He smiled at her. “Let’s sit somewhere more comfortable. The den?”
She’d rather have put him in the stuffy living room with the hard sofa and ugly portrait of some disapproving old general. But she nodded and led Matt to the back of the house, which overlooked the tree-framed yard and small swimming pool. Her grandma’s cottage was on the other side of the pool, an eight hundred square foot one-bedroom guest house. Alex would never forget the battle her dad had when her grandma insisted that she live out there, rather than the house. Judge Morgan always expected to get his way—and he wanted his elderly mother to live in the main house, especially since all the kids were gone. But Jane had insisted she wanted her own space, and stubbornness definitely ran in the Morgan genes. As it was, the arrangement had worked out well for everyone.
Alex sank into one of the over-sized chairs and sat with her legs outstretched. She and her brothers, Aiden and AJ, had watched many football and baseball games in this room. Good memories. She missed those days.
She shifted, trying to get comfortable. She was stiff and sore, but tomorrow would be worse.
“Are you really okay?” Matt asked, concern in his green eyes. “I almost went over to the hotel after I saw the news.”
“I’m fine,” she snapped. “Don’t coddle me. I’m tired, so if you would please just tell me whatever it is you think I need to know, then go, I’d appreciate it.”
Matt tensed, and she almost felt guilty for snapping at him. Almost.
“I need to know that whatever I tell you stays between us. If you don’t agree to help, you can’t say anything to anyone.”
“Got it.” She crossed her heart, then sipped her beer. “Help with what?”
“I’ve known Travis Hart for a long time, since we were both prosecutors together. I never liked Travis, didn’t trust him, and thought he’d intentionally screwed up a couple cases. When Sandy Cullen retired, she recruited me to run for District Attorney, so I did—and Travis ran against me. He lost. It was a bitter fight. He left the D.A.’s office shortly thereafter and took a position in a corporate law firm, then was appointed Lieutenant Governor when the former LG died in office last year.”
“What are you really saying? That you don’t like Hart and you’re the one who took a hit out on him?”
He stared at her as if he hadn’t heard what she said. “Excuse me?”
“I still don’t understand why you’re here. I’m not a cop anymore, remember? I don’t know Hart from Adam.”
“Sergei Rykov is one of Hart’s major donors.”
Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t say anything.
Matt continued. “The FBI has opened an investigating into Hart for racketeering and political corruption, but they haven’t found anything solid. There are a few gray areas, but the FBI hasn’t been able to get anyone on the inside. One of Hooper’s informants said Rykov and Hart are tight, but just because Rykov is a known criminal we can’t pin that on Hart. Rykov also has some legitimate businesses, and you know we’ve never been able to pin anything on him.”
“Because of me,” she said. “Just say it.”
“It’s not because of you.”
“Yes it is. Because I acted too soon, I couldn’t get in.”
“No one blames you, Alex. You can’t possibly think that.”
“It’s true. I was so close ... but I don’t know why you’re telling me this. You think Rykov put the hit out on Hart?”
“I honestly don’t know—Hart has made a lot of enemies, but as far as we know, he’s still tight with Rykov’s people. It could be a power play by another faction, or something unconnected.”
“I still don’t see what you think I can do.”
“Feel him out.”
“Excuse me?”
“You saved his life today. He’ll reach out to you. Probably give you an accommodation or something. It’s news, Alex. Hooper and I would like you to use that—any in he gives you, take it.”
She thought of the flowers, and the enclosed card. If you need anything ...
Matt continued. “And talked to your dad. He’s going to invite Hart over for dinner or drinks to discuss his campaign.”
She couldn’t have heard him right. Her dad? A political campaign? She wrinkled her nose.
“Hart has been building endorsements from law and order independents like your dad,” Matt continued. “Andrew said Hart’s campaign already reached out to him, and the fact that you were shot protecting him is a good excuse for Andrew to call.”
“I can not believe you’re dragging my dad into this. And Hart wasn’t even the target.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Get a copy of the report,” she said. “I’m not a cop.”