it before then.”
“There’s a legitimate reason for the delay. It’s one that will protect both of us.”
“Are you sure it’s not simply because you’re the one who pushed Avery down the stairs, thinking it was me?”
There, she’d gotten it out on the table. Even through the phone, she could feel a surge of anger.
“Oh, you’re back to me being a homicidal maniac now,” he said testily. “I thought we’d established a bit of trust at this point.”
“How can I trust you when you won’t go to the police?”
“Okay, I can understand how upsetting this must be,” he said, calmer now. “Why don’t we meet again and I can explain in person. And I want to hear more about this woman’s death. That will help me better assess if Ithaka’s involved.”
“Can’t we just discuss this over the phone? I’m all ears right now.”
“I think it would help if I actually showed you some of the evidence I’ve collected against Ithaka. Once you’ve taken a look at it, you might have an easier time seeing things from my perspective.”
She digested his words. If she could see something, even just a few shreds of evidence, it would be worthwhile for her. And not just for the trust factor. Because if she ended up having to go to the police on her own, she’d have something to offer besides thin air.
“Where and when?” she asked.
“How about nine tonight. But I don’t like the idea of you leaving the building you’re staying in. Can I come to you?”
Not on his life. There was no way she was going to let him show up at Baby’s.
“That’s not going to work. Why don’t we meet in a bar or restaurant again. And I could have the doorman hail me a cab so I’m not out on the street flagging one down.”
There was a pause. What was he concocting now? she wondered.
“In light of what happened today, it’s not smart for us to meet out in the open. I’m staying in a short-term rental in the West Eighties. Do you want to come here?”
An alarm went off in her head, ringing shrilly. But she had to chance it, take him at his word right now and see the so-called evidence. Tonight she needed what Kelman had as much as he needed what she had to offer—information about Avery’s death.
“Okay,” she said finally.
He gave her the exact address but suggested she have the driver let her off at the corner of 84th and Amsterdam, and he would meet her.
“Call me a minute before you reach there and I’ll come down. Don’t get out of the cab until you see me. And promise me you’ll be careful.”
There was concern in his tone as well as his words. Or was it just a master manipulator at work?
After ending the call, she set the phone down and leaned back in the chair, thinking. What if Kelman was totally legit? What if, just like her, he had accidentally become ensnared in a dangerous web? But there was also every chance he was a liar, a man calling the shots in an illegal and deadly scheme. She had only his word that he was a whistle-blower. The thought suddenly occurred to her that the flash drive might contain information that incriminated him and that’s why he’d wanted it back so badly. Maybe he wasn’t responsible for Avery’s death, but how did she know he hadn’t run down Matt Healy?
Earlier she’d decided not to return Sasha Glen’s call, and to steer totally clear of anyone from Ithaka. But there might be something to be gained, she realized, from setting up another appointment, and doing it quickly. Though Sasha was a snoop, she seemed to relish dropping tidbits in exchange, and if Kit played it right, she could learn more about Kelman from talking to her—for instance, whether he’d left Ithaka under any kind of black cloud. She’d have a better idea then whether Kelman was dirty or not.
She scooted over to her laptop and typed an email message to Sasha.
“I’d be happy to reschedule our appointment,” she wrote. “Do you have any availability this week?”
She’d barely turned away from the computer when a reply popped up.
“Tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. would work for me.”
“Perfect,” Kit typed back. “I’ll plan to stop by then.”
It would mean going out again, exposing herself. But Sasha’s apartment wasn’t all that far from Baby’s and she would have the doorman find her a cab, just as she planned to do tonight.