Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry(56)

“I agree, Gina, and that leads to a question that has been percolating in my mind,” Brady continued. “If Williamson took a settlement from REL News, and if she didn’t want anyone to know about it, why on God’s earth would she agree to meet with an investigative reporter?”

“And why did she ignore my early emails and phone messages and then after ten days decide to get back to me? I don’t have good answers to those questions.”

Geoff appeared lost in thought. He seemed to be trying to stifle a yawn as the previous night’s short sleep began to catch up to him. “Gina, is there another possibility we haven’t considered? Describe Meg Williamson.”

“She’s about five feet six, blond hair, blue eyes, slender, athletic build.”

“Is she attractive?”

“Very.”

“Is there any chance she’s a kept woman or she has what is quaintly known as a sugar daddy?”

Gina exhaled. “Honestly, I hadn’t thought of that. My first-blush reaction is to say no. She doesn’t seem like the type. And she has a full-time job and a young daughter to take care of every night. I don’t think she has time to be anybody’s mistress.”

Geoff stretched in his chair. “Excellent work, Gina. I’m convinced that Cathy Ryan’s death was not an accident. I am even more certain that Meg Williamson is a victim who accepted a sizable sum of money from REL News to keep quiet about bad behavior at the firm. What puzzles me is why the sense of urgency on the part of REL News now? Cathy Ryan’s bad experience happened years ago. Why was she such a threat to them that a few weeks ago they would arrange an accident to silence her?”

“I believe I can answer that,” Brady interjected. “REL News just announced they’re going public. If it were shown that they failed to disclose relevant facts including potential lawsuits, high penalties and substantial exposure to litigation would result. A living, breathing Cathy Ryan would have been a major problem for them.”

“Mr. Brady,” Gina said, “you just provided a good segue into why I asked Geoff to have you sit in on today’s meeting. I’m sorry to have taken you away from your other work.”

Brady waved his hand. “It’s Bruce. And I assure you, what we have been discussing for the last twenty minutes is infinitely more interesting than the dull-as-dishwater legal brief I have been working on for the past two days.”

Gina smiled. “Okay, Bruce, here we go. As you stated earlier, REL News is beginning the process of going public. They’ve hired two investment banks to advise them during the process. The man I’ve been dating for the past year and a half works at one of those banks and will be part of the team making the pitch to early investors.”

“Oh boy.” Bruce shook his head. “Have you shared anything about your investigation of REL News, even that you’re considering doing an investigation? Does your gentleman friend know that?”

“Not a word.”

“That’s good. That gives you more options. I’m sorry for being indelicate. You and your friend, uh…”

“Ted.”

“Do you and Ted cohabitate?”

Gina tried to hide her discomfort. “No.”

Brady folded his hands together in front of his face. “That’s a plus, but it still leaves the two of you with a very difficult dilemma.”

“I’m sure Ted will understand if I tell him that I can’t disclose what I’m working on. He can’t be responsible for what he doesn’t know.”

Brady shook his head. “If only it were that simple. If the REL News story you’re pursuing exposes serious wrongdoing at the firm, it will affect the firm’s value. When investors learn that Ted was not only a member of the bank team that pitched them on the REL News investment, he was at the same time dating the journalist who broke the story, no one is going to believe for a minute that Ted didn’t know what you were working on.”

“But it would be the truth,” Gina said emphatically.

“In litigation, the truth rarely gets the best seat in the theater.”

She looked startled. “Will Ted be all right?”

“Far from it,” Brady cautioned. “Odds are the bank will immediately fire him. He’ll spend the better part of the next several years answering depositions from disgruntled investors suing the bank. Ted could sue the bank for wrongful dismissal, but it will be a long, ugly process.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Gina sighed.

Brady leaned forward. “When was the last time you saw Ted?”

“Between my travel and his, not for the last three weeks. I’m having dinner with him tonight.”

“Gina, think carefully. Have you ever discussed REL News with him verbally, or in an email or a text?”

“I’ve been racking my brain. I’m sure the only time it ever came up was this past weekend when he told me his bank had been chosen and he would be working on the road show.”

Brady’s eyes looked sad as he faced her. “Gina, there is one way you might be able to extricate yourself from this situation and leave Ted’s career intact.”

“What can I do?”

“Ted should not have shared with you non-public information before it was formally announced. But he’ll be all right because I’m sure half the bankers did that with their spouses and significant others. Here’s what you have to do. Immediately and without explanation, end the relationship. Refuse to see him. Send an email or a text. ‘I’ve chosen to go in a different direction. Goodbye.’?”