In the corner of the room, Cathryn snorted. She was sitting on an antique settee, sifting through a file of papers that were spread on the walnut coffee table. I couldn’t hear what she was thinking, but what she felt was coming through loud and clear.
I grinned. Now that Cathryn couldn’t push my buttons so easily, picking up on her irritation was a lot more fun. I spied a small crystal bowl of wrapped chocolates on the ornate sideboard across the room. Focusing my energy, I lifted them up and moved the entire bowl through the air, setting them gently down on top of Cathryn’s papers.
She jumped and dropped the folder she was holding. Raising one eyebrow, she shot me a look.
“What?” I spread my hands in innocence. “It felt like you could use some sweetening up.” Behind me, Zoe turned a laugh into a sputtering cough.
“You’re showing off,” Cathryn retorted. “And I’m not in the mood to play. We have too much to do today.”
“What’s up?” I dropped into the small padded chair next to the settee. “New assignment?”
“Yes, and this is a big one. I’m not convinced that you’re ready to handle it on your own. But Harley seems to disagree.” Her tone left no doubt as to her thoughts on Harley’s reliability in this case.
“I’ve done missions on my own,” I pointed out. “And I haven’t screwed up anything yet.”
“You’ve done short-term, one-shot assignments. This is a long-term complicated mission with the potential to be explosive. I know you, Tasmyn. You’re a crusader. You want everyone to have the happily-ever-after you think you have.”
“I don’t think I have it, I know I do.” But Cathryn’s words reminded me of answers I wanted. “Speaking of happy endings, Cathryn, I wanted to ask you about my first assignment. You know, with the farmer. Mr. Cummings.”
I felt her alert rise although nothing showed on her face. “What about it?”
“He sold that land to his nephew, even after what we heard.”
“Did he? Well, we weren’t there to stop that, Tasmyn. We were only providing a service. What he did with the information was entirely up to him.”
I bit down my temper. “But did he get the information?”
“I told you that day, I filed a report and sent it to his lawyer. All of it was in there, what you and I both heard and the future that Fiona saw.”
“Did the lawyer share that report with Mr. Cummings?”
Cathryn shrugged. “I have no idea. I assume he would, but after all, it was the lawyer who hired us. The farmer didn’t even know why we were really there. But this is exactly why I have reservations about you taking this assignment. You want to know what happens. You want to make everything right. Sometimes we don’t get that information. Most of the time, actually. We do our jobs and we report our findings, and we move on. If you can’t do that, you’re not going to make it long here.”
“One of the reasons I agreed to work for Carruthers was the opportunity to help people,” I shot back. “How do I know I’m really doing that if I don’t get the full story?”
“You are helping, when you do your job and complete the assignment. Can you deal with that, Tasmyn? If not, you better say so right now.” Cathryn closed the folder and slapped it onto the coffee table.
“Am I interrupting?” Emma stood in the doorway, glancing uncertainly from Cathryn to me.
“Just two strong females battling for supremacy,” Zoe said. She hadn’t moved from her seat at the conference table and was watching us with steepled fingers below her chin. “Tasmyn and Cathryn are working out some issues.”
“I can come back,” Emma offered. “I thought I was late.”
“No, you’re fine, Emma. Come in.” Cathryn stood and gathered the papers. “Let’s all sit down here.” She indicated the table and took a seat at the far end, opposite Zoe.
“Are you sure you want me to stay?” I stood behind a chair, leveling a questioning look at Cathryn.
“I don’t care what you do, Tasmyn, as long we’re all clear on the mission. This is a very sensitive case, so if you’re not certain, you should leave now. You can’t listen to the briefing and then make up your mind; what I share here doesn’t leave this room. So, in or out?”
I only hesitated for a second. In the end, my natural curiosity outweighed my mad at Cathryn. Pulling out a chair, I sat, hands folded on the table.
