Chapter 46 #2
Kane looks dumbfounded, blinking as though to wait for his brain to fully come online.
I know somehow this guy pulled one over on Jack and Wells, so he has to be smarter than what I’m seeing, and it’s safe to assume he’s playing into assumptions just as much as we are right now.
That’s fine; I can work with that too. I didn’t walk in here blind, and there’s a reason I also wanted Harlow here.
Harlow already worked up a preliminary profile on him, and I know that Kane has narcissistic tendencies, and will likely be diagnosed with a narcissistic personality disorder along with some type of high-functioning subtype of antisocial personality disorder.
But he doesn’t need to know that we know that—at least not yet.
“We’re actually here because we need your help, Kane.” I school my expression to look as contrite as possible and the moron bites without even that much effort.
“Oh, yeah? What do you need my help for?” His facial expression gives away the fact that his mind is already calculating how our presence can benefit him, and that’s fine. He can waste his time however he sees fit.
“We understand that Rick Wilson has manipulated you to unwillingly comply and participate in a host of criminal activities that went above and beyond your initial attempt. And of course, we know Debbie Jo Wilson used you as well, so we are hoping you can help us shed some light on a few things so that we can make sure Rick and Debbie Jo are both prosecuted to the full extent of the law, both here in Tennessee and also at the federal level.”
“Federal level, huh?” Did this dumbass really miss that it’s a U.S.
marshal standing outside his hospital room and not a local sheriff?
That’s okay. I’ll save that card for a bit.
It’s like the light switch in his brain flips and Kane’s entire demeanor shifts, even his posture in the hospital bed.
No longer sitting up as straight as he can considering his injuries, his shoulders now curl into themselves, and his head is downcast as he lets out a very dramatic sigh.
“I’m just glad it’s over, honestly. I was so tired, but I couldn’t get away from their control, and they wouldn’t take no for an answer. ”
Harlow jumps in, “What did they make you do, Kane? You’re safe now; you can tell us.” She is using a far too sympathetic tone and I know she’s oozing it for his benefit—to make him think we are buying his bullshit.
Perfect.
Kane sniffs, really laying it on thick. “He threatened me and his sister. She manipulated me and lied to me. I thought we were in love.”
“And how did that make you feel, Kane?” Harlow tilts her head and I purse my lips to fight the smile.
“I was so confused but afraid. Rick is crazy, man. And it sounds insane, I know, but it was extenuating circumstances. I was … I am ashamed to admit it, but Rick was also blackmailing me, okay?”
Harlow and I glance at each other as my eyebrows raise; this is news to us, but she doesn’t miss a beat. “We aren’t aware of any blackmail claims. Can you tell us more about that?”
“He was aware of a private intimate relationship I had with a journalist, and Rick was using it as blackmail to do what he wanted.”
“How was he blackmailing you?”
“He had photos and videos of us together.”
“Where did he get those?” Harlow asks gently, but by the way Kane looks away, it’s clear who took the photos and videos—this asshole did himself. “How did he get access to those private files?” She quickly reframes the approach.
Thinking that sounds better, Kane bites. “It was originally shared in a private manner, but then he used it against me to force me to behave in a way I never would have.”
“And what did he threaten you with?” I ask.
“He would take it to the press, and Amber would be embarrassed and lose her job. It would look bad for both of us because … well, she’s written about me before, but I had real feelings for this woman and I was doing all of this to protect her.”
“Like a real man would,” Harlow provides, appealing to his massive ego.
Kane nods and puffs out his chest. “Yes, and I wouldn’t want Rick to embarrass the woman in the photos in that way. Amber Anders is a nice girl and didn’t deserve to have our private moments used to embarrass her.”
“Anders as in … A. Anders from The Spill?” I interrupt, immediately recognizing the name as a journalist that was borderline obsessed with writing about the drama surrounding Kane and Jack.
Kane continues without missing a beat, “Yeah, and she didn’t even know I had the photos and videos—let alone Rick having a copy.”
Harlow hums and asks softly, “She wasn’t aware they existed?”
Kane’s head snaps up as a red flag must’ve finally registered. “No, I mean, she didn’t know that Rick knew they existed or that I had them.”
