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“That rat bastard will get what he deserves,” Liam said flatly. “Boyd can dictate what he wants us to do when we’re on the clock, but he can’t tell us what to do on our own time. Magnus will pay for his crimes, especially when we prove he’s connected to the murders.”
“That’s the million-dollar question, though,” Cora said after a long pause. “Ishe a killer? I just don’t know.”
Liam stopped at a red light, his face incredulous. “You almost died at his hand.”
“But when I set aside my emotions and try to think objectively about that night, I can’t be certain he was trying to kill me. Yes, we fought, and I was afraid. Our altercation on the boat dock happened so fast. We both fell into the water by accident. But maybe he would’ve eventually hauled me to shore, offered me a towel, and tried to reason with me again.”
“Or maybe he’d have dragged your dead body into the woods like Lindsey Albright,” Liam pointed out. He was cool and controlled behind the wheel, but Cora could see anger riding him hard. It was there in the little things—the hard line of his mouth, the muscle ticking in his jaw, and his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel as he pulled onto the highway.
She laid her head back on the seat. “All we know for certain is Magnus lied about the stolen money, he’s a brilliant attorney, and he’s used to manipulating people and situations to get what he wants. If he could do those things without a conscience, then could he be involved in the deaths of two innocent people? I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”
They slipped into silence as they drove home, the downtown bustle of shops and businesses giving way to quaint, residential neighborhoods. It wasn’t until they were turning onto the quiet street where they shared a rental house that Liam said, “We have an ally.”
Cora glanced sharply at him. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s someone who wants to help us bring Magnus down.”
“No, Liam,” she said in alarm. “Our plan is a secret. If Captain Thompson finds out, he could take us off the case and bury us in enough paperwork to keep us at our desks for the rest of the year. I’ve seen him do it before. He’s merciless when crossed.”
Liam scoffed. “I don’t doubt it. Boyd never did like being undermined or outsmarted.”
It reminded Cora that Liam and Boyd had been childhood friends in Ireland before life led them in different directions. She couldn’t quite imagine them as friends because Liam, for all his fierce protectiveness and occasional bouts of melancholy, was easygoing and quick to laugh. He had an eager curiosity about everything, and a lightness of spirit that made him shine from within. Even though some part of his past still haunted him, he knew how to revel in life’s simple pleasures. Captain Thompson, on the other hand, was jaded and stoic and barely ever cracked a smile. Cora couldn’t even imagine the captain as a boy. He seemed much older than his years, weighed down by responsibility and perhaps disillusionment. Even his relationship with his wife seemed joyless.
“Our ally won’t breathe a word to anyone,” Liam assured her as he drove toward their house. “I spoke with him on the phone before I left the station today, and he’s all in.”
Cora bristled. “I can’t believe you would do that without my—”
“We can trust him,” Liam insisted.
“Who?” She couldn’t think of a single person she’d trust as much as Liam. The only other person who even came close was—
“Finn.” Liam pointed to the man standing in front of their house. “I invited him for dinner so we could discuss it and come up with a plan.”
Finn Walsh was leaning against the side of his Porsche, his arms crossed casually as if he had all the time in the world. Cora would bet a million dollars he’d been wearing a suit that day, but the jacket was gone and so was the tie. His white shirt was unbuttoned, leaving the base of his throat bare, and the sleeves were rolled to reveal tanned, sinewy forearms. Now that she knew what he looked like in almost no clothes, she wondered how she’d ever missed how physically fit he was. He was tall and lean with broad shoulders, built like someone who rowed crew or did triathlons in his spare time. Ever since she’d seen him in the cage fight, she hadn’t been able to think of him as a stuffed shirt anymore. Yes, he wore designer suits like most of the successful attorneys at Johnston & Knight, but Cora now knew there was another side to Finn—a gritty, rugged, masculine side—she’d never imagined and wouldn’t soon forget.
When they were all seated around the kitchen table, Liam passed out beers, idly chatting with Finn about sports cars. It seemed like they’d bonded since the night of her rescue. A month ago, Cora would have sworn the two men were different as night and day, but now she wasn’t so sure. Both men had a steely resolve, a propensity to take immediate action when needed, and mysterious pasts they preferred not to talk about. They might seem different on the outside, but in essentials, Cora suspected they were quite similar. Her best friend, Suzette, would never believe it.
“Liam tells me you want to help us bring down Magnus Blackwell.” Cora set plates and napkins beside the two large pizzas they’d ordered.
“He can’t evade the law this time,” Finn said in that clipped tone he usually reserved for the courtroom. Cora was beginning to realize he slipped into attorney mode when he felt the need for control. “I recognize you can’t talk about all the details of your investigations, and I respect that, but I want to help in any way I can. This time Magnus has gone too far.”
“He swears he’s innocent, and there wasn’t enough to hold him.” Cora bit into a slice of margherita pizza, momentarily distracted by the tangy burst of marinara sauce and fresh herbs.
“It’s not just about the money, Cora. Hehurtyou.” A muscle clenched in Finn’s jaw.
“Which is why the bastard will pay,” Liam said. “I don’t care how we gather the information. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“So will I,” Finn said. “I’m moving away at the end of this month, but it won’t sit right with me if that man isn’t brought to justice before I go. Not if I can help it.”
“You shouldn’t be leaving at all,” Liam said in irritation. “You’re needed here more than you realize. Neither of us wants you to go. Isn’t that right, Cora?”
“Sure. We don’t want you to go, Finn. But I do understand if you have a better job lined up—”
“Hang the bloody job,” Liam said with a scowl. “Some things are far more important. Like saving people’s lives.”
Finn looked surprised and a little confused. “Are you talking about my pro bono work?”
Liam didn’t answer. He seemed deeply disturbed. Almost...desperate. He picked at the label on his beer bottle, his troubled gaze a million miles away. What was going on with him?
