Chapter Fifteen #4
“My daughter lives here.” Frye changed tactics, veering from the subject. “You probably know her. She’s in the café right at this moment. We’re visiting her.”
“How would you know she’s here right now?” Rainier asked. “Oh yes, bribing officials such as the sheriff, who is sitting at the table just inside, hoping to catch the show. We have uncovered a long list of officials you’ve been bribing throughout your career.”
Rafferty reacted, leaping to his feet and gesturing wildly, but the men ignored him, keeping their attention centered on Keith Frye.
“That includes,” Wilder took over, “the detectives your daughter spoke with to report the various times she was aware you hurt young girls. They claimed they didn’t believe her, but that was because of the money exchanging hands.
And then there was, in her eyes, the unforgivable: forcing a young woman across the border, pregnant, with no one to help her.
Harlow knows she has a brother somewhere, and she’s searching for him and his mother.
Why would she ever want to be anywhere near you? ”
“I must talk to her. She’s misunderstood the situations only because she was a child and viewed everything through a child’s eyes.”
“The physical beatings? That was viewed through a child’s eyes?
The list goes on and on.” Wilder held out a phone.
“I thought you fully understood, after our last, very unpleasant conversation, that you were to leave your daughter alone. She cut ties with you when she caught you trying to rape her friend. She has refused to see you since that time, and she made it clear she has no wish to, despite you threatening to get her nursing license taken away from her, along with ruining her reputation at the galleries where her work is displayed. In case you don’t recall the conversation, as you were made aware of at the time you were issuing those threats, it was taped in its entirety. ”
Rafferty continued to make threatening noises behind them.
Wilder turned slightly, the smallest of movements, to keep the sheriff in his sight.
After all, he did have a gun. Sam and Zale had stayed close to him on the off chance that the sheriff would lose his temper and do something stupid.
Wilder might not trust very many people, but Sam and Zale were nearly right up there with Rainier, and they had his back.
Still, it was ingrained in him to be alert for potential threats, so he kept his eye on the sheriff.
The senator swept his hand through his hair, another practiced gesture that served to make him look even more charming, a bit rumpled so therefore appealing, his expression portraying a deep sorrow.
“I’m aware my daughter believes these allegations—”
“She witnessed them.” Wilder cut him off, but he did so in his smooth, velvet tone, keeping any note of belligerence or anger out.
“You also left your very unfortunate, angry and rather disgusting language, calling her all kinds of derogatory names, on a recorded phone call. You don’t get to pretend you didn’t do any of these things. We have the proof.”
“I need to speak with my daughter,” the senator reiterated.
Wilder could see the man had lost his confident bluster. He was still in acting mode, but even his famous “righteous” temper hadn’t kicked in. Fear for his reputation swamped him. He gripped his wife’s hand tighter and had to force himself not to take a step back.
“That absolutely won’t happen. I’m asking you very politely to leave.”
“Just who are you, sir?” Keith Frye asked. “And what gives you the right to speak for my daughter? How do I know she’s safe?”
“My name is Hawkin Wilder, and I’m her man. I keep her safe from any threats, including the ones you made.”
Holly tugged at her husband’s hand. “Let’s go to the hotel. We can sort this out later. I’ll talk to Harlow, and we’ll straighten things out.”
Wilder gave her that. His intention wasn’t to humiliate either of them. It was to make it abundantly clear that they were to leave Harlow out of their lives.
He watched the two of them walk back to the SUVs, this time surrounded by their security. The two female reporters and Grant Parody followed. Wilder thought it rather significant that Parody hadn’t said a word.
Behind him, Rafferty shoved hard at the table, dropped money on it, and pushed past Sam and Zale, storming toward Wilder and Rainier. Wilder stepped aside to give him the doorway.
“This isn’t finished,” Rafferty snarled.
Wilder didn’t bother to reply. What was there to say?
Rafferty had been accepting bribes for years.
Sooner or later, he had to know there would be an investigation.
By trying to help Bale with his plan to implicate Shabina in the series of ritual murders, he had brought the eyes of the FBI down on him.
Of course they were investigating him. Anyone with a brain would have known it would happen.
Arrogance, just like in the senator’s case, made Rafferty feel he was immune to consequences.
Wilder watched him leave and then turned to head to the back room to reassure Harlow.