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“Whatever we find,” I said to Will, “we can take it to the press.”
“I’ve tried. They’re not interested.”
“Maybe Amy and Ian will run it.”
“I don’t know that a podcast is going to make a big difference.”
“We have to start somewhere.”
When Will didn’t say anything, I said, “Talk to your friend. Whatever happens, whatever you need, I’m all in.”
I ended the call and hit Play on my podcast. I wanted to know what else Amy and Ian had learned about the sweatshop in Chinatown.
I hoped the asshole who ran it went to prison for the rest of his miserable life.
Monday, October 7
2
Kara Quinn relaxed once Michael dropped Matt off at FBI headquarters on their way from LAX to LAPD headquarters downtown.
Matt Costa, their team leader, would be at the courthouse to listen to her testimony, but his concern for her safety had made her tense. She understood all the reasons why, but his stress gave her one more thing to think about when she already had far too much on her plate.
“He knows this is risky,” Michael said. “Cut him some slack.”
She glanced at her partner. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“He doesn’t think you’re taking the threat seriously.”
“I am. I just don’t want to talk about it 24/7. You have my back and I trust you. Matt has talked to court security a gazillion times and we have a dozen contingencies. I’m wearing this stupid vest all day.” She hit her chest. The Kevlar was wholly uncomfortable. She’d never gotten used to it when she’d been in uniform, and it didn’t feel any better now.
The unspoken truth: she was in a relationship with Matt. That was why Michael was coming with her to the courthouse. It was one thing to work together—she and Matt had proven they could be professional on the job. It was another to have the woman you cared about testifying against the criminal who had put a bounty on her head.
She changed the subject. “I wish I was a fly on the wall during Matt’s meeting.”
Michael grinned. “I’d join you.”
Matt was meeting with Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryce Thornton, the asshole who had nearly destroyed Kara’s case against David Chen. Also in the meeting was an assistant US attorney working on federal charges against Chen. Because the state case was stronger—and because Thornton had fucked everything up seven months ago—the state was prosecuting Chen first.
Depending on what happened today at the courthouse, Kara would have to answer questions about Chen’s operation tomorrow at FBI headquarters. She wasn’t looking forward to it. Matt was there today to have Thornton removed from the case, something that should have happened months ago when he almost let Chen walk free and clear.
“I’ve never been here,” Michael said.
“You’ve never been to Los Angeles? Are you kidding?”
“I didn’t travel when I was a kid—I don’t remember ever leaving Chicago until I enlisted in the Navy, and boot camp wasn’t far from where I grew up. I went to SEALs training in Coronado, but never drove up here.”
“I wish I could show you around. Take you to Santa Monica—that’s where my condo is. One of my favorite Mexican restaurants is walking distance. Oh, and there is this amazing fish place on the pier. Best salmon I’ve ever had. There’s so much to do here, and no one pays you any attention. Usually, I hang out at the beach on my days off.”
“You, Ms. Workaholic, actually took days off?”
“Once or twice a month,” she said jokingly, even though that was the truth.
“Don’t know that we’ll have the time, or if it’ll be safe.”
“Don’t remind me,” she muttered. “Lex, my boss, has someone watching the place, and there’s been no sign that Chen’s known associates have been checking it out. I’d really like to go by before we leave town.”
The hearing was bullshit, Kara thought. Chen’s attorney had moved to dismiss the entire case by having Kara’s testimony and statement tossed for some legal reason she didn’t quite understand. Craig Dyson, the DDA who was prosecuting Chen, and who Kara had worked with while she was undercover to prevent just these types of legal maneuvers, needed her to answer questions the judge may have. He’d told her that if she didn’t show, there was a fifty-fifty chance the judge would dismiss the case. If she showed, he was confident that no evidence would be tossed and Chen would go to trial as scheduled.
