AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I trustyouenough,” Johnson growled, pointing a finger at her, “that I went over there this morning and allowed a cheek swab. I have done everything you asked, and still you treat me like a criminal.”
Cry me a river.
“Give me a reason not to be suspicious of the tearing down of that particular car wash,” she argued. “In fact, how about one little, tiny reason I should trust or believe a single thing you say.”
His feet dropped to the floor, and he leaned forward. “I had no idea what was in that damned purse. I’m not the one who found it, and I’m damned sure not the one who put it there. If I’m not the one who put it there, how the hell would I know what was inside it?”
“Tell me about the car wash,” Finley said, ignoring his lecture.
“There was an inspection because we found cracks in the concrete.” He leaned back once more but kept his feet planted on the floor as if he might have to launch himself out of his chair. “The structural engineer we contacted said the place had major issues. We opted to take it down rather than spend the money to correct the problems. It wasn’t doing as well as the other two anyway. I had no control over the timing of when Lucy Cagle got herself murdered or when she visited a public car wash.”
If he hoped to smooth things over with Finley, he had no concept of how to make that happen. Finley would have kept this next part from him, except he’d obviously already heard it from his ex or he would never have warned Finley that nothing she said could be trusted. So whynot toss this one in the mix and see his reaction? “Your ex-wife says she knew Lucy. Hired her to babysit a few times.”
Ray glared at Finley. “I told you—”
“I know what you told me,” she cut him off. “Any idea why she is suddenly telling me a different story from the one she gave the police after Lucy’s murder?”
His face closed like a book. “No fucking idea.”
“In any event,” Finley countered, “I’m sure you can see how this looks. Even a jury would have difficulty buying your story when there was a receipt in Lucy’s purse for the car wash you tore down. The cameras at the car wash are long gone becauseyoutore it down. The prosecutor could suggest that Lucy and Ian met there. That maybe he confided in her about all sorts of things. I’m sure some of the former employees are still around. They would be rounded up and questioned. And let’s not forget that your ex claims Lucy was in your home—alone—on three or four occasions, where she had access to your private office.” Finley turned her hands up. “Not exactly the best-case scenario.”
“That bullshit my ex fed you did not happen,” Ray argued, fury cutting through, no matter that he struggled to keep his face clear of emotion.
Finley restrained a satisfied smile. “But, as I said, you must see how this all looks to me. How it would look to a jury.”
His expression abruptly changed. His brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about,confided in her?”
With all that she had said, this was the only part that caught his full attention?
“That’s the thing,Ray. If your brother was meeting with Lucy in secret—at the car wash or wherever—was it because of their age difference or the differences in their standing in the community? Or was it because Lucy Cagle was working on this big exposé for her senior thesis that involved—among other things—missing children, human trafficking? Your family’s business has been under scrutiny many times.More than once there have been rumors of criminal activities related to the family business. This is where the jury won’t have trouble seeing past the meager evidence the state presents and finding guilt anyway.”
Red rose up his throat and spread across his face. The man was furious now.
“All I want,” he said quietly, too quietly, “is for you to clear this up. Maybe find out what happened to my little brother so my pop can die in peace. All this other stuff you’re talking about is irrelevant. Even if this whatever-the-hell-it-is ends up in court, no one can prove any of it. It’s only innuendos. And I think you know that.”
“I know you want it to look that way,” Finley offered. “Do I believe you’re innocent and telling me the whole truth? No way. But it isn’t my job to prove your innocence, it’s only my job to find the facts so that Jack can properly defend you.”
Johnson clasped his hands and pressed them against the desk, where he’d had the woman’s ass planted only minutes ago. He took a breath as if struggling for patience. “It’s important to me that you recognize I’m telling you the truth.”
Funny, Houser had said basically that same thing—but then he was a friend. This man was not.
“I’m not your attorney, and I’m not your priest,” Finley countered. “You don’t need me to believe anything.”
“Maybe I just want it because I like you, Finley. You intrigue me. You’re super smart and nice to look at. I have to tell you, you’ve given me some seriously hot dreams.”
Finley smiled but inside she recoiled in disgust. “Now you’re just trying to piss me off. Don’t try too hard, Ray, I already don’t trust you.”
His lips thinned, and his gaze turned angry. “We done here, Ms.O’Sullivan?”
“We are.” She stood. “I’m sure Jack has already told you that we’ll need the name of that structural engineer and his report if you can produce it. He likes to be well armed.”
Finley walked out of his office. She smiled at the receptionist, who only glowered at her. She didn’t slow down until she had reached her Subaru. She backed out of the slot and eased onto Hillsboro Circle, then made her way to the intersection at Hillsboro Pike and stopped well away from Johnson’s domain. She took her first deep breath since walking into that damned place.
She put in a call to Jack. While she waited for him to answer, she merged into traffic on Hillsboro Pike.
“I’m guessing you visited our client and it didn’t go so well, since my phone is blowing up with a call from Ray at the same time you’re calling.”
“You would be guessing correctly,” Finley acknowledged. She gave him a quick overview of the impromptu meeting sans the compromising position in which she found their client. No need to resurrect those images.
