Jill’s face was a blank, but he could see something was going on behind her eyes. Maybe he was finally getting to her. Getting her to listen.

“I don’t think your Jacqueline has any idea about people getting murdered—or roughed up or run down by cars. It’s not her style. She tells herself—and maybe you—that she’s facilitating campaign contributions. Pay for play. Small change. Nobody cares. And the old lady? She’s safer in the home. If she lives to be a hundred and ten, she can’t spend all she’s got. Jackie did her a favor.”

“You should go now,” Jill said, speaking in a near whisper.

Ted checked his watch. “Almost. I’ve got two minutes to go. I can’t make this stop, Jill. It’s way too late. The police are circling, and when they move, everyone involved will go down as accessory to murder and kidnapping. The fraud, bribery, and white-collar crimes will be gravy. If Jackie talks to me, I will do what I can for her. Not because I care what happens to Ms. Clavette but because I care a lot about what happens to you.”

“You stupid, arrogant prick,” she began quietly, almost conversationally. “You are talking about the woman I love, and you calmly call her a murderer and think I’m going to take your side. To get the firm to hire you again? Is that it? Get out.”

“I came here to help you.”

“Get out.”

“There’s a paper trail.” Less than a minute left but he bet that Osvaldo would wait a few minutes before calling, and the police response would take another five minutes or so. He kept going. “There are witnesses. The cops are going to find Barbara Miller, and then it will be all over for Jackie.”

“Leave. Now.”

“The million in surplus money? Was that her little nest egg? A little something that she put aside for the two of you? Payment for all the dirt she had to wade through?”

“She earned every goddamn penny.”

An admission.

And a revelation. “You’ve known all along, haven’t you?” He didn’t wait for her denial. “Hate me if you have to, but please tell her to go to the cops. It’s her only chance at this point.”

“You are all so stupid,” Jill said.

“I see it. The firm was never going to give Jacqueline Clavette a shot, no matter who she was married to—so she took it. She made it happen.” Another thought hit him. “And she kept records. Every meeting. Didn’t she? She was ready to take them all down if they tried to ditch her. Your father, Reisner, that fat Russian, the damn governor, if she had to. She was smarter than all of them.”

Or so she thought. “Oh, shit.” Ted was nearly struck dumb. “Do they know?”

“The police will be on their way,” she said.