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needed in his life was another complication.
Then why had he agreed to help her in the first place?
Sheltering a helpless victim was one thing. He should have kept it professional,
kept himself distanced from the conflict surrounding her. He knew better than this!
Well, there was no help for it now, he was officially involved, which meant he d see
it through to the end.
Drake responded to the first pulse of Jericho s page, almost as if he d been waiting
for the call. Where the hell have you been? Is your com grid offline or something? He
looked as impatient as he sounded.
Jericho scooted closer to the screen. Did you learn something about Tamara s
assailant? Why were you trying to contact me?
47
Aubrey Ross
A man name Morton Tulain is dead and Tamara is their prime suspect. The
murder took place on d Arrest, so I m not lead investigator. But needless to say, I can t
be involved in helping her. How well do you know this woman? The timeline they ve
assembled makes her look guilty as sin.
She s been with me since early this afternoon. What s the time of death?
Spaceport security caught her exiting a shuttle here on Halley Prime at twelve-
thirty. They traced her steps backward from there and have accounted for all but ninety
minutes of her morning. Unfortunately, the murder took place within that window, so
unless she has a damn good alibi, she better get a damn good lawyer.
Who is Morton Tulain? Do they have a motive?
I haven t been officially briefed yet, so I don t have many details.
Jericho shook his head as tension gripped his stomach. There is no way she did
this. She s being set up.
Bill Mercer is lead investigator. I don t know him well, but his reputation is good.
Last I heard, he was headed to the Pleasure Palace, relatively sure he d find her there.
Drake sighed. If Mercer requests backup, I m the most logical choice. As you
predicted, this is getting ugly fast.
I hear you. Thanks for the warning.
I m going way out on a limb here. If you find out anything that points to her guilt
and choose not to turn her in, you could be arrested as an accessory after the fact.
Yes, Officer O Bannon. Jericho ended the call and sagged back in his chair. What
the fuck was he supposed to do now? He didn t believe Tamara was capable of murder,
but how could they prove it without revealing her location? He needed more
information. Navigating out of the communications menu, he accessed the data
functions and ran a quick search for Morton Tulain. He had no criminal record. In fact,
other than basic logistical statistics, the search came up empty. Jericho powered down
the computer and headed back to the bathroom.
He pushed open the door and Tamara gasped, quickly covering herself with the
towel she d been using to dry off. The tub was draining and she had combed her hair
back from her face. Did you find out anything interesting? she asked with a cautious
smile.
There was no way to ease her into this, so he just asked, Do you know a man
named Morton Tulain?
She shook her head. Is there some reason why I should?
He watched her closely. After years in a service industry, he could generally spot a
lie. He was murdered on d Arrest shortly before you left the outpost.
They don t think& Do they think I did it? She clutched the towel to her chest,
eyes wide, face pale. Her shock certainly seemed genuine.
Get dressed and throw your things back in your suitcase. We can t stay here.
To her credit, she didn t argue. She rushed into the bedroom and did as he asked.
48
Madam
Jericho went through the rest of the suite, making sure she left nothing behind. He
let his assistant Ranyn know he was leaving for the night then impatiently waited for
Tamara. She emerged a few minutes later in jeans and a short-sleeved sweater, small
suitcase trailing behind.
Where are we going?
He took the suitcase from her and led her out into the corridor. I m not sure yet.
My shuttle s on the roof. If all else fails, it has a small cabin.
Are the Enforcers searching for me? Wouldn t it be better to turn myself in and
explain what really happened?
He glanced at her, amazed by her misplaced faith in authority. What really
happened? Why don t you start by explaining it to me?
Her steps faltered and she grabbed his arm. Do you think I killed that man?
The hurt in her eyes made his mouth go dry. Why would she care what he thought?
She was growing way too attached to him, way too fast. No, they were becoming
attached to each other. I ve looked into the eyes of murderers enough times to know
you re not one. This is all part of some twisted fuck s master plan. But Enforcers tend to
take the path of least resistance, and you ve been offered up to them on a plate.
They didn t speak again until they reached the roof. The night was cool and clear,
but Jericho was too agitated to appreciate the star-dotted sky. He led her to his shuttle
and pressed his hand to the scanner pad, unlocking the main hatch. He motioned her
inside and handed the suitcase back to her then his audiocom went off. Ranyn was the
only one who had access to this frequency and he knew better than interrupting unless
it was an absolute emergency.
This better be important.
It s your day for bizarre visitors, Mr. James. Elaine VinDerley is here and she
would very much like to speak with you.
Jericho shook his head. Elaine VinDerley, as in the former premier s wife?
That s the one.
Scrubbing his eyes with his fingertips, Jericho debated what to do. The VinDerleys
were one of the most powerful families in the coalition. She could have him shut down
in a day if he pissed her off. Did she indicate what this is regarding?
She only said it s a personal matter. Jericho heard a muffled voice in the
background and then Ranyn added, I told her you were on your way out and she
offered to meet you on the roof.
Have her escorted up. My shuttle is on the northeast corner of the lot.
Right away, sir.
What s going on? Tamara came back down the stairs and stood beside him.
I haven t the faintest idea. Elaine VinDerley is on her way up, so you d better stay
inside the shuttle.
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Aubrey Ross
Chapter Five
Tamara sat in a chair adjacent to the open hatch, hoping she could at least hear
what was going on outside the shuttle. Jericho seemed shocked by Elaine VinDerley s
visit, so Tamara could only deduce that the former premier s wife was not a regular
customer.
She heard the sharp snap of heels against the pavement and then a woman spoke,
her voice nicely modulated. Thank you for seeing me, Mr. James. I ll only keep you a
moment.
I always have time for a lovely lady.
What a suck up! She leaned forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of their visitor. All
she could see was the skimmer parked next to their ship and one of Jericho s legs.
There is no simple way to explain this, so I ll just toss it out there. I m looking for
Tamara Owens. You wouldn t happen to know where she is, would you?
Tamara s heart lurched and she pressed her hand over her mouth. Why would such
a powerful woman be looking for her? Were the Enforcers hoping to draw her out or&
She couldn t even imagine what would lead to this situation.
I m sorry to disappoint you, but I have no idea who that is.
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