Kathryn knew that trick. Brooke needed to get off the line to make arrangements to record and trace the call. Even with the geolocation on the clone phone supposedly disabled, she felt uncomfortable taking that risk.
“I’d prefer to speak right now.”
“Go ahead. Say whatever you like.”
“Well, uh—when we met in DC last week, you solicited my cooperation, and I said I wasn’t interested. I might be reevaluating. I’m now willing to hear you out, at least as far as listening to what terms you’re offering in exchange for testimony.”
“Circumstances have changed. That deal is off the table. Permanently.”
If Kathryn had been hooked up to the heart monitor, it would have showed a terrible jolt. Though she shouldn’t be surprised that Brooke Lee no longer needed her testimony. Madison was cooperating.
“I see. So, can I assume that another witness came forward?”
“If I had a witness, you think I would tell you? Not if I want to keep them alive.”
She knew what that meant. The room tilted around her. They’d found Doug’s body. And they blamed her somehow.
“I’m texting you a photo taken by the security camera at the rear entrance to the Belvedere garage last night at nine thirty P.M. The same location where Douglas Kessler was found shot to death just an hour ago. Take a look. Tell me if you recognize the woman in the photo.”
The clone phone buzzed with a text. Kathryn opened it with a pit of dread in her stomach, already knowing what she would see. Herself, dressed in black, wearing a dark wig. It was almost laughable. She couldn’t have looked more like a criminal if she tried.
“I didn’t kill him.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I know who did, and I can prove it.”
“I’m sure you do know. Look, I’d love to take your co-conspirators down. But not at the cost of working with someone as sleazy as you. You’re entrusted with the most sacred office in our legal system, and you perverted it for personal gain. You’re a killer at least two times over that we know of. Brad McCarthy, and now Douglas Kessler. You could plead guilty to every charge in the book, Judge Conroy, and I would still never work with you. But I will bring you to justice, and that’s a promise.”
Kathryn dropped the call. Her hands were shaking. She felt cold and sick. All along, she told herself that she didn’t trust the feds and didn’t want their help. Now she realized that she’d been counting on it. There was no plan B. If Brooke Lee wouldn’t give her a new name, a new face, a new life, then she lacked the resources to do that for herself. If the feds didn’t take her into protective custody and arrest her enemies, she’d be killed. It was that simple. And not just Kathryn. Her mother and daughter, too. Even her cat. She’d left Lucy behind at the town house because she had no other choice in the moment, but in her mind it was temporary. She’d been counting on the FBI to go pick up her cat and bring her to whatever safe house they stashed Kathryn in. She had no plan to get Lucy back.
“Kathy.”
“Mom. You’re awake.”
“Are those tears for me? I’m still here, you know. Let’s not waste time blubbering,” Sylvia said, her voice weak but clear.
Kathryn hadn’t even realized she was crying. She swabbed her eyes with the back of her hand and forced a smile.
“I’m so happy to hear you sounding like yourself,” she said.
“Who else would I sound like? Did you see Grace?”
“Yes. She ran away and hid.”
Sylvia started to laugh but ended up wincing in pain. Kathryn bent over her in an agony of worry.
“I’m fine,” her mother said, waving her off. “You look worse than I do. Is something wrong?”
“You want a list? My daughter doesn’t know me. My mother is”—she stopped herself from saying dying—“hospitalized. My psycho half brother wants to murder me. The feds want to lock me up for murders I didn’t commit. My cat got left behind when I ran. I need to start a new life in a new country that has no extradition treaty, but I don’t have the cash.”
“Well, that’s quite a tale of woe.”
“Yes, it is. Any bright ideas for how to deal with it?”
“You need money? I thought you had the funds squared away. Isn’t that what you were supposed to be doing all this time?”
“I skimmed what I could. It wasn’t enough. They watch too closely. I was planning to rip off Ray’s bank account, to be honest. But with the feds closing in, he moved the money offshore. I don’t know where it is now.”