Circumstantial Marriage (4 page)

A hallway in the rear of the building led to some restrooms and what appeared to be an emergency exit. Bright red letters affixed to the door indicated that an alarm would go off if it was opened.

She started to ask if it was a good idea to use the door, but before she could get a word out, he turned abruptly, plowing through a swinging door to their left, pulling her with him.

Then they were in the kitchen. “Are we allowed back here?” she asked without thinking.

“Who cares?” he said shortly, hurrying through the room toward a door in the back, this one with no warning on it.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a cook behind a counter glance up as they passed, his mouth falling open slightly. Judging from his expression, they definitely weren’t allowed back here. Before he could say anything, they’d already zipped past him.

Stone finally slowed as they approached the door. He eased it open with one hand, carefully scanning whatever lay on the other side of the gap he created. In the next moment, he released her arm, pushing his upper body through the opening and glancing behind the door as well.

Seemingly reassured, he stepped back into the room and retook her arm. “Come on.”

Shoving the door open entirely, he pulled her through it, into an alley. He led her to the left, down the enclosed space ripe with the smell of garbage and cluttered with debris. She almost asked if he’d considered whether the man would expect them to exit through the back or if he might have a partner lying in wait. One glance at the resolute expression on his face, his eyes narrowed, his features tense, and she knew there was little he hadn’t considered.

Stone kept checking behind them, no doubt keeping an eye out, should their pursuers suddenly appear. She couldn’t help but do the same. The alley opened onto another. To her surprise, Stone suddenly slowed, then stopped completely in front of a door. She watched as he inserted a key he already had in hand into the lock, then pushed the door open. It was a garage, she realized, seconds before he pulled her through the opening.

A single vehicle—a sedan whose features she could barely make out—was parked inside the cramped space. Stone closed and locked the door behind them before moving to the driver’s side of the car. “Get in,” he said.

Audrey obeyed, immediately moving to the passenger side. “Whose car is this?”

“Mine,” he said tersely.

She climbed in, her eyes automatically returning to his face as he started the engine. “You park this far from your apartment?”

“It’s not that far.”

No, she realized, it probably wasn’t. The diner was likely midway between his building and the bar. The garage had to be at least several blocks from his apartment, but it wasn’t an extreme distance.

As for why he’d chosen to park in a garage away from the building, she didn’t have to ask. Considering what had happened with his family, it made sense. As unlikely as it was that the same thing would happen again, he wasn’t going to park in the open, and he wouldn’t want anyone to easily locate his vehicle.

Audrey watched him reach up and push the button on a garage door opener clipped to the visor. “You should stay down, just in case,” he said.

She ducked down in her seat and listened to the sound of the garage door raising. She sensed more than saw the tension in Stone’s body, and knew he was completely on guard.

He slowly pulled out of the garage, turning right onto the street. Within moments, the vehicle picked up speed. Holding her breath, she waited for some sign he’d spotted the man from the diner, or worse, that they’d been spotted themselves.

When she felt Stone relax almost imperceptibly, she knew it was safe. She was already sitting up when he said, “We’re clear.”

“Now what?” she asked softly.

“Now we go see Franklin.”

Audrey didn’t bother to ask what they’d do about her car. Obviously, it had to be left where it was. If she had been followed to the bar, her pursuers would clearly know where she’d parked. After failing to hit her, they could have gone back and placed a tracking device on the vehicle, intending to follow wherever she went.

Now she really had nothing, she thought bleakly. All she had left was what she had on her.

She did her best to push aside the sadness that threatened to well up again, focusing instead on how deliberate Jason’s plan had been.

“That was some quick thinking. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’d been prepared for just this eventuality.”

“I always prepare for anything,” he said grimly.

Ever since he’d lost his family, she realized. He’d been blindsided, had failed to protect those he loved most. He wasn’t going to be caught off guard again.

He’d thought this might happen. It was the real reason he’d chosen the diner. He’d planned for this, giving her no indication that was the case. She couldn’t help but wonder what else he wasn’t sharing with her and eye him more closely as a result.