“Good.” Cathryn opened her folder and then glanced up. “Zoe, would you close the door, please? And Emma, build us a perimeter, if you would.”
Interested, I turned to look at Emma. Fee had mentioned this aspect of our friend’s power, but I had never seen it in action. I watched as she drew a deep breath, closed her eyes and sat very still. A moment later, she opened her eyes and smiled.
“All set,” she said. “Nothing’s getting in or out.”
“How does that work?” I asked. “Just curious. I’ve never heard of it until you.”
Emma raised one shoulder. “It’s a component of the broadcasting, I guess. I just visualize a sort of wall going up around us. It keeps people from hearing us—both our voices and our thoughts—and it also stops them from being able to speak into the room. You know, if there were an influencer like me trying to get in here.”
“Cool.” I smiled at Emma, struck again by the odd new freedom of discussing this kind of ability without worry of recrimination. The only other time I’d had that sort of opportunity and freedom was with Rafe and his family, and thinking of them reminded me of something I’d been meaning to tell Emma.
“I knew another broadcaster once. She was part of a King family.”
“Really? I don’t know many. We have just one other--”
“All right, girls, can we get down to business? You can finish your little chat later.” Cathryn’s temper and tolerance were both short today.
We’ll talk afterward. Hearing Emma’s words in my mind was an odd sensation, reminding me again of Lucie, Rafe’s cousin. I nodded in reply, smiling just enough to let her know I’d heard without ticking off Cathryn again.
“I can’t stress enough how important discretion and absolute silence are in this particular case. The details are sensitive, and we’ve been retained on the condition of our ability to keep everything quiet. As you both know, while we always ask you not to discuss our assignments outside of Carruthers, we don’t usually enforce that within the walls of this house. That’s one of the advantages of our organization, the freedom to share things that those with our talents quite often have to hide.
“But in this situation, your absolute silence is not only requested, it’s required. Nothing leaves the four of us.” She pointed to each of us around the table. “And nothing is discussed without Emma setting a perimeter for us first.”
“What about reports?” Emma asked.
“Nothing in writing,” Cathryn said. “Not even encrypted. That’s why we’re meeting in person today, without the usual emails first. You will record your hours and your work, but only in the vaguest terms and under a dummy case name and number. I’ll give you that information once I’ve finished laying out the particulars. But can you all commit to this level of secrecy?”
Emma and I both nodded without looking at each other. At the end of the table, Zoe laid out her hands, palms up. “Of course, Cathryn. Although I’m not quite certain why I’m involved here.”
“You, Zoe, are Harley’s concession to my concerns about Tasmyn.” Cathryn speared me with a glance. “As I just said, I’m not entirely convinced she can deal with certain aspects of this mission, and I’m worried about what could happen. You’re along for the ride to make sure that she behaves.”
I opened my mouth to hotly dispute what Cathryn said, but then shut it without speaking. Cathryn had seen me lose control too often. I couldn’t argue with her there. Plus, it might be nice to have Zoe as part of our team. I might not agree with Cathryn’s rationale, but since her provision for keeping me in line wasn’t a bad thing, I decided not to waste time arguing.
&
nbsp; “Tasmyn, you understand that the circle of secrecy includes keeping Michael out of the loop?”
This time I gave in and rolled my eyes. “I assumed that when you said ‘Nothing leaves the four of us’. I can count. And yes, I get it. Discretion, secrets, blah, blah, blah.”
Cathryn pursed her lips. “It might be tiresome to you, but it’s important.” She took a deep breath and shook her head. “All right then. I guess we’re ready to tackle particulars.”
The rest of us sat waiting. I didn’t know about Zoe and Emma, but I was almost holding my breath.
“Are any of you familiar with the Massler family?”
If Cathryn had asked if any of us were familiar the Queen of England, I would not have been more shocked. Hearing Nell’s family name was the last thing I expected.
