‘That’s true,’ Cab said. ‘You know, I really have only one question for you. There’s one thing I’m not sure about. The whole plot with Diane, that was you all along. That’s why you hired me, isn’t it? To point me down the path, to give the whole thing credibility. You used me from the start. I don’t like being used, but I admit, you’re good at it. As for the Labor Day murders, I wondered whether it was your idea or Deacon’s, but come on. Deacon was a kid. You were the brains. Killing Birch and setting up the Alliance? Political brilliance. No, the only question I have is about Lyle. Did you know Deacon was going to kill him, too, or did he surprise you? I’d like to think you didn’t know that was coming. I’d like to think you weren’t acting your horror when he put the gun in Lyle’s face and killed your fiancé. Sadly, though, I don’t believe it. You told Deacon exactly what to do. Everything.’

Caprice took a breath in and a breath out. ‘What a fascinating fairy tale.’

‘Isn’t it?’

‘These are extraordinarily serious allegations to level against a woman with my power,’ she said. ‘You do realize that.’

‘Yes, I do. And you do have power. That’s what you always wanted, isn’t it? I talked to your friends in college. They have exceptional admiration for you. They’d never met anyone so ambitious and so single-mindedly focused on achieving what she wanted. They all considered it to be one of your virtues.’

‘I hope you don’t plan to go public with these crazy ideas, Cab,’ Caprice advised him. ‘As far as I can tell, you don’t have a shred of real evidence of my doing anything wrong, least of all the terrible things you’ve talked about. Not that you could, because none of it is true.’

‘I’m not wearing a wire,’ Cab said.

‘In my business, everything is on the record.’

‘Of course.’

‘You really don’t want me as an enemy, Cab. Trust me on that.’

‘I think it’s a little late for that,’ he said.

‘Yes, I think you’re right.’

‘Anyway, no, I have no plans to go public with any of this,’ he told her. ‘Not yet. I’ve been looking into it for months, but I can’t find any useful evidence at all to prove anything. Even though I know you’re guilty as hell.’

‘Why are you so sure?’ she asked.

‘Honestly? Because my girlfriend really, really doesn’t like you. I trust her judgment, but I suppose a prosecutor and jury would want something more. Which I don’t have. So you win, Caprice. For now.’

‘I usually do.’

‘However, I’ll be keeping an eye on you.’