Page 63 of The Hardest Hit

“Yes, well,” said Jackson, looking apologetic, “I had a word with my source inside the DA’s office yesterday. He may plea out.”

“What? No. How?” demanded Aiden, almost sitting up. “I will fucking—”

Jackson waved off his impending tirade. “His lawyers have approached the DA. They want to make a deal in exchange for testimony.”

“Against who?” demanded Aiden, still looking irate but dropping back into Dominique’s lap.

“The person who hired them,” said Jackson.

“Fuck a duck,” said Aiden, looking annoyed, but uncharacteristically saying nothing further.

“Any thoughts on that, Evan?” asked Eleanor turning to him.

“Absolex,” said Evan tiredly. “They’ve tried it before. They had the most success with me last time. And Granger would know that I’m the one that would have done the dirty work to sink his company.”

“Yes,” said Jackson, nodding.

“I said last time that we should have gone for a horsehead in his bed,” said Dominique.

“Dominique!” snapped Eleanor.

“What? This is ridiculous. He needs to be put in his place.”

“I’ll make sure he knows what his place is,” said Jackson.

“Behind bars,” said Aiden sternly, looking from his sister to Jackson.

“Of course,” said Dominique, patting his hair.

Aiden looked like he might discuss the point further, but Jackson interrupted. “There is a secondary problem with that though.”

“Let me guess,” said Evan. “He’s claiming he’s not responsible. It was the people who worked for him.”

“No,” said Jackson, shifting slightly in his seat. “No, he’s not claiming anything. The DA hasn’t approached him yet. I was told in the strictest confidentiality.”

“Well, when are they going to move?” asked Aiden with a frown. “New charges should be enough to get his bail revoked.”

“I hope so. I think they’re trying to get the case buttoned up so they don’t have the same problems as last time when Homeland Security yanked the rug out from under them.”

Aiden snorted in irritation and sat up, but maintained a slouch that made Eleanor frown at him. “Well, maybe if they didn’t let half the Nazis go, they wouldn’t have to work so hard now.

“Yeah,” said Jackson, “but maybe they can rebound if they don’t have you threatening to make this a national-level media circus. Maybe take it down a notch or two until we see how this shakes out.”

Aiden grunted. “Maybe. I’ll give them a week. I’d better see some movement. But meanwhile, does this take the pressure off? Can we stop worrying for a bit?”

“Not really,” said Dominique, and Aiden frowned at her.

“He doesn’t do his own dirty work,” said Evan. “We don’t know that these people are the only ones he hired.”

“Oh.” Aiden didn’t look happy with that, but he also didn’t argue about it.

“It’s my guess that Evan is the primary target,” said Jackson, “but that doesn’t mean the rest of you are off the hook. I’m going to be assigning security personnel and you will not walk or take public transportation.”

“Nooooo!” Dominique groaned. “Come on. It totally messes with my persona at work to be arriving with a chauffeur and a bodyguard. I don’t want to be a Deveraux at work.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” said Jackson. “You can have Max drive you and pick you up if you want. It’s not like Evan likes having me drive him around.”

“I don’t mind,” said Aiden cheerfully. “It gives me time to read the briefs I was supposed to read the day before.”