Brilliant,
Hal had called him.
Razor sharp.
She’d just had no idea how much so.

And for the first time it occurred to her that, beyond the information he could provide her with, this might be a good man to have on her side.

Chapter Three

They’d gotten away.

Albert Shaw scanned the street one last time, even though he knew it wouldn’t make a difference. He didn’t know how Stone and the Ellison woman had done it, but they clearly had.

They were gone.

A faint trace of anger flickered deep in his gut, the feeling too muted to make much of an impact. He wasn’t happy about this development, but he’d learned long ago to maintain absolute control over his emotions. Feelings could only interfere with getting the job done.

This particular job was to eliminate Stone and the Ellison woman. This setback aside, he intended to complete it.

From his vantage point in the front of the restaurant, he’d caught sight of them heading to the back, but by the time he’d made it to the alley behind the diner there’d been no sign of them. They’d either doubled back and left through the front after all, or they’d somehow made it down the alley before he could follow. Their escape route didn’t matter. All that did was finding them again—and fast.

Shaw turned quickly and headed back to his vehicle. He could cover more ground faster in his car. It would give him an advantage if they were on foot.

His cell phone vibrated. He checked the screen just long enough to ID the caller—Bridges—then ignored the device. He was going to hold off on talking to the man as long as possible, preferably until he had something to report. Bridges wasn’t going to be happy Stone and Ellison were still out there any more than Shaw was.

He frowned, the anger nearly managing to burst through to the surface. The fact that they were still out there made him look sloppy, inept, and he took too much pride in his work to be happy about that. He always planned everything out completely, methodically. But this job had gone bad from the start. His initial assignment had simply been to obtain a copy of Talmadge’s book before he turned it in, so Bridges could determine if any action needed to be taken before its contents spread beyond Talmadge and the few he may have discussed it with. Eliminating Talmadge was a last resort, something that needed to be avoided if at all possible, because it was sure to look suspicious.

Shaw had hired an associate to hack into Talmadge’s computer, but it had turned out Talmadge had been writing his book on a laptop that wasn’t connected to the internet—to keep himself from being distracted, or because he thought someone might try to hack it? Either way, Shaw had been forced to access the laptop himself. But when Talmadge had finally left his home and given Shaw the opportunity to break in, he’d returned earlier than expected. There’d been no way to get out of the house before Talmadge noticed, and when the man had found him, drastic measures had been required. Rather than simply leaving with the copy of the book he’d downloaded onto a flash drive, Shaw had had to terminate the man, using the fire to both cover the murder and destroy Talmadge’s work.

Shaw didn’t regret the action. It had been unavoidable. What he did regret was the timing. If he’d had time to prepare, he would have tracked down Stone before acting, and Talmadge, Ellison and Stone all would have died on the same night, everything tied up neatly. Shaw had been monitoring the man’s phone and email communications and knew that Talmadge’s editor and agent didn’t know what was in the book. Talmadge didn’t have much of a social life, and based on his phone records, in the past year he’d only had lengthy conversations with two people: Ellison and Stone. If he’d told anyone what was in the book, it would have been them. They were the only possible loose ends.

Finally reaching his vehicle, Shaw climbed in, the memory of how close he’d been to taking out Ellison making him grimace. It would have been easier if he’d been able to open fire and simply take out the Ellison woman on the street. In a neighborhood like this, a drive-by wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. But it would be better if her death looked like an accident. Too many people knew what Hal Talmadge had been working on—the subject if not the specifics. It was going to look suspicious enough having Talmadge and those closest to him die within days of each other. It would be worse if any of those deaths appeared to be direct hits. People would definitely take a closer look at the good senator then, maybe start wondering whether Talmadge had been on to something after all, possibly start trying to re-create his work. That was exactly what couldn’t be allowed to happen.

No, their deaths—both Stone’s and Ellison’s—would appear as accidental as Hal Talmadge’s when they happened. And they
would
happen.

They may have escaped him for the moment, but that didn’t change the fact that they were living on borrowed time.

