“I ended it months ago, after he gave me the advice about the stock and I realized what he was into, what he had just gotten me into. What he is. I told him I didn’t love him anymore, not that way.”
“You threaten him?”
“I told him I wanted nothing more to do with his illegal activities, that they had to stop. And if they didn’t, there would be consequences.”
“You told him this when?”
“Last spring. Probably wasn’t a smart thing to say,” she mutters, staring hard at the recorder.
“You could have had a lawyer present,” Win reminds her. “You said all this willingly. I didn’t force you.”
“Nice suit, by the way.” She looks at his light gray suit, swallows, tries to smile.
“Emporio Armani, about three seasons out of date, seventy bucks. I didn’t force you,” he repeats.
“No, you didn’t,” she says. “And I’ll take what comes.”
“You’ll testify against Huber?”
“It will be a pleasure.”
Win picks up the recorder, pops out the disc, says, “Ever enter your mind you got enough glass in here to burn down your entire building?”
He selects a crystal paperweight, holds it up to the sun streaming through a window, focuses a white-hot dot on the disc. Lamont watches in amazement as a thin stream of smoke rises.
“What are you doing?” she says.
“You’re living inside a tinderbox, Monique. Could burst into flames any minute. Maybe you should be more careful, take the heat off yourself, direct it elsewhere. Focus it very intensely where it belongs.”
He hands her the ruined disc, their fingers lightly touching, says, “In case you get cold feet. Just pull this out and remember what I said.”
She nods, tucks the ruined disc in a pocket.
“Another bit of advice. When someone else interviews you, like a grand jury, for example,” he adds, “I suggest you leave out unnecessary details. The way I see it, most people are going to assume Huber was setting you up, conspiring with the governor, jealous, vindictive because you spurned him, greedy. On and on. I wrote down most of it. The relevant information.” He holds up his notepad. “Just left out the misleading information. And you know what that information is. Such as any stocks Huber recommended, anything illegal he admitted to you that you never passed on. No proof. You could have chosen to make any investment you wanted, doesn’t mean you got inside information, right? His word against yours.”
She watches him, studies him, as he hits send on his cell phone.
“Sammy?” he says. “I want Huber brought in for questioning. Yup. The time has come. Get the warrant, we’re going to search every place he owns. And our little buddy, Toby. Bring him in, too.”
“With pleasure. Lay it on me,” Sammy says.
“Attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, arson. And let’s see.” Win looks at Lamont, some of that old steely glint back in her eyes. “I’m sure the Feds will be delighted to hear all about his SEC violations.”
“And then what? What about me?” Lamont asks Win as he ends the call. “You really think I’ll be all right?”
“Funny how nothing changes,” he says, getting up from his chair, smiling at her. “Funny how it’s always about you, Monique.”