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I pulled back and punched him squarely in the jaw. Didn’t even hurt, my adrenaline was surging so powerfully through my veins.
Hurt Manny, though. He crumpled to the ground with a shriek.
“Easy, Rock,” Reid said.
“Fuck easy. He knows something and I aim to find out what.”
“Fine, fine!” Manny gasped. “I’ll talk.”
23
Lacey
Rock and Reid had been gone for a while now. I had no idea where they were or where they were going. I didn’t even know what their final destination was. They’d have to take a boat to the private island, if what Riley recalled was true.
I didn’t know when I’d see Rock again. My rock. My Rock.
I hated this damned hotel suite. I hadn’t eaten a decent meal in days, and—
“Shit,” I said aloud at the knock on the door.
I wrapped my robe around me and walked to the door, staring out through the peephole. A bellboy. I unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door. “What is it?” I asked sharply.
“There’s someone to see you,” he said.
Hank Morgan stood to the side, outside the view of the peephole.
“Oh my God.”
“We need to talk, Mrs. Wolfe.”
“No, we really don’t.”
“Where’s your husband?”
“He’s…at the office. Working late.” I berated myself inwardly for the pause. Rock was on a plane somewhere, and if Morgan found out…
“Doesn’t sound like him.”
“You try having your wife accused of a murder she didn’t commit. You’d be working around the clock too.”
He said nothing. Just stood there. The bellboy edged down the hallway.
“If that’s all…” I closed the door.
He glided between the door and me. “It’s not all, Mrs. Wolfe.”
“I’ll call security.”
He let out a chuckle. “I’m a detective with the NYPD. I trump hotel security.”
I sighed. “It’s after ten. What do you want?”
“Just making sure you’re here. Not violating the terms of your bail.”
“At ten at night?”
“Nighttime is the best time for leaving the city, Mrs. Wolfe.”
“I wouldn’t know. As you can see, I’m here, right where I’m supposed to be, so if you’ll excuse me…”
“I need to talk to Rock.”
Chills skittered along my forearms. “Then call him. In the morning. This is ridiculous.”
“Maybe I’ll stop by the Wolfe building.”
My heart nearly stopped, but I kept my facial expression neutral—at least I hoped I did. “Be my guest. But you won’t be able to get in at this hour.”
He flashed his badge at me. “You sure about that?”
Yeah, I’d overplayed my hand. I was off my game. So damned tired all the time. Tired and worried and ready to pounce on anything, even a police detective who had arrested me for a crime I didn’t commit.
Not my finest hour.
Then again, why was he here at this hour?
“I have ample evidence against you, Mrs. Wolfe,” Morgan said.
“I know. All circumstantial. Someone above your head wants to make this stick.”
“As I’ve told you, the DA is certain we have the right person.”
“And I can assure you that you don’t.”
“We’ll see about that.” Morgan took a seat on a chair in the living area of the suite.
What the heck was he after?
“I’ve been thinking,” he said.
“I couldn’t imagine what about.”
“I might be able to get the charges against you dropped.”
I stopped my eyebrows from flying off my face. Remain cool, Lace. Easy does it. He’s playing you.
“Oh? Charges that have no basis in fact in the first place? I’m sure you could. Anyone could.”
“Someone wants you to go down for this crime,” he said.
“That someone seems to be you.”
Morgan gave a slight smile. “This goes way higher than my pay grade.”
“I get it. My father-in-law was a first-class psycho creep who bought everyone off. And you’re saying you can change this situation? Because if his own children can’t, I can’t see how you could.”
“I have connections.”
“Better connections than the Wolfes?”
“Better? I don’t know. Different? Maybe.”
I sighed. “How much will it cost?”
“Do you think I’m asking for a bribe, Mrs. Wolfe?”
I couldn’t help it. I burst into laughter. Fatigue and fear and hunger had taken their toll. “Yeah, Mr. Morgan, you are. You are definitely asking me to bribe you. I suppose now you’re going to tell me it’s against the law to bribe a police officer. Of course I know that. I’m a lawyer, for God’s sake. But what does it matter? I’m already going to trial for a murder I didn’t commit. What’s bribery? It’s a fucking mosquito. A nuisance. A distraction and a pain in the ass, but nothing, basically.”
“Unless it’s carrying West Nile virus,” Morgan sneered.
I plopped down into the chair opposite Morgan. “Touché. Now,” I began again, “what will it cost?”
“May I speak frankly?”
“By all means.”
“I want to get out of here. I’m sick of this game. I’m sick of the corruption in the force and in the DA’s office.”
Seemed he was a big part of the corruption, but I kept that to myself. “Welcome to New York.”
