Vince sits back in the chair and crosses his arms over his chest. “I know that it’s not in my best interest to talk to you without my attorney, but what can I say, Miss Bullock? I trust you .”
“Harlow. You can call me Harlow .”
“I’d hope so,” Vince grins. “Harlow , I only recently found out what Durante Adelardi and his family were involved in. My father was also an attorney, and we weren’t close. When he passed away this past winter, he requested that I come here from my office in California and settle his estate, as well as his cases.” He clears his throat, and pierces me again with his blue eyes before continuing. “Now, I had met Adelardi over the years in passing, but I draft contracts for hip-hop labels and Hollywood starlets. I’m not about to kill anyone for money. As soon as I discovered what Adelardi had been up to, and found proof of it in my father’s files, I started collecting evidence. I was in the process of putting it all together to bring to your office when this happened. I suspect Adelardi found out what I was up to and fabricated this story to try and discredit me .”
“So, you’re saying you’ve been framed?” My inner skeptic kicks in, because I’ve heard this story a thousand times. Everyone was supposedly framed, unless they were so-called innocent .
“I’m sure you hear that all the time, ADA Bullock, Harlow, but in this case, I assure you. It’s the truth. And if you help me get bail, I can prove it to you. But there is nothing I can do from in here. If I don’t get out of this room, and soon, Adelardi is going to have my offices and home torn apart until they find what they are looking for .”
I lean back in the cold, uncomfortable chair and my mind starts running. “Did you know who I was ?”
Vince looks at me, confused. “I’m sorry ?”
I don’t know for sure that Alexander and the cops aren’t listening, so I have to watch what I say. “Did you. Know. Who. I. Was .”
Vince thinks for a moment, and then it clicks. “Oh. I did .”
“So, it was intentional? You picked me on purpose ?”
His face gets serious, and he leans forward, then gestures for me to do the same. When we’re close enough to almost touch, he whispers under his breath, “You are the most brilliant, beautiful woman I’ve ever met, Harlow Bullock. That’s why I picked you.” The warmth of his words against my cheek send a shiver down my spine, and the only reason I don’t dive across the table and kiss him right there is because the door opens and startles us both .
Alexander stalks over, his face bright red. “I think we’re done here, Mr. Loretto .”
I stand up from the desk and the chair skitters on the floor behind me. “I think we are as well, Alexander. From what I see in this file, you barely have anything to hold this man, let alone charge him. The only evidence you have are some photos of him with a man he has readily admitted he knows. Perhaps, if you ask nicely, Mr. Loretto will surrender his passport and agree to stay in the city. In that time, you can prove, or disprove your case against him, rather than deal with a costly false imprisonment lawsuit later. I think that’s more than fair, don’t you ?”
The detectives look at each other, annoyed, and Alexander points to the door. I follow him outside, and he slams it shut behind us .
“What the hell are you doing, Harlow?” he growls at me .
“Alexander, those detectives haven’t got a shred of evidence outside of the word of an anonymous tipster and some pictures. You’re rushing to prosecute him because you want another win, and instead you’ll have a big mistake. Be smart.” I tuck the files in my briefcase, hoping he won’t notice that I’m trying to sneak out with them so I can get a good look at them before he demands them back .
“Are you sure there isn’t another reason you’re so interested in keeping him out of prison? You two looked awfully cozy in there .”
I shoot him daggers. “I won’t dignify that with a response, Alexander. I’m telling you, you’re making a huge mistake. Let the man go. We can follow up on this, slowly .”
Alexander snarls, but he doesn’t say anything because he knows I’m right. My personal feelings about the situation aside, this was a rush to judgment on everyone’s part, and whether or not they want to admit it, they’re going to regret it later. Alexander turns to go but before he can get to the door, he turns back to me .
“Are you going back to the office ?”
I hesitate. Amy has already cleared my day, so there is no reason I can’t work from home. It would be easier to go over the files I’ve snatched from the relative safety of my apartment, as opposed to in the office, where I have a good chance of getting caught .
“I am going to head to the law library for a while. I need some quiet to finish this paperwork and read a few briefs before I meet with the SVB tomorrow. But I’ll have my cell on me if you need me. And Amy is at the office if it’s an emergency .”
Alexander nods, then disappears back in the holding cell, and I run out of the building before anyone can stop me .
Chapter 49
I yawn and sip from my glass of ruby red wine, then flip over the Miles Davis album I am listening to. I’ve been going through the files I nipped from Alexander all night, and have yet to find any concrete connection between Vince and the Adelardi family, other than via Vince’s father. Jason Loretto was a prominent criminal defense attorney in Manhattan and had worked almost exclusively for the Adelardis for thirty years, so he knew plenty. But Vince wasn’t lying; all of his own business was in California, and the few pictures of him with Durante seemed to be from office holiday parties and the rare dinner out .
&
nbsp; The transcript of the call from the anonymous source is shoddy at best, and the information sounds obviously loaded. My main concern at this point is the fact that whoever knew Vince was at the hotel could just as easily know I was there with him, and if so, that means I’m a target as well. I sigh as I slide all of the photos back into the file and then set the file on my coffee table. I look at the clock and see that it’s after midnight, and since I have an eight a.m. meeting, I should probably go to sleep. But just as I get up to head to my bedroom, there is a knock on the door that makes my heart leap into my throat. There is no way that anyone should have made it past the doorman without being announced .
I open the side-table drawer next to my couch and pull out the .357 revolver my father gave me for protection. I haven’t so much as touched it since he gave it to me, but this is the time to be safe, rather than sorry. With the gun at my side, I inch over to the door, and look out the peep hole. All I see is someone’s back .
“Who’s there? How did you get past the doorman?” I yell through the wood. The person on the other side turns around, and it’s Vince. He’s wearing a wool cap with a hoodie over top of it, but it’s definitely him. Once I’m sure the chain is secured, I crack the door open, and peek through .
“I have a gun,” I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel. He smiles at me .