“I want to go with you.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Some of what we have to discuss is potentially classified. It’s likely to become confrontational.”
“Good.”
Jenna had things she wanted to say to her father, too.
* * *
Derek satin the back of the limo wearing a suit, Jenna beside him in the designer outfit she’d bought for the occasion, looking like a million bucks, her beautiful hair hanging free. He could tell she was nervous. “It’s going to be okay.”
She nodded but said nothing, her fingers rubbing the bumpy surface of her brother’s dog tags, which she still wore around her neck.
While Jenna had been off shopping, Derek and Corbray had met with the Joint Chiefs, the Secretary of Defense, and members of the Armed Services Committee behind closed doors, presenting their damning evidence, including their drone footage and phone and bank records, as well as a recording Corbray had made of Kazi’s almost-confession.
No one had taken it well. Hamilton’s allies had quickly distanced themselves from him as the tide turned. They’d proposed a congressional investigation but had granted Derek the favor of letting Jenna confront her father before announcing anything.
By the end of the day, Hamilton’s empire of dirt would crumble.
They pulled up to the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Constitution, the driver stopping to let them out. Derek walked with Jenna up the stairs and through the front door. “Derek Tower, CEO of Cobra International Security, here to see Senator Hamilton. I am armed.”
He surrendered his firearm and showed the man his ID then passed through the metal detector and signed in.
“Jenna Hamilton, daughter of Senator Hamilton.” She gave them her ID and her handbag and passed through the metal detector.
“Is the senator expecting you?”
Jenna smiled. “I just got back from overseas. It’s a surprise.”
The security guard didn’t look happy about surprises, but he let them through.
They rode the elevator to the top floor, Jenna growing visibly more nervous.
Derek wished he could make this easier for her. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I need him out of my life.”
Okay, that made sense.
They reached the top floor and walked down a hallway crowded with lobbyists and sycophants to Hamilton’s offices and stepped inside.
The administrative assistant looked up from her desk. “Can I help you?”
“I’m Jenna, Senator Hamilton’s daughter, here to see my father.”
“I’m sorry, but he’s with someone right now.”
“That’s too bad.” Jenna walked to the closed office door and let herself in, Derek following her inside.
“Jenna?” Hamilton stared at his daughter, his gaze shifting from Jenna to Derek, his expression turning wary.
So, the bastard hadn’t known Jenna was back.
Kazi, as part of his penance, had promised not to warn Hamilton, and he’d apparently kept his word—about that, at least.
“We need to talk.”
“As you can see, I’m in the middle of—”