Summer Rain (Lightning Strikes Book 3) (8 page)

"You should follow her example."

"She admitted she didn't know much. Anyway, that's about it. I've left a lot of messages with various people, including Senator Dillon, but I haven't spoken to anyone else in depth. I can't imagine based on the conversations I've had that someone would feel threatened enough to send someone to attack me, unless, of course, I'm missing something important. But I've never allowed anyone to run me off, and I'm not going to start now. So, I'll see you tomorrow."

"No, you won't see me," she said forcefully and a little desperately. "You cannot come to the office, Patrick. You cannot ask for me."

"You have been told to stay away from me," he said with a knowing gleam in his eyes.

"Yes, I have."

"By who? The senator?"

"By both the senator and Erica, his chief of staff."

"Why? What's their problem?"

"He's busy, and he doesn't want to get dragged into the past. It could derail his current legislation."

"How could it do that?"

She honestly didn't know. She shrugged. "It's what they told me. Make of it what you will. Just don't involve me. I saved your life. Do me the favor of staying out of mine."

"When I contact him again, I won't ask for you. Don't worry."

"I can't help but worry. I don't have a good feeling about any of this."

"You know, Dani, there is a way to get me out of your hair faster."

"Do I want to ask what that is?"

"Help me."

"I just told you I can't force the senator to call you back."

"Then help me find someone else—someone who will talk to me, someone who might have known my mother or Senator Stuart. I'm betting you have a lot of connections. You know this world—I don't. I can figure it out, but it will take me time."

She sighed as she thought about his request. She felt as if she were caught between a rock and a hard place. But she did like the idea of getting him off her back and maybe off the senator's as well. "I might have an idea for you," she said slowly.

His eyes lit up. "What's that?"

"It might not pan out," she warned, "but I could give Joe Gelbman a call. He was Senator Dillon's chief of staff until six months ago, and he's been in Texas politics for thirty years. I'm sure he knew your mother and Senator Stuart, at least peripherally."

"That's great. Can you set up a meeting or a call?"

"I'll try him tomorrow. He lives in Maryland, about an hour from here. Give me your number, and if he's willing to talk to you, I'll make it happen. But that's on one condition. You don't come to my office. You don't contact Senator Dillon again."

"I'll make you this promise," he countered. "I won't contact your boss or anyone in his office tomorrow. I'll reevaluate depending on whether you can get me a meeting with Gelbman. I'd rather do it in person than over the phone."

She supposed she could be satisfied with that. "All right. Deal."

He stuck out his hand, and she hesitated, remembering the last time they'd shaken hands, and how hard it had been to let go.

"Dani?"

She saw the question in his eyes. "You're trouble, Patrick."

"I think you might be, too, but that's what makes life interesting. There's a connection between us that goes beyond your job and my questions. You feel it, too."

She shook her head in denial. "No. The only interest I have in you is making you go away."

He smiled again, his hand dropping to his side, as she purposefully crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Like I said before, Dani, you're not a very good liar."

Five

Patrick pulled up in front of Dani's apartment building in a rented car just after five o'clock. She'd called him at noon and told him she'd set up a meeting with Joe Gelbman, Dillon's former chief of staff, for six o'clock. If he could get a car, she'd drive out there with him.

Her call had definitely perked up his day. He'd woken up tired and achy from his wounds, frustrated that he wasn't getting anywhere, and then unsure of where he was actually trying to get. Did he want to prove his mom was having an affair? Did he want to prove the plane crash wasn't an accident? Were those facts going to make anyone happy?

The problem was he couldn't un-hear what he'd heard from Stuart's daughter. Nor could he ignore it. So he'd go a little further and see where that got him.

He was thrilled to have someone new to speak to, but inwardly he knew it wasn't just the upcoming meeting that had him on edge; it was Dani. She'd gotten under his skin and she'd definitely spent a lot of time in his dreams the night before.

