Cate lifted her chin and stared down at the inspector. “Why should I trust you?”
The woman spread her hands wide. “You have no reason to trust me. Nor do I have any to trust you. However, I believe we are working the same case and want the same outcome.” Inspector Brandt rose. “I’ve been at this long enough; I want closure.”
Cate stood in front of her, shoulders back, head held high. “And I want to clear my friend’s name and nail the bastard who framed her for murder.”
“I understand your desire to help your friend,” Brandt said. “I want to hold the persons who have been stealing money and running it through Swiss banks to be held accountable.”
“Are you sure you want to go down that route?” Cate demanded.
“More certain than I’ve been of anything in my life.” Inspector Brandt lifted her chin and met Cate’s gaze. “Whoever is in charge made it personal. I’m getting close to cracking this case. So close that whoever is in charge must be getting nervous. He’s made it personal...to me.”
“How so?” Cate asked.
“He sent ten thousand dollars to my bank account, setting me up as a co-conspirator in their money-laundering operation. I take great offense to anyone who questions my morals. I come from a long line of police officers who take pride in our country and the city of Zurich. I take umbrage at being set up to appear as if I have taken a very large bribe. This is my job. I’m good at it. I do not wish to be forced out because someone has accused me of taking a bribe.”
“What did you do with the money?” Cate asked.
Brandt’s lips twisted. “I reported it to my superiors. Once they figured out it couldn’t be returned, as the money was deposited anonymously in cash, I withdrew it and gave it to the widows and orphans of deceased members of the polizei.”
Cate stared into Lena Brandt’s clear brown eyes. Maybe she was wrong, but she didn’t see malice or trickery reflected in their depths. Still, she wasn’t sure if she could trust the woman’s story or the information she’d gathered thus far.
Draco, the former Navy SEAL, met her gaze and held it, grounding her in his stoic presence. That he was there was enough for Cate to consider granting Brandt access to what they’d learned thus far.
“Is that as far as you’ve come on the case?” Cate asked. “You know Marcus Calloway is involved. Do you know if he’s alive or dead?”
“Yes, he’s involved.” Brandt shrugged. “I don’t know if he’s alive. I haven’t seen him in Zurich in the past month.”
“Did you get any information from Stefan Brunner?” Cate asked.
“Not enough,” Brandt said. “He was running scared. Now, he’s dead. I believe he was eliminated because of what he knew, and the others involved were worried he would eventually crack under the pressure. I’m also afraid they’ll come after anyone poking around their operation.”
“Including you?” Cate asked.
Brandt nodded. “I’d like to root whoever it is out before more people die.”
Cate drew in a breath and let it out slowly. She glanced across at Draco. “Should I trust her?”
Draco’s eyes narrowed. “At this point, what would it hurt?”
Cate turned to Brandt. “I met with Brunner last night.”
Brandt’s eyes widened. “What time? Where?”
Cate told the inspector of the time and location and how the meeting had gone down.
“He asked to meet with you?” Brandt blinked. “I could never get him to talk with me. He was always out of the office or in a meeting when I went to the bank.”
“He told me he was going to name names,” Cate shook her head, “but something spooked him, and he took off. But not before he handed me the key to a safety deposit box.”
Brandt leaned forward. “And?”
Cate reached for the satchel and emptied it across the small bed. “This is what we found in that box. All the orders and payments related to Alpenhorn.”
Brandt rose and crossed to the bed.
Cate opened one of the envelopes and handed the documents to Brandt.
“Whose name was on the box?”
