DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS by Mallory Kane Read Free Book Online

Sills need in the middle of the night?”
    Now she was becoming visibly angry. “Last night he worked on his speech until after eleven o’clock,” she said through gritted teeth. “So I didn’t finish typing the last revision until after midnight. Then—”
    The door to the interview room opened and Ethan’s partner stepped inside, smiling in a friendly manner. “Afternoon, Ms. Montgomery. I’m Detective Dixon Lloyd.”
    Elaine Montgomery gave Dixon a smile like nothing he’d seen from her yet. “Nice to meet you. Please call me Laney. You must be Good Cop, because Detective Delancey here is definitely Bad Cop.”
    “You have no idea,” Dixon said.
    At the same time, Ethan asked loudly, “What’s up, Dixon?”
    Dixon handed him a file folder. “We got the report back on the weapon that killed Senator Sills. There’s a partial print on the barrel. Probably not enough for a positive ID. It could be marginally helpful along with other evidence.”
    “Did they check it against Ms. Montgomery’s prints?”
    Dixon nodded. “First thing. No match.”
    “I didn’t touch the gun,” she said.
    “And therefore your prints were not found on it,” Ethan said evenly.
    “You want me to stay and play good cop?” Dixon asked, obviously noticing the tension between them.
    “No,” Ethan said firmly.
    At the same time, Laney said, “Yes.”
    “Okay, I’m going,” Dixon said on a laugh, reaching for the doorknob. “Oh,” he said, reaching into his pocket and coming out with a piece of paper. “Here’s a note I was told to give to you.” He handed it to Ethan.
    Ethan skimmed it. “Is he serious?” The note was from Commander Wharton. He wanted an in-person report from Ethan about the Whitley and Stamps interviews. “He should have the transcriptions on his desk by now.”
    Dixon shrugged. “I’m just the messenger.”
    “Did he ask you to come, too?”
    Dixon shook his head.
    “That figures. I suspect his real question will be if I’ve interviewed Travis.” Ethan sighed. “Wait for me outside, will you, Dix?” Ethan said.
    He turned to Laney. “Despite my partner’s amusement, this is a very serious matter, Ms. Montgomery,” Ethan said. “I realize that you are a victim, just like Senator Sills, but you’re also the only witness to his murder. I don’t have to tell you how much publicity is going to be surrounding this case, especially in light of Congressman Whitley’s involvement in the kidnapping of Max Chalmet.”
    “Oh, you certainly don’t have to tell me anything about that, Detective Delancey. I read the paper. I’m perfectly aware of the latest scandal involving the Delanceys.”
    Ethan bristled. “The scandal didn’t involve the Delanceys. The scandal was the kidnapping plan cooked up by Gavin Whitley, who by the way did his best to implicate your boss.”
    “Congressman Whitley was mistaken. Senator Sills had nothing to do with that.”
    “And you would know because—?”
    “I know because I’m—” She paused. “I was his personal assistant.”
    “The fact that you worked for him isn’t proof that he wasn’t involved in the kidnapping. You say you know. How?”
    “I handled all his correspondence. All of his phone calls go through me.”
    “All?” Ethan laughed. “Can you prove that?”
    “I—” She stopped and Ethan knew she’d gotten to the place where he’d been ever since she’d said I know because— Of course she couldn’t prove it.
    Ethan pushed back his chair and got up.
    “Oh, good. Are we done now?” Laney asked, sliding her chair backward. “Because I have a lot to do. There is a checklist a mile long that includes who all is to be notified, who is to be invited to the wake and to the funeral, where the wake and funeral are to be, how the family should be brought in—”
    Ethan held up a hand to stop her. “I get the picture. Are you the only one who manages all that?”
    “No. I believe the office of the governor and the office of the