First Star I See Tonight (Chicago Stars #8) - Susan Elizabeth Phillips Page 0,104

about it,” Piper said.

Deidre looked dazed. “Noah, is this true?”

“No! Of course, it’s not true.”

“She’s with the police right now,” Piper said. “Along with a copy of your computer’s hard drive.”

Noah bolted for the door. But Coop was too quick for him. He threw a block that sent Noah staggering backward. Before he could fall, Coop grabbed him and shoved him down on the office couch. “Let’s hear what Piper has to say.”

Piper had a lot to say. “Noah paid Ms. Englley ten thousand dollars to accuse Coop of rape. Noah wanted to destroy him. Get him out of your life. He even used a drone to spy on him.” Noah slumped forward on the couch, his head in his hands. Deidre stood frozen as Piper went on. “The police are going to find that hard drive very interesting. You really should empty your e-mail trash folder, although dumping the cockroaches at the club is small potatoes compared to the rest.”

“You stole it,” he said into his hands.

“Why, Noah?” Deidre cried. “Why would you do something like this?”

He set his jaw, refusing to speak, so Piper answered for him. “He wants to be the most important man in your life. He got used to the way you relied on him after your husband died. Maybe he hoped to be the next Mr. Joss, but whether he wanted that or not, he had to make sure he stayed the most important man in your life. Your personal interest in Coop was threatening that. He wanted both Coop and Spiral out of the picture.”

Coop witnessed it all, saying nothing.

Deidre sank back into her chair. She put her head in her hands, then slowly lifted it. “How could you do this?”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Noah’s face twisted bitterly. “I couldn’t stop you from marrying Sam, even though anybody could see he wasn’t good enough for you. I wasn’t going to lose you to Graham, too.”

“I trusted you more than I trusted anyone.”

“I needed more time!” he exclaimed. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

Loved Joss Investments was more like it.

The door shot open and two security guards charged in.

Deidre came up from the chair, in full command. “Put him in his office and keep him there until the police get here.” As they led him away, she went to Coop. “I don’t know how I can ever make this up to you.”

Piper had a few ideas, and she hated every one of them.

***

Coop got behind the wheel of Piper’s Sonata himself and headed toward Spiral. “How did you get his computer?”

Piper rested her head and shut her eyes. Words were pressing at her lips, emotions churning—thoughts and feelings so contradictory, so painful, she couldn’t let them escape. “I can’t talk to you until I get some sleep.”

“I need answers.”

“I’m serious, Coop. I haven’t slept since Sunday night, and I need to go to bed.”

“Fine. I’ll be with my lawyers most of tomorrow, but I’ll pick you up for dinner at five o’clock.”

She opened her eyes. “What are you? Eighty years old? Who goes out to dinner that early?”

“You’re bitchy when you don’t sleep.”

“Got it. Old Country Buffet at five o’clock.”

“Five o’clock because I want plenty of time to get you drunk.”

“In that case . . .” She shut her eyes again.

***

By the time Piper awoke the next day, the police had issued a statement saying Coop had been falsely accused. They didn’t name Noah but merely referred to “a person with a grudge against the former Stars quarterback.” By noon, the local channels were showing footage of Ellen Englley with a hoodie pulled over her head trying to duck the news cameras. Piper gazed at the screen in disgust. Noah’s mistress would probably end up with a reality show.

Coop’s attorney held a short press conference at three o’clock where, among other things, Piper learned that Coop was a long-standing member of the NFL’s task force on sexual violence. His attorney read a statement from Coop about the serious impact false accusations have on real rape victims. How could Piper not want to protect someone like that?

Eric called with the unwelcome news that Noah Parks had an airtight alibi for both the night Coop had been attacked outside his condo and the night Karah had been forced off the road. Piper assumed Noah had hired someone to carry out the first attack, but she’d been counting on him being behind the wheel of the mystery vehicle that had gone after the