Trouble With the Law (32 page)

“We’re fine,” she hissed, then pasted on a smile when her eyes met Leland’s.

“Well, Ronnie.  It’s good to see you back on your feet,” he said.  “I was shocked when I heard you let a little thing like the flu keep you out of the office.”  He laughed his smarmy laugh and Ronnie’s stomach danced.

“You know me
.  If I could have dragged myself out of bed, I would have been in the office.  I’m still weak, but I’ll be back in the saddle soon.  I wouldn’t miss your party even if I was on my deathbed though.”  Before this night was over, Ronnie thought she might very well be there if she wasn’t careful.  “How are things going with you, Leland?” she asked conversationally.

“
It’s been difficult for me lately.  I’m sure by now you’ve heard about my son’s accident,” he said and she heard the forced sadness in his tone.  “We’re planning a memorial for him at the end of the month.  I’d like it if you could attend.”  Trace’s rich laughter rolled in her ear.  She was having a hard time containing her own laughter too.  Forcing the corners of her mouth down, Ronnie said gravely, “I’m so sorry about your son, Senator.  I know it must be a difficult time for you.  If there’s anything at all I can do for you…”

“Just pray for us, please,” he asked.  Like God would listen to a darned thing this old devil had to say.  Leland
dragged his eyes away.  “I’m sure you’ve also heard that Allison and I have had some, um…problems.”

“I did hear that,” she replied as evenly as she could manage.

“Well, there’s good news there.  I think we may be reconciling.  She’s here tonight helping me with the party.”  His eyes moved around the room and a puzzled frown pinched his brows. “I don’t know where she’s gotten off to.  Talmedge, can you go find her?  She needs to be mingling.”

Mingling?  Meddling is what Allison was doing right now.  And if Talmedge found her they were all in a heap of trouble.  “Leland, we can talk to her later.  I want
you to meet my, um, friend,” she said stepping back to wave a hand toward Dave.  “This is Dave Logan, my investment banker.  He and Talmedge were talking about your campaign next year,” she baited knowing that would definitely distract Leland.

Dave shot her a hot look, but smiled when he looked back at Leland and stuck out his hand.  “Nice to meet you, Senator Rooks.  I was telling your campaign manager how much I admire your financial savvy.”

Ronnie’s eyes were crossing in boredom, a few minutes later as she stood beside Dave listening to him and Leland talk politics and money.  Talmedge had excused himself right after the conversation started to go mingle.  She was entertaining herself by watching him do what he called mingling.  He was even more of a political machine than Leland.  He brought kissing babies to a new level.  He was kissing puffed up old ladies and stealing their wallets with a smile.  Metaphorically of course.  Leland couldn’t have chosen a better sidekick than him.  If they could just make the man tell them all he knew, Ronnie knew they would have everything they needed to teach Leland a lesson in humility, she was sure.

And they could decode the records that Allison was stealing faster.
  Now there was an idea, but Ronnie did not want to go to jail herself for kidnapping.  She would have to figure out how to get the man to help her voluntarily.  Or maybe not.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“Leland I heard rumblings about you being questioned about that situation out at the Diamond Bar Ranch,”
Ronnie blurted.  Shock value.  Her secret weapon.  She hoped it worked in her favor this time.  Leland’s head almost swung off his shoulders as his eyes flew to her.  Dave tensed and she heard Trace curse in her ear.  Ronnie smiled sweetly at Leland, and patted Dave’s arm.  “Those men have some balls to question you about anything without evidence,” she said.  “Maybe you should consider a defamation suit.”  Her trying to get money for the firm wouldn’t tip anything off.

“That’s a private matter.  I can’t talk about it,” he said shortly.

Ronnie knew her face must look comical to Dave.  She narrowed her eyes and pinched her lips in true Shark Lady style.  “Did the feds put you under a gag order? When I get back in the office, I can work on that for you.”

Leland took a step back and looked like he had fire ants in his pants as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. 
“Um, no…I just don’t want to talk about it.”

“That’s too bad, because I also heard they questioned Talmedge.  You don’t have to put up with that harassment.  Our firm can do something about it.  I know them cornering Talmedge like that
too, catching him off guard, had to be uncomfortable for him.  I hope he didn’t say anything…incriminating.”

Leland’s eyes darted across the room to Talmedge
Bartlett then back to hers.  “There’s nothing to tell.  Neither of us know a damned thing about what happened at that ranch.”

“Oh, he handles all of your affairs, so I
just assumed…”

“He doesn’
t know anything,” Leland said forcefully, then cleared his throat.  “It was nice meeting you, Dave.  You’ll have to excuse me.  I have some things to take care of.”  He nodded at her.  “Ms. Winters.” 

Ronnie watched Leland’s stiff back as he pushed his way through the crowd, until he reached Talmedge Bartlett’s side.  He grabbed his upper arm and whispered something in his ear.  Talmedge’s practiced smile slipped and he nodded, excused himself to the men he had been talking to, then he and Leland walked side by side out of the room.  Dave let out his breath and Ronnie looked over at his face and there were thunderclouds gathered there.