Cathryn carefully avoided meeting my gaze as Emma spoke. “Massler? Aren’t they the big political family? The one son had some kind of scandal years ago, but then he got involved in charities. Their pictures are always in the social magazines, and they hang out with actors and other famous people.” She smiled, half-embarrassed. “So what? I read entertainment magazines.”
“I remember Nick Massler and his parents. They live part-time around Washington, D.C., but they have a home here in Florida, too. And that’s where Nick got in trouble, I think. Down here.” Zoe glanced at me speculatively. “As a matter of fact, wasn’t it in...”
“King. Yes.” I nodded. “He married into one of the King families.”
“Tasmyn knows a little more about the Masslers than the rest of you might. She’s actually met Nick, and she...knew his daughter, too.”
“I know his daughter,” I corrected. “She’s not dead.”
“No,” Cathryn agreed. “But she’s not...well, responsive.”
I ignored that last part. “If this has anything to do with Nell and anything Nick Massler might be trying to do to her—or with her—you can count me out right now.”
Cathryn sighed. I recognized her air of long-suffering patience and irrationally wanted to dump that bowl of chocolates over her head this time. I caught Zoe’s eye and saw her slight shake of the head. Maybe Cathryn was right; it was a good idea to have Zoe around as my conscience.
“This actually has nothing to do with Nell, except as she is Nick’s daughter. But your reaction is exactly why I didn’t want you involved.” Her mouth tightened. “It’s entirely about Nick Massler. Can you deal with it, Tasmyn, or would you like to leave now?”
I thought about Nell’s father and my few interactions with him. I didn’t like him; I hadn’t since the first time I’d heard the story of his marriage to Nell’s mom, the scandal that ensued and his treatment of their only child. But neither did I believe in coincidence.
“I’m in,” I said. “Go on.”
Cathryn gave me the barest of nods in acknowledgement and flipped through a few more papers. “So you’ve all at least heard of the Massler family. And you’re right. They are a political family, well known in this state for generations. Nick’s grandfather was an ambassador to Romania, and his father was a United States senator representing Florida years ago. They’re wealthy, influential...Nick, as the only son, was expected to carry on and maybe even go further. He’s very intelligent, personable and well-liked.” I snorted at that, but Cathryn pretended she didn’t hear me.
“Nick excelled in law school up north. He came back down here, went into the family law firm. It was about then that he met Alyse Brador. There was some buzz that his parents didn’t approve of her, but they got married anyway, in a huge over-the-top wedding in King. He left the family firm and started his own practice there, because Alyse wouldn’t leave her own family home. Or at least that’s the rumor.
“A year later, their daughter Nell was born. And then some years after that, the scandal that you all referenced took place. Alyse Brador Massler went into a psychiatric facility, and for all intents and purposes, Nick removed himself from King and went back to his family.”
“Leaving his daughter, who was a child at the time, to be raised by strangers. And then when she needed him the most, history repeated itself and he stuck her in a mental hospital. Neat and easy.” I folded my arms across my chest.
“Tasmyn isn’t wrong,” Cathryn said, surprising me. “But what happened with Nell really isn’t important here. It’s something more current.”
Emma frowned. “I haven’t heard anything about him recently. Other than he’s heading up some big charity. I can’t remember what it’s for, though.”
“He is the president of the board for a charity that raises money for autism research. His sister’s son was diagnosed a few years ago. So he does a lot of work for that group, and using that as a springboard, there has been talk that he might try to resume his political career.”
Zoe whistled low. “Ah, well, that is news, then.”
Cathryn nodded. “Yes. All of this up to now is fairly well known, in certain circles. What comes next is not.”
This was when I missed being able to use my ability on my co-workers. My curiosity definitely had the best of me.
“Nick Massler is very discreet, and while his name has been linked with a few women here and there in the past decade, since his wife...was committed, there hasn’t been anything serious. But unfortunately, there is now a situation.”
