Rather than argue, Cab took another garlic-and-chili shrimp. Caprice was right; he didn’t believe in causes. Once you really believed in something, you could make excuses for anything. The ends always justified the means. It wasn’t a long journey from Diane Fairmont to Hamilton Brock.

‘Speaking of the Liberty Empire Alliance,’ Cab said.

‘Ah yes, you went to prison today. And you talked to Chuck Warren, too. How did those conversations go?’

‘Pretty much as you’d expect.’

‘Do you think Hamilton Brock is behind the threats against Diane?’

‘He says if he wanted Diane dead, she’d already be dead. That may be true, but it doesn’t mean Brock doesn’t know or suspect who’s doing this. As for Chuck Warren, he thinks the threats are just a political ploy.’

Caprice cocked her head. ‘You mean, we made it all up to get sympathy for Diane?’

‘Yes.’

‘What do you think?’

‘I’m assuming the threat is real until I prove otherwise. That doesn’t mean I don’t have doubts. If I find out you and your people are playing me, I won’t hesitate to expose it.’

‘I’d expect nothing less.’ She added: ‘So what’s your next step?’

Cab reached inside the pocket of his suit coat. He still had a copy of the article there, with the threat scrawled across it. He unfolded the page and tapped the newspaper byline. ‘Rufus Twill. He was an Orlando reporter. Some boys from the Liberty Empire Alliance nearly put him in a wheelchair a few years ago. I suspect he still keeps pretty close tabs on them.’

Caprice frowned. ‘I don’t like the idea of getting the media involved.’

Cab couldn’t help where his mind went. He thought: Or is that exactly what you want? Press. News. Headlines. He wondered if he was a marionette, and if Caprice was a sexy puppeteer who was guiding him exactly where she wanted him to go. He shoved the article back in his pocket without replying.

‘There’s something else,’ he told her. ‘I need to talk to Diane.’

‘Is that really necessary? Diane is busy with the campaign, and I don’t control her schedule. I’m not sure how she can help you.’

‘Neither am I, until I talk to her.’

She pursed her lips. ‘The thing is, I didn’t tell Diane that I was asking you to look into this. She’s not convinced the threat is real. She doesn’t want to be seen as exploiting what happened back then.’

‘Well, real or not, I need you to set up a meeting,’ Cab said. ‘It doesn’t have to be long. Fifteen minutes.’

‘What do you hope to learn?’

‘She was there when Birch was killed. She may remember something that would point me in the right direction.’

‘Diane won’t talk about the murders,’ Caprice said. ‘She doesn’t give interviews about it.’