He grabbed her arm and leaned near her ear to hiss, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing Ronnie?  Poking the bear is not what we’re here to do.”

“I figured as long as we were in the den, we should poke a little.  Stirring the pot isn’t always a bad thing,” she said.

“It is in this case.  We’re behind a locked gate, in a gated neighborhood.  If something happens, getting out of here won’t be easy,” he said then looked at each corner of the room.  “Did you notice those big burly guys stationed around the room?” he asked.

Ronnie hadn’t noticed them, but she did now.  “No, I didn’t see them.”

“Those guys are armed, and I can just about guarantee they are expert shots.  You may have just bought us trouble we don’t need.”

Ronnie shrugged.  “I love trouble, you know that.  Besides, they will hardly shoot us in the middle of a crowded party with all these witnesses.”

“Don’t bet on it.  We need to get Lou Ellen and Allison and get the hell out of here. 
Now
!”

Ronnie wasn’t leaving until she could get Talmedge Bartlett alone again.  She needed to poke him a little to really get things going the way she wanted them to go.  “You go find Lou Ellen, and I’ll look for Allison,” she said and moved away quickly,
before Dave could stop her.

“Hurry up,” he growled in her ear.

“Red, I thought you were smarter than that.  Dave’s right.  Get my Mama and Aunt Lou and get out of there now,” Trace seconded.

Not until she ran Talmedge to ground and planted a few seeds.
  Ronnie walked out of the ballroom and took a deep breath.  She looked up and down the hall for any sign of Leland or Talmedge.  She didn’t see them, but she did see Allison.  Dave’s man Caleb was walking beside her carrying what looked to be a laundry basket filled with towels.  She looked like she was scared shitless, and about to bolt.  Allison hurried over to her. 

“What happened?”
Ronnie asked.

“I was in his office and almost got caught.  I didn’t get the safe closed back.  He’ll know I was in there,” she said frantically.

“Are he and Talmedge in there?”

“Yes, and they’re arguing.
  I heard the knob jiggle, and just got the door of the safe shut, before Leland came in.  I told him I had gone to get fresh towels for the bathroom, and had stopped in his office to see if he was in there,” Allison related then sighed looking up at Caleb who was not smiling.  “Thank goodness I thought to bring Caleb and that laundry basket with me, or I would have gotten caught.”

“So you got what we need?” Ronnie asked.

“That and more. Let’s get the hell out of there.  This place gives me the creeps,” she said with a shiver.

Caleb lifted the basket. 
“I’m taking this out through the kitchen and putting it out with the trash.”

“I’ll let Trace know he needs to go pick it up for us,” Ronnie
said as he walked away from them.  She looked at Allison again.  “I have one more thing to do before we leave.”

“Don’t do it, Red,” Trace growled in her ear, followed by Dave’s stern, “Get your ass to the front door, Ronnie.
  Lou Ellen and I are waiting.”

She turned her face and hissed into her shoulder strap.  “Don’t tell me what to do.”

Allison laughed nervously.  “Do you always talk to yourself?”

Ronnie gnawed her lower lip, considered her options and chances for success, then said to all of them.  “I’m doing this.  Ya’ll be outside in the car waiting. I won’t be a minute.”
  She looked at Allsion.  “Go meet, Lou Ellen and Dave by the front door.  I’ll be there in a second.”

The door at the end of the hallway opened, and Leland stormed out
and stalked down the hall right past her and his wife.  His face was an awesome shade of crimson, contrasting sharply with the white collar of his tuxedo shirt.  It was obvious he was extremely upset.  Allison scurried down the hallway after him, but he turned into the ballroom and Allison kept going toward the front of the house.  Ronnie looked back down the hallway and saw Talmedge finally emerge from the room.  She walked that way and met him halfway. 

Putting her hand on his shoulder, she stopped him.  “We need to talk,” she said seriously.  He looked surprised, but let her lead him back toward Leland’s office.  It would be as good a place as any to perform miracles, she thought. 
And she doubted Leland had cameras in that room.  It was where he did all of his dirty work.  He wouldn’t want any witnesses to that.  That was probably the only reason Allison had performed her own miracle of getting those records they needed. 

Ronnie made a mental note to check to make sure the safe was properly closed before she left the room. 
They didn’t need Leland figuring things out before they hit him between the eyes with their evidence.  She opened the heavy wooden door and let him go in first, then checked the hall again to make sure Leland wasn’t coming back.  She closed it behind her and leaned against it.

“I hear things,” she started holding his gaze.  “What I’ve heard is that you’ve been questioned by the feds about the things going on out at the Diamond Bar ranch, because they think you’re involved.”

Talmedge leaned against Leland’s desk and his body slacked.  “Yes, I was questioned.”

