Page 99 of Erik's Salvation
“Bingo. He’s staying at the Thompson in Seattle. There are records of his booking and footage of him drinking at their rooftop bar every night for the last four evenings. He goes up there at about six-thirty. So, if he continues to follow that pattern, and you leave now, you might just be able to catch him.”
“But we have no evidence of what he’s done,” Hannah said quietly.
“I’ll make him talk,” Erik growled.
She shook her head. “No. He knows who’s after him, so he’s probably carrying. I don’t want you or any innocent people in that bar put in danger.”
Fuck that.Shewas in danger, so he’d do whatever the hell he had to do. “I can take care of myself and make sure no one else gets hurt, Hannah.”
“You can’t guarantee that.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “I have an idea.”
Erik’s eyes narrowed, a bad feeling churning in his gut. “What?”
“I could ask Brigid to talk to him. Get him to admit what he’s done while wearing a wire or something. Then we can give the recording to both Angelo and the police, and no one gets hurt.”
“Why would James tell her anything?” Erik asked.
“They dated for over four years. She knows him, and she’s smart. If anyone can get him to admit to what he did without any blood getting spilled, it’s her.”
There was a beat of silence.
She grazed his chest. “Please, Erik.”
“Could be worth a try,” Chandler said quietly. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
Erik ground his jaw. He didn’t want to agree to any plan that didn’t involve him pounding into the guy for putting Hannah in this position. And he also didn’t want to leave her unprotected, which meant she would have to go to Seattle with him if he…coerceda confession from James.
If Brigid could do it, it would be cleaner and easier.
“Fine,” he said between gritted teeth. “But if she can’t get what we need, I go in and force the fucking confession.”
CHAPTER29
Hannah hated how nervous Brigid looked. Her friend never looked nervous. She’d once walked into a bar wearing only a bikini on a dare and hadn’t batted an eye.
She glanced at her in the rearview mirror, where Brigid sat beside Henry. “Are you sure you’re okay to do this?”
“Yes.” She nodded and straightened. “Iwantto do this. If he did take that painting to frame you, then he’s an even bigger scumbag than we thought, and he should pay.”
That was a bit of the friend Hannah knew.
Henry squeezed her arm. “Damn straight.”
God, she was grateful to have the friends she did.
Erik pulled the rented SUV into a parking structure close to the hotel. They’d made a reservation for Brigid and Henry on the balcony area, while she and Erik had booked a table inside, in a private corner.
The story for James would be that Brigid and Henry were having a weekend getaway. Brigid would act surprised when she saw James, go over and talk to him, and she’d mention Hannah being accused of stealing the painting. She’d slip in comments about missing him. About James having her loyalty. Basically, she’d attempt to make him trust her. Hannah truly did believe that if anyone could get James to admit what he’d done, it was Brigid.
Her friend wore a small wireless listening device on her chest and a tiny earpiece that was covered by her hair. She’d argued she didn’t need the earpiece, but Erik had wanted two-way communication.
Before her friends could open the back door, Hannah turned. “Brigid…be careful.”
The corners of her friend’s lips lifted, but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Always.”
She climbed out, and before Henry followed, he whispered, “I’ll look after her.”
Hannah fiddled with her bracelet as she watched them leave the car and walk down the street toward the hotel. It was only Erik’s hand on her arm that had her tearing her attention away.
