On the TV, the reporter turned, shaken, to the camera. “This is a live interview, and certainly, these views do not necessarily represent the views of our station, management, or anyone in its—”
Mary pressed Off on the TV remote, plunging them into stunned silence. Until her and Judy’s cell phones started ringing like crazy.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Mary hurried off the elevator with Judy, waddling as fast as she could with a bellyful of baby and ravioli. The lights were on in the reception area, and they hurried past the reception desk and down the hall, but their steps slowed as they passed John’s office, where Judy’s face fell into crestfallen lines. John’s large desktop computer was gone, his typically neat bookshelves had been searched, and his desk drawers hung open, with some of the files missing. Black smudges of fingerprint dust marred the tan file cabinets, the surface of his cherrywood desk, and even the doorknob.
Judy stopped, stunned. “I can’t believe that they took his stuff, just like that.”
Mary put an arm around her. “Don’t let it get to you, honey. It’s standard operating procedure. But they don’t have enough to search you yet. And we’ll do our damnedest to make sure they never do.”
“Thanks.” Judy let Mary guide her toward the conference room, where Bennie, Anne, Roger, and Isaac were sitting around a table covered withLondon Technologiesdocuments, empty pizza boxes, and styrofoam coffee cups. The combined odors of caffeine and anchovies hung in the air, making Maryfeel almost sick to her stomach. Or it could’ve been the circumstances.
“So they showed up with a search warrant?” Mary gestured at John’s office.
Bennie nodded. “I would’ve called you but didn’t since you were with John’s brother.”
“There was no mention about searching Judy’s office or ours, was there?”
“No, they don’t have enough, and they knew they’d have to have their ducks in a row before they come at us.”
“Do youbelieveMachiavelli is going after us this way?” Mary eased into a chair. “I tell you, this is what he does. He even called me and Judy this morning, pressuring us to settle. He said he was going to use John’s murder against us.”
Judy sat down, next to Mary. “I have to admit, that TV interview scared the crap out of me. He spoke directly to the camera, pressuring the police to arrest me. To investigate all of us. He’s peddling that conspiracy theory like it’s real. We could all end up in jail.”
Mary shuddered. “I thought my parents were going to have a heart attack. They never heard my name on TV that way. He accused me of being a murderer. He accusedallof us of being murderers.”
Anne looked grave, turning to Mary and Judy. “He’s ruining our reputation. Jim and Sanjay called and they’re nervous.”
Bennie’s eyes flashed with cold anger. “We’re going to fight back, that’s what were going to do. I willnotlose Jim and Sanjay. I willnotlose any other business.”
“What’s going on? Have you lost other clients already? I think mine are running scared, too.” Mary’s clients had been calling on her cell nonstop, so she’d put her phone on silent.
“Yes, we didn’t get Nutrex. You know, that independent stock brokerage that we put on the dog-and-pony show for?”
“What happened?” Mary asked, aghast. Nutrex wanted tobring a massive securities fraud action against the big-time stock brokerages and they had interviewed the top firms in Philly, including Rosato & DiNunzio, two weeks ago.
“They passed on us. No explanation. I got an email from the general counsel. Not even a call.”
“But he told you that we were a shoo-in, didn’t he?”
“Yes, but now that were being accused ofmurderingone ofour own, they’re not hiring us.” Bennie’s eyes glittered with resentment. “Do you know how muchbusinessthat would’ve been?”
“So what do we do? How can we fight this? He’s ruining our reputation and he’s putting Judy in jeopardy. He’s putting all of us in jeopardy.” Mary noticed suddenly that Roger had remained silent and still while they were yapping away, like the calm eye of a lawyer hurricane. “Roger, what do you think?”
“I think we have a worthy adversary.” Roger smiled calmly, linking his fingers on the table behind a half-finished garden salad.
“So what do you think? What do we do? Hold a press conference? Counter what he said? We have to react.”
“No.” Roger shook his head. “We don’t have to react.”
“Why not?” Mary shot back.
“Nick Machiavelli is doing what he does. In other words, he’s performing in a way that’s consistent with who he is. Whether it’s because he is a genuine ancestor of Prince Niccolò Machiavelli, he epitomizes Machiavelli’s ethos.”
“Does this matter?” Mary felt her patience wearing thin. They had all been accused of murder on national television, and even worse, somebody had killed John and broken William’s heart. And Judy’s.
“Yes, Mary, it does matter. Machiavelli’s way is, ‘The end justifies the means.’ If we understand his way, then we can predict his next move.”
