BooksBarbecue
Back Vortex Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. Epilogue
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. About the Author
  60. Also by Catherine Coulter
  61. About the Publisher

Mia said, “It’s hard to believe I met these people only yesterday, not twenty-four hours ago. Okay, first I went to Louisburg Square and met Pamela Raines Barrett, Alex Harrington’s fiancée. She’s pretty, polished to a high shine, shows off Armani very well. She knows her own worth and values herself highly. She’s arrogant and tried to hide it for the most part since I was there to interview her about her fiancé. She tried to make nice, but her belief in her own superiority shimmered off her.

“She’s smart, Sherlock, and I think she’d be as ruthless as she needed to be to get what she wants. And she wants Alex to be mayor as much as he does, maybe more. It’s her first big step toward the top of the power food chain, where she knows she belongs. So she really wasn’t of much help. But one thing struck me between the eyes. She’s still jealous of Harrington’s ex-fiancée, Juliet Ash Calley. She told me calling off the wedding was Alex’s idea, but it wasn’t. It was Juliet who called it off.

“I’m sure she doesn’t know about Juliet being roofied and raped by Alex Harrington and Kent Harper, or anything else. Yes, I imagine Tommy mentioned that to you. Even though it sounds unbelievable, it’s true. He not only roofied and raped his own fiancée, he also invited his friend Kent Harper to join the fun. And I wondered—if Pamela knew, would she be willing to cover it up to get what she wanted? I don’t think so, but I could be wrong.”

Sherlock cocked an eyebrow at her. “Let me guess. You really didn’t like her.”

35

Mia

Mia looked down at a ragged fingernail, doubtless from banging against a garbage can last night. “I made Pamela sound like the wicked witch. She really didn’t come across like that. She was polite, solicitous, well-spoken, gushed about Harrington, only to be expected. Maybe, too, I think I was predisposed to dislike her, my fault.” Mia sighed. “She’s focused, Sherlock, committed to being the first lady of New York City, then, who knows? The United States? Oh yes, no doubt in my mind. And bottom line, what’s wrong with that?

“Moving forward. I walked to Juliet’s parents’ house after I left the freeze queen. Juliet was there taking care of her ill mom. Juliet’s a concert pianist.”

“Yes, I know, I’ve heard her in concert at the Kennedy Center. An incredible talent and a jaw-dropper.”