Page 56 of Target Acquired
Cole flinched and she stared at her father. Then let out a low breath. “I won’t lie and say it didn’t occur to me, but I couldn’t do that.” Her eyes narrowed. “Any more than you could. Why were you seen with him? Much less put yourself in a spot to be photographed with him?”
“He was my CI! He picked the place. He always picked the place because he wanted a different spot each time. Said he was safer that way and I agreed. Obviously, he was followed that day—or I was—and I don’t know who took the pictures, but they set me up. And then Shady was arrested and his evidence disappeared, which allowed him to be released and free to kill the man he attempted to rob the very next day!”
Cole wanted to intervene, but Logan waved him down and held a finger to his lips. His friend obviously wanted him to let this play out.
“And they think I stole the evidence because Shady blackmailed me, but he didn’t!” A vein throbbed in Ben’s forehead and his shout bounced off the walls. Kenzie’s chest heaved with harsh breaths. For a moment father and daughter glared at one another.
“Your signature was on the evidence logbook the day the evidence went missing,” she said, her voice lower, under control. “How do you explain that?”
“I can’t,” the man said, his words raw and ragged. “Why do you think I took their offer to resign with my pension intact? Do you really think I’d be so stupid to sign in and steal evidence? I’m smarter than that, argued that very thing when I was accused. Harold agreed it was all circumstantial and he worked to prove it, but eventually said he couldn’t and”—a deep sigh escaped him—“I couldn’t either. If I’d fought, wound up on trial, I could have lost and I wouldn’t just have lost my job, I might have lost you kids too. I couldn’t risk it.”
They fell silent, Kenzie’s eyes on her father, Logan’s face pale and his throat working. He hadn’t known everything Kenzie had. He’d told Cole he’d never looked at the case because it just brought up bad memories better left in the past. Cole had never understood that kind of thinking. If it had been him, he would have done exactly what Kenzie had. Memorized every detail.
“Sir,” Cole said, “why now? You’ve kept all of this under wraps for twenty years. What’s happened to spur you to talk to Kenzie—or anyone—about this now?”
“After the wreck and my recovery and everything, I tried to find Shady Talbot only to learn he’d died of a drug overdose. I wasn’t too surprised by that, but I also learned something else. His DNA was found in the stolen car.”
“What?” Kenzie breathed the word. “How did you find that out?”
Ben pointed to a file on the desk under the crime scene board. “That was in my mailbox last week, and yes, it has my prints all over it now because I didn’t know what it was when I opened it. I’ve used gloves to handle it since.” He nodded to the tray on the table.
Kenzie rose, strode to the box, and snagged a pair of gloves. Once her hands were encased, she opened the manila folder. Cole watched her, itching to see what it was. Logan shifted and took one step forward before he stopped and crossed his arms.
When Kenzie looked up, she drew in a shuddering breath. “Who sent this?”
“I have no idea.”
“Come on, Kenz,” Logan said, “what is it?”
“A lab report identifying DNA found in the car, and a second report with proof that someone lied about the brakes,” she said. “There are two reports in here dated the same day, signed by the same person, with all of the same information except for one thing. The original report said the brakes were cut.” She pulled one sheet from the file and held it up. “This one says there was nothing wrong with the brakes. The forensic mechanic lied.”
THIRTEEN
“Yeah,” her father said with a grimace. “And since I have no pull or friends in that department anymore—and no idea if the person who set me up is still there—I’m asking for help.” The last four words came out through gritted teeth, and Kenzie figured his blood pressure shot into the dangerous range.
So, it wasn’t easy for him to ask for help. Surprise, surprise.
“Who’s the mechanic on the forms?” Cole asked.
“His name is Cliff Hamilton. Do you know him?”
Cole shook his head. “The one I know is Tabitha Lewis.”
Logan clasped his hands behind his back and rocked back on his heels. “Dad, I’m a detective, you know that, right?”
“I know.”
“So why were you trying to keep this from me? You know I’d help you.”
Her brother looked deeply hurt, and Kenzie couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. And curious to know the answer.
Her father sighed. “Because I know the cases you have on your desk and you don’t have the time to devote to this. She does.”
Kenzie scoffed. “What?”
He shrugged. “You’re a SWAT medic. You have more time than most and you have access to resources to find out what’s going on.”
“Yes, I’m a medic, and yes, I’m on the sidelines some, but I also work at the hospital now two days a week, remember? Not to mention I have a house to renovate.”