“I’m not at liberty to—”
“Like hell you’re not. You were undercover for a reason, otherwise you would’ve just pulled her in to an interview if you had questions. You can’t tell me that out of all the submissives at The Dungeon, you just happened to pick the one who had access to some very powerful men, and who might have been in a position to learn some of their secrets.”
Dex kept his expression bland. He wasn’t sure whether Fretwell was fishing or if he knew. But either way, the man was obviously astute. Though it didn’t really take a rocket scientist once he knew Dex was an agent.
“You don’t think I asked Kate to be my sub because she’s an intelligent, attractive, independent woman?”
Fretwell narrowed his eyes. “If you’re trying to get me to argue that my daughter isn’t any of those things, you’ll be disappointed. Of course she is. She takes after her mother.” A shadow passed over the man’s features at the mention of his late wife. “But since Kate didn’t sub long for Stanton, and she kept turning that idiot Balkins down, you had to be after something or someone else.”
Dex made a judgment call. If he didn’t give a little bit, they would never get anywhere.
“Dick, let’s be totally honest. When I first came to The Dungeon, she was our common denominator. So, yes, when Ed Ralston originally introduced us, I went in as an FBI agent doing a job.” He paused for a long moment, gathering his thoughts. “But Kate is unlike anyone I’ve ever known, and I’ve grown to care for her.”
Fretwell made a face like he’d eaten something sour. “Bull.”
Dex stiffened, as churning anger made him gear up to spar with Fretwell.
“You’re in love with her.”
Shock washed over Dex like ice water. He definitely hadn’t expected that tactic.
“It’s written all over your face, even in the picture.” Fretwell reached out to tap the photo that sat between them. “You may not have admitted it yet, but it’s there for those who know where to look.”
Dex met the man’s gaze squarely. He couldn’t deny it. “Now I see where Kate got her very perceptive nature.”
Fretwell shrugged. “I never pictured my little girl with an FBI agent, but if you’re who she chooses, you’d better treat her right, or you’ll answer to me.” He smacked the tabletop with his palm to reinforce his point.
Dex frowned, and Fretwell scowled at his reaction.
“What?” the older man demanded.
Dex shook his head. “I just didn’t expect you to be so protective and concerned for your daughter from what I knew of you.”
He waved away Dex’s comment. “You should always be prepared for the unexpected.” He leaned back in his chair, looking more relaxed and at ease. “All right, let’s talk about terrorists.”
The straightforward approach caught Dex’s attention and piqued his curiosity. “What do you have to tell me?”
“I’m sure if you’re any good at all, you already know about my PI at The Dungeon.”
Dex nodded. “Opal told me everything she knew. I was hoping you could fill in any gaps.”
“Here’s all you need to know. I was approached a few years ago to invest in a new global company called Merestone Resorts. After talking to some fellow investors that I’ve grown to trust, I invested heavily, and for nearly two years it paid off very well.
“I noticed other high-end players were buying in too—Mark Stanton, Senator Balkins, and even Ed Ralston.” He scratched the back of his hand before taking a breath to continue. “Ralston’s involvement surprised me. He doesn’t have a lot of money compared to the rest of the men on that list, but he likes to look like he does.”
Dex had known about the investment, but was surprised Fretwell knew about the others’ involvement.
Fretwell shook his head. “I didn’t think much about it since I have several other investments and projects to watch over. But once the attacks happened, I looked back and realized there was an interesting pattern. Bills introduced in Congress began to have various amendments that would give Merestone favorable results. Less taxes, fewer environmental regulations, et cetera. My contacts would mention the riders, but then inevitably there would be someone who would filibuster or somehow block the bill, and it wouldn’t pass, or at least wouldn’t pass with the amendment. One of the main crusaders to remove those was an old family friend of ours.”
“Carl Fredericks?” Dex supplied.
Fretwell nodded. “He dated my late wife before she and I met, and they stayed in touch over the years.”
Dex didn’t know they had dated. He wondered if Kate knew. “I heard you don’t get along with him.”