Page 41 of Fast Justice

Oceane stayed firm on her version of events, because it was the truth. Their tech people were analyzing the phone right now. Even with its encryption, it was only a matter of time before they cracked it. They would be able to trace every call from the device, and where each originated from. Now that they knew about the phone and her contact with Arturo, she had nothing more to hide.

The truth shall set you free.That was the saying in English.

In this case, a version that was close to the truth would do the same. That way she could protect her mother and still come across as truthful. Yet another useful lesson she’d been taught at a young age.

Finally the agents paused, both of them watching her, expecting her to sweat. She was far calmer inside now than she had been when they’d brought her here. They weren’t going to torture or starve her. But she was afraid of what they might threaten her mother with if Oceane didn’t cooperate fully. So she gave as much information as she dared, as close to the truth as she could.

A knock on the door interrupted the staring contest. Oceane glanced over as it opened and Rowan strode in. Her posture was rigid, her expression the furthest thing from friendly as she turned her gaze on Oceane.

“You’re up to speed?” the male agent asked her.

“I heard everything,” Rowan said, the chill in her voice sending a thread of warning winding through Oceane. Rowan stepped behind the two agents and faced her, that deep blue gaze penetrating. “You know what happened last night?”

Oceane glanced between her and the agents in confusion, then shook her head. “No, what?”

Rowan’s eyes turned cold. “Someone planted a bomb in my car while I was working.”

Cold fingers wrapped around Oceane’s stomach and squeezed. “Oh…”

“My brother was nearly killed in the explosion. He underwent emergency surgery last night and is in the intensive care unit right now.”

Oceane blanched, even as her heart beat faster. “I’m so sorry.”

Rowan’s jaw clenched and she drew a deep breath, never breaking eye contact. “You told your bodyguard about me.”

Because she trusted Arturo more than anyone here. “Well, yes—”

“He found out where my office was.”

“I—”

“And then funny enough, my car gets bombed.”

Oceane shook her head slowly, a fresh wave of anxiety building inside her. They thought she was behind it. That she had helped set this up. “I knew nothing about this. And it wasn’t Arturo.”

“And why are you so sure of that?” the male agent demanded.

Oceane met his gaze. “Because he would never harm an innocent, and he wants to protect me. He would never do anything that might jeopardize my safety.” He wasn’t stupid. And he was as loyal to her as she was him.

“But you said he used to work for your father,” the man pointed out.

“Yes, but that was years ago. He’s been with me since I was fifteen. He wouldn’t risk my safety here by doing something like that.”

“Not even with the amount of money your father was privately paying him?”

“No.Never.”

The agents and Rowan looked unconvinced. She risked a glance over at Lockhart, still posted beside the door. He was watching her too, but his expression was thoughtful instead of cold.

“The FBI and DEA are going to find out who planted that bomb,” Rowan said, drawing Oceane’s attention back to her. “And if they find out you were involved, any deals made with you and your mother are null and void.”

“Do you understand what that means?” the female agent asked.

Oceane flushed. She may have an accent, but her English was excellent, and she was far smarter than anyone here appeared to think. “Yes.”

“Not only that,” Rowan continued, “you’ll be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If convicted, you’ll do hard time in a Federal prison. The same goes for your mother.”

Oceane’s chest constricted. They wouldn’t find any evidence linking her or Arturo to the bombing. But her mother? She didn’t know. Since that awful night of the attack she’d seen a whole new person emerge in place of her mother’s laid-back, affectionate self. Could she have done this? Leaked information to someone within the cartel or even contacted Oceane’s father? Because from what she’d learned in the past few days, he was certainly capable of ordering the assassination of a federal attorney.

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