Summer Rain (Lightning Strikes Book 3) by Barbara Freethy Page B
Authors: Barbara Freethy
Tags: Romance
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I know that on at least one of those occasions they met with a reporter from the Washington Tribune —Ann Higgins."
Dani sat up straighter in her chair at that piece of information. Was it possible they were actually getting somewhere?
"What were they talking to her about?" Patrick demanded.
"I don't know. The senator was cagey when I asked him about it. I was the one who dealt with the press, so it was odd that they were leaving me on the sidelines when they were talking to a reporter—a reporter who wasn't always that kind to our party, either. I thought it was strange."
"Did you speak to Ann Higgins about it?" Dani asked.
"I tried. After one of my press conferences, I asked her to wait. But she evaded my questions and referred me back to my boss."
"Did you tell that to the FBI when they investigated the crash?" Patrick enquired.
"I did. I also asked Craig Haller if he knew why the senator had met with Ann Higgins. He said he didn't know anything about the meeting and seemed as surprised as I was that the senator was meeting with a reporter without keeping us in the loop. You should talk to Haller about all this. He would have a lot more information than I do."
"He's not returning my calls," Patrick said tightly.
Montalvo nodded. "That doesn't surprise me. He wouldn't want anything to come out now that he should have dealt with before. Can I ask you why you're looking into all this now? Is it just because of some rumors about a relationship between them? Because that seems like something that should be left alone. Or are you thinking that the crash wasn't an accident?"
"I'm considering all the options," Patrick said. "How did you find out about the crash?"
"I got a call from Haller in the middle of the night. We were both in DC. The senator had taken a late evening plane back to Corpus Christi. It was an unexpected trip."
"How so?" Dani asked, jumping on what she thought might be a new clue.
"It wasn't on his schedule. He told Haller he had some work to do with Jackie, and she wanted him to go back to Texas with her for a few days. He told Haller he'd fill him in when he got back." He let out a breath. "Senator Stuart was a good man. His death devastated all of the staff. He was very well-loved and well-respected, as was your mother. The two of them were becoming forces to be reckoned with in their respected areas of government."
"Why did you leave politics?" Dani asked, genuinely curious. Montalvo had risen to a prized job, one a lot of people would love to have.
"I worked for another senator for a while, but I didn't like his level of integrity. It was time for me to get away from the podium. I'd always wanted to open my own restaurant. It seemed like the right time. I've never looked back. I am sorry about your mother, Mr. Kane. But I don't know that you'll ever be able to find out what happened to her, if it wasn't an accident. The tracks would be covered by now. It's been a long time."
"Maybe long enough for someone to let down their guard, or feel more free to talk," Patrick said.
"Perhaps. I need to get back to the kitchen." He stood up, then hesitated. "The time the senator met with your mother and Ann Higgins, he used an odd word—some kind of code, I think— hummingbird . I don't know what it meant, but if you find Ann, she might be able to tell you. Or, you can try to corner Haller."
"Thanks for your help," Dani said, as Rico left the table.
Patrick pulled out his phone, his fingers flying as he obviously did a search for Ann Higgins. "Ann is not at the Tribune anymore," he said a moment later. "She runs an online political magazine— Beltway Beat ."
"In DC?"
He nodded. "Not far from the Capitol. I need to talk to her."
"I can see why you would want to, Patrick, but can I just say that if this reporter was working on something with your mother and Senator Stuart, and they died tragically and maybe mysteriously, wouldn't she have followed up? Wouldn't she have taken what she knew and gone
Dani sat up straighter in her chair at that piece of information. Was it possible they were actually getting somewhere?
"What were they talking to her about?" Patrick demanded.
"I don't know. The senator was cagey when I asked him about it. I was the one who dealt with the press, so it was odd that they were leaving me on the sidelines when they were talking to a reporter—a reporter who wasn't always that kind to our party, either. I thought it was strange."
"Did you speak to Ann Higgins about it?" Dani asked.
"I tried. After one of my press conferences, I asked her to wait. But she evaded my questions and referred me back to my boss."
"Did you tell that to the FBI when they investigated the crash?" Patrick enquired.
"I did. I also asked Craig Haller if he knew why the senator had met with Ann Higgins. He said he didn't know anything about the meeting and seemed as surprised as I was that the senator was meeting with a reporter without keeping us in the loop. You should talk to Haller about all this. He would have a lot more information than I do."
"He's not returning my calls," Patrick said tightly.
Montalvo nodded. "That doesn't surprise me. He wouldn't want anything to come out now that he should have dealt with before. Can I ask you why you're looking into all this now? Is it just because of some rumors about a relationship between them? Because that seems like something that should be left alone. Or are you thinking that the crash wasn't an accident?"
"I'm considering all the options," Patrick said. "How did you find out about the crash?"
"I got a call from Haller in the middle of the night. We were both in DC. The senator had taken a late evening plane back to Corpus Christi. It was an unexpected trip."
"How so?" Dani asked, jumping on what she thought might be a new clue.
"It wasn't on his schedule. He told Haller he had some work to do with Jackie, and she wanted him to go back to Texas with her for a few days. He told Haller he'd fill him in when he got back." He let out a breath. "Senator Stuart was a good man. His death devastated all of the staff. He was very well-loved and well-respected, as was your mother. The two of them were becoming forces to be reckoned with in their respected areas of government."
"Why did you leave politics?" Dani asked, genuinely curious. Montalvo had risen to a prized job, one a lot of people would love to have.
"I worked for another senator for a while, but I didn't like his level of integrity. It was time for me to get away from the podium. I'd always wanted to open my own restaurant. It seemed like the right time. I've never looked back. I am sorry about your mother, Mr. Kane. But I don't know that you'll ever be able to find out what happened to her, if it wasn't an accident. The tracks would be covered by now. It's been a long time."
"Maybe long enough for someone to let down their guard, or feel more free to talk," Patrick said.
"Perhaps. I need to get back to the kitchen." He stood up, then hesitated. "The time the senator met with your mother and Ann Higgins, he used an odd word—some kind of code, I think— hummingbird . I don't know what it meant, but if you find Ann, she might be able to tell you. Or, you can try to corner Haller."
"Thanks for your help," Dani said, as Rico left the table.
Patrick pulled out his phone, his fingers flying as he obviously did a search for Ann Higgins. "Ann is not at the Tribune anymore," he said a moment later. "She runs an online political magazine— Beltway Beat ."
"In DC?"
He nodded. "Not far from the Capitol. I need to talk to her."
"I can see why you would want to, Patrick, but can I just say that if this reporter was working on something with your mother and Senator Stuart, and they died tragically and maybe mysteriously, wouldn't she have followed up? Wouldn't she have taken what she knew and gone
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