Page 157 of State of the Union (First Family 3)

“It’s all so sweet. Running that account will be a blast.”

“I agree,” Lilia said, smiling, “but we’d better see about a lint brush for the office.”

With Sam, Malone, Farnsworth and AUSA Hope Miller positioned in observation, Gonzo and Jeannie entered the interrogation room, where Shane Ramsey paced like a caged animal.

“What the hell do you want with me?” Shane asked the second the door closed behind Jeannie.

“Have a seat,” Jeannie said.

“I don’t want to!”

“I wasn’t asking.”

Shane jerked out a chair, sat down hard and folded his arms, all while glaring at Jeannie. “Now tell me what the fuck I’m doing here.”

Gonzo put down the photo of Ling Woo from when she was still alive. “Remember her?”

Shane looked at the photo. “No. Should I?”

Sam couldn’t help but notice how he seemed diminished somehow by the sight of that photo. “Why isn’t he asking for a lawyer?” Sam asked.

“I was just wondering the same thing,” Malone said.

“Is he too stupid to know he should?” Sam asked.

Gonzo pointed to the photo. “You met her at Rialtos when you were there with your friends, and she was with hers for Cassie Richardson’s birthday party. Ringing any bells?”

He shook his head. “I don’t remember her.”

“Let me fill in some blanks for you,” Gonzo said. “According to her friends, you were hitting on her somewhat relentlessly. Buying her drinks she didn’t want. Asking her to dance. Refusing to take no for an answer. It was so intense, she chose to leave rather than put up with you.”

Shane kept his gaze fixed on the photo.

“When you realized she was leaving, you told her she’d be sorry she didn’t give you a chance. Do you remember that?”

“Nope. I meet a lot of people.”

“Do you hassle a lot of women like you hassled her?” Jeannie asked.

“Some women don’t understand the concept of having fun. They’re so uptight, they can’t get out of their own way.”

“And you see it as your duty to get them to relax?”

He shrugged. “Since when is buying a woman drinks a crime?”

“Does it bother you when you buy a woman a drink and she’s not appreciative?”

“Lack of common courtesy is a problem in our society.”

“That sounds like something his father would say,” Sam said.

“Just thinking the same thing,” Malone replied.

“When women fail to show you the courtesy you think you deserve, how does that make you feel?” Gonzo asked.

“Disrespected.”

“And when you feel disrespected, what do you do?”