Shaw shoved his key in the ignition, but rather than start the engine, he sat there thinking quickly. Driving the streets randomly trying to spot them would most likely be a waste of time. He needed a better plan. He’d found Ellison this time by figuring she’d look for Stone. His best bet was to figure out where they’d go next.

If Audrey Ellison had a copy of the book or knew what was in it, she would have gone to the press instead of looking for Stone. The fact that she hadn’t told him all he needed to know. As for Stone, Shaw had to operate under the assumption that he didn’t know what was in it, either. If he did, then the situation was likely too late to contain anyway.

But if Stone didn’t know, then he and Ellison would most likely try to figure out what it was Talmadge had dug up. To do that, they would have to re-create Talmadge’s investigation.

Which meant Shaw had an advantage.

Smiling slowly, he pulled out the flash drive containing Talmadge’s book.

A little homework and he’d know where they were going before they did.

G
ABE
F
RANKLIN LIVED
in a three-story town house in Cleveland Park. Jason parked down the block in a space shadowed by trees. Night had fallen during the drive there, and between the trees and the lack of direct light from any nearby streetlamps, the car was covered in darkness as much as possible. Audrey doubted anyone was looking for the car; Jason hadn’t said whose name it was registered under, but she knew it wasn’t his. Still, she suspected he was right and it was better to keep the vehicle as inconspicuous as they could.

They quickly made their way to Franklin’s building and climbed the steps to the front door. Jason rang the bell. Audrey could hear the sound of the chimes echoing deep into the recesses of the house. “How much do you plan to tell him?” she asked.

“Only as much as I have to.”

She didn’t have time to ask any further questions when the door suddenly swung open. The man who stood there appeared to be in his mid-fifties, with thick gray hair that gave him a distinguished look and piercing clear blue eyes. The way he was dressed, in a button-down shirt open at the neck with the sleeves rolled up and no shoes, made him look very much at home. Audrey had to assume this was Gabe Franklin.

He didn’t even look at her, those eyes automatically going to the man beside her and widening slightly in surprise. “Stone?”

Jason nodded tersely. “It’s been a while, Franklin.”

Eyebrows lifting, Franklin scanned Stone from head to toe. “You look like hell.”

“I see you’re still not pulling any punches.”

“I’ve never really seen the point.”

“Glad to hear it. We need to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Can we come in?”

Franklin’s eyes narrowed as though he’d like an answer first. Something in the seriousness of Stone’s tone must have gotten through, because after a moment he nodded and stepped aside.

As soon as they were inside the entryway, he closed the door and turned to face them. “Now what is this about?”

Stone sent a glance toward the interior of the house. “Are you alone?”

“No, you’re here,” Franklin said archly. “But there’s no one else if that’s what you mean.”

“We’re here about Hal Talmadge.”

“He’s dead.”

A wry grin curved one side of Stone’s mouth. “Believe us, we definitely know. This is Hal’s niece, Audrey Ellison.”

Franklin’s gaze finally flickered over to her. “I’m sorry for your loss,” he said by rote, with no inflection whatsoever.

“Thank you,” Audrey said, matching his flatness.

“I’m sure you know Talmadge was working on a biography of Richard Bridges,” Stone said.

“Sure.”

“Did he get in touch with you to interview you for the book?”

“You should know. You sent him to me.”

“Did you talk to him?”

“Briefly,” Franklin said slowly, a clear note of caution in his tone.

“Most of Hal’s work was destroyed in the fire that killed him. Audrey and I both know how much the book meant to him. Audrey would like to make sure it’s completed. She came to me, and I agreed to help her with the project.”

Franklin raised a brow. “And this is something you needed to make sure no one overheard us talking about?”

“We would prefer that word didn’t get out until we know if we can complete the project. Besides, Hal always believed in discretion. It seems in his spirit to operate under the same philosophy. In any case, we’re trying to re-create his research, and since we thought he spoke with you early in the process, this seemed like a good place to start.”

For a long moment, Franklin simply stared at Jason through narrowed eyes. Audrey couldn’t tell whether or not he believed Jason’s story. Finally, he simply turned and moved into a room to the right of the entryway. “You might as well have a seat.”

