Dugan pulled away.
***
There had never been a time Lucian was grateful for Evelyn’s literary shortcomings until now. As
he glared down at the rag sprawled upon his desk, he felt like hurling his coffee across his office. In bold ink, his and Evelyn’s names sat like graffiti on every page. Never before had he resented the
paparazzi so much.
Their assumptions of her background were preposterous and at the same time a little too close to the
truth. What frightened him most were the references to Pearl. There was definitely a Judas among
them, and when he discovered who it was, they would be handled accordingly. He wondered if the
same person tampering with his personal life and leading the media to his door through crumbs of
truth was the same person trying to swindle him out of his deal with Labex Green.
He’d run through all possibilities and unwittingly kept returning to the same suspect. There was
only one person who knew of Evelyn’s past in such detail and only one person brazen enough to face
off with Lucian in business. He’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this, wishing the fallout of their
partnership and threats to disembowel the other man’s company would be enough to keep him in
check, but it was time to admit he’d been wrong.
Tossing the paper in the trash, he punched his finger into the intercom. “Seth, get Slade Bishop on
the line.”
“Yes, sir.” A moment later the intercom buzzed. “Mr. Patras, I have Mr. Bishop on line one.”
He picked up the receiver and Slade was the first to speak. “Lucian, this is unexpected.”
“Is this really how you want to handle this?” Lucian asked, cutting right to the heart of matters.
“I don’t understand.”
“Cut the crap, Slade. I know you’re feeding the press. I have to say, I’m impressed with the size of
your balls, but it will only make it easier when I cut them off.”
The other man cleared his throat. “Lucian, I read most of the articles, but I’m afraid you’re off on
this one. I haven’t spoken to the media about you or her.”
Lucian calculated for a minute. He sounded sincere, but after the stunt his ex-partner pulled with
Parker Hughes, Lucian would never trust Slade again. “And what of Labex? You have nothing to do
with that either?”
“I heard about your deal with Green. I assumed it would be wrapped up by now. Am I wrong?”
Lucian frowned. If not Slade, then who? His brain compiled a list of variables. Who would want to
see Evelyn dragged out in front of the masses? Nicole was suspect, but surely she’d know this would
do nothing to win her favor. She also would have no interest in a company like Labex, which meant if
she were the one slandering Evelyn, it was completely unrelated to the business deal hanging by a
thread.
Who had the manpower and resources to poach Labex? One name came to mind, but that was so
farfetched he dismissed it immediately. No way had Hughes climbed that fast. Impossible. Didn’t
matter who his father was. Such rapid success was unheard of.
He realized Slade was talking. “. . . really like to sit down with you.”
As Lucian pieced together what he’d missed in the conversation, he almost laughed. “While I’m
glad to hear you decided against interfering further in my personal life, I have to say I’m not flattered to the point of social calls. We passed that the minute you assisted someone I consider my enemy,
lending yourself the same title.”
There was a pause. “Luche, I’m not your enemy. I never was.”
“We continue to disagree. I’ll let you get back to your work.”
As he leaned in to hang up the phone, Slade’s voice rung out and gave him pause. “I saw what you
did to Hughes.”
Lucian drew the phone back to his ear.
Slade rushed on, assuming he regained his attention. “I saw what you did and I assume you got her
back.”
“I merely collected what’s mine.”
“I want you to know, for what it’s worth, my role in the situation was . . . regrettable. I apologize.”
As much as Slade’s apology should count for something, it didn’t. His actions spoke louder than
words, driving home the point that the man could not be trusted. “We’re through here.” He ended the
call, thereby ending his association with Slade Bishop. One Judas down. How many more to find?
***
The email came through at three fifteen.
Jason Dodd
Mother: Rebecca Esperanto-Dodd
Father: John Dodd
D.O.B. September 2, 1981
Current Address: 2424 Glacier Place, West Folsom, PA
Previous Address: 192 Lenox Ave, Cincinnati, OH
Prior places of occupancy: Room 206, Parks Dormitory, Triton University
No criminal record.
No unpaid tickets.
Moved to Folsom last June. Currently employed with the 34th School district as a
behavioral specialist. Vehicle registered in his mother’s name. Home leased through a man
by the name of Gregory Lutz. Aside from residing within a couple miles of Ms. Keats, I
cannot find any cause for association. How much deeper do you want me to dig?
-D.
Lucian replied via text.