Red After Dark (Blackwood Security #13) - Elise Noble Page 0,31

same time as mine did.

“Ah,” she said. “I get it now. These people didn’t just send a courier; they sent a videographer to make absolutely sure they got the footage they wanted. Which means not only do they have money, which we already knew, but they’re seriously organised too.”

“But how do we find this person?” Harriet asked.

“Simple. We know from the accent that he’s from this area, so we get a list of videographers for hire in Kentucky. Then I’ll start calling the A’s with Bethany while you and Stéphane work your way backwards from the Z’s.”

Lovely. I hated talking to strangers. I nodded my agreement, but in all honesty, I preferred mucking out the horses.

CHAPTER 12 - ALARIC

“WHO ARE YOU people? My campaign manager told me I should take this meeting, but I don’t know who you are.”

Siri, show me a man in despair.

Aidan O’Shaughnessy’s unkempt appearance was a contrast to the well-groomed Blackwood/Sirius team. Emmy was back to the pantsuit, and Black was in a shirt and tie. Usually, he only dressed up for special events—was this an attempt at intimidation? If so, Alaric had to conclude it was working. O’Shaughnessy could barely look at the bigger man.

Black knew someone who knew someone who knew O’Shaughnessy’s campaign manager, and that person had vouched for Blackwood as well as making the introduction. Ever the ruthless businessman, Black had negotiated a fee for their services, to be split seventy-thirty between Blackwood and Sirius. At least they were getting paid for this shitshow.

When they sat down, Black positioned his chair a foot farther back than Alaric and Emmy, and he made no move to speak. Was this some sort of test? Because Alaric would have no problem passing it. He’d dealt with a hundred O’Shaughnessys in his life.

“I think the more appropriate question is ‘why are you here?’”

“Why are you here?”

“We had front-row seats for yesterday’s debate.”

“So, what? You’re here to gloat?”

“The opposite, actually. We’re here to work out how to undo the damage. The people of Kentucky deserve an above-board election, and there’s concern that one of the parties isn’t playing fair.”

“Not playing fair? You know where I was before this? Getting interviewed by the police. They’ve taken my laptop to be forensically examined, and the media’s talking about jail time.”

“It was your laptop?” Alaric asked, to confirm the rumour. “Not an aide’s?”

“No, it was mine. It’s my habit to keep the final version of the speech and presentation on my own computer in case I need to make any last-minute adjustments. Communications move at a frantic pace these days.”

“Any idea how the porn got on there?”

“Of course not! I never watch that stuff.”

Liar. Alaric was watching O’Shaughnessy’s face closely, and he blinked three times in quick succession before the second phrase.

Black, it seemed, agreed with Alaric’s assessment.

“Really?”

Alaric couldn’t see Black’s face, but he could imagine those cold eyes fixed on O’Shaughnessy’s. Black’s irises very nearly matched his name, and the effect was unsettling.

“Well, not the gay stuff. And definitely not the kiddie stuff.” His gaze flicked towards Emmy. “Just the…you know. The regular stuff.”

Alaric took over again. “You watch it on your laptop?”

“No, only my phone. And that video popped up right in the middle of my presentation. Talk about timing.”

“Which leaves two possibilities.” Alaric had discussed the problem with Naz earlier in the day, and Emmy had done the same with her team. Both had come to the same conclusions. “Either you downloaded a virus and got unlucky, or someone sabotaged your speech. How well do you know your staff?”

“It wasn’t Malorie. She’s been with me since the beginning.”

“Malorie was in charge of playing the presentation?”

“Yes, and she’s devastated. My wife had to drive her home.”

“How’s your wife taking this?”

“Yes, well…”

“She’s not speaking to you?”

“It’s been a shock for everyone. The police interrogated her too, you know. Kept asking how I behaved around the younger members of the family. As if I’d ever touch them.”

He shuddered, and Alaric did believe he was genuinely disgusted.

“Did you speak to Malorie before she left?”

“She said the computer just went crazy. The presentation vanished, and nothing she clicked would make the video stop. Even when she closed the lid, it kept playing until she pulled the cable out.”

So, sabotage then. It was a thirty-second job if Alaric had access to the laptop. Jam a USB stick into the side, wait nonchalantly as it loaded a malware file timed to activate while O’Shaughnessy was speaking… Each candidate had been allocated a time slot