“Did you not just hear what I said? I paid him extra. Like two-hundred dollars extra. That kid was barely eighteen, if that. He took the cash, handed me the food, and took off.”
“So you’re the one who left the food out on the sidewalk, not the delivery driver?”
“Yes.”
“And when you realized Cassie’s hired bodyguard was still keeping watch, you decided to hit him over the head with the concrete?”
“What more do you need to know, Detective? I went there with the plan to kill Cassie. I bribed the kid with the food, smashed a big rock against the Nash guy’s head, and then I tried to strangle Cassie to death. Clearly my plan failed, since I’m here…in these.” He raised his hands up as far as his cuffs would allow. “So now you know everything, and I’m done talking.”
“You’re done when I say you’re done.”
“Not if I change my mind and ask for my attorney.”
“Do you want your attorney, Eddie?”
“I do if you want to continue this conversation.”
“Fine.” Detective Brandt pushed herself to her feet. “I have enough to ensure you never see the light of day again, anyway. I do appreciate your cooperation, Eddie. I’ll be sure to pass that along to the D.A.”
Grabbing the folder, notepad, and pen from the table, she pushed in her chair and walked right out the door.
“She’s pretty good, isn’t she?” Knox’s tone filled with pride.
“She is,” Archer agreed. “Of course, it helps when the accused makes a full, uncoerced confession.”
“That’s fair.” Turning to her, the detective who’d arrested Cassie days earlier uttered the best words she’d heard since Archer’s surprising declaration of love. “I’m going to go straight to my office to call the D.A. It’ll take a bit for the paperwork to be pushed through, but given what we’ve just heard, the charges against you should be dropped within the hour.”
“Don’t you think you owe her a little more than that?” Archer shot the other man a look.
“Like what?”
“How about a fucking apology, for starters?”
“An apology? For doing my damn job?”
“No, jackass. For putting her in jail for something she didn’t do.”
“It’s okay, Archer.” It wasn’t, but she could also see things from Knox’s perspective. “If I were him, given the evidence at the time, I would’ve arrested me, too.”
Knox’s blue gaze slid to hers. And with his offered nod of appreciation, the two put the unfortunate situation behind them.
“I’ll keep you posted on what’s happening with Yates,” the handsome detective offered.
“Do you think he’ll get life in prison, or will his cooperation weigh heavily enough to show him leniency?”
“Given the pressure the Mayor’s been putting on everyone to close this one, I’m thinking our boy in there will be old and gray if and when he ever gets out.”
“Speaking of the Mayor and his heavy hand…what was it you were wanting to meet about?”
That’s right. The meeting.
With everything that had happened, it had completely slipped Cassie’s mind.
“Ironically, I was going to suggest you look at the wife.”
“Lori?” Cassie frowned. “She’s my best friend. She’d never?—”
She cut herself off, because she realized…