Overkill(59)

“I see.”

“I didn’t want you stepping off the plane and into a pile of shit,” Bing said. “So far, I think you’re okay, but my guess is it won’t take long for the bloodhounds to pick up your trail.”

“Thanks for the escort service,” Zach said.

“Don’t thank me. I charged it to your credit card. It ain’t cheap.”

Zach waved that off. “What are they reporting?”

“On TV? Well, let’s see. You’ve made two visits this week to the place in New Orleans where Rebecca is at. This according to a reliable source who chose not to be identified. Speculation is… well, you know. Will he or won’t he pull the plug this go-round? Million-dollar question. Wouldn’t surprise me if bookies are overwhelmed. Sad to say, Zach, but the whole damn thing has mushroomed again.”

Zach, sickened by everything Bing had said, walked away and went to stand in front of a darkly tinted window overlooking intersecting runways. No one could see him behind the glass, yet his face was appearing on jumbo screens across the country. By tomorrow it would be on the front page of tabloids. Again, his life was being laid bare and dissected for its entertainment value.

Jesus. He was living out the nightmare all over again.

He’d overheard the ebb and flow of Bing’s murmured conversation with Kate, although their words were indistinct. Now, feeling a light touch on his arm, he turned to find Kate beside him, Bing lurking behind her, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his wrinkled, baggy trousers, his brow beetled.

She said, “Bing says my name hasn’t been mentioned yet.”

“No offense, but Rebecca and I will sell more Nikes and Coors.”

“No offense taken,” she said with a wry smile. “Someone wanted to place you in the hot seat again.”

“The unidentified source,” Bing said with disgust. “You told me you were going to see Rebecca’s daddy. You think it was him?”

“Doug is a candidate,” Zach said. “Four years ago, the brouhaha was unavoidable, and he took advantage of it to disparage me. But I can’t see him raining this down on himself or Rebecca now.”

Kate said, “Nor can I.”

“But he’s the only one outside Dr. Gilbreath’s staff who knew we were there today,” Zach said.

“You mistrusted her ability to keep the privacy policy airtight if enough money was offered, remember?” Kate arched an eyebrow. “Who do we know who has both unlimited funds and a stake in this?”

Zach swore softly but elaborately. “I think you’re right.”

Exasperated, Bing divided a look between them. “Right about what? I’m not following.”

“Eban Clarke may be the anonymous source,” Zach said. “He’s thumbing his nose at us. You mess with me, I’ll mess with you, and see how you like it.”

He bridged his forehead with his hand and pressed his fingers against his temples in the hope of clarifying his thinking, but he didn’t like the track his thoughts took.

He lowered his hand and looked at Kate. “For now, the story is a rehash of four years ago. But if it is Clarke who masterminded this, when the flurry begins to wind down, he’ll want to fan the fire with something new. He’s whetted everyone’s appetite; he’ll feed them the next course.”

“Me,” she said.

“I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time, Kate.”

She thought about it but looked dubious. “I don’t think so, Zach. He can’t bring me into the open without revealing my role in all this. If he does that, his legal vulnerability will be exposed. The focus of the story would shift to him, and in a very unfavorable way.”

“Unless he’s got juicy goods on you,” Bing said. “How ugly are the skeletons in your closet?”

Zach snapped, “Lay off her, Bing, all right?”

Bing held up his hands in surrender. “Just sayin’. If there’s something you thought was dead and buried, that little shithead has the resources to unearth it. Better to be forewarned and armed to fight off the backlash.”

Zach noticed that several people had filtered into the lounge and were casting curious glances at them. “We can’t stay huddled in here indefinitely.”

“I’ve booked you and me rooms at a hotel on the north side of the city,” Bing said. “We can branch off from there in the morning, me back to Greenville, you to your mountain hideaway.”

“Can’t,” Zach said. “My truck is at Kate’s. This morning we came to the airport in her car.”

Bing regarded them sourly. “Well, that gums up that plan.”

“And anyway,” Zach said, “Kate won’t be safe alone in her house.” He explained to Bing about the suspected intruder.

Bing rubbed his chin, looking doubtful. “Nothing taken, no sign of a break-in? You don’t even know there was an intruder. It’s quite a leap to think it was Clarke.”

“I’m taking no chances,” Zach said.

“So then, what?” Bing asked.

“Follow me home,” Kate said. “You’re both welcome to stay there tonight.”

“Thanks,” Zach said. “But what if we get there and there’s a mob of media camped in your yard?”