“Okay,” the cop said. “Did you see her face? Did she say anything?”
Wallace shook his head. “I know who it was. She jumped me outside my office. Kicked and punched me.” He swallowed,probably not pleased to have to admit he’d been overpowered by a female.
Most men had greater upper body strength. But training could overcome the imbalance between opponents that existed in genetics. And catching him by surprise?
“She knew what she was doing, Wallace. She’s a trained asset. She might as well be a full-blown CIA agent.” Kenna figured that might make him feel better.
“And I was the chump on the receiving end.” Wallace shot her a look. “Is that it? The guy who didn’t know any better?”
Jax said, “We’ve all been there. Did she say anything to you?”
He shook his head. “She knocked me down, made me stay down. Then she tied me up and had me stand up. She shoved me into the trunk at gunpoint.”
“And you have no idea why?” the cop asked.
Wallace didn’t answer right away.
Kenna said, “Wallace, why did she target you? It was a warning. What was the message you were supposed to receive loud and clear?”
“She tried to kill me. I think the message is that she wanted me dead.”
Kenna shook her head. “If she wanted you dead, she’d have actually killed you. This was a warning.” Maybe, this time, he would accept it.
What was it Jax had just said?We’ve all been there.
“Who is she?” Jax shifted his weight from one foot to the other, towering over the end of the bed.
“Her name is Sylvia Caughton. She’s an investigative reporter.”
When he paused for a few seconds, Kenna said, “Okay, so tell us how you know her. How is she connected to your life, or your podcasting?”
“That was all her idea.” Wallace sniffed. “She didn’t like that I wanted out. You’re right. It was a warning.” And given his expression, he didn’t like that one bit.
Whether he didn’t like that she was right or that it really had been a warning, Kenna didn’t know.
Wallace continued, “I wanted out, like I said. The podcast…it wasn’t right having that girl on. I mean, it was interesting and all. But a child?” He shook his head. “It didn’t feel right.”
“Did you talk to her mother at any point?” Kenna asked.
Wallace looked remorseful. “No.”
“If it didn’t feel right,” Kenna said. “Then you shouldn’t have done it. That’s the bottom line.”
“They were going to kill me.”
“Didn’t sound like you were under duress on the recording.” She shrugged. “Sounded like you were enjoying yourself.”
“They told me to make it look good, okay?”
“And you collect evidence from murder scenes, so it’s like a hobby for you. Guess you were excited.” Kenna sat back in the chair, irritation bubbling up in her. This guy had taken her life and made it entertainment. “Now a family is in danger because of it.”
Jax asked, “When did you first meet this Sylvia Caughton?”
“A few months ago. We met on an app, started talking, and went on a date. She told me she’s part of this secret society, if you can believe it.” Wallace shook his head. “They paid off my debts. All of them.”
“Student loans?” Jax asked.
“That, and my townhouse and the online betting stuff. Football, basketball, and whatever. You know?”
