“Banking the Billionaire. It seemed like a sweet deal and I figured if it went well for me personally, maybe I’d take it to my pool of investors. But I got out and I suggested rather sternly Rip do the same. I don’t know if he did.”
“Why exactly did you get out?” I ask.
“I wasn’t pleased with the level of control ownership claimed over the content and unbridled interaction between members that didn’t even have to confirm their identity. It became more of a dating site in my eyes, and I had nightmares of the Craigslist killings. Hookups that ended in a horrifying way. I wanted no part of that kind of liability.”
My theory of a sort of sex game is looking more and more real, I think.
“I did put a call into the FBI and suggest they look into that situation,” he continues.
“Who did you talk to?” I ask.
“I called the local office and spoke to an agent. I’m afraid I don’t have the name. I felt I did my duty by calling at all. I just wanted distance and I couldn’t get it fast enough.”
“When was this?”
“A good year back at this point,” he states. “And I didn’t offer either of you a beverage. Would either of you like anything?”
“No, thank you,” I state because I have manners when appropriate, and with this man, it’s appropriate. “You have some investments in the medical and pharmaceutical business, correct?”
He perks up. “And proudly. Some of our biggest success stories. Nothing in oil though. Sure would like to talk to Kane about that. I’ve tried to get his attention. Maybe you can help, which I shouldn’t be asking right now. I heard about his crash. My God. I chopper out of here all the time. The next time I’ll be a little more uneasy.”
I’m not sure if he’s sincere, trying to throw me off, or taunting me.
“And perhaps you should,” I say. “Rejecting people the way you rejected Rip over and over must create enemies. And you do have a connection to one of the victims.”
He wets his lips, his eyes narrowing. “Not really much of a connection.”
“We can’t say that when we don’t know who killed Rip, now can we?” I challenge. “Did you know Emma Wells?”
“I did not, but I do believe her husband did work for a few of the people involved in our investment group.”
Another connection. I’m headed at least close to the right direction, but I don’t ask him for names he won’t want to give up. I don’t want him to close off. Tic Tac will find out that information for me. And if he can’t, Lucas will.
I move on. “Are you involved in any military or defense contracts?”
“No,” he says, but he cuts his gaze for the first time in this conversation.
“Sometimes no really does mean yes,” I say.
“No, Agent Love.”
I let it go.
For now.
It’s time to end this meeting, but I’m not done with Mr. Woodard.
He’ll be seeing me again.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Once Jay and I are back on the road, I text Andrew to let him know I’m on my way to the diner. Next, I text Tic Tac, asking him to dig around in Woodard’s affairs and find me a defense connection. I’ll call Lucas later to do the same after he sleeps.
Next, I call Director Murphy. “Agent Love,” he greets.
“What do you know about Neal Woodard?”
His answer is fast and easy. “He’s one of them.”
“You know, I think I need you to give me a list. Kane’s chopper—”
“You want to know what I know?” he suggests.
“Of course I want to know what you know.”
“I expected you to ask this morning. My inside sources tell me our—”
“He’s not our friend. The devil. Did he do it?”
“My sources say no. And logically, I have to accept that. He’s too smart and calculated to strike this close to his return to the spotlight. And he’s got an election to win with your father.”
“Well, we all know how my death would deliver the sympathy vote.”
“Yes. We do. And there is that. I still think he’s too smart to do that right now. I’ll keep digging.”
“About Banking the Billionaire and my warrant,” I say.
“We can’t serve a ghost. Tic Tac is still trying to get that information.”
“Exactly. It’s a Russian server and the ownership is hidden. But if we can get access, it could potentially break something big here, and expose a group of powerful people. Lucas is our best chance of doing that but before I let him dig around, I need to know he’s protected.”
“I’ll get you a contractor’s agreement,” he says a little too easily, considering his “hands-off” attitude about Lucas. But then he’s a savvy one, a manipulator, and more and more, I believe Murphy wants me for who I bring to the table. I thought that meant Kane, but maybe, it’s Lucas, too.