donât know how or why somebody would impersonate me like that. But Iâm telling you right now, that wasnât me.â She tried to reign in her temper. Losing it now would do her no good. It would only get her on the wrong side of the FBI. And while a part of her could take pride in that kind of accomplishment, she didnât need the drama in her life right now. âEven if it was me, youâve got to know I had nothing to do with breaking him out of prison.â
He didnât say anything, only nodded. Why not go after her with the big guns? Why was he doing this song and dance, if he wasnât intent in getting her on the hook for the escape? Something wasnât adding up. But she wouldnât get anything out of him.
âListen, Detective Sanchez, Iâm going to be straight with you. I believe, for whatever reason, you murdered your father. It might have been self-defense. It might have been in cold blood. It might have been some kind of mercy killing. I donât much care. All you need to do is tell me what you know.â
âAre you crazy?â Unable to sit any longer, she shot to her feet, nearly knocking over the chair in the process. âHow many times do I have to tell you? I havenât talked to my father in twenty five years. I guess I could have shot him without saying a word, but that seems more than a little pointless.â She took several deep breaths in an attempt to lower her raging blood pressure. Once she was more in control, she sat back down. âWhat you should be focusing on is why anybody would bother to set me up?â
âThanks for telling me how to do my job, but I have my own plan of action.â He had a smug condescending look on his face.
âGood. I was worried you might be one of those âfly by the seat of your pantsâ kind of guys. It always helps to have a plan when youâre setting somebody up.â
She got up and bolted out of the room. Thank God nobody stopped her. She wasnât sure sheâd be able to control herself.
* * *
Landry knew with one look that something bad happened inside that room. Isabella hadnât glanced in his direction, just slammed the door and stalked through the station. Despite her short legs and his long ones, he didnât catch up to her until sheâd stomped her way toward the door.
He grasped her arm. She turned to glare at him before shaking him off. But he wasnât about to let her go that easily. âWhat happened in there?â
âGetting set up and accused of murder at the same time gets me good and angry. Is that all right with you?â
She hadnât even tried to keep her voice down, so the whole station had gone quiet at her proclamation. She seemed oblivious. Either that, or she didnât care.
âWas there a Fed guy in there?â Although he knew from experience it was pointless, he tried to settle her down.
âYep, that smugâ¦â She stopped for a second, tapping her toe on the sidewalk outside the station. The frustration seemed to be rolling off her in waves.
âHeâs yanking your chain, trying to see if youâll confess to anything.â
âYou donât get it. Theyâve got a video of me visiting my father in prison, except I didnât. Somebodyâs setting me up but good. Before tomorrow theyâll probably have me for breaking him out and then killing him.â
He shook his head. âNobody would ever believe that.â
She grasped his shirt in her fist and glared at him. âYou donât know that. Iâm not exactly Ms. Popularity around here.â
âThereâs no evidence.â
âYet. Give them time. Iâm sure theyâll be able to manufacture some.â Without another word, she got into her car and slammed the door.
Landry didnât know what was going on, but was bound and determined to figure it out with or without her help.
* * *
She got into her car and
Hilary Storm, Kathy Coopmans
Alicia Danielle Voss-Guillén