“How did you have them then if she didn’t know about them?
Did you take them without her consent?” I keep my tone nice and even, but the question is a loaded one—a topic that wasn’t even on my radar before this conversation.
But now, we can mention to the local authorities that they can explore charges of unlawful photography and possibly more depending on what Kane did with the file, but a forensic search of his electronics would reveal that easily enough
“Thanks for giving us another charge to add to your long list of charges, Kane. I wasn’t expecting you to be so helpful. I really do appreciate it, but honestly, I don’t want to spend my day in the hospital, so I think we should move on to the good part, don’t you, Harlow?”
“I agree. And with what Natasha and Debbie Jo have already admitted to, it’s all pretty straight forward from here,” Harlow says while looking at me, but we both look at Kane as he squeaks.
Like a toy ball.
“Who talked to Natasha? Why would she confess to anything? She wasn’t there.
She doesn’t know anything. She’s no one.
” Kane shakes his head. “I mean, she was a better option than the comic book nerd in HR, but shit. I had to hear about her bullshit job and shitty family and blah fucking blah, on and on and on! Lady, do you know why you’re single?
Because you don’t shut the fuck up! Finding out her brother was a degenerate gambler and that she was paying off his one-hundred-thousand-dollar debt to a bookie was like a gift from the heavens. ”
“So, you had … motivation to get her to help you?” Harlow dances around the word blackmail or forcing Natasha to do anything, but we already have her confession and know all about how Kane first promised to pay off her brother’s debt if she shared inside information, and then escalated to threatening to expose her if she didn’t go along with Rick and Kane’s schemes.
“Natasha understood how things were going to work.” He lifts his free hand to point at me. “And you can’t trust anything that Debbie Jo says, she’s just as good of a liar as her brother.”
“Well, that may be true about Debbie Jo’s character, but Natasha is looking at some serious charges as well. When she gave you the keycard that she stole from Jack’s office, she co-signed any and all criminal activities that occurred because of the access granted by that card,” Harlow explains.
“Which means, in addition to being charged with criminal responsibility, it doesn’t matter if she knew that you and Rick had planned on kidnapping or killing Tinsley, something that you both admitted to on video yesterday so that you could benefit from her life insurance payout.”
“But, but, pft,” Kane sputters. “I didn’t consent to being recorded yesterday!”
“Ironic, but since you broke into Mr. Callahan’s penthouse, his security cameras had every right to record anything that was said or done during the period of time in which you were illegally trespassing and committing criminal activity in his home,” I explain, keeping my tone neutral but not missing the irony of him being in uproar about consent in recording someone.
“There’s also a chance that Natasha could be charged with all of the same crimes that you, Debbie Jo, and Rick will be facing for your actions yesterday, even though Natasha never set foot in Jack’s penthouse, it will be like she was standing there in the eyes of the law. ”
“And when paired with the severity of the other charges you three face, I know they are exploring potentially charging Natasha with conspiracy to commit murder, aiding and abetting armed burglary, and aiding and abetting attempted murder—just like you are already facing,” Harlow adds before taking a sip of her latte.
Kane’s face turns an unnatural shade of red as he yells, “I’m not facing those charges! I was shot! I want my lawyer. I’m a victim!”
“You were, by your accomplice, while in the middle of knowingly committing a slew of crimes together. Did you think that just because you got shot that you were going to walk away? That’s not how the law works, Kane.
And we will be happy to call your lawyer, but your previously listed representation recused themselves, so you first need to find a lawyer that will take you on as a client.
But if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you by the court, as your rights informed you when you were placed under arrest yesterday.
” Kane’s control is slipping, and I almost feel bad that I’m about to see him lose his shit.
But not bad enough to stop pushing him.
Kane sputters, “This can’t be happening. I can’t go to jail! I have plans!”
“You might want to cancel those plans. Natasha is very chatty, even telling us things we didn’t need to necessarily know, like how she’s the reason the press knew about Tinsley’s locations or what was going on while Fiona was in the hospital.
But Natasha is already making deals. She’s facing ten to thirty years in prison all because of a keycard—and she had absolutely nothing to do with the crimes you and Rick both admitted to committing in New York that resulted in two deaths and a serious injury. ”