The Veiled Cage (Lady Lawyer Series Romantic Suspense Novels Book 1) (33 page)

She held up her hand, and continued
.“
Another man comes onto the scene. One we all recognize
.
”

“
Stuart Johnston
,”
said Jasmine.

“
Yes, Mr. County Attorne
y—
best buds with Jerald Combes. And there he is with another man
.
”

“
Who
?”
Colin prompted.

“
Anthony Priestley. I recognize him from the missing-person report
.”
Kottke grinned
.“
Taking a little thunder back from yesterday
.
”

“
Well done
,”
Ruby said
.“
I sent this still to Alfred, and he confirmed i
t’
s Priestley. So it seems we have Jerald Combes in the pawn shop yesterday morning, and dead in his cabin less than twelve hours later. We have Anthony Priestley disappearing on Friday, and reappearing on Saturday
.”
             

“
Busted! We have the killers
!
”

“
I appreciate your enthusiasm, Jazz. W
e’
re not quite there yet. All right, team. How do we wrap up these bastards with a bow for the feds, and spring our client at the same time
?
”

“
Let me guess
,”
Colin said
.“
You have a plan
.
”

“
Yes, and i
t’
s a win for all except the killers. W
e’
ll get a vindicated client, and the deadly duo will get a one-way shuttle trip to Mardova, and the feds will get to dismantle another drug operation
.
”

“I’
m hesitant to ask how
.”
Justin swept his hand over his face.

“
First thing tomorrow morning, Mr. County Attorney and I are having a little cha
t—
here, alone. Or so h
e’
ll think.
I’
ll get him comfortable, get him pissed, and get his confession
.
”

“
Right before he attempts to eliminate you. Le
t’
s see, I vote no
.”
Colin looked up and contributed before once again tapping on his PSC.

“
Using yourself as bait. Brilliant. Le
t’
s add another kill to their list. Use me, Ruby.
I’
m an ex-cop
.
”

“
Sorry, Kottke. He wo
n’
t be as furious about a male foiling his plan as a lowly female. Not that you ca
n’
t get the pain-in-the-ass
o’
meter right up there
.
”

“
Seriously, Ruby. Your life for Susa
n’
s freedom is
n’
t an exchange w
e’
re willing to make
.
”

“
I do
n’
t plan on it. We do
n’
t know how far Johnston has infiltrated his office. W
e’
ll have backup, and i
t’
ll be federal. W
e’
ll apprise your bureau buddy of the evidence w
e’
ve collected
.
”

“
What will the feds think of your plan
?
”

“
The
y’
ll love it as much as my team. But the
y’
ll realize they have no one imbedded, and no way to work someone in without sending up flares.
I’
ll assure Agent Mitzu
I’
m confronting the county attorney with or without the agenc
y’
s participation
.”
She grinned
.“
But I ca
n’
t do it without yours
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re insane, ace
.”
Justin slugged her on the shoulder.

“
I suspect the
y’
ll offer to outfit me with a wire, and monitor the meetin
g—
ready to intervene. A generous offer, but I trust this team more. Kottke, yo
u’
re in charge of security for this op. Would you like to bring Agent Mitzu into the loop, or should I
?
”

“I’
ll do it. Yo
u’
ll walk out unharmed, Ruby. You can count on us
.
”

“
I do
n’
t mind a few knocks. Just keep me alive
.
”

“
I have a few prototypes in development that could be of assistance
,”
Emilio said.

“
Great, team with Kottke
.”
She saw Coli
n’
s eyes light up.

So did Emilio
.“I’
ll require Coli
n’
s assistance
.
”

“
H
e’
s all yours
,”
she said.

