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"Speaking of honor," I said "Or the lack thereof Tell ained her seat

"I told you I barely know--"

"Stop it, Zee Stop lying Just this once, tell me the truth I’ve been shot at, hway, I’ve been assaulted in skyways, accosted in parking lots, received ht, and that doesn’t count the dead bodies I’ve tripped over I figured I earned the truth Tell me about Troy Donovan

"He’s just an acquaintance"

"Tell me!"

"We were lovers Is that what you want to hear, McKenzie? We were lovers, okay?"

"Ex-lovers?"

"Yes"

"Is that why he sent the e-mail?"

"He did send it, then"

"You know he did"

"I knew, but I didn’t know Not one hundred percent That’s why I sent you down here To find out for sure"

"What then? Were you going to call Muehlenhaus? Have Donovan whacked?"

"I didn’t knohat I was going to do"

Lindsey finished her drink and poured another She didn’t add ice or tonic water A griht vodka and suddenly her perfect beauty seemed terribly brittle and easily shattered

"It’sthat’s happened has been my fault I knohat I am, McKenzie I’m an adulteress I betrayed my husband’s trust and his love just for the fun of it Only I won’t steal his dreautter I won’t crawl into That’s why I broke it off with Troy When it beca to win the election, I told Troy I wasn’t going to see hio Even now he still calls He sends e-mails"

I flashed on Nina Truhler’s ex-husband

"Some men need to own," I said

"Troy thinks if Jack doesn’t run for the Senate, we can still be together"

"He’s afraid that if Jack wins a senate seat, he’ll take you with hiton I understand that Only why send the e- I’m expected to talk Jack out of it, otherwise"

"Otherwise Donovan will carry out his threat Nice people you hang out with, Zee"