Page 40 of Twisted Empire

“Do you think he has something that’ll really be that useful? Isn’t he screwing himself over if he gives it to us?”

“No,” Logan said. “Once we have the records, there’ll actually belessevidence that he was involved, since they won’t be stashed here in his house any longer. He’ll probably be glad to get rid of them. I doubt he’d have lifted files that were connected to him originally.”

My spirits started to rise. “Then this could be something really good.”

Beckett smiled at me. “I think it is. And you helped convince him to go along with us. You’ve been fantastic, Maddie.”

Logan brushed his hand over my hair. “She always is.”

I wished I could take more enjoyment from their compliments, but all my emotions were tangled up in anticipation. What if Dr. Evancho hadn’t held on to the originals after all? What if they’d been damaged beyond use over time?

We waited in silence while thumps and rustling emanated from the floor below. Finally, the doctor and his guards marched back up the stairs and returned to the living room. Dr. Evancho was clutching a manila folder.

He held it out to me. “These are the base files I used for the forgery. They’re each from a different hospital—each from a different state. I was trying to be careful.”

I flipped open the folder and held it so the guys could scan the papers inside too. They were clearly photocopies, the signatures a little grainy, all from the 1980s.

Dexter got out his phone and snapped pictures of every page so we had a digital copy as well. I glanced at Logan in question after we’d skimmed over the last one, and he gave me a tight smile.

“I can pull it all together. This is everything we need.”

I turned back to the doctor. “Thank you. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

He dipped his head, his expression abruptly softening. “I’m sorry about your father,” he said quietly. “I can only imagine he’d have been very proud of you.”

A twinge of loss ran through my gut. I swallowed thickly. “I hope so.”

In that moment, I could see that for all his waffling and hesitation, Dr. Evancho regretted being a party to this criminal enterprise.

One of Beckett’s men pulled himself a little straighter, looming over the doctor, and shot Beckett a pointed look. “Should we do anything else to take care of him?” he asked.

A shiver passed down my spine. I could guess at the implications of that question.

“He knows he’s safer from the real villains if he keeps quiet about what he gave us and that we were here,” I said to Beckett. “I don’t think we need to worry.”

And I didn’t want to see any more pain coming out of this situation.

Beckett studied me and then the doctor. Dr. Evancho drew up his chin, but it quivered a little.

“My lips are sealed,” he insisted. “It’d be a hell of a lot worse for me than for you if those people ever found out. And… I hope you do manage to take them down. I’d like to see that—to know that it’s over.”

“All right,” Beckett said. “Keep an eye on the news, and maybe you will get to see it. I’ll remember this.” He held up the manila folder.

As we strode out of the house, the tension that’d gripped me rippled out with a rush of breath. A tingle of excitement took its place. Looking at the folder gripped in Beckett’s hand, I couldn’t help grinning.

We’d done it. We’d gotten the proof we needed. And those records were going to changeeverything.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

Madelyn

Ishould have expected nothing less than my mom making the condo her own in three days. When I dropped by and found her in the kitchen, the place held the familiar childhood scent of sautéing garlic and onions. She was making one of her trademark stir-fries.

“I can see you’re hanging in there all right,” I said lightly.

I could tell Mom’s stoic expression was a bit of a front, but she smiled warmly enough that I knew she really was doing okay.

“It’s like a little vacation,” she said with a laugh. “But I enjoy getting some cooking in. Working with the ingredients is strangely relaxing. And I think Summer is appreciating having a few home-cooked meals. I missed having someone other than Holand to take care of, you know.”

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