. If you want to talk to me again, you’ll have to go through my lawyer.” He stomped toward the sidewalk.
Deegan stepped over to block is path. “I don’t care about your sex life, man, but I think there’s a connection.”
“There isn’t,” Everest snapped.
“Do you think she actually shot herself up with heroine?” Kiersten asked. “The drug was laced with fentanyl. We think she was murdered.”
Tearing a hand through his hair, looking more uncomfortable, he finally answered, “Does it matter what I think?”
“You say she was your friend, and by the pictures we saw, you two shared a lot. If you cared for her, you’d want the truth to be known. Now again, do you believe Annie was into drugs?” Deegan asked.
After several seconds and a shift of his shoes, he shrugged. “No, she wasn’t into drugs. Annie loved life, loved being herself. We talked all the time about her dreams. She didn’t mean to fall in love with Kline, but she did. And she certainly didn’t mean to become pregnant with his child.”
“So you knew about the baby?” Kiersten felt the last few bricks crumble. The man knew he was backed against the wall.
“Yeah, I did. I tried to talk her into getting rid of it, but she had this mixed-up fantasy inside her head that Kline was going to leave his wife and marry her.” His laugh was bitter. “That was Annie for you. She couldn’t see this for what it was…” As if he realized he’d said more than he should, he clamped his mouth tight. “I’ve said enough. I’ve got to go.”
“Everest, this is your time to tell your side of things. If you tell us everything, we can keep your name, and your personal interests, out of the report. If you don’t, your name, as well as others, will be plastered on the news when this case breaks wide open. And it will. Trust me, it always does. I’m surprised the media hounds haven’t found this out yet.” Deegan didn’t flinch an eye.
Everest took two steps back and looked from Kiersten to Deegan, then lowered his gaze to the ground for several seconds. When he brought his chin back up there were tears in his eyes. “Politicians do this. They plant spies in opponents’ campaigns all the time. It’s become the norm.”
Kiersten met Deegan’s gaze for a mere heartbeat, then asked, “Who wanted a spy?”
He looked defeated. “Representative Peter Clay and his team. He asked me if I knew someone who could be trusted. Someone smart, beautiful, and looking to make money.”
“And you thought of Annie.”
“She was all those things. Smart, brilliant, sexy, educated, and I knew she wanted to pay off her student loans so she could travel,” Everest admitted.
“Representative Clay paid her to infiltrate Kline’s campaign?” Deegan said in a low, menacing tone. “To help dig up dirt to prevent him from being re-elected?”
Everest brought his gaze around. “Are you surprised? You don’t think the Senator did the same?”
Deegan took two threatening steps toward the other man who quickly stepped back until he pressed against the brick of the building. “What I know is you have Annie’s blood on your hands. And Clay does as well.”
“Th—that’s not true.” His eyes misted. “I had nothing to do with her death. Neither did Peter. None of us had anything to do with her death. I cared for her.”
“Who do you think would want her dead and have something to gain then, Everest?” Kiersten asked.
“The same person I believe did it when I heard the news. Senator Kline.”
“Why?” Deegan barked.
“Because he found out she was a spy. That’s my guess.”
*
“It’s only his opinion.”
“True.” Deegan tightened his grip on the steering wheel, expecting Kiersten’s next words.
“But it does make sense. Kline never planned to leave his wife, we both know that, and when he went to end the affair, he found out that she was pregnant. He kills her and covers it up as an overdose. Or he was so angry over her betrayal that he did it as revenge.”
He wanted to argue, but what could he say? Fingers were pointed at Max. “How can we believe anything that comes out of Gilbert’s mouth? He’d say anything to protect his secrets, and Clay.”
“I agree that he wants to keep things private, but if this is the truth, it’s even bigger than we thought. Not only is the Senator on the top of the list of suspects, but so is Representative Clay. They both have motive.”
He gave her a side glance. “True.”
“So, under this theory, we know that Annie was hired by Clay to spy on his opponent. Whether or not sleeping with Kline was part of her hired obligations, we might never know, but it happened, and she fell in love. Got pregnant. Everest said once she wanted something permanent with Kline, she stopped taking Clay’s money. I could see him fearing that she would divulge the secret of the smear campaign.” There was a long pause. “But are either of these men capable of killing?”
“Over the years I’ve learned what men, even the cleanest of men, will do to get ahead, but I know Max. I think he loved her.”
“Okay. He loved her but imagine how angry he’d be when he found out the truth.”
He nodded. “I won’t deny that either of these two men could be guilty.”
“I understand he’s your friend—”
“He could have easily been set up too.”
“I see your point. What’s our next step? Are you going to tell him what we found out?”
“Not yet. Before we divulge any of this, I want to make sure what we’re accusing a man of. This could rip apart one, or both, of their lives. I have to say I’ve never much cared for politicians and worried about their benefit but throwing accusations around could hurt a lot of people.”
She nodded. “I agree.”
He needed to get something off his chest. “Max realizes the risk of bringing me in to investigate. If he was guilty of anything, he would allow Annie’s death to be ruled as an overdose. He’s my friend, but I’d never cover up anything for him, and he knows that as well as you should.”
Staring at the road ahead, he felt Kiersten’s warm touch on his elbow. He snapped his gaze around and she was looking at him. “I know you and you wouldn’t cover up a murder, or evidence, for your friend. I’m only pointing out the facts.”
Swallowing hard, he pulled over to the side of the road. “When he was younger, Max was a shy boy, never good with the ladies but sharp he was. He excelled in all his classes in the military, even helped me on occasion. More than occasionally. We bunked together. It took him two years to finally open up and tell me about his childhood. His mom was shot in a drive-by and after that his father was always gone working and keeping the stool warm at the local bar. One late night while he was studying for a test, because even then he was a book worm, he heard a noise and realized the apartment was being broken into. He ran but didn’t get away. He was severely beaten, but thankfully left alive. It took him a year before he got full use of his legs again and another six before he was brave enough to look at people in the eye, only to lose his father a few months later to a heart attack. Max wanted to change the world. I felt the same, but he chose politics and I chose law enforcement.” He investigated her gaze, holding it. “A man doesn’t risk losing everything when he’s lost everything before. Max has goals, and although he got sidetracked in an affair that might have screwed up his future reaching them, but we know that Annie was hired to seduce him and betray him. Everyone has their weaknesses and so does Max. He cared for that girl and he wouldn’t hurt her.”
“Well, let’s hope we catch the killer soon and get more answers.”
He pulled back out on the road. “In the meantime, we must be patient. The killer will slip.”