“Do you want me to walk in there right now and hand myself in?” Falcon steps forward, now ignoring my hand. “Would that make you happy, if I did that?”
“Yes,” I lie. “It would make me very happy. And while you’re there, tell them who really did it. Because when the accident happened, you were with me.”
“If you want to talk, we have to leave.” Falcon turns and his posture straightens.
I turn to see who he’s looking at and when I realize who it is, I’m shocked. The Governor walks out of the building and straight to Falcon and shakes his hand. “Falcon, how are you?”
My mouth hangs open. We have been trying to do a story on this man for a year now, but we can’t seem to find anything. Everything about him is locked down tight.
“Good, and yourself, Malcom?” Malcom looks back to me then to Falcon.
“I’ve been well, we will have to catch up again soon.”
“Now, you know I can’t do that. But I will see you soon?”
“Of course, you and your lady friend have a good day.” He turns eyeing me once more before he walks off.
“So, you know people,” I say as he watches and waits for me. He looks to where Malcom just left.
“I do, a lot. Now can we leave?”
“Yes.” I get back into my car and drive to the closest park, it’s the only place I can think of where we can talk right now. I don’t get out as he walks over. I sit in my car with the doors locked while waiting for him. He knocks on my window and I roll it down just a fraction, only enough so we can speak but not touch. Touching isn’t good right now. I don’t want his touch.
“Do you expect me to speak to you through this?” He taps the glass.
“Yes, it’s your last chance before I go. Now speak.”
“I don’t want you to die, Ariel.”
His words hit me. Shock me so badly that my head swivels around to face him. “What do you mean?” I ask him.
“How far do you intend to take this story?”
“All the way.”
He rubs his eyes with his hands, tiredness shows on his face. “Please don’t. I’m not asking as someone you hate, or even someone you know. I’m asking you because I care.”
“You care, for what?”
He looks up at me dead straight into my eyes. “I care for you, Ariel. You.”
“You could have fooled me.”
“I care that you don’t die. If you pursue this, there’s only so much I can protect you from.”
My head turns fast as my hands clench. “What is it you do, Falcon?”
He shakes his head. “I want to trust you. I want to tell you. But in your hands, it’s dangerous. So, I won’t.”
“In my hands?” I notice his eyes widen.
“You want the inside scoop. It’s who you are, it’s what you do. I should have stayed clear to begin with. And I will from now on, you have my word. Just don’t tell anyone any more. If not for me, do it for you.” His words sink in.
“You have connections, big ones, don’t you?” I turn to look at him again and he simply nods his head. “You could make me quiet like you made Tom quiet.”
Falcon nods not giving me any words, but pain is evident on his face as he does.
“Just don’t, okay? Go home for a bit. Stay clear.” He turns and walks back to his car.
I quickly get out and call his name, and he turns and looks at me. “What if I don’t?”
He shakes his head and slides into his car and pulls away. I watch as he does, and look to my cell, rereading the email. I still haven’t deleted it even though he asked me to. This story could do so much for me, so fucking much.
“Tracey,” I say into the cell. “I’m coming to see you. We need to talk.”“You hid his stuff, even if it’s bad. Who have you become, Tracey?” I ask shaking my heads.
She shuts the door behind me, so her girlfriend can’t hear us talk. She doesn’t know what her brother-in-law does either.
“What are you talking about?”
I pull the news, which is everywhere, up on my cell and show Tracey. “Falcon had him killed. He spoke about a secret club, which I’m guessing you know all about.”
“Oh my God, Ariel, please don’t do what I think you’re going to do.”
“What do you think I’m going to do?”
“You’re going to publish what you know. And I’m going to tell you as a friend what a mistake that would be right now.”
“You sound like your brother.”
“You went to him already?” Her eyes go wide. “Fuck!” She starts pacing back and forth. “Those boys built that place from nothing, gave it their all. Darby runs it mostly, but they all play their parts, and they’re good at what they do. You’re looking at ruining four lives, for what? To boost your own career?” she asks clearly angry.