AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Their final words are the reason I’m here, because Boris mentioned The Rose Foundation. He said that Adele had played her part, but was becoming a liability. That her perversions were less discreet and she was an accident waiting to happen. He mentioned your name, Mr. Warner, and told the governor that they would deal with you both at the same time. Adele’s fate would be a tragic accident, forcing the governor to uncover his wife’s link to this organization and the questionable campaign contributions that came from The Rose Foundation.”
She says angrily, “He would order an investigation and discover you were blackmailing his wife and they would frame you for her murder and blame you for attempting to corrupt the governor’s campaign with laundered Russian money.”
She shakes her head and appears visibly upset. “They would say that Adele had uncovered your plan and confronted you and discovered that you were working for the Russians. Charles would be the American hero, the wronged husband and the savior of the country when he foiled a plot to bring our great country to its knees.”
I’m so shocked I just stare at her in horror and she whispers, “I’m sorry, Mr. Warner, but I thought you should be told. I have no evidence except what I heard, and I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to Mrs.Kenricky and their words came true. Nobody would believe me if I told the authorities and I’m afraid they will frame me for something, or worse.”
She appears terribly stricken and rightly so, and I admire her courage in coming here at all.
“You were very brave coming here, Harriet.”
I steady my voice and smile to put her at ease.
“I am also grateful you trusted me with this.”
“So, you believe me?”
She can’t disguise the relief in her voice, and there is no reason to doubt she is telling the truth.
“I do.” I reassure her and she visibly relaxes.
“Thank God. I was so afraid you wouldn’t, but I had to try. I am a good citizen, Mr. Warner. It’s why I’ve dedicated my professional career to helping what I considered a good man in reaching his goals. But I can’t sit back and let them get away with this. I didn’t know who to tell because the governor has many powerful friends. I thought of you because you’re a good man. I can tell that from the job that you do and I hope you can prevent this from ever happening.”
She wrings her hands in her lap and whispers, “Please help, Mrs. Kenricky. I’m not fond of the woman, but she doesn’t deserve this. I am so scared for her. What if they–”
I can’t reassure her because it’s obvious where Adele is heading and it places me in a difficult position.
The only person I can think of to trust with this information shares the same accent as the oneengineering it. Is Titus Romanov involved in espionage, and was his father’s murder somehow connected to the governor’s plan?
Harriet smiles nervously. “I should go. It’s probably best that we don’t meet again, Mr. Warner. I took a chance on coming here today, but I’ve written down my findings and secured them in a safe deposit box with instructions in my will that if anything unfortunate happens to me, my beneficiary has access to the information.”
I smile to put her at ease. “That was a wise choice you made. Coming here was the right decision, and I am immensely grateful. Rest assured, I’ll do my utmost to handle this and I’m always available to you if you need me.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes burn brightly. “You’re a good man, Mr. Warner, and I hope you prove me right. Sadly, the last man I offered that title to proved me very wrong and I have kind of lost faith in my judgment.”
She sighs. “Today I resigned from Governor Kenricky’s office and my reason was for early retirement. My husband doesn’t know yet and before he finds out, I must line up another job.”
She smiles. “It will be exciting to start a new role somewhere else, but I’m keeping away from politics. It turns out that’s not for me.”
“Then come and work for me, Harriet. Take a vacation, let the dust settle and when it does, there is a job here for you.”
Her eyes fill with hope and she gasps, “I wasn’t here for that, Mr. Warner.”
I shrug. “I realize that, but one good turn deserves another and a woman with your values would be a welcome addition to The Rose Foundation. Just not right now; not until we deal with this problem.”
She nods, her earlier nerves having apparently been settled.
“Then I will leave you my card and hope to hear from you. Good day, Mr. Warner, and good luck.”
She rises and as I shake her hand, I consider myself extremely fortunate indeed that a simple telephone conversation could be the one thing the men behind all of this never accounted for. The trouble is, I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do with the information now it’s burning a hole in my sanity.
CHAPTER 32
ANA
Iswear I stop breathing as we stare at mama, who has slumped in her seat with her head in her hands. Her sobs fill the room and the sound coming from deep inside her is almost inhuman.
Titus is glaring at her with more anger than I have ever seen on him and, as she sobs, he growls, “Did you? Answer me!”
