Southern Comfort - Natasha Madison Page 0,75

parking garage, you would think that the president is in town with the black trucks waiting.

I get into one of the trucks with Casey right behind me, and two agents get into the front. “Are you okay?” He leans over and whispers to me, and I look at him, and I answer him honestly.

“I’m not sure.” I look at him and then to the front where the agents are sitting. “I only hope for one thing.” Turning to look at Casey, I say, “That after tonight, it will all be over.”

“It will be,” he says, putting his arm over me and pulling me to him. I feel his warmth run through me as I look out the window at the passing scenery. We arrive at the same airport that we arrived at, but this time, the plane is just a touch bigger. I sit in one of the chairs with Casey right next to me, and the four special agents sit together in front of us. I look out the window as we take off down the runway. I close my eyes, hoping like fuck that this is it. That this is going to be the end of this nightmare, and I can finally get on with my life.

“Excuse me, Ms. Young.” I open my eyes and see Special Agent Duchene. “I was wondering if we can ask you a couple of questions and also explain to you how this is going to work.”

“She’s not answering anything without a lawyer here,” Casey says from beside me, and I look over. He sits there in his chair, his fingers flying over his laptop that he must have taken out when we took off. “But lucky for you guys, I have my lawyer on standby.” He puts his laptop on the table in front of us and the screen shows a lawyer. “Olivia, meet your lawyer, David Stern.”

He watches me, and he nods at me. “Pleasure to meet you, Olivia.”

“I guess it’s a pleasure to meet you also,” I say, and then I look at Casey, who smiles at me. It’s funny how I never had someone actually take care of me. I would have to take care of myself. Make sure I was okay all the time, make sure that I got to places on time. The only time my mother really cared was when it was a red carpet event.

“So we are going to ask you just a couple of questions,” the other agent asks. “When did you know that he was stealing money?”

“Gentlemen,” David says, laughing. “She’s not answering that question.”

I lean over and whisper to Casey. “But I have nothing to hide.” He looks at me and makes sure that the agents can’t read his lips when he whispers back to me.

“They are trying to trap you,” he says. “Trust me, you don’t answer anything that David tells you not to.”

“Okay,” I say to him, and he kisses me. I turn to look at the agents. “I guess I’m not answering that question.”

“Did you know anyone with the name Sorrento?” the agent asks, and I just wait for the rest of the question, but instead, he opens a folder and takes out a picture and hands it to me. I grab it and look down at it.

“No.” I hand it back to him.

“Are you sure?” he asks, and I laugh.

“Do you think I want to protect Dominic?” I ask him, and then look at all of the agents. “Do you think after everything he’s done to me, I want to lie for him?” I laugh now bitterly. “This man did nothing for me, nothing. Instead, he threw me into a cage with wolves ready to pounce on me. So to answer any of your questions, and just so we're clear. I don’t know who that man is.”

The agents share a look, and then one leans forward. “We are going to want you to wear a wire when you go see him.”

“Everything will be recorded anyway through the phone, but just in case, we want to make sure.”

“Fine,” I say to them, and then I ask them. “Will I be face-to-face with him?” My heart starts to speed up just a touch at the thought of seeing him after everything.

“No,” Casey says from beside me. “It’s through a bulletproof glass with guards on his side.” He looks at the agents. “That’s not even up for a debate, or there is no fucking way she goes in there.”

“We wouldn’t put