Killian (Hope City #8) - Kris Michaels Page 0,85
shift from Duke. She patted his scruff and he settled.
“Four months ago, this reporter and Channel Two News uncovered a systemic corruption in local and state government. However, corruption was the lowest common denominator in the series of events that have been uncovered during a four-month investigation…”
Bekki barely listened to the report. She’d lived the preceding one hundred and twenty days and the report made what had been unearthed seem… tidy. The facts could be lined up and read in bullet form. Walter had journaled all his involvement with the Peña Cartel, how his source had turned him by offering him a trip to Atlantic City. The ensuing years led to over five hundred thousand dollars in gambling debt. Debt Peña and then the Russian Mafia had used to ensure Walter was compliant. The last days of his life, his words were guilt-ridden and emotional. He’d used the information she’d given him to track her. He knew she was at one time investigating Ganas Construction. He’d watched, waiting for Killian to exit the site, hoping that he might eventually lead him to her, but instead had seen her playing with Duke.
It had taken her three attempts to finish the journal when Kallie was able to release it from evidence. It detailed Walter’s journey to the bowels of desperation and even his foray into suicidal thoughts and then the final paragraphs where he lamented how he couldn’t bring himself to end his own life and therefore had to give Zamparelli the information to end hers.
She glanced up at the television and shook her head to clear her mind as she listened to herself give the report. “All these players, crimes, and duplicity lead to only one question: why? After months of research, I’ve discovered the reason. In 1857, the city government passed a resolution to allow gambling on steamships or barges docked in the harbor of Hope City. That resolution was never rescinded, amended, or deleted. Ladies and gentlemen, the end game, resulting in a crime spree including four homicides, attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, and corruption on a massive level, was initiated for one thing: money. Simple, unadulterated greed poisoned our city and state governments. In a special session this afternoon, the Mayor, along with the elected and acting city council representatives, made a motion to strike the resolution from the city’s history. The motion carried unanimously.”
They watched in silence for a moment longer as she signed off and the anchors took over. Killian muted the anchor and moved Duke out of the way, pulling her closer. “You did a fabulous job. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”
She sighed. “Keep digging. That’s all you can do when you need answers. Finding Walter’s journal answered a lot of the questions about the connections and ultimately led me to dig into the history of the city.”
“So, that chapter is officially closed?” Killian’s thumb brushed the top of her hand in a back and forth sweeping motion.
“It is. Landon says I can write my own ticket. I’ve put in a request to be anchor for the mid-day and five o’clock news. Sandy is leaving when she has her fourth baby in the spring.”
“Will you be happy sitting behind a desk?”
“Whew… well, that’s a question I’ve been asking myself for weeks now, and the answer is yes, I will be. Everything that has happened has changed me. Important things came into focus, and my ambitions changed.” She leaned into him and dropped her head on his shoulder. “I’ll deny it if you repeat this, but I want to be home when you get home. I want to have what my parents have.”
Killian pulled her onto his lap and kissed her breathless. When he lifted away, she gasped for air. “Wow, what was that for?”
“I want what your parents have, too. Marry me. We can fly to Vegas and get married tomorrow.”
“Vegas? Oh, hell no. When I get married, I’m going to have a church wedding, way too many flowers, people I don’t know in attendance, and we are going to dance until the wee hours of the morning.”
Killian’s brow furrowed and he gave her that look. She sighed. “What didn’t you understand this time?”
“Was that a yes?”
Bekki wrapped her arms around his neck. “How could it ever be a no? I love you.”
“My princess. I’ll make sure you have your fairytale wedding. I love you, too.”
Epilogue
“Hey, Blay, man, your sister freaking rocked that report last night.” Rory McBride’s voice from behind him made him