Page 69 of Isabelle’s Forbidden Love

“Please.” She gave her two colleagues a pleading look. “Do it for me.”

Continuing the investigation into the murders of Hong and Jessica would help her push away the heartache she was feeling. If she could concentrate on something other than what Orlando had done, maybe she could gain some distance to evaluate her feelings for him more objectively. But then, feelings were never objective. That’s why they were feelings. They didn’t follow any kind of logic.

“Help me clear his name at least for these two murders and catch the real killer,” Isabelle begged.

Benjamin and Cooper exchanged a long look, before Benjamin shrugged. Cooper sighed. “Fine. But Benjamin stays here to make sure he doesn’t leave.”

Isabelle looked up at the windows where the blinds were still shut. “Orlando won’t leave. He’s resigned himself to his fate.”

“Better safe than sorry,” Benjamin said and leaned against his car. “You guys go back to Scanguards. I’m waiting here.”

Realizing that she couldn’t convince Benjamin that Orlando didn’t need a guard, she nodded. “Fine. Let’s go, Coop.”

She and Cooper got into the SUV and drove off.

“Has there been any other evidence coming in about the two murders while I was gone?” Isabelle asked.

“Yeah, Nelson got a fingerprint match in AFIS. The fingerprint on the Hummer car key was identified as Orlando’s. And the manufacturer confirmed that the key itself belongs to Orlando’s Hummer.”

She nodded. “That was to be expected. Orlando’s spare key was missing. Somebody must have stolen it from his house and then planted it in Hong’s flat for us to find.”

“Okay, let’s assume that’s true, how are we gonna find out who this Dennis LaRuson is? You said yourself that you only have a name.”

“We’ll need help.” She thought about it for a moment. “I wish we could talk to Thomas or Eddie, but they’ll tell my dad immediately what I’m doing.”

“You’re right about that. Samson’s gonna rip my head off when he finds out that I’m helping you, instead of alerting Scanguards to Orlando’s whereabouts.”

“I’ll smooth it over when it comes to that. Right now, we need somebody who can go through the police databases in the rest of the US. A guy like LaRuson, with a criminal record as long as my arm, didn’t suddenly stop committing crimes. He might have left Canada soon after the killings in Montreal, maybe to find Orlando, so maybe he committed crimes somewhere else in the States.”

“Nelson could help with that,” Cooper suggested. “How did you find the guy’s name anyway?”

“There were fingerprints on the anonymous note he got. Orlando had somebody run it through California’s AFIS, but got no hits, so I contacted Bill Hawkins in Ottawa. He’s with the Mounties. We got a match, but the file was corrupted, and there was no photo.”

“Do you still have the electronic fingerprint file?” Cooper asked.

“Yes. Let’s talk to Nelson.”

36

Half an hour later, Isabelle and Cooper sat in one of the offices on the sub levels of Scanguards HQ, staring into a computer monitor. Nelson Sarduni was looking back at them via a videoconferencing link. He was dressed, and sat in what looked like a living room.

“Sorry we have to disturb you at home,” Isabelle started.

“Not a problem. It’s good to see you, Isabelle. I spoke to your father last night. He answered your cell phone. Is everything okay?”

“Yes. But what we’re telling you now has to stay between the three of us, at least for now.”

Nelson raised his eyebrows. “Okay?”

“It’s about the two murders Orlando is accused of. He’s being framed,” Isabelle said.

“What?” Nelson shook his head. “But all the evidence points to him: the car key, the fingerprints.”

“But he has alibis for both murders,” Cooper interjected.

“We know who’s trying to frame him,” Isabelle added.

Nelson seemed to jolt backward. “How would you—”