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When no one spoke up, he picked up the remote to start the video. The footage was in high definition. Although the warehouse was dark inside, the surroundings were clear. Within minutes, it showed two men – easily identified as Karl Halifax and Donnie Barcos. They seemed to be conversing amicably until Barcos received a phone call. That’s when things changed. You could tell from Barcos’ expression and words that he knew who was calling and was annoyed by the interruption. You also knew from the way Barcos’ demeanor changed that whoever had called him was telling him something about Karl that angered him.

The next thing you saw, Barcos reached into his jacket and pulled out his gun, aiming it at Karl. In response, Karl jerked his revolver from a holster in his crotch and fired before Barcos could pull the trigger, clearly in self-defense.”

“Damn. How could he get that gun from out of his crotch that fast?” Detective Tomlin asked, grinning. “Evidently, he’s a man used to…” Then, as if remembering there was a female in the room, he said, “Ahh, nothing.”

“I would like to view it again with the volume up a little more, please,” Agent Harris requested.

Prosecutor Irvin nodded and was about to roll the tape again when Locke’s phone began beeping. He frowned. “Attorney Dangerfield, I asked that all phones be silenced,” Irvin reminded him.

“It’s my security phone, Prosecutor Irvin, and it can’t be silenced,” Locke said, pulling it from his jacket. After reading the words flashing across the screen, he suddenly jumped from his seat and exclaimed, “What the hell! Somebody just placed an explosive device on my car.”

“What!”

“Who told you that?”

“Are you sure?”

Instead of answering any questions, Locke then glanced around the room and asked, “Does anyone in here drive a Blue Lexus 350RX Hybrid?”

“Yes, that describes my car,” Irvin said, standing as well. “Why?”

Locke met Irvin’s gaze. “An explosive was placed on yours, too.” He held up Rexar. “This device provides error-free detection. I suggest we get the bomb squad in here immediately.”

***

Three hours later, everyone reassembled in Prosecutor Irvin’s office. The bomb squad verified explosives attached to both vehicles that had been parked in the garage. Although small, the device had the ability to detonate with enough force to kill the car’s occupants and anyone within a twenty-foot radius. It was set to explode the moment the driver opened the car door.

It was a blessing for Irvin that Rexar could detect additional bombs within three miles of where Locke was parked. To be on the safe side, Detectives Connors and Tomlin, along with Agents Wells and Harris, made sure the bomb squad thoroughly searched their vehicles, too.

The police department was pulling parking garage videos and traffic cameras from every intersection. Not to take any chances, they would get police escorts home or wherever they intended to go after today’s meeting. It was unheard of that the lives of both the defense attorney and prosecutor ─ technically opposing sides ─ would both be targeted. Locke figured whoever was behind it had found out what their meeting was about today. Did the responsible individual think the evidence would not be presented if anything were to happen to them?

He glanced over at Hollis, who gave him a smile. Just the thought that something could have happened to her just from being with him pissed him off. He was determined more than ever to bring the asshole to justice and make him pay.

Irvin held a press conference afterward to state that his and Attorney Dangerfield’s vehicles had been targeted. He stressed that he would bring the people responsible to justice. You could tell from the sound of his voice that he was angry. Understandably so.

Once the seven were back in the conference room, Prosecutor Irvin said to Locke. “I don’t know what kind of security device that is, but I appreciate that you had it.”

“I am, too,” Locke said.

“Whoever did that has a lot of balls to go after a defense attorney and the prosecutor working the same case,” Detective Connors said angrily. “Just what the hell are we dealing with here?”

“I think we owe it to ourselves to find out. Any of us could be next,” Agent Harris said, clearly upset like the others.

Irvin glanced around the room. “What happened today is a game-changer. But what hasn’t changed is our responsibilities. I am still the prosecutor; Dangerfield is still the defense attorney; you guys are still detectives, and you two,” he said, looking at Wells and Harris, “Are still FBI agents. We will handle our jobs accordingly. However, the major difference is that now whoever tried to kill me, Dangerfield and Calloway, are connected to his case. Someone doesn’t want to be exposed, but I will work to expose them if it’s the last thing I do,” he said, slamming his fist on the table.

After releasing a deep breath, he sat back down. “I am ordering in dinner. Before we leave here today, I want to know who is working on what and come up with a strategy. Someone thinks they are smart, but in the end we will prove to be smarter. So if there is anything you know that all of us don’t know, it should be shared here and now.”

He paused a moment and said, “I think that video we watched earlier shows Karl Halifax acted in self-defense, but it’s obviously more to it than that if someone wants the person defending him and the one prosecuting him both dead.”

“Looks like this is bigger than we imagined,” Agent Wells said, wiping sweat off his forehead.

“Appears that way,” Irvin said. “But the one thing we won’t do today is place guilt on anyone. We will work together, follow the evidence, and uncover the truth.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Good,” Irvin said. “We’ll go around the table and make sure we’re moving in the same direction, with the main goal of following the evidence. Who wants to start?”

Detectives Connors and Tomlin raised their hands, and Connors said, “We do.”