Chapter7
Kennedy
I was impressed with Victoria Banks. Renee had been right about her. She might be the best lobbyist I’d ever hired. Three days passed since our meeting, and I believed her when she said there were other ways to get the votes we needed.
I was going to get the bill passed to allow gambling rights at the Crescent Towers. In the process, I would make sure Knight Corban never had a chance in New Orleans to regain a shred of power. What he had done to me wouldn’t be forgiven or forgotten.
It had also been three days since I woke up in bed with Knight. The morning I discovered how far he was willing to go to destroy me. It was the first time I had let me guard down. I knew what a mistake it was to let him in. It would never happen again.
The water rippled in the pool. I watched one of the floats bob underneath the waterfall. I tugged the kimono wrap around my shoulders. The wind was picking up. The palms rustled and the flower petals began to detach and whip around the courtyard. I glanced at the file I was reading again. I couldn’t remember where I had left off. I skimmed the numbers, trying to find the spot. Was it revenue? Was it the quarterly profit and loss?
I looked overhead a flash of lightning crackling across the sky. I gathered the folders and shoved them in my pool bag. One warning was all I needed.
Kimble was waiting for me when I stepped inside.
“There’s a weather alert about a tropical depression. I was headed out to make sure you knew it wasn’t safe to sit by the pool.”
“The lightning was enough for me.” I clutched the straw handle. Kimble didn’t alter his stance. “Is there something else?” I asked. Usually at this time of night he was in his suite. He popped out for perimeter checks a few times. As long as I was in for the night, I rarely saw him.
“Have you seen the radar? It’s going to be a rough night.”
I shook my head. I didn’t bother with weather. “No. I’ll stay in if that makes you happy.” I smirked.
“I think we should talk in your office,” he answered. “I need to brief you on something I learned today.”
“Oh? I’m headed upstairs to change. Can you give me a few minutes?” I was wearing a swimsuit under the kimono. I wanted to swim a few laps before the storm blew in. The thunder crackled. I felt the vibrations as the windows in the old house rattled. The panes were fragile and thin.
“It’s important. I think you’re going to want to hear this.”
I blinked. “All right.” I slipped into my sandals. “Let’s go to my office.” Kimble followed me along the corridor. He tugged the sliding doors closed behind us.
“What is it?” I rested the straw bag on the floor.
“It’s about Crew.”
“What about him?” I couldn’t think of Crew crossing paths with Kimble lately.
“He had lunch with Knight Corban yesterday.”
“Is that all?” I laughed. “He has an assignment from me regarding the Corbans tech investments.”
Kimble cleared his throat. “It’s wasn’t a meeting about tech.”
“How do you know that?”
Kimble’s eyes narrowed. “My priority has and always will be to keep you safe. I don’t believe those men were meeting about tech.”
I groaned. “You’re going to have to give me more to go on than that.”
“Because of this.” He held up his phone. I saw a picture of Crew and Knight. I ignored the extra beat pounding in my chest when I saw the sharp lines of Knight’s jaw.
“Lunch. Yes, I get it.” I glanced at Kimble.
He pinched the screen, zooming in to the table. “Look closer,” he instructed. “At what they are doing.”
I peered at the photo again. “Is that?” I yanked the phone from Kimble’s hand. “Those are the tunnels. The plans for the Vieux Carre.” I stared in disbelief. I twisted the phone around, in case I was wrong about what I thought I spotted.
He nodded. “Yes.”