Page 45 of All Fall Down

I bypass the jab and focus on the real issue. “You have your DNA results. You know it wasn’t me. You know it’s not Jameson. When are you going to stop this persecution?”

“Persecution is a strong word,” she warns me. “As far as the FBI is concerned, you’ve been cleared. There’s no evidence to substantiate your involvement.”

“And as far as you’re concerned?”

“I’ll let it go when I know who’s responsible for Nathaniel West’s murder.”

“It wasn’t us!” I’ve completely lost my cool now.

“But it was. Maybe not you or Jameson, but it was one of you. Someone at that party killed Nathaniel West and whoever he or she is, they think they’ve gotten away with it. I’m here to make certain that you can’t go on buying your way out of trouble. Don’t fool yourself. A lot of people wanted him dead, and someone close to you saw that it happened. How well do you know your new family, Emma? How much will they pay to keep the truth locked away?”

“I’ve never bought my way out of trouble,” I say flatly.

“No, but you sold your soul to a man who did.”

What Jameson doesn’t know can’t hurt him, which is why I don’t tell him I’m leaving the suite. I bribe Maddox to keep quiet with a venti white chocolate mocha, his guilty pleasure. I even allow him to drive me. Given the increased interest in my personal life, having a body guard the size of The Rock around seems like a good idea. Plus, it’s pretty easy to feed Maddox bullshit.

“I need to run an errand for my dad,” I say. “This guy brought a bogus baseball card into the shop the other day and I have to deliver the bad news that it’s a fake.”

Tucking a little kernel of truth into my lie makes it easier to sell. Don’t say I never taught you anything.

Maddox pulls into a spot in front of Dominic Chamber’s office and I jump out before he can unbuckle his seat belt.

“I’ll only be a minute,” I promise him. He looks unconvinced. Probably because I’ve pulled a few over on him. I take my phone out of my bag and drop the bag on the passenger seat. “Consider this collateral. I’ll be right back.”

Chambers puts out a cigarette as soon as I enter. “Sorry, about the smoke, Miss Southerly.”

“Not going to ask if I’ve changed my name?” I ask dryly. He’ll be the first person I’ve seen since my return to Las Vegas not to.

“Why would I ask that?” His bushy eyebrows knit into one woolly caterpillar over his eyes.

“Nothing. Rumors. Tabloids.” I’m more than happy to not explain.

“Oh that.” He waves a hand. “I never believe that crap.”

I nod in agreement. Finally, a reasonable response.

“Plus, I checked wedding license applications in New York. I know you didn’t get married,” he adds.

“I think that’s a breach of my privacy,” I inform him.

“I am a private eye,” he says as if that absolves him of his nosiness.

“Did you receive my advance?” I’d taken the liberty of PayPal-ing a significant sum through Chamber’s website, hoping it would encourage him.

“I did. Much appreciated. I’m happy to report that I have something for you as well.” He tosses a folder across his desk to me.

“Is this…?”

“Better than a few pictures, huh?” he says with pride.

I’d asked Dominic for a picture or a document that only the police would have. Instead he delivered the mother lode.

“Las Vegas PD is surprisingly easy to bribe,” he continues. “Plus, I think they want to stick it to that FBI agent who thinks she’s running the show.”

“They aren’t the only ones,” I mutter. I skim through the contents of the Nathaniel West case file, glancing away when I reach the crime scene photos.

“He was a bastard, but he didn’t deserve that,” Chamber says thoughtfully.

“No, he didn’t,” I agree. Standing to leave, I assure him that the rest of the agreed upon fee will be arriving shortly. Before I reach the door, he stops me.

“If you don’t mind my asking: what are you going to use it for?”

I flash the detective a coy smile. “Bait.”