21

I dubbed today Dirt Day. Why? Because our entire focus today was digging up all the dirt possible on Solomon to a . throw out his case and prove Dwayne innocent, and b . get the man fired. So fired he was actually caught on fire would be my choice, but I’d make do with him at least no longer being able to throw people into prison. He clearly didn’t have the judgment for it.

We had absolutely everyone over at the house—Captain Olivia Livingston, Borrowman, Abby, her father, and Sho—because we all had beef with this man and wanted him gone. It said something when even the police captain wanted a detective gone.

Jon had made pizzas for the lunch meeting, a whole array out on the bar and pre-sliced, with drinks and such as well. The cats were currently draped over Abby without any shyness whatsoever, and I’d fetched her a TV table so she could at least eat while my furballs tried to adhere to her.

Sitting next to her, Olivia got comfortable. She’d given up on her half-moon glasses and was apparently wearing contacts, which really enhanced her green eyes. She’d also dyed her hair recently, the color now a dark brown instead of greying.

I decided to compliment her. “Olivia, you’re looking beautiful today.”

She preened a little. “This is why I like you, Donovan. You say sweet things.”

“My pleasure.”

She turned her head and observed Abby for a moment before asking me, “Is that normal?”

“Our cats love her. Abby can do no wrong in their universe.”

Abby giggled, pleased with the attention. A little too smug, that one.

Her father cleared his throat. Craig had stayed at the bar but was oriented on the stool so he could see most of the room comfortably. He was in a very relaxed mode, just jeans and a T-shirt, his dad bod clear. Really, the only thing I saw in common between him and Abby was their thick, curly dark hair.

“Just so I’m clear. Every single person in this room has had awful experiences with Detective Solomon, to the point of wishing he’d not been born. Even you, ma’am?”

Olivia nodded, her expression short. “Especially me. I spend far too much time and effort cleaning up after that asshole. I was, in fact, gathering evidence all this time to do a justifiable firing. Then when Donovan called and explained what you wanted to do, I immediately decided to join forces with you.”

“I’m delighted to hear it, but can I know why?”

“Two reasons, really. I feel like after all that man did to Jon, Jon deserves a good shot at him in return.”

Something about that rubbed me wrong. Don’t mistake me, Jon absolutely deserved a shot or two, but her tone suggested I should know something. Some detail that would make perfect sense of her statement.

Catching my expression, Olivia’s head canted a little to the side.

“Don’t you know? He almost released the man who shot Jon.”

He…what?

HE FUCKING DID WHAT?!

“Shit,” Jon groaned. “Olivia, that’s precisely why I didn’t tell him!”

I set my plate hastily aside before standing, damn near hyperventilating from the abrupt rage that coursed like boiling oil through my veins. Jon’s hands latched on to mine and he forced my eyes to meet his.

“Donovan. You will not end up in an orange jumpsuit and leave me at the altar. Got it?”

I understood what he was saying. I did. The logical part of me did, at least. Ninety percent of me didn’t understand this at all and wanted to take Solomon out as painfully as possible. Bad enough he disparaged Jon and treated him like a fool, but he’d gleefully tried to assist the man who had hurt him? This asshat wouldn’t know what hit him. I just had to—

Craig’s voice was calm, authoritative, and years of being in the army made it impossible to ignore him. “Donovan.”

I looked up toward him automatically and found him giving me a reassuring smile. There was anger in that smile—nothing happy about it—but then, he owed Jon massively for training Abby, if nothing else. Plus, I knew he liked and respected Jon, so he wouldn’t be happy to hear this either.

“I promise you, we’ll land him behind bars for malfeasance and gross misconduct,” Craig swore to me. “For what he did to Dwayne, he deserves it. For what he did to Jon, this is just karma hitting him.”

I heard what he was saying, but my temper didn’t want to bend on this. I looked back at Jon, who was staring up at me in blatant worry, which undid my anger more than anything else. I could never do something to hurt Jon. Even when I felt justified in doing so, I just didn’t have it in me. My anger didn’t dissolve, but I banked it. For now. Later I might need to go pound on a punching bag until I felt better.

“Okay.” It wasn’t, not by a longshot, but I blew out a breath and tried to pretend. “Okay. But I want him buried.”

Craig’s laugh was on the ugly side. “Trust me, with his superior and a police captain testifying against him? With this public of a trial? Man won’t be hired to clean up dog shit by the time I’m done with him.”

Now that I liked the sound of. Let him rot in prison somewhere, and barring that, he could turn criminal to make ends meet and still end up rotting in jail. It was a nice mental image I could get behind.

Jon released a breath, the tension in his shoulders dropping. Those clear blue eyes were no longer clouded with worry. “Good. Thank you.”

“I’m still mad you didn’t tell me,” I warned him.

“I know. But I didn’t want you behind bars for attacking a cop, and with your protective instincts…”

He was right to worry. I couldn’t fault him there. And if that was the worst secret he kept from me, we’d be fine. Still. It really grated he’d not told me.

Olivia rose and put an arm around my back, her eyes on the floor. Comforting me but embarrassed at the same time. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could have done something. I wasn’t police captain when that happened. I was promoted shortly after, and by then, my hands were tied. It grated on all of us, what happened. The best we could do was transfer Jon’s case to Borrowman, as he took it seriously.”

I’d wondered. This explanation made sense. Still…it brought up another question. “Just who is he sleeping with that he gets by with so much?”

“Oh, no. He’s related to the mayor,” Craig said. “Illegitimate son.”

The room went dead silent.

I gaped at the man like he’d just announced he’d met an alien the other day. “I beg your fucking pardon?”

