“Is that what you think?” Logan spoke up again. “You believe Cassie’s innocent?”
“Honestly? I don’t know. But I’d really like the chance to at least investigate things a little deeper.”A lot deeper.“At least check out the crime scene, talk to the detective in charge…” He slid his gaze back to Lucky’s. “And I was hoping, if you have time, you’d run her background. Hers, her late husband’s, his family…the people she works with at her firm?—”
“People she’s defended in the past.”
All eyes turned to Chase, who gave him a casual shrug. “She’s a defense attorney, right? Pretty sure I read somewhere that she does a lot of pro-bono work through her firm. Mostly small claims stuff, but there were a couple criminal cases mentioned in the article. Maybe one of her clients didn’t get the verdict they were hoping for and is convinced it’s all their lawyer’s fault.”
Damn. That was an angle Archer hadn’t even considered. But now that he thought about it, he couldn’t help but wonder if the cops had also overlooked the revenge angle.
“That’s smart.” He nodded with approval. “I’ll have her put a list of names together.”
Maybe that was all there was to this. A simple case of revenge that took a sideways turn when Russell Montgomery drank the wine instead of Cassie.
“Hold up.” Lucky shot his hand high into the air, though the man clearly had no intention of waiting for permission to speak. “Wouldn’t the D.A. have taken all this into consideration before going to a judge for an arrest warrant?”
Logan’s head bobbed with a nod. “That’s a good point,” their team leader commented. “District Attorneys typically don’t take on cases they can’t win.”
“Well there ya go!” Chase exclaimed. “You and Nat are on a first-name basis with the King County’s lead prosecutor. Why don’t you give her a call?”
“We’re acquainted with Simone Fitzpatrick, yes,” Logan confirmed. “But that’s only because we were her two star witnesses against the men who tried to kill my wife to keep from going to prison.”
A shadow fell over the other man’s striking gaze Archer recognized all too well. It was the same haunted look Logan wore every time he was reminded of just how close he’d come to losing the love of his life.
“Still, she knows who you are. And I bet she knows about Eagle’s Nest by now, too.”
“What’s your point?” Archer looked at Chase and waited.
“Just that she might be willing to partake in a little quid pro quo, that’s all. You know…you guys helped her win a massive case that’s all but secured her re-election, so maybe she’d be willing to pass along some of what she’s got on your girl.”
“Cassie isn’t my girl; she’s a client. One who, from the sounds of things, needs our help to not only stay out of jail, but also stay alive.”
A client. That was all. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“I’m not sure D.A. Fitzpatrick will be willing to share anything regarding an ongoing case, but I’d be willing to make the call and try to set up a meeting,” Logan offered.
Archer looked the other man’s way. “She agrees, I want to be there.”
“Of course.”
“What about the rest of you?” He turned his focus back to Lucky and Chase. “What do your schedules look like the rest of this week and next?”
An investigation like this could take longer. Much longer. But the sooner they got started?—
“I have to testify in court first thing tomorrow,” Logan offered.
“Which case is that again?” Chase inquired.
“Lionel Lopez,” their leader reminded the group.
Chase snapped his fingers in recognition. “Lopez. I remember now. He’s the prick who was stalking his ex-wife, right?”
“He’s the one.”
“I can’t believe that one made it to trial,” Lucky grumbled. “Asshole was caught breaking into the ex’s house.”
“Yeah, well that asshole apparently has a lot of money. Which, from what I’ve been told, has nearly all gone to his top-notch defense team. Thanks to the scrupulous records the wife kept—threatening texts, emails, even some handwritten notes left on her car outside her work and at home—the D.A.’s office has assured me the case against Lopez is a slam dunk.”
“So you think you’ll be done with it tomorrow, then?”