She pulled three sheets of paper from the folder and slid them across the table, one to Zoe, one to Emma and the last one to me. I looked down at the smiling face of an unfamiliar blonde woman, dressed in an evening gown and dazzling jewels. Her eyes were bright and warm, as though she had just caught sight of an old friend.
“This is Helene Gamble. She’s a model, a local actress, originally from a little town outside Orlando. She met Nick Massler when she modeled at a benefit fashion show about six months ago. They began seeing each other.”
“She doesn’t look very old,” remarked Zoe.
“Twenty-six,” Cathryn answered. “But she and Nick seemed remarkably compatible. Her family isn’t on par with his, socially speaking, but nothing’s wrong with them, either. Just typical upper-middle class.”
“So what’s the problem?” I picked up the picture and studied it again.
“This is the problem.” Cathryn handed me another paper, and I sucked in a breath. It was a picture of the same woman, but she definitely wasn’t smiling this time. She lay on the floor, on a carpet whose color I couldn’t discern as it was covered in blood.
Helene Gamble’s eyes were wide open and her mouth gaped. The blouse she wore was half off her shoulder, which was also spattered with blood. The lower half of her body was not in the photo, but I assumed the cause of death had something to do with the multiple stab wounds I could see on her chest and neck.
“Oh, no,” Zoe breathed, and I realized that Cathryn had given both of the others the same picture. Emma’s face was white, and her eyes were fastened on the paper.
“She was found by a maintenance worker in an apartment not too far from the Massler family estate. She’d been dead for about six hours at that point, or so it appears.”
“Who...?” Emma asked, and she didn’t have to finish her question. We all knew where she was going.
“We don’t know, and neither do the police. But of course, Nick Massler is a suspect. Possibly the chief suspect.”
I flipped over the page so that I didn’t have to look at those horrible vacant eyes for one more minute. “What’s our job? Find the killer?”
“Not exactly. There’s another component to this case. Have you ever heard of John Remington?”
I shook my head and Emma shrugged, but Zoe nodded. “Congressman Remington, right? Is that who you mean?”
“Yes,” Nell affirmed. “John Remington is a U.S. representative for this district. But he has a history with Nick Massler that not many people remember. He actually started out working for Nick, many years ago, but after Nick’s political career tanked, he went out on his own, ended up running for office him
self. I don’t know all the details, but there was a falling out between the two of them, and the rumor is that Nick plans to run against John for a Senate seat.”
“And that has what to do with all of this?” I asked.
“Nick believes that John might have had something to do with Helene’s murder, that he’s trying to frame Nick to ruin his political career once and for all.”
“Is that even a possibility?” Emma looked unconvinced.
“That’s our job, our mission. We’re going into Remington’s organization and determining if he set up the murder. We need to find any evidence that might remove the weight of suspicion from Nick.”
“Wait a minute—you want us to help Nick Massler get away with this? Really? Because from my point of view, the easier solution would be just ship him off to a looney bin. That’s how he handled his wife and daughter, after all. Why not?” I pushed my chair back and stalked to the window. My hold on the fury was tenuous at best, and I needed to breathe, to rein it in.
“We’re not helping him get away with anything. We’re merely trying to help him find out what part—if any—Remington played. And we need to keep it quiet, because if this kind of story gets out, it would be explosive, especially given the history of Nick’s marriage and his daughter. So far, it’s been buried. The police have been cooperative, as have the Masslers, but it’s only a matter of time before word gets out. Nick loses his last chance at politics, if we can’t help him prove he was set up.”
“What if we do find something?” Emma asked. “Even if Tasmyn hears a full confession, it’s not the kind of thing that’s admissible in court.”
Cathryn nodded. “You’re right. Our primary goal is to learn whatever we can and inform Nick. Of course, if we come across any concrete evidence, or if we can manipulate the situation so that a confession were actually heard, that would be extremely beneficial.” Her eyes slid to Emma.
King Series Box Set Page 88
