Page 72 of Dissension

He deserves to know that his client is being set up at the very least. This is her last favor to him.

Her heart stutters sickly as she hears him pick up. “Don’t hang up.”

Nick makes a noise of distaste. He’s clearly not over their dark heart-to-heart, nor is he happy about how it ended. “I thought you wanted me out of your life?”

“I do, but that’s not the point. I just spoke with my old PI from Benson’s firm. He was able to get some serious information on the new witness that came forward. It looks like a complete setup now, no doubt about it.”

“What is it with you?” Nick says with exasperation. “Digging in my life, digging into a case that has nearly nothing to do with you…does airing dirty laundry get you off, Kara?”

“Nick. Listen to me,for once, you fucking knob. Someone is trying to put the lid on the torture warehouse case. They want it to be closed up quickly and forgotten. I’m certain Paxton is a scapegoat. The new witness was paid from untraceable crypto sources just before he came forward. He’s been paid to pin it on Paxton.”

“The new witness was paid in cryptocurrency? Recently?” He mutters under his breath. “That doesn’t line up with evidence that was brought forth in the Debra Mills case.”

Oh, the Debra Mills case, always a thorn in Kara’s side.

“Exactly, that’s my point.” Kara paces the room, talking with animation as she explains to Nick why this is all insanity. “All of those previous people who had any sort of deviation from theDark Miragegained some money in their account from theDark Mirageaccount. This witness? Was never paid by that account. They were paid in an untraceable crypto transaction. Recently. Just before they came forward.”

Nick curses under his breath, so unlike him.

“I’m heading over to the station now if you want to meet me there,” Kara tells Nick, stuffing her shoes on, exiting her apartment. Running down the stairs. “I have the proof from my PI. This could probably help you clear up Paxton’s name, because someone is truly trying to frame him for this. The question becomeswhy.”

“What if we don’t like the answer?” Nick replies, sounding somewhat defeated for reasons unknown.

“Justice doesn’t care if we like the answer or not; the truth is what matters,” Kara tells him. “I’ll see you soon?”

Something like worry enters his tone, but she’s too excited to pay attention to it. “Kara, wait,don’t go,you don’t know wh-”

She steps out onto the street, dusk falling over the neighborhood as she hangs up to call a quick cab. Nick will meet her there, no doubt. This is information that will get his client off. There’s nothing to wait on.

As she steps onto the sidewalk, taking a turn around the corner, Kara doesn’t notice the large van pull away from a distant curb, heading slowly after her, trailing behind just far enough.

Lost in her new, unusual discoveries, she doesn’t sense the danger until it’s too late.

Chapter 26

Without warning, a hood is placed over her head, casting her vision into darkness.

A wordless scream of terror bursts from her lips as a hard body comes up behind her, arms snaking around her, a heavily gloved hand clamping over her mouth. She hears their heavy breathing and the sound of a car pulling up beside them, a van door sliding open-

No!

Horror spirals into her mind, flaying it apart. She’s beingabducted.

She’s yanked into a van, the door sliding shut violently as she thrashes for her life, kicking and screaming. “Let go of me, you bastard! Let go, I’ll fucking kill you-”

A strange smelling cloth is placed over her nose and mouth. Even through the thin fabric of the hood, she can’t help but inhale it, sending her mind slowly into a strange fuzziness. Everything slows, and if she could see, she imagines her vision would be swimming with black dots.

Weak and desperate, Kara tries to fight sleep as it comes for her with open arms.

No, no no no-

And then there’s nothing.

The chemical haze in her mind clouds Kara’s thoughts. Distantly, she remembers she should be terrified, but the emotion is still so far away.Unreachable. Her insides are sludge,her mouth a ratty cotton. God, she’s so thirsty and her head is pounding.

She can’t see. Something bulky covers her eyes. A dull twinge of fear nags at her harder, scratching like claws on a door in the dead of night. Kara can’t move her hands, can’t move her legs-

Why can’t I move?

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