Vortex by Catherine Coulter

Mia

Detective Hoolihan continued to Pamela, “And you, ma’am, you’ll be wanting to call your lawyer as well.”

Alex stepped forward, stopped when Hoolihan frowned at him. “What are you talking about? Why would Pamela need a lawyer?”

Hoolihan locked eyes with Pamela. “Because you, Ms. Barrett, hired a broker by the name of Reily Flint, of Boston, Massachusetts. We don’t know as yet how you knew to contact him, but the Boston PD is working with us. We will find out, never doubt that. The broker, Mr. Flint, in turn hired one of his best operators, known as Whistler. Whistler was instructed to run down Mia Briscoe last Wednesday night. He failed because a bystander stopped him.

“You hired Whistler again, through Mr. Flint, to murder Kent Harper this past Thursday night. He failed again because Agent Sherlock was there surveilling Mr. Harper’s house. After Whistler shot him two times in the back, she was able to get him help immediately.

“Of course, Whistler didn’t know who you are, knew you only as the principal, Ms. Barrett, for his protection and for yours, so he couldn’t roll on you.” He nodded to Sherlock.

She said, “A very committed FBI agent spent hours tracking the sedan Whistler drove the night he tried to run down Mia Briscoe. When she finally spotted Whistler’s sedan on a camera feed, she was able to follow it to the Wild Oaks Motel in Fort Lee.

“Unfortunately for you, Ms. Barrett, Whistler made two mistakes. He should have ditched the sedan he used to try to run down Mia Briscoe Wednesday night, but he didn’t. His second mistake was he neglected to change out his burner cell phone in time. That’s how we found Mr. Flint, and records of your four calls to him, both before and after the attempted murders, including, I imagine, your screaming matches when Whistler failed to kill Ms. Briscoe—and Kent Harper?

“We also know about your two-hundred-thousand-dollar withdrawal from your private accounts. We are confident that with the right incentive, Mr. Flint will give us full details, including evidence of the two-hundred-thousand-dollar deposit into his own account.”

Hoolihan shook his head at Pamela. “What I don’t understand, Ms. Barrett, is why you got so involved. For what? To save your fiancé from his own misdeeds? You were willing to commit murder?”

Alex Harrington stood white and shaken, staring at Hoolihan and then at Pamela. His voice was barely above a whisper. “Pammie, that can’t be true? You didn’t hire some fricking professional assassin? That’s crazy, all of it’s crazy. Why would you do that?”

Pamela shouted, “I didn’t! It’s absurd. For heaven’s sake, I’m Pamela Raines Barrett of the Boston Barretts!” She whirled on Mia. “All these lies are your fault, you’d do whatever you had to do for your precious career, ruin Alex, ruin me!” She took a step toward Mia, paused when Mia smiled and beckoned with her fingers. “Come on ahead, Pammie, just try it, you murdering bitch.”

Hoolihan said, “That’s enough from both of you.”

Pamela whirled about. “Alex, don’t believe them. I wouldn’t do anything like that, I wouldn’t. You’ve known me all your life.”

Alex said slowly, “Kent knew you, too, all your life. He never did anything to you.”

“I didn’t try to kill Kent! All of you go away, I have nothing more to say to any of you.”

“We’re not going anywhere, Pam,” Mia said. “You tried to kill me because Alex told you I’d write about Serena’s murder. I was the obstacle to what you’ve wanted your whole life, climbing aboard the political power train. With me out of the way, no one would be digging into Alex’s past. But you were wrong. Agent Maitland would never have given up.

“And Kent? I’ll bet Kent came here to see Alex after Juliet and I left his office on Thursday. I’ll bet he was scared, angry—”

Pamela yelled, “Wait! You’re saying Juliet was here? In New York? Why?”

Alex held himself stiff and silent, all expression wiped from his face. Mia said, “So you didn’t tell her about Juliet, Alex? You could confess your young man’s mistakes, and I suppose she might buy it, but no way could you explain away you and Kent roofieing Juliet and raping her.”

“They were going to marry! It makes no sense! Alex, tell her it’s crazy!”

Mia said to Pamela, “It’s true, Pam. Alex roofied her and both he and Kent raped her, two years ago. That was why Juliet broke off the engagement. She remembered what happened, Pam, but Alex didn’t care because he was sure she would never accuse them publicly, never blow up her family with so devastating a scandal. But once she found out Alex is not only a rapist, but a murderer, she was perfectly willing to help us.”

Pamela whirled on Alex, openmouthed. “Juliet? She’s not lying? You and Kent really raped Juliet?” She started shaking her head. “No, of course that can’t be true. They’re making this all up. You’d never do such a thing. Yes, yes, when you were young, you told me Kent talked you into some foolish mistakes, but Juliet? Kent couldn’t have talked you into raping Juliet. Alex, tell them you didn’t do that.”

Alex said between clenched teeth, “Of course it’s not true. Juliet made it up, as revenge because I dumped her two years ago. And now she wanted to ruin my career, and she helped them do it.”

He fell silent. Another ember popped in the fireplace. No one moved. Alex whispered to Pamela, “I knew how badly you wanted to be the New York mayor’s wife, and that’s why I trusted you, told you as much as I did.” He stared at her with new eyes. “So you tried to kill Mia? To keep her away from me? But why Kent? Damn you, why Kent?”

Pamela drew herself up. Even though Hoolihan still towered over her, she managed to look down her nose at him. “I am innocent. You, Detective, I will see you hounded out of the police force, I will sue this wretched city. I want to speak to my lawyer.”

Hoolihan nodded, said, “Pamela Raines Barrett, I’m arresting you for the attempted murder of Mia Briscoe and Kent Harper.” He read her her rights, his deep professional voice the only sound in the living room.