"I don't know. That's how it works. You don't know where the others go. Can't give up what you don't know."
"The safe house in Gary."
The prisoner went still. Too still. "What safe house?"
"Where is it?"
"I'm telling you, I don't know anything about a safe house."
Reid sat back. His expression hadn't changed, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. He'd hit a wall.
Beside me, Maxime shifted. His sleeve brushed my arm, and heat flared where we touched.
"He's lying," Maxime said quietly.
"I know."
Through the glass, Reid was trying a different approach. "Listen to me. The people who hired you? They don't care about you. They're not going to protect your daughter. But we can. We will. All you have to do is give me something."
"I've told you everything I know."
"No, you haven't."
The prisoner took a final drag and crushed out the cigarette. "I’m done." He met Reid’s eyes. “You do whatever you’re going to do, but I’ve said all I’m going to say.”
Maxime let out a soft laugh that made my cock harden.
Reid stood and went to the door. The door to the observation room opened, and Reid stepped in. His expression was carefully neutral, but I caught the slight raise of his eyebrow.
"I know." Maxime turned to look at me, heat in his eyes. "Are you going in?"
"Yes." I pulled out my leather gloves, sliding them on.
"Good."
The word was soft, almost a purr. He always did love to watch me work.
I turned to Reid. "The weapon they used on our guards. You said it matched GidTech's prototype design?"
"Yes sir. Same configuration, same output signatures from last year's intelligence."
"But no confirmation of who hired him."
"No sir. He's protecting someone."
I looked through the glass at the prisoner. He thought he was done. Thought stonewalling would save him.
"It's Shaw," I said. "The MO fits. But I need confirmation. Names. Connections. Where the prototype went."
"He's not going to give that up easily," Reid said.
"No, he won't." I flexed my hands in the leather gloves. "But he will give it up."
Behind me, Maxime was silent. Waiting.
"Stay here," I said without turning around. "Both of you. Watch."
I stepped into the corridor. My hip protested, but the pain was distant now. Adrenaline was doing its job.
