Page 20 of Benjamin and the Thief

“That’s because the Prestons used their influence to make sure he got convicted. They planted evidence. They framed him. And all the jury saw was a poor working-class man with brown skin and no money to pay for a decent defense. So now, he sits in prison in San Bruno.”

“What makes you so sure that he didn’t steal the necklace?”

“Because I know my brother. And the police never found the necklace anywhere.” She pointed to her surroundings. “We lived here together. They turned the place inside out and didn’t find anything.”

“They must have had evidence, or they wouldn’t have been able to convict Santiago.”

She caught his skeptical look. She couldn’t tell him what the evidence was that had convicted Santiago, because it was too damning. Benjamin would assume the worst, too. First, she had to get him to promise that he would help her. As a security expert, he was better equipped than she was to prove that the Prestons had framed her brother.

Knowing that any more talk of evidence would only make him less inclined to help her, she made a decision to tell him the truth about tonight.

“You wanted to know what I was going to steal from the Prestons,” she started.

He gave a nod.

“I wanted to steal the necklace my brother supposedly stole.”

Benjamin let out a gasp. “What the⁠—”

She lifted her hand to stop him. “I know what you want to say. But I’m convinced that they still have the necklace. And if I can find it, I have proof that Santiago is innocent.”

“No, you don’t!” he protested. “All the police would assume is that you retrieved the necklace from wherever Santiago stashed it. That makes you an accessory.”

“I’m not stupid,” she snapped. She snatched the pair of glasses from the table and held them up. “That’s why I was wearing these. They recorded everything I saw and did. I know about chain-of-custody! I’m not an idiot. I know I need to prove to the police and the court that the necklace was never stolen, so that Santiago will be released on appeal. Do you get that?”

Catalina stared at him, and he had to admit that he’d underestimated her. If the Prestons really had the necklace in their possession, and if it was still in the safe, Catalina’s plan might have worked. However, there were too many things that could go wrong—and had gone wrong.

“I see,” he said.

He took the glasses from her hand, inspecting them. There was indeed a tiny camera in the frame that could record everything the wearer saw.

“And the lock picking? Where did you learn that?”

“I had a temp job at a locksmith shop a couple of months ago, and the owner showed me a few things.”

So she wasn’t a lifelong thief and burglar, just a young woman who felt that injustice had ripped her brother from her arms and wanted to free him from prison.

He sighed. “Listen, Catalina, this is all good and well, but just because you don’t believe that your brother is a thief doesn’t mean that the Prestons framed him and still have the necklace. There’s no evidence of it.”

“That’s why I need help investigating them,” she said, her eyes pinning him. “You said you’re an investigator. You know much more about how to do this than I ever will. Please help me.”

Benjamin stared at her. He hadn’t expected her request.

“Santiago and I had nobody but a public defender to help him. We didn’t have the money to hire somebody who could investigate on his behalf and prove that all the evidence against him was doctored. That’s why the rich people always win. They have people. We have nobody.”

Her eyes pleaded with him, and he felt his heart soften, even though he suspected that Santiago was a lost case. But he couldn’t just help her break into the Prestons’ safe. That would help neither her nor Santiago, and Scanguards would land in hot water.

“I’m…” he started, the refusal already sitting on his tongue.

“If you help me,” she quickly said, stepping even closer so only a few inches separated them, “I’ll have sex with you whenever you want. How often you want. No matter how or where. Whatever kinky fetish you⁠—”

He put a finger over her lips to stop her from continuing. He knew he should turn down her offer. After all, when somebody offered sex as payment for a service like the one Catalina needed, it meant she was vulnerable, and he’d been raised never to take advantage of women in vulnerable positions. It was unethical. Unkind. Unacceptable. Yet…

“I’m not into kink.”

The words were out before he realized that he’d made a decision.

“But I’m not going to turn down sex with you,” he added. “Not after how good you made me feel last night. But I have rules.”