Page 150 of Sunset Beach
“I’m ashamed to admit that after I left your place, I went to the gym, worked out, did laundry, and went home and watched television until I fell asleep at eight.”
“I love that you’re such a girly man,” Drue said, laughing. “Tell me you watched HGTV and I’ll be yours forever.”
“Close. It wasMasterpiece Theater,but you’ve got to swear not to tell a soul.”
“I’ll take it to my grave,” she said, crossing her heart.
He leaned closer in to the screen. “Say, what’s that you’re wearing? Is that, like, what? A camisole? I like it!”
“We arenotdoing this,” Drue said. “It’s way too early in the morning. I’ll see you at the office.”
“Wear that to work,” he urged.
“I’m hanging up now.”
Drue walked through the reception area and Geoff stood up, grabbed her and hugged her. “Ohmygod!” he said breathlessly. “I just heard about Ben. I can’t believe he actually tried to kill you. I mean, I’m stunned. To my core.”
“How did you hear already?” she asked, extricating herself from his clutches.
“Brice sent out a firm-wide memo first thing this morning,” he said and grimaced. “And since Mr. Fentress is no longer with the firm, Wendy emailed and says I’m on the Justice Line, at least until we hire somebody new.”
She patted his arm. “You’ll be great.”
The bullpen seemed oddly quiet. Ben’s desktop was as clean as he’d left it at quitting time Friday, which seemed like years ago, although his computer was gone and the desk drawers were open and empty. She looked over at Jonah, who was on the phone, and nodded at him.
Her heart sank when she saw the yellow note stuck to her computer monitor.
SEE ME.It was Brice’s handwriting.
She found her father seated at his desk, a plastic cape around his neck, with paper towels tucked in a protective ring around the collar of his blue dress shirt. Marianne the paralegal was applying pancake makeup to his face. She turned and nodded at Drue, then went back to her handiwork.
Drue’s eyes widened, and Brice gave her a broad wink. He was clearly having the time of his life.
“Dad? What’s all this?”
“Just a little proactive public relations,” her father said. He looked up at Marianne, who was brandishing a tube of Chanel mascara.
“Did you confirm with Rae Hernandez at Treasure Island?” he asked. “The producer from the CBS affiliate told me it’s a no-go without the detective who cracked the case.”
“She’s not wild about a press conference,” Marianne replied. “Hold still and look up, please.” She brushed his lashes with three coats of Chanel ultra-black. “So I called back and spoke to the police chief, and she looooves the idea.”
“Of course she does,” Brice said. “How often does a department that small crack a two-year-old cold-case homicide? With good old-fashioned shoe-leather detective work? Of course, we’re the ones whose shoes did the work, but it won’t hurt to let them take most of the credit.”
“Does that mean what I think it does?” Drue asked.
“Herman Byars was arrested without incident yesterday. He was actually mowing his lawn when the police pulled up to his house. Hernandez is pretty close-mouthed, but when I called her last night, she said they were confident they have a watertight case.”
“How about Neesa? Is she talking to them?”
“Hernandez says she’s cooperating, so I’m assuming so.”
“What about Ben?” Drue asked.
“Not as cooperative. But I don’t think it’s going to matter that much. I fired off a letter to counsel for the hotel’s insurance company first thing this morning. This matter is a huge black eye to them. There should be serious criminal implications for whomever Ben was dealing with there.”
“Isn’t it a major black eye for Campbell, Coxe and Kramner too? Since Ben worked for us and extorted the insurance company?” Drue asked.
“That part isn’t so great,” Brice admitted. “I’ve already retained counsel for us. Frankly, the whole thing is a shit show all the way around. But the bottom line is, eventually, there will be a settlement for Jazmin’s family.”
