if there’s anything else I can do to help with the situation. That’s all.”
Nick’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you think you’ve done enough?” The accusation in the senator’s eyes burned Brad’s flesh.
His conscience reared up and brought flames of shame to his cheeks. He squirmed in the chair. What he’d done went against everything he’d once believed in, but not anymore. With every politician raking in taxpayer’s dollars by the millions, why shouldn’t he get a piece of the action?
“I’ve only done what you asked. If it’s enough to get the job done, fine. If not, I’m willing to do more.”
Nick let out a cruel and sadistic laugh. “You’re a greedy son-of-a-bitch.”
Brad jumped to his feet. “Not until I met you. I was pretty much minding my own business when you approached me with this whole Joe Mitchell thing.” He tilted his head. “Do you remember that, Nick?”
Now his features turned harsh. “I don’t forget anything. I certainly remember how quick you jumped into Anita Mitchell’s pants.”
Anger and contempt bunched Brad’s shoulders. He reached out, grabbed the senator by the collar and yanked. “Don’t even think of fucking with me. I could shoot your ass and get away with it right where we stand. So back off, and don’t treat me like a fucking moron.”
He released him and stepped back. “Remember that.” He turned and walked out, slamming the door in his wake.
***
Recovered from the CIA Operative’s visit, Nick walked through the north wing of the Capitol and nodded politely to his fellow senators. He had to be in the Senate chambers in an hour. A quickie with his mistress and Hall’s unexpected visit this morning had him running late.
Not wanting to screw up the good thing they had going, he called Hall back to smooth over any feelings he might have wrinkled. While he waited for Hall to answer, he gave a quick look around to be certain no one who might overhear him lingered nearby.
Brad answered, and Nick said, “Look, nothing is going to happen. Remember our hands are clean. We haven’t done a damn thing. If papers or information fell into the wrong hands, no one can point the finger at us.”
“I’ll continue to keep tabs on Mitchell’s wife.” Brad still sounded pissed.
Nick balled his fist and bit back a harsh response. “Don’t go sniffing around there, Brad. You’ll only draw attention to yourself when this all becomes public. You don’t want to be known as the widower’s lover.”
“Okay.” He sounded like a damn kid who’d had his candy taken away. Stupid, horny bastard.
Nick had other choices besides Brad to get Joe Mitchell abducted. But to get the information on Mitchell, only the CIA agent could pull that off. Between Brad’s lust for Joe’s wife and his enormous ego, getting him to flip had been the easiest part.
“Just stay calm.” Nick continued to walk. “We get too eager and before you know it, we’re in the thick of things and I don’t want that to happen.”
Nick put his phone in his pocket and climbed the suspended stairway reserved for senators only. In the small rotunda in the north wing of the Capitol, Nick made his way down the ornate hall to his office.
M oving past his secretary and staff to his private workplace, Nick wondered about Joe Mitchell. He hoped to hell el Jibar had handled the situation by now.
If he hadn’t and the knowledge that Mitchell had amassed about Green Gulf Construction and Nick’s rigging of the bidding process went public, as a Senator, he wouldn’t be able to defend himself against the incriminating evidence. And Joe had come by it accidently. That’s what pissed Nick off. The CIA agent hadn’t even gone on a witch-hunt.
The proof had fallen right into his palms, and an agent like Mitchell would instinctively turn that over to the right people.
Nick tried, but couldn’t find any leverage to blackmail Mitchell. As far as he could tell, the man had lived a fairly clean life.
Nick’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you think you’ve done enough?” The accusation in the senator’s eyes burned Brad’s flesh.
His conscience reared up and brought flames of shame to his cheeks. He squirmed in the chair. What he’d done went against everything he’d once believed in, but not anymore. With every politician raking in taxpayer’s dollars by the millions, why shouldn’t he get a piece of the action?
“I’ve only done what you asked. If it’s enough to get the job done, fine. If not, I’m willing to do more.”
Nick let out a cruel and sadistic laugh. “You’re a greedy son-of-a-bitch.”
Brad jumped to his feet. “Not until I met you. I was pretty much minding my own business when you approached me with this whole Joe Mitchell thing.” He tilted his head. “Do you remember that, Nick?”
Now his features turned harsh. “I don’t forget anything. I certainly remember how quick you jumped into Anita Mitchell’s pants.”
Anger and contempt bunched Brad’s shoulders. He reached out, grabbed the senator by the collar and yanked. “Don’t even think of fucking with me. I could shoot your ass and get away with it right where we stand. So back off, and don’t treat me like a fucking moron.”
He released him and stepped back. “Remember that.” He turned and walked out, slamming the door in his wake.
***
Recovered from the CIA Operative’s visit, Nick walked through the north wing of the Capitol and nodded politely to his fellow senators. He had to be in the Senate chambers in an hour. A quickie with his mistress and Hall’s unexpected visit this morning had him running late.
Not wanting to screw up the good thing they had going, he called Hall back to smooth over any feelings he might have wrinkled. While he waited for Hall to answer, he gave a quick look around to be certain no one who might overhear him lingered nearby.
Brad answered, and Nick said, “Look, nothing is going to happen. Remember our hands are clean. We haven’t done a damn thing. If papers or information fell into the wrong hands, no one can point the finger at us.”
“I’ll continue to keep tabs on Mitchell’s wife.” Brad still sounded pissed.
Nick balled his fist and bit back a harsh response. “Don’t go sniffing around there, Brad. You’ll only draw attention to yourself when this all becomes public. You don’t want to be known as the widower’s lover.”
“Okay.” He sounded like a damn kid who’d had his candy taken away. Stupid, horny bastard.
Nick had other choices besides Brad to get Joe Mitchell abducted. But to get the information on Mitchell, only the CIA agent could pull that off. Between Brad’s lust for Joe’s wife and his enormous ego, getting him to flip had been the easiest part.
“Just stay calm.” Nick continued to walk. “We get too eager and before you know it, we’re in the thick of things and I don’t want that to happen.”
Nick put his phone in his pocket and climbed the suspended stairway reserved for senators only. In the small rotunda in the north wing of the Capitol, Nick made his way down the ornate hall to his office.
M oving past his secretary and staff to his private workplace, Nick wondered about Joe Mitchell. He hoped to hell el Jibar had handled the situation by now.
If he hadn’t and the knowledge that Mitchell had amassed about Green Gulf Construction and Nick’s rigging of the bidding process went public, as a Senator, he wouldn’t be able to defend himself against the incriminating evidence. And Joe had come by it accidently. That’s what pissed Nick off. The CIA agent hadn’t even gone on a witch-hunt.
The proof had fallen right into his palms, and an agent like Mitchell would instinctively turn that over to the right people.
Nick tried, but couldn’t find any leverage to blackmail Mitchell. As far as he could tell, the man had lived a fairly clean life.
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