“You were grilled weren’t you?” Ronnie asked.

He huffed out a breath.  “Twice.  It wasn’t pleasant.”

“It will be even more unpleasant if Leland throws you under the bus like he did to Ray Brown,” she said suggestively.  “You’ve been with him for thirty years, but don’t think for a minute if push comes to shove he won’t do that
to you too.”

He dragged his eyes away from hers.  “I know that.”

“I can help you prevent that,” she offered quickly.  “But you’re going to have to help me help you.”

He laughed shortly then stiffened his shoulders.  “What do you think you can do?  You’re a junior partner with the firm Leland has been with for as many years as I have been with him.”

Ronnie notched up her chin and crossed her arms over her chest.  “I’m a junior partner who is considered the best criminal defense attorney in the state, Talmedge,” she said arrogantly.  “I’m the only one who can help you.”

“Why would you want to do that?  I know you.  There has to be something in it for you.  You’re not offering to help me out of the goodness of your heart, because you don’t have one of those.  I hear things too,” he said sharply.

“I have an ulterior motive, yes.  But I’m willing to help you come out smelling like a rose if you help me.”

“Leland will—“ he started, but Ronnie held up her hand.

“Leland will not only throw you under the bus, he will back over you a few times to make sure you’re dead.  Just like Ray Brown is dead, if you catch my drift.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“Doesn’t matter.  You’ll be complicit.  The feds have the evidence.  They’re just looking for a few more pieces that I have and would be happy to give them,” she said putting a finger to her chin.  “Let’s see.  There’s election fraud, malfeasance in office, theft of public funds, drug dealing, human trafficking, horse thievery, two counts of capital murder, several counts of bribery.”  Ronnie smiled at him.  “That should get you a few lifetimes in the penitentiary.”

“You haven’t been sick at all have you?” he asked with
narrowed eyes.  “Those files that Conner Lucas has been pulling were for you.”

“
Oh, I’m sick all right.  Sick of letting Leland Rooks get away with murder, and any number of other crimes.  It’s time he paid.  Now, the decision as to whether you want to go down with his sinking ship or not is yours.  I’m in town until tomorrow.  Think about it,” she said as she walked over to the desk to pick up a pen.  She jotted down Dave’s cell phone number and handed it to him.  “If you decide you want my help, give me a call.”

Ronnie knew she was taking a calculated chance, but she walked over to the
large painting hanging cockeyed on the wall and shoved it aside to click the safe shut, before she eased it back into place.  “There,” she said and turned to face him with a smug smile.  His horrified facial expression was priceless.  She walked to the door and opened it, then looked back at him once more.  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Now, she had to get the hell out of there, before the goon guards could be alerted.  This could go either way with Talmedge Bartlett. 
The man was scared, but he was loyal to Leland Rooks.  He could very well run straight to him, and they could have her locked in the basement of this house before she could spit.  Or shot dead.  Even though she had told Dave she didn’t think that would happen, she thought now it was a real possibility. 

Running in high heels wasn’t easy, so she stopped to pull them off, then took off down the long hallway toward the front door.  She slow
ed down as she passed the crowded ballroom, but didn’t stop until she reached the front door.  Dave wasn’t there and neither were Lou Ellen or Allison.  Her heart was pounding by the time she opened the door and stepped outside into the cool night air.  A few people milled under the lights out there, some smoking, the rest talking. 

She walked down the wide curved steps
and stopped to talk into her shoulder.  “I’m outside where are you?” she hissed, then looked back up. 

A
cross the yard, two big men walked toward her in ground eating strides.  The lights strategically hidden in the shrubs lining the garden path lit their determined faces.  Ronnie knew they weren’t just coming to the house.  Their suits said they were not there for the party.  They were coming after her.  Her heart kicked and she started walking away from the house, down the uneven brick driveway toward the big wrought iron gate.

Maybe she had bit
ten off more than she could chew this time.  Confronting Talmedge like that might have been the worst decision she’d ever made.  Potentially a lethal one if she didn’t get out of here.  She hoped the others had escaped.  They did not deserve to die because of her impulsive risk.  She would face the consequences alone, because it served her right that Trace and Dave had left her here.

I
f those consequences included being manhandled by the goons following her, Ronnie wouldn’t go down without a fight.  Her hand shook as she slipped it inside her bra to pull out the small can of mace.  They hadn’t met the Shark Lady yet.  Yeah that persona was all smoke and mirrors to mask her insecurity, but they didn’t know that.  Ronnie was used to using harsh words to get out of sticky situations.  This one qualified as that, but she had the mace in case that didn’t work out.  Thank goodness Trace had given it to her, she thought as she quickened her pace a little.

The
sharp edges of the bricks cut into the soles of her feet and shredded her stockings, but she didn’t stop walking down the well-lit driveway.  Ronnie had no idea how she would get through the closed gate when she reached it, but she would figure that out too.  Right now, she had to focus on getting there, before the goons caught up to her.