Page 12 of Out of Sight

“You’re out of your mind if you think I’m just going to casually sit down with one of them,” I fumed, arms crossed as I leaned back against the wall. My chair was on its side across the room.

Will sighed, looking exhausted. “I’m not going to attack you or kill you or hurt you in any way if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m just here so I can take Morelli and his brother down…and live through the experience. So just settle down already. Please.”

It was the “please” that caught my memory, I could hear Westley from the Princess Bride saying.I asked him what was so important for him here.

“Why do you care then? Why are you here?”

He paused a long moment before meeting my eyes again. “The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt you, Claire. Can we please start over? I’m William Bracco. You can call me Will.”

I stared at his hand, extended toward me in a handshake. I glanced at Agent Blake who nodded his head at me, turned to Detective Rosenberg who smiled encouragingly. Then I finally looked back to Will’s face, finding it hard to doubt the sincerity there.

I took his hand, feeling a little tingle as he grasped it. There had to be a spring thunderstorm on the horizon with all the static electricity in the air.

“I’m Claire. You call me ‘sweetheart’ again and the next thing I’ll throw at you will be my right hook.”

“Whatever you say, gorgeous,” he grinned.

“Flirt with me again and I’ll slap you,” I warned, refusing to return his smile. It warmed his eyes the longer he did it, but that didn’t mean I could risk trusting him.

People always hurt you if you let them.

five

Will

Agent Blake looked like an ass. With the straight seams down the front of his slacks and hair styled to perfection I could imagine he’d be a real blast to hang out with. His mouth was set in a straight line, eyes narrowed even as he extended his hand in a gesture for me to sit.

Claire scooched her chair as far away from me as possible while remaining on the same side of the table. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I could hardly blame her. After hearing all the shit she had on the Morellis, it’s no wonder she feared for her life.

“Let’s get down to business,” Blake said, giving a reassuring smile to Claire. She smiled a grateful smile back at him and it was like the two of them against the world.

I didn’t resist the urge to roll my eyes this time.

“The feds, huh? Morelli won’t know what hit him.”

Blake ignored my quip, setting his laptop back on the table and pressing the power button. “Here’s how this is going to work, Mr. Bracco.”

“Will is fine,” I tried.

“You want immunity for the parts you’ve played in the Morelli criminal syndicate, is that correct, Mr. Bracco?” Nope, he wasn’t going to make this a friendly encounter.

Claire scoffed from my left, but I couldn’t look at her with this new idea swirling through my head. Immunity? I never even considered that. I just figured I’d come turn myself in and maybe get someone else put away at the same time. Could I actually clear my conscience, do the right thing, and get away Scot free? Did I even deserve that?

“Yes, I want immunity.”

“Well, in the real world you don’t get something for nothing. We would need you to do something for us if we’re going to consider not prosecuting you for your various crimes.”

Jesus, he was laying it on thick. Someone really needed to get laid.

“I understand. What do you want?”

“Testify in court when we need you as we get these various cases to trial, for one.”

I nodded. That was a given.

“Secondly, we need more than just your word to convict. The testimony of a criminal informant only goes so far in swaying a jury. No offense.”

“None taken,” I said through gritted teeth, straightening my spine. “What exactly do you want me to do?”

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