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Max picks up instantly. “We got her. We heard everything.”
“Thank God,” I reply, clutching my hand to my chest, nervousness flowing through my body like blood through my veins, and I look down at the secret microphone placed between my cleavage.
Max knows the guy behind the bar and had the place tapped within an inch of its life, ensuring we heard her regardless of where she was situated. The plan was to talk to her to get a confession; instead, she hung herself and played right into our hands.
I’m not the one who’s the dumb bitch.
“You heard everything?” I clarify.
“We got more. Phone-hacking is a serious offense, Arianna.”
“It’s the worst.”
“I’m sending you copies of the voice files by email and I’ll make another copy as a backup.”
“Okay.” I’d already thought about that.
“You got her, Ari.”
“Wegot her, Max.” It was a team effort. Max and his brothers came up with the idea of luring her out and making her talk because she considered me a friend. She took the bait.
And what kind of friend would falsify information surrounding the death of an entire family? She is not my friend. She never was.
“Thank you for doing this for me.”
“I did it for all of you.” For Nathan.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice full of genuine concern.
“I need a stiff drink,” I admit, still feeling shaky. My legs are bouncing up and down with jitters.
But most of all, I need to see your brother’s face again. I miss him.
“I’ll buy you one when I see you next.”
That won’t be any time soon.
47
NATHAN
“I think I did something really stupid, Dad.” I close my eyes and talk to him even though he’s fast asleep.
It’s so peaceful at his memory care home during the afternoon, but I wasn’t expecting my dad to be sleeping today.
He had therapy this morning and I’m guessing he’s tired.
“I lost her. I messed up.” I close my eyes and rest my head against the back of the chair. “I should have listened to what she had to say but she thought you did something. Something illegal, and now I can’t see past it.”
How can I ever trust her again?
“I’m so tired and I wish you were still working behind the desk I now do because I know you’d tell me what to do.”
I’m lost.
Have been for weeks.
On days like today, I know I could have asked him anything.