Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen Page 0,49

the hand that Eli ran down her back. It stilled her. And surprised her. After she’d just dropped the L-word bombshell, she’d figured he would try to put some distance between them. At least until after this interview. He didn’t. In fact, Eli dropped a quick kiss on her mouth before he left her in observation and went into interview.

“I’m Scott Sanders,” the lawyer said, standing. “My client and I want a bail hearing ASAP.”

“You and I both know your client won’t get bail.” Eli sat across from Waite. “He was carrying a gun, which is a violation of his parole. His parole officer has already been contacted.”

The lawyer didn’t even react to that and instead looked at his phone screen—and frowned.

“I found that gun,” Waite insisted. He was a wiry man with beady eyes that darted around as if he expected someone to jump out at him. Maybe he just needed a fix, but Ashlyn couldn’t see why anyone would have hired him to go after Remy or anyone else, for that matter.

“You found it,” Eli repeated. He couldn’t have possibly sounded more skeptical.

“Yeah. In the woods, there,” Waite added. Beneath the table, Ashlyn could see his legs fidgeting as much as the rest of him.” My car wouldn’t start so I started walking, looking for help. That’s when I found the gun.”

Eli calmly leaned forward, and even though Ashlyn couldn’t see his face, she’d bet he was giving Waite a hard glare. “Why didn’t you just use your phone to call someone? You had a cell in your pocket.”

Waite went stiff, and he looked up at the ceiling as if to find the answer there. Since he obviously didn’t, he didn’t say anything.

“You had a tranq gun and duct tape on you,” Eli went on. “And before you give me some lame excuse to explain those things, I should probably tell you that a deputy sheriff had you under observation from the time you stepped onto the property. He saw enough that you’ll be headed back to a cage.”

Eli leaned back and waited.

It didn’t take long.

“I want a deal,” Waite said, and he shook off the grip that his lawyer put on his arm.

Eli didn’t jump on that, either. He just took his time. “What kind of deal?”

“I tell you what I know, and I don’t go back to jail. I can’t go back there, man. You gotta give me a break.”

“I don’t have to give you anything,” Eli assured him. “But if you tell me what you know, I’ll consider it. I’ll even put in a good word for you with the DA.”

She hadn’t thought it possible, but Waite’s fidgeting got even worse. “Okay,” Waite said after giving that some thought. He shook off his lawyer again. “Someone paid me to go out there. I don’t know who,” Waite quickly added.

“And what exactly were you supposed to do?” Eli pressed.

“Just grab the guy and drop him off at that old abandoned gas station up the road. I wasn’t supposed to hurt him or nothing. It wasn’t even like a serious crime or anything.”

“You were supposed to kidnap a man, tranq him, tie him up and put duct tape on his mouth. Sounds plenty serious to me.” Eli sat back again and waited. “I’ll bet it sounds even worse to the man you were supposed to kidnap.”

Waite’s eyes darted around. “Well, I didn’t do it, and I’d changed my mind before you even got there and arrested me. I wasn’t going through with it.”

“Right,” Eli grumbled. “Who’s the someone who hired you to do this? Give me a name, and I’ll push to get you a deal.”

“No,” the lawyer blurted out. “Don’t tell him anything...not until he puts it in writing. You can’t trust him. He’ll lie to get the information he wants.”

“I’ll put you back in a cage to get the information I want,” Eli calmly answered. “But I just offered you a deal, and I meant it. Give me a name, and if it pans out, you won’t be charged with a parole violation.”

Waite kept his gaze nailed to Eli’s, and when he opened his mouth, Ashlyn automatically moved closer to the glass. Her heart was pounding now. Her breath, held. Maybe they would finally know the truth.

However, before Waite could say anything, the lawyer’s phone dinged with a text message. Since she could clearly see Sanders, she thought maybe there was relief, as if this was something he’d been waiting for.

Yes, definitely relief.

Ashlyn saw even