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“Because I hired you to cover my ass,” Donovan said. “So, cover it.”
Cal winced. “You know I’m not that kind of guy, right? No offense. I like you, and you’re okay looking and all for a dude, but I’m all about the ladies.”
Zak grinned over his shoulder from the passenger seat. “And he’s a smart-ass. Good. You’ll fit right in, Holden.”
“Not sure I want to fit in with you guys,” Cal muttered and sank back in his seat as the Tahoe stopped in front of Monarch Development Corp’s main office. “People around you tend to disappear. Or get shot. Or firebombed. I like my bacon extra-crispy, not my skin.”
Ash grumbled low in his throat and shut off the car. “Just what I need, more smart-asses in my life.”
Zak chuckled. “Ignore the bear in the driver’s seat. He forgot to hibernate, and he’s grouchy.”
Ash pushed open his door. “Remember, you are not deputies. You are here solely as witnesses.”
“Uh,” Cal said and held up a finger in the universal gesture of hold on a second. “If I’m here to cover asses, I’d recommend you deputize them.”
“Fuck,” Ash muttered. Then, “Fine. You’re all deputies now. Happy?”
Zak pumped a fist in the air and followed him to the sidewalk.
Donovan didn’t move. He couldn’t seem to make his limbs work, couldn’t grasp the door and shove it open.
“You good?” Cal asked and squeezed his shoulder.
He shook his head. “What if this doesn’t work? I’ve lived with this hanging over my head for so long… I can’t imagine it finally being over.”
“Hey, Ash Rawlings is a man with a plan, and he never fails. It’s fucking annoying. All the defense attorneys I know shudder in fear when they see his name on a police report because he is a solid cop with a superior arrest record and a reputation for dotting all of his Is and crossing all of his Ts. And jokes aside, as your lawyer, I’m here to tell you this will work. Your name is about to be cleared, man.”
Donovan sucked in a breath and forced his hand to move from his knee to the door handle.
“That’s the spirit,” Cal said.
The three of them spread out and followed Ash into the building like a defensive line. The secretary’s smile fell away when she spotted them approaching, and she grabbed the receiver of her desk phone.
Ash placed a hand over hers. “No need to call security, ma’am.” He produced a rolled stack of papers from his back pocket and handed them to her. “I have a search warrant for Mark Salas’s office.”
The secretary’s eyes widened as she scanned the warrant. “I-I’ll call Mr. Salas and let him know.”
“Much appreciated,” Ash said with a nod. “But we’ll be heading up now.”
The elevator ride up to the top floor was silent, the tension in the small space palpable. Donovan couldn’t help but feel as if his heart was going to beat out of his chest. This was it. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the moment that would clear his name and free him from years of unjust suspicion.
As they stepped off the elevator, they were met with a sleek, modern office space that seemed to go on for miles. Glass walls separated various departments, and people in suits bustled around. Donovan followed Ash, Zak, and Cal as they made their way to Salas’s office.
Ash knocked briskly on the door, then pushed it open before anyone could answer. Mark was sitting at his desk, his eyes glued to his computer screen. He looked up at the intrusion, his eyebrows raised in surprise. “What the hell is this?”
Ash ignored the question. He simply held up the search warrant and tossed a pair of latex gloves at Zak. “Toss the place.”
“With pleasure,” Zak said, his smile all teeth as he pulled the gloves on. He moved around the office, rifling through drawers and files.
Mark half-rose from his desk. “You have no right— “
“We have a search warrant, Mr. Salas,” Ash said. “And a lawyer here to verify we do everything by the book.”
Mark’s eyes flicked to Cal, then shifted to Donovan, who stood at the back of the group. “And what’s the basis for this search?”
Ash stepped forward, his face set in a grim line. “We have reason to believe that you were involved in the murder of Darcy Cantrell. It’s all there in the warrant. Feel free to read it.”
Mark sat back down and reached for his phone. “Fine. Go ahead and search.” His smirk faded into a scowl as he dialed. “But I’m calling my lawyer.”
