Page 57 of Ruthless Intent

“What?”

“Make sure you present a happy face when you go inside. We don’t want your mom asking questions that could lead to her facing a prison cell for the rest of her life.”

I didn’t need to remind her of that, and the way her spine stiffens tells me she doesn’t appreciate it.

She steps out of the car, turns and bends slightly so she can look back inside.

“Is there anything else? Maybe you’d like to give me a list of things I can and can’t do?”

“The list is in your contract. I’ll bring a copy for you to keep later.” I know she’s being facetious, but take the opportunity to remind her that everything happening is what she’s agreed to. “Dress for comfort. We’ll take a walk along the beach before going back to my place.”

“Your place?” The color fades from her cheeks.

“Is that a problem?”

I know exactly what she’s thinking. The only house she knows I own is the same one where Jason and Louisa were killed. I’m curious whether she’ll say something about it, but other than turning pale, she doesn’t acknowledge it.

“Eight, you said?”

I nod.

She straightens and slams the door without another word. I don’t drive away until she’s inside her house, and then I head back to my parents’ house. It’s quiet when I walk inside, and I go up to my bedroom without seeing anyone.

My phone rings just as I walk inside.

“Hello?”

“It’s me.” The familiar voice of the man who shared my cell for five years sounds down the line. “I’m texting you a link to an encrypted file. You’ll need to log in to get to it.”

“Encrypted?” I sit on the edge of my bed and lean down to unlace my boots.

He snorts. “My brother is as paranoid as it gets. The password is Tallulah with a capital T, one six nine, capital J, lower case r, seven.”

“One second. I need to write that down.”

I find a notepad and pen in the drawer of the nightstand, and ask him to repeat it, scribbling it down.

“Inside the folder, is the police footage of the girl’s interview, and your interrogation.”

“Did you watch them?”

“No, but Knight did. He says watch it carefully. The folder has a file listing timestamps of discrepancies and contradictions he found. Some your lawyer already knew and used in the appeal, but there are a couple of other things you should pay attention to.”

“Thanks, Rook. I owe you one.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

ZAIN

6 Years Ago

“Forty-seven.” The bellowed number is accompanied by a light shining through the slot in my cell door, and a bang on the metal.

I’m already awake, unlike some others judging by the groans and swearing that erupts from the other cells. I’m off my bed and standing in the center of my cell when the door swings open ten minutes later.

“Morning, Zain.” A guard steps inside, another behind him.

“Mr. Kramer. Mr. Langley.”

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