The Intern(96)

She drew a bath and cried in it, the hopelessness crushing so hard that she thought about opening a vein. But then Lucy came in and settled on the bathmat, licking her paws and staring with those green eyes that reminded her so much of Matthew’s. She owed it to him not to give up. Their child’s life depended on it. She texted Denise—Sylvia’s neighbor—that she couldn’t make it that night but would come by tomorrow night at the latest to collect Grace. How she would accomplish that, she had no idea. She’d think of something in the morning.

She woke up the next morning with the answer fully formed in her mind. They insisted she attend the Pro Bono League reception to do their dirty work? She’d go and turn the tables. Everything she needed to do could be accomplished at the event tonight. Warning Doug that they planned to whack him. Making contact with the feds to get resources for her new life. And slipping away into the night to hold her dying mother’s hand and reclaim her lost daughter. Charlie might have spies circulating, but he didn’t rate an invitation for himself. Few members of law enforcement were invited, certainly not one with his unsavory reputation. The crowd would be thick. She would invite the intern, use her to create a diversion, and disappear before they realized she was gone.

The scent of coffee told her that Madison was downstairs and would be leaving for campus soon. Kathryn threw back the covers and went to issue the invitation.



* * *



In white, she shone like a star. Standing beneath the towering glass tree, chatting and air-kissing, Kathryn didn’t know where the spies were, but she made sure they were watching her, not the intern.

Charlie texted, confirming her theory.

I hear you’re standing around holding court like the Queen of Sheba. Stop stalling. Go talk to Kessler.

You’re having me watched?

You know I am.

I’ll do it when the moment’s right. Too many eyes.

Do it now.

Fuck off or I won’t do it at all.

She’d make excuses, put him off until it was too late, and then disappear. Doug would get a warning, but a different one than Charlie expected, delivered by Madison, telling him to watch his back. Charlie would be left thinking that Kathryn failed to pass along the message. Hopefully they’d back off long enough for Doug to do what was necessary to protect himself.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Madison approach Doug. Laughing loudly, making a show of walking toward the bar, Kathryn drew the attention of the spies away from them. Everything was going according to plan. Then she turned her back. A few minutes later, drink in hand, she heard Doug’s voice raised in anger and cast a glance over her shoulder. He was red in the face, and people were gawking. The spies didn’t miss it. Her phone buzzed with a text.

What’s that intern doing with Kessler??? Charlie texted.

Who?

Your intern is with Kessler causing a scene.

Madison? There must be some mistake. She couldn’t get into an event like this to save her life.

Don’t BS me, my guy is looking right at her.

I’ll see what I can find out, stand by.

Andrew Martin was coming toward her. Their eyes met, and they veered away from one another. That wasn’t by any arrangement. Given the way she walked out on the DOJ interview, he probably thought that she wanted to avoid to him. She needed to change that impression, but not here, not now, not with so many eyes on her. Madison had been tasked with setting up a meeting with Martin on her behalf, but now Charlie’s spies would see her do that. The situation was deteriorating fast.

Shrill feedback on the PA system accompanied an announcement that dinner was about to begin.

Sorry, I don’t see Madison and they just said take our seats.

You’re doing this on purpose.

I’m trying to be helpful. Just give me time.

Heading for her assigned table, she crossed paths with Madison. She wanted to warn her off and tell her to go home without speaking to Martin. But the risk of being seen was too great. She looked right through her and kept walking.

Was that her? Charlie texted.

Who???

You just walked right by the intern.

Where? I don’t see her.

You’re lying to me, you’re fucked.

Kathryn tried not to appear alarmed as she took a seat at the courthouse table, shaking hands, greeting colleagues. The executive director of the Pro Bono League went to the mic to make welcoming remarks. Waiters brought baskets of rolls, poured wine, served the salad course. Her heart was pounding. Her phone buzzed again. Screw Charlie, she thought, but this time, it was Doug.

I’m not going down for them. Neither should you. Want to run away with me? Meet me at the Belvedere garage near Logan in half an hour but don’t let them follow you. I’ll have a plane waiting.

Shit shit shit. Charlie’s guy was monitoring Doug’s phone, reading his texts in real time. This was not the conversation they’d ordered her to have with him. There was no way to respond to his text without tipping them off. She wrote nothing. But Doug kept texting.

Remember Bermuda? You look so beautiful tonight. Say you’ll come with me.

She glanced over at the Bixby table and saw him staring at her. She did remember Bermuda—that legal conference years earlier, where they drank too much and fell into bed together. But Kathryn hadn’t loved him. Not that night, not ever. After a while, the guilt got to her, and she ended the affair. Doug was crushed. She had to crush him again now—to shut him up, to save his life. Glaring at him, she shook her head no. He threw his phone down and pushed his chair back, knocking over a water glass in the process. Chloe, sitting beside him, clutched his arm, looking concerned. He shrugged her off and made a break for the exit.