Images of her as his avenging angel had mixed in with images of her mouth pressed against his. He hadn't kissed her yet, but he really wanted to. The electricity between them was palpable. Every time they were together, the air sizzled. She could deny it all she wanted, but that didn't make it false. The attraction did, however, complicate things—for both of them. It wasn't the right time to start anything. He needed to remember that.

His phone vibrated, and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was his father. He was tempted not to answer it, but after Sunday's events, he couldn't disappear on his dad. "Hey, Dad."

"How are you feeling, Patrick?"

"I'm fine. Better every day."

"Why don't you come over for dinner tonight and prove that to me in person? I can grill us some steaks. I want to show you the pictures the photographer took on Sunday. They're pretty good."

"I'd like to see them. Unfortunately, I can't make it tonight."

"Why not? What are you doing?"

"I had to go out of town."

"Out of town?" his dad asked in surprise. "You're supposed to be resting. Where are you?"

"I'm in DC. I'm doing some research for my next story." He hoped his dad wouldn't ask any more questions.

"You're a workaholic, just like your mother. Sometimes you have to take a break, let yourself breathe, heal, play some basketball, go to a baseball game—just relax."

"I plan on doing all that in a few days. I'll call you when I get back to town."

"You better. Have you heard from the police? Has there been any progress in finding out who attacked you?"

"Nothing yet. I spoke to the detective on the case this morning. They're checking surveillance video in the area to see if they can pick up anyone matching the description I gave them leaving the neighborhood or the park."

"I still can't believe what happened. It was such a great day. I thought we were turning things around for that part of town. Now everyone is talking about whether or not the park is safe."

Which might have been the sole point of his attack.

"Anyway, I'm very grateful you're all right," Harris continued. "I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you, Patrick."

"I'm okay, Dad. You don't have to worry about me."

"I hope not. But I didn't think I had to worry about your mother, either."

"I know." He saw Dani heading down the street. "I have to go. I'll be in touch."

"I'll email you some of the photos."

"Great." He slipped his phone into his pocket as Dani reached him. Today, she wore a sleeveless pale-yellow dress. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her legs bare, and on her feet were a pair of strappy sandals. She looked like a summer dream and was even prettier than he remembered.

"You're right on time," he said.

"I usually am."

"Me, too. I like it when people don't keep me waiting, so I try to return the favor. How was work?"

"Busy. I should still be there. I never leave this early."

"I appreciate you doing this. I rented a car." He waved his hand toward the white Volkswagen Passat. Maybe she'd relax a little once they got away from the city. "Do you need to go upstairs first?"

"No. I'm ready."

He opened the door for her, noting her large bag filled with weighty-looking reports. "Is all that homework?"

"It is. There's never enough time to read everything I have to read."

"I didn't think anyone in Congress actually read anything."

"Well, some people do, just not always the elected officials," she said dryly.

He closed her door and then walked around to his side of the car and got behind the wheel. "Do you want to run for office someday?"

"I think so. But that's way down the road. Right now, I'm learning as much as I can and paying my dues. When I'm ready to make a move, I'll make it."

He liked that she could be both humble and ambitious at the same time. She wasn't a person who was looking for a shortcut, and that was refreshing. As a journalist, he'd spent a lot of time talking to people who wanted to make a fast buck or find a quick way up to the top of the ladder. But Dani was willing to work for what she wanted. So was he. They were a good match.

He smiled to himself, thinking that was the last thing she'd want to hear. "What are you working on?" he asked.

"I'm reviewing studies on expansion and security concerns at the port in Corpus Christi."

"Sounds fascinating."

"Not in the least," she said with a smile. "But it has to be done. It's important to our constituents, which makes it important to us." She paused. "Do you need directions?"

"I already entered the address into the GPS." For a few moments, he concentrated on getting through the congested city traffic. Once they were on the highway, he turned his attention back to Dani. "Tell me about Joe Gelbman."

