Stolen Love (Beauty in the Stolen 3)

I don’t reply.

“Faking a death certificate is a very serious crime, but it comes nowhere near to murdering a high-ranking detective.”

When I still don’t take the bait, he folds his hands on the table. “Come on, Hart. You know how this works.”

“Actually, I don’t.” I flash him another smile. “It’s my first arrest. Congratulations. You caught the notorious Phantom gang leader. This is a feather in your cap, Detective Hackman.”

At the mention of his name, his nostrils flare.

“I imagine a promotion is in the cards,” I continue. “What are they offering you? SIU? Maybe they’ll even let you choose. I hear the Cape Town office is a sought-after placement.”

His bony shoulders go rigid. “You did your homework.”

I shrug. “I wanted to know who was terrorizing my girl.”

He blinks. Guilty. Turning toward the cop stationed at the door, he says, “Go grab Mr. Hart a cup of coffee. I have a feeling he’ll talk more freely with caffeine in his body. Won’t you, Mr. Hart?”

“Yes,” I drawl, playing along.

The cop raps on the door. When it’s opened, he leaves. The key scrapes in the lock on the other side.

“Don’t try anything,” Hackman says. “You won’t get out alive.”

“Don’t worry.” My smile is mocking. “I’m well aware of the fact.” I’m not planning on getting myself killed. It’s not in Cas’s interest that I die.

He takes his phone from his pocket and barks out a command to cut the camera recording. He couldn’t have given a stronger admittance of guilt.

Putting away his phone, he says, “We have privacy. Talk.”

“Did you agree with Wolfe’s methods?” I ask, scrutinizing his face.

He blinks again before pulling his face into a scowl. “I’m asking the questions.”

I steeple my fingers. “I was just wondering. How did you know things were going down at the cabin?”

His lip curls. “You have a hearing problem. I said I’m the one asking the questions.”

“Here’s how it’s going to work.” I lean back again, slumping against the wall. “You give me something, and I give you something. Simple.”

His jaw bunches as he grinds his teeth. “You’re going down for murder.”

“Am I? No one saw me shoot Wolfe. You don’t have a murder weapon. You’re building a case on assumptions, Detective Hackman.”

From the way he clenches his hands into fists, I know Cas didn’t confess anything. She didn’t give them shit. He was bluffing.

After a moment, he says, “Fine. I want to know what Detective Wolfe was doing out there by himself.”

“I’ll tell you when you’ve answered my question. How did you know things were going down at the Kloof?”

He sighs. “Mr. Mint Visser reported a robbery. He said Ms. Joubert held him at gunpoint and stole a bag of diamonds from his safe. When a guard at the Kloof reported a fire, I thought it strange that there would be a fire a few hours after a major robbery at the very place you once used as a hideout.”

“And you decided to check it out.”

“Yes. Your turn. What was Detective Wolfe doing there on his own?”

I cross my arms. “Didn’t Mr. Visser tell you?”

“He said he called Detective Wolfe to alert him to Ms. Joubert’s visit.”

I tap a finger on my nose. “But you smelled a rat. You knew there was more to it.”

“I told you what you wanted to know. What the hell is going on, Hart?”

Sucking air through my teeth, I consider him. “I need to know one more thing. Why did you go along with Wolfe’s plan to let Cas spy on me?”

He shifts on his seat.

“You know how this will look for you if that information gets out,” I say. “What you did was illegal. It may spoil your chances of making SIU after all. Retirement in Cape Town will definitely not be an option.”

He glances at the door. “I was against it.”

“Is that why you said nothing when Wolfe made the ridiculous proposal? Oh, wait. It wasn’t a proposal. He blackmailed and threatened Cas into complying. You didn’t give her a choice.”

He pulls at his tie. “Look, I didn’t like it, but Wolfe was a big shot detective, and I was—” He hesitates. “I was intimidated.” He adds hastily, “At first.”

“What happened?” I drawl. “Did your conscience catch up with you?”

His face goes red. “You said you’d cooperate if I told you what you wanted to know. I’ll be damned if I sit here and let myself be interrogated and judged by a fucking cop killer.”

“Calm down, Hackman. You look like you’re going to have a heart attack. I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

He holds up a finger. “If this is some kind of sick game—”

“This is far from a game.”

“I’ll go along with whatever this is—for now—but know this. If you’re playing with me, I’ll make sure they put both you and your girlfriend in isolation when they lock you up for as long as you live.”