Intimate Relations, Rebecca Forster [best ereader for manga .txt] 📗

as soon as she returned to my place, that her ex had managed to find his way into our orbit. I am assuming this does not create any problems for you or your superiors."

"It does not, sir," Finn responded.

"Very good." Jeremiah looked at his watch. Gray did the same. He continued on. "As for the lady in question. I knew who she was."

"You knew her as Cami," Finn said. His statement appeared to annoy the man.

"No, I knew exactly who she was. Roxana Masha Novika. I did not share this information with anyone, including Beverly. I pledged not to compromise any member in good standing when I joined Asylum. I did not breach that promise until Cami crossed the line. Then I found out who she was."

"So much for anonymity," Cori muttered.

"I'm fortunate to have many resources at my disposal.  I can find the information I need about almost anything. A mask and an alias are flimsy defense."

"You can find out anything, except information about what was being revealed at the party," Finn said.

"Except that."

The failure was both disappointing and illuminating. Stotler inclined his head as if humbled. It was an act.

"Roxana was easy," he said. "The girl was a media whore. Her alias was ridiculous. Once I identified her, I understood how dangerous she could be. Those of us who are gold members expect anonymity as do the women who attend. Unless they agree to further interaction outside of the parties. Beverly is in full consent of our relationship, by the way."

Stotler did Finn the courtesy of actually looking his way.

"But to the matter at hand, in all the years I have been with them, that trust has never been broken until she showed up. That young woman abused Asylum members, and I was not the first."

Gray stepped forward and passed another sheet of paper over to Finn and Cori.

"These are the men she compromised. Ali did not know for a long while because these men were fearful for their futures, and retreated quietly. Society, for all its promiscuity, is actually rather puritanical. Once the media gets hold of something salacious, they work up the villagers until the only thing left is to build the scaffold. Those men paid a great deal of money to keep Roxana silent. I do not believe I am breaching a trust since these men are no longer Asylum members. It would be more embarrassing for them should you have to hunt for them," Stotler said. "When Roxana set her sights on me, I refused to be blackmail. She threatened retaliation. I am in no position to have my sexual life paraded before our stockholders.  I would have plenty of money should I lose my work, but no amount of money could compensate me for the loss of my position. I have a sincere passion for what I do. I am very good at it. I create fantasy worlds for children. That I prefer a little fantasy in my private life should not enter into the equation, but it would if she followed through on her threats."

"What do you know of her interaction with Ms. O'Brien that night?" Cori asked.

"Beverly told me she confronted Roxana. She also told me she had nothing to do with murdering that woman. I believe her. If she was lying, I would have seen some evidence. When she returned home, she was angry at the situation. She was upset that she could not bring me the information I wanted because the incident curtailed whatever business was to be conducted. Beverly was also upset that you were called upon to investigate. No, Beverly did not have the demeanor of someone who murdered another human being."

"And what steps were you taking to stop Cami from outing you?" Finn asked.

"All legal, all irrelevant." Jeremiah Stotler got out of his chair, smiled and started for the door as he said: "Thank you so much for coming by."

Finn was up before the Right Hand could react.

"Mr. Stotler," Finn said.  The man paused, clearly annoyed to be spoken to without permission. "With all due respect, we will call you should we have additional questions. You may call your attorney at your discretion. Thank you for your time now."

His eyes flicked to Gray who stood only steps away. Her cheeks were pale with fury.

"Thank you, Ms. Webster. We'll be seeing ourselves out."

Cori and Finn walked out the way they came in. They did not cross the carefully drawn lines; but the Right Hand and Jeremiah Stotler understood they wouldn't hesitate to do so if it were called for.

19

"Fifteen minutes on the dot, O'Brien. That's when he got out of his chair. He didn't even look at the clock. And that woman. You wouldn't need air-conditioning on a hot summer night with that one. "

Finn smiled at Cori's riff. There were worse ways to pass the time, and she was right about the movie people. If he had dreams of being a star they would have been shattered when he met Jeremiah Stotler and his Right Hand. He did admire the man's forthrightness, but honesty was the privilege of the wealthy. As was leverage. As was the ability to buy your way out of a problem. As was just about everything else in the world.  Still, in this instance, it was a lowly duo like Finn and Cori who had the ultimate power because they cared so little for the Stotler's of the world.

"I don't think I'd be making a trade of Bev for Gray. I'm happy to leave them both to Mr. Stotler," Finn said.

He had one arm draped over the steering wheel and the other rested on the armrest. His eyes were on the traffic. It was flowing well considering it was a few minutes after three on a Thursday afternoon. It had been a toss up to head to Roxana's house or back to the station. In the end they couldn't pass up the chance to learn more about their victim.

"Offramp." Cori pointed to