Page 45 of Things We Left Behind

“Humor me. Today alone, you forced one of your own clients to resign the seat that you won him and made him do the walk of shame past the replacement you personally chose. Then you had me deliver an envelope full of cash to a sex worker who looks like she’s barely old enough to vote and opened the door of a very expensive, gated home in Georgetown.”

“Is there a question in there?”

“I ran the address,” she said, pausing to admire the engagement ring on her left hand.

Of course she had. “Is there a point to this?”

“It took quite a bit of digging. But it appears that that big, beautiful brick house in the nice, quiet neighborhood is a halfway house for victims of domestic abuse and sex trafficking.It also appears to be owned by Yoshino Holdings, a subsidiary of a subsidiary of a subsidiary of this very consulting group.”

It was annoying how good she was at her job.

“I’m still waiting for your point,” I said.

“I can’t tell if you’re a good guy or a bad guy.”

“Does it matter?”

She looked me straight in the eye. “I think it does to both of us. Are you just making power moves to remind people you’re a big, strong man who needs to be feared? Or are you moving pieces around on the world’s biggest chess board for the greater good?”

“I attempted to hire you for your brain. Why don’t you use it and tell me what you think?”

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “I think you are putting friendly people in positions of power and not just because they pay you to. Sheila Chandra is an elementary school principal. She doesn’t have pockets deep enough to pay your fees. You don’t just give Trip and his fat wallet the boot, you destroy the man’s career, citing the fact that he lied to you. But I think it’s more than that. I think you don’t like bad men in positions of power. Which goes against the reputation you’ve built for being terrifying, ruthless, and maybe even a little evil.”

I opened my hands. “What can I say? I’m a complicated man. You should go home to Nash.”

“He’s working late tonight. If I’m going to come on board, I want to know what you want out of all this. Are you hoping to get a U.S. President in your pocket?”

“Is that what you think?”

“On the surface, that’s what it looks like. But I wonder if you’re on some solitary quest to force the world to become a better place.”

“Don’t mistake me for some kind of hero.”

“Oh, I’m not. Let’s not forget the trail of ruined lives you leave behind you.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t ruin any life that doesn’t deserve to be ruined.” At least I tried not to.

“But you take great pleasure in ruining the ones that do.”

“I do.”

Lina cocked her head and grinned. “Guess I kind of like that about you.”

“I’m delighted you approve,” I said dryly.

She gave me another long, assessing look and then nodded. “Fine. I’ll take the job at ten percent more than you offered since Nash and I are building a house and I want a closet the size of a basketball court. But if you start turning toward the dark side or whatever, I’m out of here.”

“Fine. Ten percent. No dark side. I’ll talk to HR. Now leave so I can focus on ruining more lives.”

“There’s something else I want.”

“What?” I asked, exasperated.

“I want in on the secret Hugo investigation.”

“What secret Hugo investigation?” I hedged.

“The one I’m not supposed to know about. Because of Hugo, I almost lost Nash, and he almost lost me. I want that man in a cell or a box. I’m not picky. But I do want to help put him there.”