Breaking Steele (Sarah Steele Legal Thriller)

Chapter 38

MANDY, RICK, AND SOLOMON still stood around the table, looking awkward. I approached as if nothing had happened.

“I think the club is going to close soon,” I said. “We should get out of here.”

Rick nodded and put a hand on the small of Mandy’s back.

But Mandy wasn’t going to let me get away with it. “Where’d you go?” she asked. “Who was that?”

I shrugged. “Just some hot chick I wanted to dance with. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do at clubs?”

She glared at me, but Rick put his mouth to her hair and whispered, “Later, babe. Let’s talk later.”

Mandy eyed Solomon and then nodded. He looked like he hadn’t heard, but I knew he hadn’t missed a thing.

“It was a pleasure, Solomon,” I said. And I really meant it.

“The pleasure was all mine. I hope you call again for another lesson.” He walked us to the door. I turned to say one last goodbye and he was standing right behind me. I could feel his breath on my skin. I felt a little woozy all of a sudden.

Solomon pulled me into his arms and hugged me. He whispered in my ear, “It was good to meet you, Sarah Steele.”

His body so close to mine made me shiver. Mandy was talking, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. All I could see was his face so close, and his lips … What was going on? How was this happening to me? This was crazy!

He stepped back, waved, and went back into the club. I stood there so weak, I tried to move but was stuck.

“You okay?” Mandy rubbed the back of my arm and I snapped out of my trance.

“I, uh ... yeah. Just tired.”

I’d parked beside them about three blocks away from the club. The night had been fun, and full. I had a lot to process. My phone buzzed and for a second I thought it might be Solomon, but that was silly. It turned out to be Joshua. Breathless, I answered the call. “Joshua!”

“Hi.” I could hear him smile through the phone. “I’ve got good news. Figured you wouldn’t mind the late-night call.”

“I love good news,” I said, zoning everything out so completely that I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. “Give it to me.”

“They processed the DNA from the barn, and ...” He slowed.

“And what?” I nearly shouted in the phone.

“They found saliva on the candy wrapper and the DNA does not match Hank Williams. But it has to be someone in his family.”

I yelped with excitement. “So the sick psycho was watching after all—it had to be Glen. Was the pee on the wall Hank’s?”

“No, that’s the strange part.” I held my breath. He was clearly enjoying this hold over me. “The urine was from the same person, not a match for Hank. And from the location, it’s as if he’d peed over her blanket, or on her, or something.”

“So we have DNA from someone in the Williams family at the crime scene?” I asked, somewhat awed by the turn of events.

“Yes. And you should see some of the stuff I have on Glen. He has several aliases and legally severed his relationship with Hank Williams when he graduated from college, although they’ve worked together closely since then. I found some files from the police in Hong Kong that fit his description.”

“What kind of files?”

Joshua hesitated. “He was involved in a sex trafficking ring there and then disappeared. The Hong Kong police have been looking for him ever since, but haven’t gotten a match until today.”

I pumped my fist. “You did it, Joshua.”

“We did it,” he corrected. His voice softened. “Come back soon. No one works me as hard as you do. Besides, it’s a mess around here with the internal investigation going on.”

“What investigation?”

“The judge ordered one—he’s bent on finding out who paid off the jury. And the defense is claiming it was us, even though that’s ridiculous.”

I groaned. “Why would we do that? How is Dan taking it?”

“Like you’d expect. He’s pissed and has me working like a dog. I could use your help—he couldn’t find a replacement for you and is seeing to the case personally.”

“I’m sorry, Joshua. That sucks.”

“Tell me about it. Anyway, thought you’d like to know what we found.”

“Thanks for the update,” I said, and then we ended the call.

“Good news, I take it?” Mandy asked.

“Absolutely, even though we don’t have anything on Hank Williams yet. At least we know it was a Williams family member. Now I just have to find out who.”

As we approached my car, I saw something white fluttering under my wiper. It wasn’t a ticket—it looked like an envelope.

“What’s that?” Rick asked. “Are cops getting classy and putting tickets in envelopes these days?”

“Let’s hope not,” I replied. “I don’t want my tax dollars going to that.”

The wind tore at the envelope again and I snatched it up before it could be blown away. It didn’t have a return address. It felt heavy, as if there were pictures inside or a really long letter. I got a bad feeling and exchanged a glance with Mandy. She must have felt it too because her exhilarated expression was gone and she was frowning. I slid my finger under the edge of the envelope and tore it open.

Photos fell out and fluttered to the ground. I bent over to pick them up and the hair on my arms stood on end. The pictures were of a girl; she was tied up and had duct tape across her mouth. A gasp escaped my lips and it took everything in me to keep focused.

The faint smell of cherry wafted from the envelope. Cigar smoke? Something that passed from the sender of the letter?

I gathered up the pictures and could feel my eyes grow hot. I wanted to cry and scream all at the same time. I knew the girl in the pictures.

It was Angela.