Page 10 of Dead Man's Alibi

“I thought you liked Hayes.”

“I don’t know iflikeis the right word.He’s a complicated guy.Not bad to investigate with or even have a drink with, but…” Cal tried to find the right words to both ease his brother’s mind and make sure he understood he couldn’t just blow this off.

“I might think Sam is overreacting about a lot of this, but coming to your house last night was just a dick move.And in the scheme of dick moves, I’ll stand behind my brother before I stand up for some guy who’s a superficial friend atbest.”

Nate took a minute to think that over.

When he finally spoke, it was stoic and detached.“My military records should reflect I was an exemplary soldier who followed orders.”

Cal frowned at his brother.“That’s a real lawyer way of putting it.”

Nate shrugged.“I don’t know that being a good soldier, particularly a sniper, is a great defense against murdering someone.”

Well, Cal couldn’t argue with that.He pushed out of the car and waited until Nate did the same before heading into the station.

He walked up to the front desk, flirted with the woman behind it while they waited for Jake.Eventually, they were led back to Jake’s tiny office.The detective stood behind his desk, eyed them both.Then pointed to two chairs shoved together on the other side of his desk.

“Well, Bennet, bringing a criminal defense attorney is certainly telling.”

“Actually, I’m handling all kinds of law these days, Jake.”Cal helped himself to a seat.

Then, because he knew how to set a scene, put his feet up on Jake’s desk, ankles crossed.

He gestured behind him at where Nate still stood, all military ramrod straight.“My client is, of his own volition, supplying you with any and all paperwork involved with his taking Mrs.Hyatt’s case.”

Nate reached forward, put the folder on Jake’s desk.Said nothing.

Which clearly pissed Jake off.But he didn’t say anything either, just picked up the folder and flipped through the pages.“What about a magical alibi?Got one of those?”

“Are you accusing my client of something, detective?”

Jake’s eyes zeroed in on Cal.“I could be.”

Cal didn’t let the reaction show, but Jake wasreallypissing him off.“But you’re not.Because we have cooperated by giving you every scrap of information about Mrs.Hyatt hiring my brother as her private investigator.And there is no evidence anywhere that they had a relationship outside of that.”

“Evidenceis a funny thing.Because none of this is evidence.”He tossed the folder on his desk.“It’s just busywork.Offering up only the most basic information sounds like something a man who’s guilty of something would do.”

Cal held Hayes’s gaze.He didn’t so much as blink.And when he spoke, he kept his tone easy and conversational.Even as each sentence held as many daggers as possible.

“To you, a man employed by a police department that arrested, convicted, and kept an innocent man behind bars for more than fifteen years, I bet it does seem guilty.It also brings up an important subject before we go.We should probably discuss what constitutes harassment.”Cal smiled blandly at Hayes.

Who, for all his impressive stoic control, turned a fascinating shade of purple.

“Not saying youwillharass him, of course,” Cal continued, holding his hands up in mock surrender.“I just wanted to be clear on the law, since yourissueswith my client are very well known.”

Hayes took his time, but his voice was low and lethal when he finally spoke.“Don’t fuck with me, Bennet.”

Cal figured it was fair enough to match it.“Then don’t fuck with my brother, Hayes.”He got to his feet, shot Jake a sunny smile.“See you around, buddy.”Then he gestured to Nate to exit the office.

Nate did so without a word, thank God, so Cal followed.He half expected Jake to shout something at them or stop them on some trumped-up charge, but they walked back to the lobby without incident.

“Yeah, you really calmed things down,” Nate muttered as they walked out of the station.

“Better he know we’ve got angles, too, than calm things down,” Cal replied.

Nate sounded exhausted.Cal felt revved.Pissed, too, but revved over it.He didn’t relish being in this position, but, man, he did love being a lawyer.

They climbed into his SUV, but before Cal turned the keys in the ignition, he looked over at Nate.He didn’t relish this next part, but it was part of that wholebeing home for goodthing.