Page 82 of Exposed

I am not upset about the new developments.

Besides identifying most of Dex’s organization and confirming names and involvement, Goldie has given us the layout of The Pink and what Dex has used it for. Not only is the estate huge, but the grounds go on and on, especially for that area of Miami that grew up around it. Having that much space in the city is not common.

Dex might’ve gotten away with it all had I not run across his organization when I was working in Panama. It took crunching the numbers and following so many financial routes, it would make the IRS dizzy. He crossed paths with one of the bank accounts I knew was used for money laundering.

And that’s how I got here.

“Anderson Marshall.” I reach across the table and slide one of the pictures she ID’d when we first sat down. “How far up the chain is he in Dex’s organization?”

She shrugs. “Not far up when I first moved to Miami. But he became more and more important as time went on. He was always near Dex when I was there. Rand is, well,Rand,” she says with disdain. “But Anderson … he was different. He’s nothing like Dex or Rand. He was actually nice …ish. I wasn’t scared of him when I was there. He never threw his power around or tried to intimidate me. He wasn’t violent.”

Micah is about to open his mouth, but what I need to know takes precedence. “Whowasviolent?”

I have to remind myself that this interview is being recorded.

With video.

Brax and Micah might know that I didn’t leave her place last night—hell, Tim too. That’s a meeting that I’ve been able to put off so far today. They can assume what they want. I know they’ve got my back.

But this video can be used in front of a grand jury, should we need it. It can be used as probable cause. It’ll certainly be used if Goldie is presented as a witness to the shit that went down during her time at The Pink.

I might not know every tick or minute expression on her face yet, but after the last week, I feel like I know her well enough. So when Goldie turns her gaze to me, it’s filtered.

As fake as our engagement.

“You were there last night and saw what they do.”

“They pulled guns on you,” Micah confirms what we all know. “Like that kind of violence?”

Goldie shifts in her seat. “Along those lines.”

“That’s definitely intimidating,” Brax notes but leaves it at that.

He’s thinking what I’m thinking. Violence and intimidation are two different things.

I lean forward to the table and lower my voice. “What else?”

She shakes her head and her tone rises a notch. “What else is there to say? Stuff like what we saw last night. That wentdown all the time after hours. Never in front of customers or during events. Dex was always careful to keep public business and private business separate. Distributors would meet him there. He’d throw private parties. And none of it was fun and games.”

I tip my head and look at her.

Brax and Micah get the hint and keep their mouths shut.

“What?” Goldie bites and gives me a hint of who she was the other day in this very room when I exposed my real identity to her. The fire that probably saved her own ass shines through.

I lower my tone. “We’re just trying to understand.”

She leans toward me and mocks my tone. “Don’t talk to me like that.”

I sit up straight and shake my head. “Goldie?—”

“Like that,” she interrupts and raises her voice. “Like I’m some victim who can’t take care of herself. I was just fine before the three of you decided I was your way into the Carter Cartel just because of my last name. My last name means nothing. I’ve always hated that my mom didn’t give me hers. The cartel has been nothing but a curse since I crossed into the Miami city limits. Heck, it probably happened the moment I entered Florida, but I was clueless to it.”

Well, shit. I shut my mouth and lean back in my seat.

Now I want to know about her mom, but I’ll ask her about that later.

“You took care of yourself when you needed to. Everything you’re telling us is great,” Brax says.

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