In Love and Diplomacy

Chapter Twenty-Eight: An Easy Target

"R.I.P to my youth, and you could call this the funeral
I'm just telling the truth, and you can play this at my funeral
Wrap me up in Chanel inside my coffin,
Might go to hell and there ain't no stopping
Might be a sinner and I might be a saint
I'd like to be proud but somehow I'm ashamed"

- The Neighborhood, "R.I.P. 2 My Youth"

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Warren Cawton. Held position of Chief Financial Officer at Seaplast Corporation. Lost every dime when the company went under." He recited facts like he always did, like a machine rattling off succinct bullet points.

"And the photos? What do they mean?"

Please. Please tell me they don't mean what I think they do. Tell me it was a coincidence. Tell me this case isn't really important, that Cawton isn't important. Reassure me he's innocent until proven guilty.

His eyes narrowed as he decided something. He pulled the laptop off the bed and settled in the chair again. A few moments passed as I focused on swallowing the nausea pooling in my throat.

"Ramos." A familiar voice sounded from the computer in his lap.

"Beck. We need some information." He stood and sat next to me on the bed, angling the screen so I could see the warm smile of my favorite computer analyst. Beck's eyes grew wide as my disheveled appearance came into view.

"Avery! How are you?"

"Better than yesterday." I managed a weak smile.

"Good. You gave us a hell of a scare." Beck's relief was genuine as he gave me his famous grin.

"Beck. Warren Cawton. Where are we with the rest of his background?"

Beck's attention was immediately pulled at his coworker's question. He turned to his screen, quickly pulling up the investigation.

"Warren Cawton. Held CFO position with Seaplast Corporation for three years before the company was dissolved. Looks like he grew up wealthy, courtesy of a hot shot stock broker dad."

Like I said, daddy's legal team.

"No experience before he got the CFO job," Beck mused as his eyes slid over the report.

Nepotism. I called it.

"Other family? Connections?" The man beside me leaned forward slightly.

"Plenty of connections. Between his dad and his brother, his family has more ties than Men's Wearhouse." Beck snorted. "You name another member of the upper-class and there's probably some connection."

"His brother?"

"I'm getting there. Warren has an older brother — Richard Cawton."

It was my turn to interrupt. "Did you say 'Richard Cawton'?"

Why hadn't I connected the names?

Green eyes turned sharply to me. "Do you know him?"

"Every politician from here to Delaware knows him. He's a dirtbag sitting pretty in the House of Representatives. Well-known jackass. He manipulates his constituents to stay in office."

"Looks like he won't be sitting pretty much longer. He managed to keep his seat in another election two years after his brother's scandal, but he's not favored to win this year," Beck continued reading the report. "His opponent's bringing up his family ties every chance he gets. It's turning the tide."

"Good. He's awful," I emphasized. The bed lifted as I was left alone on the mattress. I watched his long strides cross back and forth, his steps sure as he paced.