Page 82 of Hard Evidence
“Because Hennessy hasn’t passed the bar exam in Virginia.She’s passed it in New York, and she’s passed it in England, but she can’t represent clients in Virginia.”
Justin’s arm tightened around my shoulders.“But she’s driving this?She’s taking the lead in whatever the fuck Levi’s up to?”
“Ari’s looking into that.”
“If she knows where Amie is, someone has to make her spill.”
“We can’t be sure that the two issues are connected.”
“Oh, you think?Levi’s family was paying Amie and now she’s missing, Hennessy’s running around with one-percenters, and he’s making a bid for release?Too damn right they’re connected.Doweneed bodyguards?”
Dawson raised a hand.“Iama bodyguard.”
“Okay, do we needmorebodyguards?”
“Give it a couple of hours, and there’ll be podcasters camping on the lawn,” Alexa said.“The bikers won’t get past them, but I’m still going back to Brax’s place.Violet?Are you coming?”
“I…” She glanced at Dawson.“Why would Serafina Hennessy work on this case?Why would she think Levi’s innocent?”
“Because he’s spun her a great line of bullshit,” Justin said a little grumpily.
“It worked on us,” Dawson admitted.“We all thought he was an oddball, but not dangerous.”
“Ruby even liked him.”Alexa closed her laptop.“And in order for him to be innocent, Justin would have to be guilty.”She fixed her gaze on me.“You’re his alibi for last Wednesday—is there anything you want to tell us?”
“No!”How could she even think that?“He was here.He left the office at 6:33, and at nine minutes past seven, he answered the door in a towel.Norquist Construction is a twenty-minute drive at least.He didn’t stash Amie in the basement—I’ve been down there to do laundry—so what on earth do you think he did with her in the sixteen minutes he had left?”
I was more or less yelling, and I didn’t even care.Justin wasn’t a murderer.Hewasn’t.
“I don’t think he did a thing.”Alexa’s voice stayed calm.Quiet.Emotionless.“To answer your question, it wouldn’t take long to whack a person over the head and toss them into the undergrowth—and there’s plenty of forest between here and Norquist Construction—but hiding a vehicle would be harder.What happened to Amie’s car?If we could find it, we’d be halfway to solving this mystery.”
“If I wanted to hide a car, I’d park it at the airport,” Dawson said.
“I already had people check Dulles, Reagan, and Baltimore.Manassas is too small.”She paused for a moment.“I’ll send someone to check Richmond International, seeing as there’s a connection to the area.”
Chase was standing nearest to the window.“Looks as if the first podcaster has arrived.”
“Fucking fantastic.”Alexa stowed her laptop in a case and stood.“I’m out of here.”
CHAPTER31
JERRY
Jerry Knight—who now went by Jezebel—barked out a laugh, which was quickly followed by a curse as a blob of jam from the donut she was holding fell on her shirt.
“What’s so funny?”Ari asked.
“Some podcaster, influencer, vlogger, whatever just showed up at Justin’s place, and they’re broadcasting live from his front yard.”
“I guess we can thank Saige Carlson for that.Can’t Alexa jam the signal?”
“Possibly, if she weren’t lying down in the back seat as Chase speeds along the highway.”
Now Ari chuckled too.“Honestly, I wouldn’t want to be in Saige’s shoes when Alexa fucks with her.”
“It couldn’t happen to a more deserving person.Alexa already cancelled her BuzzHub account.”
The two of them were sitting in the back of a surveillance van that Priest—who was technically their boss, but not really—had borrowed from a friend.They’d started out on foot, but being exposed gave Jez a prickly feeling.She’d spent long enough learning to heed her gut that she’d come up with an alternate plan.Now, a covert camera was trained on the two bikers loitering in the Justice Project’s parking lot a hundred yards away, their faces partially obscured by smoke as they puffed on cigarettes.The shorter one had started off with a vape, but clearly that wasn’t going well for him.
