Disavowed(84)

They followed him past the wooden staircase wrapped in lighted garland to another door. Turner opened it and headed to a wide wooden desk in a room that easily cost double Matt’s annual salary. The entire thing was carved out of what looked to be mahogany. Walls, floors, even the coffered ceiling. It was a room that spoke of money and power and the man seated behind the desk appeared to wear that image very comfortably.

“So, what can I do for you?” he asked, looking at Rycroft.

The NSA agent got right to the point. He laid a document with the company’s name and all the charges against him on the desk. “We need to know who your partner is.”

Turner paled slightly as he stared at the paper, his expression tensing. “What are you—”

“It’s all there in black and white. I wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have the evidence to back this up.” Rycroft leaned back, steepling his fingers together as he regarded the other man. “Your name is on the legal documents. That makes you responsible for the illegal activities the company’s been involved in. You’re facing tax evasion, corruption, funding terrorists. Treason.”

Turner was frantically scanning the document now, unease pouring off him in tangible waves. “Illegal arms deals?” He looked up, met Rycroft’s, then Matt’s eyes. He shook his head, expression adamant. “You’ve made a mistake, my company doesn’t deal with this kind of shit. Treason? I know nothing about any of this.”

“Then that either makes you a liar, or just fucking stupid,” Matt said.

The man swung his eyes to Matt, looking almost panicked now. Had he really been dumb enough to get involved in this without knowing the details? Guy was a fucking lawyer, for chrissake. There was no way he didn’t know his company had been involved in illegal activities.

“Am I under arrest?” Turner asked.

“Not yet, not if you cooperate. We’ve got warrants to see all your paperwork and trace your calls and e-mails, and enough evidence to put you away for the next twenty years. In Federal prison,” Rycroft added, letting that sink in a moment before continuing. “The only way to save yourself now is by telling us who your partner is and agreeing to testify against him when we take him into custody and all this goes to trial.”

Turner shook his head and leaned back in his leather chair, clearly shaken. “I’m not saying anything else without my lawyer present.”

The guy was scared shitless of his silent partner. That was clear to Matt.

“Great,” Zahra said, opening her laptop and setting her fingers on the keys. “And who’s that?”

Turner shot her an icy glare and reluctantly told her. Within moments she had the address of the firm.

“We’re heading over there right now,” Rycroft said, standing, “so we’ll follow you.”

Turner shook his head and looked like he was going to argue, then thought better of it and rose from behind his desk. He followed them to the front door and called to his wife to tell her he’d be back in a while, then grabbed his coat from the front hall closet.

Matt stayed directly behind him as they walked to the silver Lexus parked in the driveway. The guy was spooked, desperately trying to come up with a way to get himself out of this, and Matt wasn’t letting him bolt. Matt drove the SUV over to the lawyer’s office, staying directly on Turner’s back bumper. He could see the man talking to someone in glimpses given by the Lexus’s rearview mirror.

“Must be on the phone with his lawyer,” Rycroft said.

Little good that would do him, Matt thought, making a right hand turn off the street to follow Turner behind the office building.

When they stepped into the reception area, Turner confirmed their suspicions by walking unannounced right into the attorney’s office.

Without pause, Rycroft slid the warrant for the requested paperwork onto the man’s desk. “We need to see all the incorporation documents, as well as any personal agreements Mr. Turner might have pertaining to it.” He tossed another envelope onto the wooden surface. “Here’s the deal we’re willing to offer—immunity, if he reveals his business partner and agrees to testify against him. He can take it or leave it.”

The lawyer read the court order Rycroft had given him, the charges laid against Turner, then signaled to his assistant, hovering in the doorway. “Get the files.”

They took the files and left Turner to talk with his attorney in private, as the law demanded. Each of them took a binder and began searching through the paperwork, looking for any others involved with the company. Matt flipped through the pages, his heart beating faster. The name they were looking for had to be in here somewhere.