"Do I need to? I'm sure you researched him last night."

"I did, and I learned a great deal about his professional career. He went to Annapolis, was in the Navy for twelve years and then got into politics. He has worked for half a dozen senators, and a couple of congressman. He's well-respected for his political savvy and his ability to keep politicians out of trouble."

"Very good, Patrick. Is that it?"

"Joe apparently has a liking for fishing, cigars, bourbon, and good seafood."

"Amazing. Did you find out whether he wears boxers or briefs?"

Patrick grinned. "I wasn't interested in that information."

"Well, I don't think there's much I can tell you that you don't already know."

"There's a lot you can tell me. Who is Joe Gelbman the man? What are his strengths, his weaknesses? What button would I need to push to get him to help me? Some people respond to flattery, others to bluntness. What's Joe's soft spot?"

"His soft spot?" She thought for a moment. "He likes underdogs. But that's not you."

"What else?"

"He's good at reading people. That's why he was so great at his job. He could figure out what someone wanted and then give it to them in a way that also benefitted his boss. He loved to come up with ways for everyone to win."

"I didn't think that was possible in politics."

"It used to be more possible. The last decade has been rough for any kind of bipartisanship. But Joe was good at working across the aisle. Oh, and he can smell bullshit from a mile away."

"Got it. No faking it with Joe."

"He'd see right through that. He's a very smart man. And he still has a lot of his Navy values: patriotism, loyalty, fidelity."

"Then maybe I can appeal to those instincts."

"He did tell me that he knew and respected your mother, which was why he was willing to talk to you."

"That helps."

"Joe is a good man. He's always been fair. He gave me my first job in the senator's office. I was green as grass, but he took a chance on me."

Patrick could understand why. He hadn't known Dani that long, but he'd bet on her, too. "I'm sure he saw your potential."

"I was scared to death at my interview. I wanted so badly to get my foot in the door. He looked at me with his piercing blue eyes, and he said, 'Do you want to work at something or do you want to be something?'" She paused. "I wasn't sure what the right answer was, but there was something about Joe that made it impossible to lie. I told him I wanted to work hard to be someone who made a difference."

"Good answer."

"It was the truth. He liked the fact that not only did I have dreams, I owned them. He hired me that day and I learned a lot from him. I wish he hadn't retired. I really liked working for him."

"What's the new chief of staff like?"

"Erica Hunt is very different from Joe. She's only thirty-eight, for one thing. She's a Harvard graduate and she's beautiful, sophisticated, brilliant, and ruthless. The senator likes the fact that she's younger and that she has relationships that Joe did not have with the younger generation of lawmakers and news media."

"I hear respect but not a lot of love in your voice," he commented.

"To be honest, I don't really know how I feel about her. I do respect her. She's very good at her job. She makes things happen, and she has a lot of influence over the senator." Dani glanced over at him. "If she doesn't want you to talk to Senator Dillon, you won't talk to him."

"I'm beginning to see that. I just don't know why everyone is so afraid of me. Don't they understand that evading my questions only makes me more curious?"

"Well, hopefully Joe will be able to help you."

"And then I can get out of your hair."

"That's the plan." She glanced out the window and let out a little sigh. "It's a beautiful day. I rarely get off work early enough to enjoy the summer weather."

"What about during the summer recess? Do you stay in DC or go back to Texas?"

"I stay in town. There's really no recess for the staff, although things do slow down a bit when the senator is in Texas. Enough about me. Let's talk about you." She shifted in her seat so she was looking at him. "Are you writing another book?"

"Not at the moment."

"So you're on vacation?"

"I wouldn't say that. I have a few projects I'm working on. There's always a lot of research at the beginning."

"I saw that you've contributed articles to just about every important news publication there is."

"I've had some good luck placing my stories," he admitted.

"But you don't work full-time for anyone but yourself? You're strictly a freelancer?"

"I am now."

"Where is your home base? Corpus Christi?"