Save Me - Lisa Scottoline [123]
“But Bill Gigot did.”
“Bill didn’t want them to run the peanut machines anymore, and they killed him for it.”
They both fell silent a minute. Rose felt Bill was owed that. A moment of silence for a loving father.
“One thing I don’t understand.” Kristen cocked her head. “What were Paul and Modjeska fighting about, then? The Gigot murder happened way too long ago.”
Rose thought of Modjeska’s magnificent house. “I bet Modjeska was blackmailing him, about the Gigot murder.”
“But if Modjeska told, they’d both lose.”
“The senator had more to lose than Modjeska, and more money to spend. I bet Modjeska’s been blackmailing him since the murder. He has too much money to explain, otherwise.” Rose thought about Julie. “He tells people it’s his wife’s money, but I bet that’s a lie. The only thing I don’t get is why Senator Martin got involved.”
“He was at Homestead then.”
“Right, he was at Homestead, I forgot!” Rose remembered Senator Martin’s speech at the assembly. “He mentioned being at Homestead. When was he there, exactly? What did he do?”
“He was CEO until about seven years ago, when he got elected.”
“Bill Gigot was killed seven years ago.”
Kristen gasped. “You think that Paul—”
“If he was the CEO, I bet he made the plan.”
“No!” Kristen’s hand flew to her mouth. “God, this makes me sick. I’m sick.”
“My God,” Rose said, hushed. She felt the realization land like a blow. “He killed people to take care of company profits, and his career. Our U.S. Senator is a murderer.”
“You really think?”
“Yes.” Rose thought aloud. “When Bill Gigot stopped playing ball, Modjeska killed him, and Senator Martin covered it up. It went down as an accident, and the senator pulled the strings to protect himself and Homestead. I learned on the factory tour that the company owns most of the land in the county. That means it’s a powerful contributor to the tax base. Plus I wonder how much it contributed to Martin’s campaign. I bet that went up after the Gigot murder, too.” Rose thought of something else. “Modjeska went from Homestead to a job in state government in Maryland. I bet the soon-to-be Senator got him the job.”
“This is a nightmare.” Kristen wiped away a tear. “So what do we do now?”
“We go to the state police, and lay it out. Now, we have proof. You, and your story.”
“No, you can’t go to them. He knows people there.”
“Then we go to the FBI.”
Kristen bit her lip. “But they’re trying to kill me. Maybe I should get out of the country—”
“Think this through, honey.” Rose put a hand on her shoulder. “You can’t keep running away. It doesn’t work, not for long. Modjeska is dangerous. I think he killed Kurt Rehgard and Hank Powell, carpenters who started asking questions about the fire.”
Kristen quieted, her eyes widening with fear.
“That’s six people they’ve killed so far, to protect their secret. They’re ruthless, and you’re not alone, anymore. You have a child to think of now.”
“I know.” Kristen’s eyes welled up. “What kind of man is he? He’d kill his own child.”
“The FBI can protect you, and you can’t do it on your own.” Rose took her phone from the console and pressed 411 for information. “I’m calling them.”
“Think it’s open?”
“It has to be. It’s the FBI, right? Not a frozen yogurt shop.” Rose waited for the mechanical operator to come on and ask for the listing. “In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, may I have the offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation? I need to report a crime.”
Suddenly, a cell phone started ringing in Kristen’s pocket, and she leaned over and retrieved it while Rose waited for her call to connect.
Kristen got the phone, checked the display, and said, “It’s Eileen. Should I answer?”
“Eileen Gigot is calling you?” Rose asked, surprised. “Why?” There was a click on her phone line, but no ringing yet.
“I don’t