Shattered Lies (Web of Lies #3)(82)

Birch nodded his head approvingly at Dalton, who nodded back. “Okay, Janet, show us what you’ve got.”



* * *



The tape from Mexico was shown, followed by the footage from the boat. Alex and Roxie had been in the corner with earphones on, working on their laptops the entire time. They were probably texting each other. Lizzy went back to Knoll’s talk about what their options were to charge Gene, Thurmond, and Roland.

“But where is Sandra Cummings?” Knoll suddenly asked.

Dalton’s breathing changed, but nothing else did. Sandra had hung herself in a secret prison. It’s not like they could publicize that.

“We don’t know. We’re trying to find her. Sometimes she uses an alias. We’ll find her,” Birch promised. “First, what do we need in order to bring Bertie Geofferies down?”

“Who do you want more? Geofferies or Mrs. Mitchell?” Knoll asked. “Whichever one you want more, turn the other.”

“Valeria,” Birch said, turning to her. “Bring me Mrs. Mitchell later tonight.”

“You’ve got it.”

“Of course, a confession would be good, too,” Knoll smirked.

“I know how to get one,” Lizzy said slowly.

“How?” Birch asked suspiciously.

“I need Sebastian.”

Birch’s lips thinned. He was thinking the same thing she was, but could Sebastian be trusted?



* * *



Birch sighed as the room cleared. Valeria and Grant were with Dr. Wilson. The feds had headed back to DC. Alex and Roxie still hadn’t come out of their corner. Dalton and Lizzy were talking quietly as Tate hobbled up to him. “I want to go with Valeria. I know women like Mrs. Mitchell. I can reason with her.”

“She’ll eat you alive.”

“I can handle her.”

“Okay. Go see how Val is, and bring me what you can.” Birch watched as Tate turned to leave, but Alex stopped her.

“How about all of Mrs. Mitchell’s emails trying to recruit people to Mollia Domini with promises of power and the access to the president?” Alex asked as he turned his laptop around.

“Good job, you two,” Tate said, reading over the emails. “Send those to me.” Tate leaned up and kissed Birch’s cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you, too, and be safe.”

“Can Lizzy and I have the room?” Birch asked as Humphrey and Dalton looked at each other, and with a shrug headed out with Alex and Roxie. “Send in Sebastian when he gets here.” Birch waited for the door to close. “Do you really think you can handle Sebastian?”

“We’re about to find out,” Lizzy said instead of answering. Sebastian was early. Birch should have guessed that.

Sebastian strolled in as if nothing was wrong in the world. As if he hadn’t lied to the president of the United States. As if he hadn’t sided with Mollia Domini, even if it was just keeping his mouth shut instead of reporting them. Anger raged through Birch and Lizzy. When Sebastian held out his hand, Birch slammed his fist into Sebastian’s stomach. Pain shot through Birch from his own injuries, causing his vision to blur. But he refused to show the pain as Sebastian hunched over.

“What the fuck?” he asked, gasping.

Birch grabbed Alex’s laptop and pulled up the clip Alex had ready for him. Roland’s image came on screen as his voice filled the room. “Sebastian knew something was going on—”

Birch watched as his friend’s face tightened until the end of the clip. Birch closed the laptop and crossed his arms over his chest. A lifetime of friendship, over like that. “Congratulations,” Sebastian said. “You caught Roland and you found out Bertie Geofferies is the head of the organization. I’m assuming you’ll arrest him tonight.”

“You kept it from me,” Birch growled. “You knew the whole fucking time and you kept it from me.”

Sebastian shook his head. “I had a hunch. That’s different from knowing and certainly different from proving. And I gave you everything you needed to look into him to find out if he was the head.”

“You only did once it was clear Bertie was freezing you out of the organization.”

Sebastian shrugged. “It’s business. I knew he wouldn’t want his biggest competitor in the game as soon as I said you wouldn’t bend to my power. I was useless. But I got the last laugh, didn’t I? I’m not the traitor, Birch. I gave you money, access to my properties, my tech expert, and everything you needed to catch the bad guys.”

“I’m sure when this blows up and as Bertie is being hauled off in handcuffs, you’ll be on television telling how you and your best friend worked together to bring down this organization.” Birch took a deep breath, trying to calm his temper.

“While you might not think it, Birch, I have always had your back.”

“You just did it in the most self-serving way,” Lizzy added.

“Business is business. You don’t climb the ladder like I have from the bottom without knocking some people off to get ahead.”

“What if Bertie had included you from the beginning?” Birch asked quietly.

“It had nothing to do with you then, Birch. It was President Mitchell then. I would never do anything to hurt you. I may be a self-serving ass, but I’d never turn against you.”