His wife was a rich idiot. Money could make you ignore lots of things, she imagined.
“I’m not talking about the case, I’m talking about the fact that the guy was undressing you with his eyes and is old enough to be your father.”
“Hey, the bride is wearing Vera Wang. Remember that. Not that I know how to describe that thing, my God, it’s got like gobs of fabric on the bottom.” Reese finally got the damn phone out and added, “Block me in case anyone thinks this is weird.”
As Knight moved to her side and pulled his jacket open briefly, she took a quick shot of the table.
“Oh, my God. You’ve got to get a new job.”
Where had he been? That’s what she had been telling him for twenty-four hours. “I know. That’s why I need this story.”
Satisfied with the shot, she dropped her phone back into her purse and grabbed a glass of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray.
“Is the whistle-blower here, at the wedding?” She’d been wondering about the guy who was letting the FBI wire him so he could rat out his coworkers.
His name wasn’t in the transcripts and she only had the sketchy idea that he was a fellow board member, given his access to the meetings. She wondered why he had come forward when he stood to lose so much.
“No, he’s not here. He and Chatterton aren’t close. Chatterton doesn’t really trust him, I don’t think.”
“With good reason, I’d say.” Reese inspected a passing bridesmaid. Straight line, antique gold. Skirt and bodice separate.
“Hey, this guy is risking a lot, Reese. By giving us this evidence, he’s going to right a wrong that Delco has been committing for three years.”
“But why is he doing it? For the good of the American public?” She’d like to think someone would do it for the right reasons, but people so rarely did, she couldn’t help but feel cynical.
Knight studied her. “Something like that.”
He was holding out on her, she could tell. “So when do you have enough to prosecute, or to raid their offices, or whatever?”
“We need one or two pieces to fall into place.”
“You need a meeting on tape between Delco and the other company, don’t you? Where they actually use words like cooperate and setting the price and withholding patents.”
“That would help.” He glanced around the room, his hands in his pockets.
“Are they planning a meeting?”
“It’s possible.”
If he gave her another cryptic cop remark, she was going to hurt him.
“Thanks for opening up to me, Knight, I feel like everything is crystal clear now.” Reese drained her champagne, wondering why the waiter had only filled her glass a quarter of the way. Now she was going to have to find another one.
Those fudge-colored eyes just gazed steadily at her. His chiseled jaw clenched and one finger came up and brushed along his ever-present whiskers.
“You’ll get your story. Don’t worry.”
Somehow, that wasn’t convincing. “Don’t hold out on me, Knight, I’m telling you.”
He dropped his hand and smirked a little. “Are you threatening me?”
“That wasn’t a threat. This is. You’ll regret it if you cut me out.”
Reese was tempted to bend his thumb back to add oomph to the threat, but restrained herself. That would be childish even for her.
TWENTY-ONE
Of coursehe was going to cut her out. He didn’t have a choice.