✧

As the trio walked toward the tech center, Emilio turned to Kottke, heated
.“
I hope you do
n’
t plan on her walking in there unarmed
.
”

“
Listen, pal. Sh
e’
s the driving force behind this whole operation. Everything you see here, all the progress w
e’
ve made on this cas
e—
sh
e’
s spearheaded it
.
”

“
Yes, yes. I know sh
e’
s capable
.
”

“
Sh
e’
s capable, and not stupid. And sh
e’
s a hell of a lot stronger than she looks. She could toss you on your techie ass. She trusts us to keep her safe, and
I’
m going to do just that
.
”

“
So tha
t’
s the plan? Have firepower ready to extract her if necessary? There may not be time for that
.
”

“
What do you have in mind
?
”

“
She insists on using herself as bait
,”
Emilio said
.“
I have a workaround. W
e’
ll have to head to my uptown lab for supplies
.
”

“
Sublime.
I’
d love to see your lab
.”
Colin said.

“
Real nice
,”
Justin said
.“
Get cryptic as w
e’
re planning how to save Rub
y’
s life
.
”

“
Trust me
,”
Emilio said
.“
Besides, yo
u’
ll have to see it to believe it
.
”

They headed to the elevators.

“
Sh
e’
s getting under your skin, is
n’
t she
?
” asked Justin.

“I’
m not sure what sh
e’
s doing, but i
t’
s very important to me that sh
e’
s unharmed
.
”

Justin studied him as he would a suspect in interrogation. With a brisk nod, he said
,“
You and Colin go ahead.
I’
ll start rigging this place with eyes and ears
.
”

“
Yes, throughout the building
.
”

“
I
t’
s his
,”
Colin added.

“I’
ll arrange complete access for our team. Its tenants will be perturbed when the building is closed Monday morning for security upgrades, but safety comes first
.
”

“
I like your style, buddy
.”
             

✧

Ruby looked up and gave Amy an absent smile when she entered her office.

“
Where did Jasmine go
?”
Amy asked.

“
Jazz is in the meeting room
.
”

“
Sh
e’
s a wonderful addition to the team
.
”

“
Yes, w
e’
ve caught many lucky breaks in this case. Sh
e’
s one of them
.
”

“
‘
Diligence is the mother of good luck
,’
Ruby
.
”

“
Yes, good old Be
n’
s words still ring true
.
”

“
And it seems we have an inventor of Frankli
n’
s caliber in our ranks. Another fortunate development
.
”

“
Yes, Emilio is . .
.
”

“
Yes
?
”

“
H
e’
s . . . not what I expected
.
”

“
The neurosurgeon certainly did
n’
t have this affect on you
.”
She said.

“
I
t’
s bad enough Alfred is meddling. You can both do me a favor and take off your matchmaker hats. I need you to don your psychologist one at the moment
.
”

“
You ca
n’
t ignore a man like that forever
.
”

“
No, I already tried
.
”

“
And where did it get you
?
”

“
It landed me in a castle chopping veggies and chatting with his mother
.”
She held up her hands in dismay
.“
Sh
e’
s wonderful. Yo
u’
d like her. I
t’
s all spun out of control. And the worst part is h
e’
s not pretentious and materialist. He makes up bedtime stories
.”
She ended with her hands in her hair and a look of distress on her face
.“
What am I supposed to do with a man like that
?
”

“
I have a few ideas, my dear
.
”

“
Never mind. Yo
u’
re not helping at all
.”
She finger-combed her choppy hair, and drew in a steadying breath
.“I’
d like you to write up a report. Profile the escalation of an abuser with his history. Document the relevant evidence of past conduct.
I’
ll need it ready for court on Monday
.
”

“
Certainly.
I’
ll see to it right away
.
”

“
First, do you mind walking through the best approach for tomorrow? I have one shot at eliciting a confession. I need to hit the bul
l’
s-eye
.
”

“
He enjoys recognition. Give him a chance to brag. Goad him into it. H
e’
ll need to feel h
e’
s in control of the situation. Yo
u’
re a snag in his plans that he can remed
y—
silence you and h
e’
ll bury the truth
.”
Resolute, Amy stepped forward
.“I’
d like to be in the room with you
.
”