Power Switch (Power Play #3) - Kennedy L. Mitchell Page 0,56

family. The Ponzi scheme.”

“Like I said, I wasn't devastated.” The heaviness in his tone has me rolling my forehead along the glass to see across the SUV. Gaze locked on the headrest in front of him, he slides his palms up and down his dark jeans. “But my dad was. Hated that we lost everything because of him.”

“Sam, I didn't—”

“I was the one who found him.” The pain in his voice cuts through my earlier embarrassment. Again he adjusts uncomfortably in his seat. “Nothing was the same after that.” His longing-filled sigh envelops the silent SUV. Even the guys up front stay quiet, their normal banter dropped for the moment. “It was then that I knew I wanted to be in a role to take down people like the man who took my family from me. With the DOJ, I get to uncover the filth of America who think they’re above the law.” The thin muscle along his jaw twitches. “I don't want anyone else to go through what I did.”

I swallow hard before taking a sip from my water bottle to soothe my dry throat. “Did they ever convict the guy?”

Sadness settles in the SUV like a heavy blanket. Sam shakes his head, his shoulders rounding slightly. “They had enough, but someone leaked the information before they could arrest him. He's been in the wind ever since. Every now and then, I try to track him down using my connections from work, but every time I get close, he vanishes.”

“I'm sorry,” I say, meaning it from the bottom of my heart. I reach across the center console and grip his hand with my own. “Truly. I can't imagine any of that. It makes sense why you're so insistent on making sure Kyle pays for his crimes, what he's trying to hide from everyone.”

“It's an abuse of power on his part,” Sam grits out, the fingers beneath mine tightening into a fist. I hold back a cringe of pain. “That's what we can get him on. He's using his role as president to manipulate laws, to allow federal land access, not doing due diligence in contracting drilling companies. He has to be stopped. No one, and I mean no one, should have that kind of power.”

I nod in agreement, because I do agree 100 percent, but it won't be easy. Maybe he's too focused on tracking the information to see the other hurdles we'll have to get through. Getting the House and Senate to agree on moving forward with the impeachment trial is the biggest one. It’s one thing to have the evidence, but for them to agree on anything will be a damn miracle.

Sweat builds beneath my palm where our hands are still connected. Clearing my throat, I slide my hand from his, pulling past the bit of resistance he gives by holding on tight.

“You realize the evidence is a small portion of what needs to happen for impeachment, right?” Careful to not attract attention, I drag the sweaty hand down my thigh to rid myself of the evidence of the touch. Thank goodness Trey rode in the lead SUV today or he'd have pitched Sam out of the moving vehicle by this point.

“One step at a time,” Sam mumbles.

“I don't think that's the smartest plan, Sam. We need to start working on congressmen and senators. Planting the seed of what we're planning and getting them on board now.”

“And what if they tell Birmingham?”

“He already knows you're looking into him. If anything, it’ll confirm what he already thinks, that I’m an idiot and can’t see that you’re using me for my connections. We’ll have a better idea of what he suspects after this fun getaway, you know.”

He shoots a side glance my way. “I suppose.”

Sighing, I press my fingers against my throbbing temples. The headaches aren't nearly as bad as they were days after the poisoning, but when they do come, it's unexpected and nearly debilitating.

I feel his stare even with my eyes sealed shut. Damn, this headache came on faster than the others. “Just think about it.” The throbbing in my head intensifies, making each thought more painful than the last. “Let's talk about this later. T?”

“Two minutes.”

Leaning back against the seat, I inhale deeply, focusing on the cool air filling my lungs and trying to get my muscles to relax.

“Have they run any more tests since the incident?” Sam asks, concern in his voice.

“No,” T practically growls from the front seat. “She's as stubborn as a damn