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“Martha turned herself and him into the reasonable doubt we needed,” I say. “If he’s going to turn on you, he’s going to turn on you. He’ll be in desperate mode right now and we can’t let him take you down with him.”
“What if he’s innocent?” she says. “What if Martha’s lying?”
“We think she might be lying,” Cat replies. “But we don’t know. You’re so very close to freedom.” Cat walks up to her and settles her hands on Dana’s arms. “When you’re free, if he’s innocent and needs a lawyer, you can get him one. You can help him, but you can’t help him if you’re disinherited and behind bars.”
I don’t miss the fact that Cat didn’t suggest I become his lawyer, but Dana doesn’t catch the inference that I won’t be offering my services to Reginald. Dana breathes out and nods. “You’re right. You’re so right.”
I take the opening I’m given. “Then you won’t mind if I keep you under lock and key for the next few days.” Cat steps back to allow me direct eye contact with Dana. “I want you in a hotel room with Walker Security protecting you.”
“You think I’m in danger?”
“More from yourself than anyone else,” I say. “One wrong conversation or move could ruin this for you and us.”
“Do you think I’m in danger?” she presses.
“There’s a killer on the loose,” I say when I’m really just trying to keep her away from Reginald. “I’m not taking any chances. Desperate people do desperate things,” I repeat. “Do we agree on the hotel and the security?”
Dana hugs herself. “Yes. Yes, okay.”
“I don’t even want a text message exchanged with Reginald,” I add. “I mean it. Nothing. Agreed?”
“Yes. Agreed.”
I study her a few beats, ensuring she really does agree. “Give me a moment,” I say, motioning Cat to the hallway.
We step outside and shut the door. Richard, Elsa, and Savage join us. “I need her in a hotel with protection tonight,” I tell Savage.
Savage nods. “I’ll get a plan in place now in case court adjourns early.” His phone beeps and he grabs it, glances at a text message and then at us. “Royce has an insider who told him the DA just submitted for a search warrant for Martha and Reginald’s homes and offices.”
“They know they’re going to lose,” Cat says. “They’re trying to either connect Dana to the murder, via an accomplice, or make a new arrest before they look like fools.”
“In other words,” Richard says, “you didn’t get your confession, but you might have caught a killer.”
“Don’t tell Dana,” I say. “We do not want her warning Reginald.”
Savage looks at me. “You don’t think she’s afraid if he goes down, she goes down, do you?”
“No,” I say. “Do you know something we don’t know?”
“We searched his place,” he says. “We pulled random samples to look for DNA evidence. We didn’t find anything, but the police will do what we couldn’t do. They’ll tear his place apart.”
“That’s not an answer,” I say. “Do you know something I don’t?”
“No,” he says. “But you’re worried. I see it in your eyes.”
“There’s not an attorney on the planet that isn’t worried they’ve misjudged a client.”
Savage nods. “I’ll take care of the hotel arrangements.” He looks at Cat. “Page me when you’re ready to leave. I’ll be at the end of the hallway.” He walks away.
I take Cat’s arm and motion to the office we met in yesterday. We step inside and I shut the door. “Was she too damn worried about him considering the revelations on the stand or am I being paranoid?”
“I thought the same thing. She was too worried. For the first time since you started this trial, I’m worried she’s guilty.”
I rest my head against the door and breathe out. Cat is quickly in front of me, her hands on my waist. “We’re both being paranoid about your perfect record and our dislike of helping killers get away with murder. Let’s consider option number two: She loves him. The idea that he is guilty, that he used her for money, on top of her father’s death, makes her feel really alone. And once you have someone in your life that you love, the idea of losing them destroys you.”
I cup her head and pull her lips to mine. “Are you telling me you thought you were going to lose me over Debbie?”
“No. Not really.”
