Once Upon a Marriage by Tara Taylor Quinn Page A

words earned Liam Connelly a sharp look from Elliott, but the financier didn’t seem to notice.
    Elliott knew better. Liam Connelly was a smart man. He knew he’d made a mistake. He’d emailed Williams.
    And warned Elliott.
    Liam was an honest man. He also was his own man. He did what he thought was right. To the point of stupidity, in Elliott’s opinion. Not that he blamed the guy. Liam’s adamant independence was a product of growing up under the abusively domineering hand of a father who’d been determined to control him at all costs.
    â€œLet me talk to him,” Elliott said now, breaking into whatever Williams had been about to tell him. “I’ll get back with you.”
    He didn’t work for Jeb Williams. Didn’t really even know the guy. Other than to know that his initial association with Williams had inadvertently allowed him to walk into the perfect cover for the job he’d been on. And while Liam Connelly was paying him—a nonnegotiable term on Liam’s part, one that Elliott had fought—even Liam was unaware that he’d come to them initially through Barbara Bustamante. And was still on her payroll, as well.
    â€œI screwed up,” Liam said as soon as Elliott slid his smartphone back into its holster.
    â€œHow bad is it?”
    â€œThat jerk reporter, Tarnished Truth...”
    Elliott recognized the name. The sleazy reporter who sold his work to sensationalistic independent internet news sources had gone after Liam and Gabrielle back in February, lying in wait and then infusing slimy innuendo into the stories he reported.
    â€œHe must have followed me,” Liam said. “I can’t believe it was the coincidence he claimed that he happened to be there. He said that he thought he owed it to me, because of his unbecoming behavior earlier in the year, to let me know that there’s been some talk at a bar he hangs out at—some reporter hangout, according to him. Word is I’ve now taken over my father’s business.”
    â€œYou’ve taken on a more active role,” Elliott said.
    â€œHe claims that the rumor is that this whole scheme was prearranged, like Agent Menard and the FBI originally thought. That my father and I had some big plan to frame George so I could take over if the Ponzi scheme ever came to light.”
    â€œThey have reams of proof that George Costas was behind the fraudulent investments.” Elliott tackled the obvious while his mind worked furiously on the real piece of news.
    The press—at least certain members of it—were still out to hang Liam. Probably because he was young, good-looking and recently married, making him of keener interest to their readers. He was good for drama to those who cared more about such things than about newsworthy facts. And a source of jealousy to a lot of people.
    â€œYou and I know all about the evidence against George. Doesn’t mean the press knows.”
    â€œMy understanding was that Costas could be close to a plea deal.” He’d heard that straight from Liam.
    â€œThat’s what Gwen Menard told me when I spoke with her last week.” The FBI agent who’d originally questioned Liam.
    Talk of a plea deal was worth nothing until it actually happened. Could change in the space of a heartbeat—or a conversation. And until it was done, Liam and his father were going to be under attack.
    Even after it was done the suspicious-minded would probably still doubt them. Still wonder. Still tell the stories conjured up by their conspiracy-theory mind-sets.
    â€œI’m assuming you set him straight,” Elliott said, making the last turn that would allow him to pull up at the curb right outside Gabrielle’s building.
    â€œOf course I did. And he thanked me for allowing him to know the truth firsthand.”
    â€œHe’s up to no good,” Elliott said aloud.
    â€œThat’s a strong possibility.”
    He couldn’t