if I'm still perceived as the stiff-upper-lip, grieving widower or a shadowy man related to two very disturbed women.''
''Are you?'' Josie asked. ''Related to two disturbed women?''
''All three of us had issues. I'd venture to guess you still have a few, too.''
''Enough to kill for?'' Josie asked, ignoring the personal reference.
''No, and that's the truth,'' Matthew stated flatly. ''But, still, there was damage control to be done and I did it. Besides, keeping this as quiet as possible, for as long as possible, would give you and Grace time to sort things out. Hopefully you could get her home. Grace's arrest, Michelle's suicide and an ex-lover retained to defend my sister would bring an incredible amount of attention.'' Matthew sat back and looked around. ''If I read this set up right – the beach house, the dog - you're nesting and you don't want to upset the status quo. I didn't want to see any of our faces splashed all over the front page tomorrow either so I sent Tim to tell you all that. In true Josie fashion, you blew him off.''
''Nice speech.'' Knowing the wrist slap was warranted she gave him an inch. ''Do you want a drink?''
''Before you bring out the chips and salsa, maybe I should tell you that I'm not thrilled Grace has retained you.''
''Don't let the nest fool you, Matthew.'' Josie hesitated under the half finished arch between the living room and dining room. ''I've still got the smarts.''
''What about the leverage? Grace is in jail. I think a bigger firm might have brought some pressure to bear.''
''You're wrong. The DA was dug in.''
''Okay, but your resources are still limited. I know you're a sole practitioner.''
''I'm of counsel with a small firm. When that's not enough, I'll tell you.''
Matthew got up and walked around the living room, touching things. He put his hands on the glass of the French doors and looked onto the darkened patio. Josie, her shoulder against the wall, her arms crossed, watched and waited.
''Did you know the first thing that happens when you decide to run for office is the party asks if you have anything to hide. It's like a psychic strip search. Do you have a fetish? A girlfriend? A boyfriend? Have you ever killed anyone? Do you think you see aliens?'' Matthew chuckled and then went on dreamily, as if he was thinking back to the beginning of a great adventure only to realize it hadn't been so wonderful after all. ''They want to know if you have a relative who might make trouble. So I told them about being estranged from Grace and I told them I didn't want to contact her. ''
''What were you afraid of?'' Josie asked.
''Everything,'' he chuckled quietly and turned his back to the bank of doors. ''Grace was a hurt, rebellious girl when she took off. I figured she'd turned into an angry, resentful woman. I also wasn't sure how this would set with Michelle since I hadn't filled her in on Grace either.''
''Bet she was as thrilled as I was,'' Josie drawled.
''Actually, my wife was a bit more gracious.'' Matthew admitted. ''Grace turned out to be a bridge between my home life and my political one. Everyone wanted Grace to be where we could keep an eye on her - except me, of course. What I wanted didn't matter. It was always about what the campaign needed. So you see, public or private, my life is the stuff of soap operas and I think a big firm might be able to deal with this new twist a little better than a good looking woman in a beach house.''
Matthew shrugged. The argument had its merits but Josie was unconvinced.
''So you'd rather anticipate the worst instead of finding out the truth,'' Josie suggested. ''Ever think you're just making this too complicated too fast, Matthew?''
Josie let him think about it all for a minute while she went to the kitchen and poured him a glass of wine and got a bottle of beer for herself. When she returned, she sat on the couch and held the glass out. Matthew took it and sat next to her.
''Look,'' Josie said. ''Grace has already retained
''Are you?'' Josie asked. ''Related to two disturbed women?''
''All three of us had issues. I'd venture to guess you still have a few, too.''
''Enough to kill for?'' Josie asked, ignoring the personal reference.
''No, and that's the truth,'' Matthew stated flatly. ''But, still, there was damage control to be done and I did it. Besides, keeping this as quiet as possible, for as long as possible, would give you and Grace time to sort things out. Hopefully you could get her home. Grace's arrest, Michelle's suicide and an ex-lover retained to defend my sister would bring an incredible amount of attention.'' Matthew sat back and looked around. ''If I read this set up right – the beach house, the dog - you're nesting and you don't want to upset the status quo. I didn't want to see any of our faces splashed all over the front page tomorrow either so I sent Tim to tell you all that. In true Josie fashion, you blew him off.''
''Nice speech.'' Knowing the wrist slap was warranted she gave him an inch. ''Do you want a drink?''
''Before you bring out the chips and salsa, maybe I should tell you that I'm not thrilled Grace has retained you.''
''Don't let the nest fool you, Matthew.'' Josie hesitated under the half finished arch between the living room and dining room. ''I've still got the smarts.''
''What about the leverage? Grace is in jail. I think a bigger firm might have brought some pressure to bear.''
''You're wrong. The DA was dug in.''
''Okay, but your resources are still limited. I know you're a sole practitioner.''
''I'm of counsel with a small firm. When that's not enough, I'll tell you.''
Matthew got up and walked around the living room, touching things. He put his hands on the glass of the French doors and looked onto the darkened patio. Josie, her shoulder against the wall, her arms crossed, watched and waited.
''Did you know the first thing that happens when you decide to run for office is the party asks if you have anything to hide. It's like a psychic strip search. Do you have a fetish? A girlfriend? A boyfriend? Have you ever killed anyone? Do you think you see aliens?'' Matthew chuckled and then went on dreamily, as if he was thinking back to the beginning of a great adventure only to realize it hadn't been so wonderful after all. ''They want to know if you have a relative who might make trouble. So I told them about being estranged from Grace and I told them I didn't want to contact her. ''
''What were you afraid of?'' Josie asked.
''Everything,'' he chuckled quietly and turned his back to the bank of doors. ''Grace was a hurt, rebellious girl when she took off. I figured she'd turned into an angry, resentful woman. I also wasn't sure how this would set with Michelle since I hadn't filled her in on Grace either.''
''Bet she was as thrilled as I was,'' Josie drawled.
''Actually, my wife was a bit more gracious.'' Matthew admitted. ''Grace turned out to be a bridge between my home life and my political one. Everyone wanted Grace to be where we could keep an eye on her - except me, of course. What I wanted didn't matter. It was always about what the campaign needed. So you see, public or private, my life is the stuff of soap operas and I think a big firm might be able to deal with this new twist a little better than a good looking woman in a beach house.''
Matthew shrugged. The argument had its merits but Josie was unconvinced.
''So you'd rather anticipate the worst instead of finding out the truth,'' Josie suggested. ''Ever think you're just making this too complicated too fast, Matthew?''
Josie let him think about it all for a minute while she went to the kitchen and poured him a glass of wine and got a bottle of beer for herself. When she returned, she sat on the couch and held the glass out. Matthew took it and sat next to her.
''Look,'' Josie said. ''Grace has already retained
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