They followed him into what appeared to be a living room area. The walls were covered with framed photographs of Franklin with an array of famous and prominent faces. Audrey reflexively glanced toward the windows on the front wall, relaxing slightly when she saw the curtains were closed.

Motioning toward the seating area, Franklin moved toward a bar on the opposite wall. “Can I get you anything?”

They both declined, Audrey taking a seat on the couch, Stone in the chair closest to her. Audrey pulled a pen and notepad out of her bag. She didn’t want to miss anything Franklin told them, and she figured the man would probably expect her to take notes anyway.

“What did you and Hal talk about?” Stone asked.

“He wanted to know what Bridges was like in prep school,” Franklin answered over his shoulder. “Everything I remembered about those days.”

“And what did you tell him?”

Franklin finally returned, drink in hand, and carefully lowered himself into the chair opposite Stone. “Nothing that wasn’t already common knowledge or that he couldn’t have learned elsewhere. I had the feeling he knew most of it. In those days, Bridges was a nice enough guy, but nothing special, really. Almost all of us had fathers pushing us to succeed, but Bridges didn’t really care about that. He wasn’t ambitious, didn’t do anything to distinguish himself as far as I can remember. Out of all the young men in our class, Bridges was just about the last I would have predicted getting as far as he did. He just didn’t seem to have the drive or the desire. I was a little surprised when he got into Yale—though I’m sure Dick Bridges played a large part in that—but wasn’t surprised at all when he didn’t arrive on campus that fall with the rest of our class who was going there.”

“He was expected to go to Yale?” Audrey asked.

“Originally, yes. The next thing I heard was that he’d deferred and decided to travel in Europe for a year, and when he came back the following year he went to the University of Virginia instead. Clearly the year away did him a lot of good. From all reports he came back more focused, more driven, displaying many of the qualities that have led him to where he is today.”

Now that he mentioned it, Audrey remembered hearing the same thing about Richard Bridges’s youth. He’d made it part of his personal story, how he’d been rather aimless in his younger days, until the year he’d spent abroad in Europe before he started college. Seeing the world had opened his eyes to his place in it, and started his interest in public service and his desire to make a difference.

It was a nice story, a young man finding himself and turning his life around. Audrey hadn’t thought about it much. She hadn’t had a reason to. Now, though, she couldn’t help but turn it over in her mind and wonder if there wasn’t more to it.

Audrey spoke up. “Do you remember Bridges having any particular interest in traveling abroad when you knew him?”

Rather than answer, Franklin smiled faintly and took a sip from his drink.

“What is it?” Stone asked.

“Talmadge asked me the same thing,” Franklin said. He glanced at Audrey. “I guess you really are his niece. But the answer is no. The only place I ever remember him talking about was that town in Virginia where he grew up. He liked it there, liked the horses on their farm. Probably no surprise considering how he’s still well-known for loving horses. I believe he went back there every summer. I don’t recall ever hearing of him traveling anywhere else.”

Audrey wasn’t surprised to hear how much Bridges loved his hometown, since he’d chosen to launch his presidential campaign there in a few days.

“Do you know if he went back there the summer after you both graduated from prep school, before he left for Europe?” Jason asked.

“As far as I know. I remember how surprised everyone was when we heard that he’d decided to travel the continent, so I doubt that he mentioned it or that anyone had the slightest idea. And I can’t imagine where he could have gone before that, besides the town in Virginia.”

So he’d gone to the hometown that he loved, and at the end of the summer, rather than stay there or go to college as he’d planned, he left for Europe. And once he came back, he’d decided to attend a different college altogether. Audrey had to wonder how that had all come about and why.

“Is there anything else you remember telling Hal that you haven’t mentioned?” Jason asked.

Franklin hesitated, a trace of wariness crossing his features. “There was one story, but I told it to him with the understanding that he wouldn’t reveal me as his source.”

Jason nodded. “We can promise you the same.”

Franklin looked at him for a long moment, as though weighing whether to believe him, then finally sighed and opened his mouth again. Audrey had to resist the urge to lean forward in excitement.