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Rose nodded, peering up at Harris with a determined look on her face. “I’ve thought about what you said last night.”
“About testifying?” Harris tried not to look hopeful, but Cassie could see right through her. She’d asked Rose if she’d be willing to go to court against Aguilar. The other woman had been visibly alarmed by the thought, and she hadn’t given them a straight answer.
Rose nodded. “I’ll do it. For Randall. I know he made mistakes. But he was brave enough to do the right thing in the end. I want to make sure it wasn’t in vain.”
“He’d be proud of you, Rose.” Harris’s voice was full of emotion. “I know it.”
One of the men next to Rose cleared his throat, and the three of them turned to leave. Cassie watched through her tears as they got into a big black SUV and drove away. She and Harris climbed back into their little gold Toyota and waited until they could no longer see the other vehicle in the distance.
After a minute of silence, Cassie sighed, and Harris looked over at her from the driver’s seat. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.” Cassie shifted around uncomfortably when Harris shot her another look. “It’s just a lot.” She threw her hands up and gestured wildly. They’d packed their bags and thrown them into the trunk in case they needed a quick getaway. It was finally hitting her. “All of this. And I’m not really looking forward to paying Reed another visit.”
“Reed’s a slimeball, but he knows something.” Harris tapped the Annex folder sitting on the console between them. “We just gotta get him to slip up and tell us something we don’t already know.”
“Good luck with that,” Cassie grumbled. “He wasn’t exactly impressed the last time we were there.”
“We played nice the last time we were there.”
Cassie didn’t know what not playing nice looked like, but she was too nervous to do anything but let Harris take the lead. This time, they parked a few blocks away from the office. With everyone closing in on them from all angles, Harris thought it was smart to keep their distance. Cassie wasn’t so sure. What if they needed a quick getaway?
Nothing had changed about the office from the last time they’d visited, from the ratty rug at the entrance to the worn banister that led upstairs to their target. Even the putrid stench of the janitor’s water clung to the air, and Cassie was not surprised to see him standing down the hall, one hand on his mop and both eyes trained on them.
Only there was a noticeable difference about him this time.
The long hair and beady eyes were the same, but his knuckles were swollen and scabbed over. Cassie had thought he’d already looked terrifying enough, but his wounds made a shiver travel down her spine. How had he gotten them?
If Harris was worried about it, she didn’t let it show. Like last time, the detective glanced at the man and then promptly ignored him, taking the stairs two at a time until she was on the second floor. By the time Cassie caught up, Harris was already at the end of the hall with one hand on the doorknob into Don A. Reed’s office.
She didn’t bother knocking.
As Harris stormed into the office, Cassie came up behind her with a little more self-preservation. Reed was alone, and his office looked the same as last time, with files stacked across every surface, including the floor.
Reed’s eyes narrowed when he realized who had just barged in. “Get out.”
Harris didn’t back down. “Not until you answer some questions.”
“You took something that wasn’t yours.” He shook his head. “Big mistake.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty, lady.” He held them up like they’d be able to spot the blood on them. “Don’t stick your nose where it don’t belong.”
“Is that a threat?”
Reed stood, and another pile shifted and fell over. He ignored it. “I’m callin’ the cops if you’re not outta here in five seconds.”
Harris reached into her pocket and grabbed her fake badge, slamming it down on the man’s desk but leaving her hand to cover the front so he’d have no idea it wasn’t real. “We’re already here. And I have some questions you need to answer.”
If Reed was nervous, he didn’t show it. He sat down and waved her away. “I’m not answering shit.”
“What’s the purpose of Annex, LLC?” Harris didn’t wait for him to answer. “Who’s the owner? Is it Francis Aguilar?”
Reed looked up sharply. His lips were pursed. He didn’t look afraid. More cautious than anything.
“Interesting.” Harris grinned. She knew she was onto something. “You’re a pretty shitty lawyer, you know. Surprised you still have your license. How’d you work that one out, considering how many times you’ve been arrested?”
“Never charged.” He grinned back at her. “Never convicted.”