Jon also looked intrigued, like this was something he’d seen hints of. Which, knowing his eyes, was likely the case. He also resumed his seat, tucking both legs up under him on the couch, showcasing his knees since he wore shorts. Why were his knees sexy? Or maybe just everything about Jon was sexy.

“I’d suspected he was an affair child, but I didn’t know he was the mayor’s,” Jon said.

“How do you know?” Olivia demanded.

“My dad. I’m a second-generation attorney, and my dad was hired by the mayor’s first wife to represent her in the divorce. It was Solomon’s birth that triggered it. Part of their settlement was she wouldn’t talk about the kid or tell people he cheated on her, as an affair would affect his image. As long as she didn’t talk, she got set alimony for the rest of her life.”

Oh my god. It kind of all made sense now, though. That was exactly how Solomon acted. A rich man’s bastard who was mostly ignored while growing up, except when he got into trouble. Daddy would swoop in and take care of it, mostly to protect himself, and then disappear again. Solomon learned nothing from the experience and continued to act out. It was an age-old vicious cycle. I certainly wasn’t excusing him. Man was old enough to have learned better at his age.

Craig waggled his eyebrows mischievously. “I inherited all of my dad’s old files when he retired. Made for some delicious reading.”

I bet they did.

“Dad, you’re such a drama llama.” Abby sighed.

“Guilty. Anyway, that’s why he’s been able to get by with so much.”

“I knew he had backing,” Olivia grumbled, now glaring at the floor like it had somehow offended her. “But I didn’t know how or who. Good to know. I’d been prepping to take him down, but honestly, I wasn’t sure if it would really stick. Just disciplining him usually causes me trouble. I don’t want him fired. I want him unable to work as a detective ever again. It’s the other reason I wanted to join in with you. Your appeal for Dwayne will be nationally covered. What better way to show the world just how inept Solomon is?”

“Couldn’t agree more.” It was all logical and well thought out, which meant I hoped it would pan out that way.

“Generally speaking”—Craig ticked things off on his fingers as he spoke—“you can get a detective fired if he’s doing unauthorized exercising of power, not doing his official duty, violating a law, and engaging in bribes. Olivia, how much of that can you prove?”

“All of it,” she stated confidently.

I did something of a double take. Whoa, really? I’d suspected most of those, but… “Bribes too?”

“Bribes too. Not in cash. Instead, he has people who do him ‘favors,’ but they’re bribes. I’ve got video footage and even one email chain—thanks to Sho—proving it.”

Sho had his mouth full, but he looked wickedly smug.

Of course Sho found all that. Of course he had. No one was surprised.

“Well, damn. I expected a lot of witness testimony, not this.” Craig perked right up. “Awesome. Makes all of our lives easier. Olivia, do you have it with you?”

“I don’t, but Sho brought a copy.”

Sho dug a thumb drive out of his pocket and tossed it lightly to Craig, who caught it easily. “Plus some other goodies on there. I’ve got video and audio evidence of him harassing Jon on the job, too. Some of it’s years old, from when Jon first started at Psy. The email chain I got because he was incredibly stupid. Had me use his iPad for something in an investigation and didn’t close out his email first. I just forwarded that to myself. He’s a careless, careless man. Likely because Daddy has always cleaned up after him.”

“Just…damn. I love working with you guys.” Craig put the thumb drive in his briefcase. “I’ll review it all later. For now, we have a court date set for the appeal. I need a list of the material witnesses you guys can offer.”

This was news to me. “Wait, we have a court date?”

“We do. Sorry, did I not tell you? It’s on Thursday, which is why I wanted this meeting.”

Man sounded like he had a term paper due, but don’t worry, he’d basically written it already. Craig was not at all worried. “Uh…that okay?”

“Sure. I have plenty of evidence to prove Dwayne innocent. I’m confident on that part. But I want to showcase Solomon’s idiocy at the same time so we can bring a civil case against him. Two birds, one stone kind of thing. Really, the initial court hearing is to justify to the judge that we can appeal, and there’s enough evidence. Rarely does an appeal happen in a single day. We’ll likely be in court for three or four days before getting a verdict.”

Ahh, now that made more sense to me. Nothing about the law was fast.

I heard the back door open and headed that direction, curious who would just waltz in. It usually meant Skylar, but not always. In this case, I saw long red hair and instantly relaxed.

“Hey, Skylar. Were we expecting you today?”

“Not really,” she admitted, tossing her keys into the key basket near the door. “But I had some things I wanted to run by you and Uncle Jon. For the wedding website, y’know. Are you two busy?”

“Kinda, yeah, but do you want to join us for pizza before going?”

“Sure!” Skylar was always up for some pizza. She bounced right in like she owned the place.

Let’s face it, she pretty much did.

I took her in hand for introductions. “Everyone, this is our niece, Skylar. Sky, have you met Olivia?”

“No, but I’ve heard of her. Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“And you,” Olivia answered readily. She looked Skylar over with interest.

“This is Craig, he’s an attorney we’re working a case with, and that’s Abby, Jon’s apprentice.”

“Oh! I finally get to meet you.” Skylar quickly zoomed around to the front of the couch where Abby sat.

Abby had been loath to move earlier, afraid of disturbing the cats. Now she set them both aside, nudged the table away, and slowly stood. Slowly because her full attention was on Skylar and not much else. Abby’s eyes were saucer huge, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure if the kid was still breathing. She was wholly entranced and not even able to hide it.

It took Skylar a second, then she seemed to suddenly sync with Abby’s mood. As wholly entranced as the other, coming in closer, grasping both hands to pull Abby fully to her feet.

I heard Jon behind me suck in a very sharp breath, but I didn’t need the nonverbal cue to understand what I was seeing. Jon had worn that exact expression when he’d first met me. Anyone with eyes could figure this out in an instant.

A psychic had just found her anchor.