“Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Clay asks, his arms crossed over his chest.
“I was trying to figure out how to get Sophia to still help me find out the truth, even though Del Moro threatened her position and job.” I still feel bad for pulling her into this whole mess.
Xander’s voice is a low growl. “He did what?”
Sophia raises her shoulders in a nonchalant gesture, dismissing his outburst. “He made it clear that if we kept digging, he’d ensure I was fired.”
Clay releases a weary breath. “He’s well-connected with the NYPD’s top brass. Those aren’t empty threats.”
“But you didn’t stop, did you?” I lean forward, my hope palpable.
Sophia grins mischievously. “I used the time while you were napping, sleeping beauty.”
My heart races in anticipation.And she’s telling me thisnow? “What did you find?”
She leans in, her eyes focused on mine. “I managed to speak with the toxicologist who worked the case. It wasn’t easy since he left his job shortly after and moved to LA to work for the LAPD. However, he recalled the case because he received blood samples, and not long after, Detective Del Moro brought in new samples. He claimed the original ones were mistakenly swapped with another case. The toxicologist didn’t think much of it at the time since he hadn’t started the tests, and such mix-ups had happened before.”
“Motherfucker,” Xander mutters, his hands gripping some of his hair.
“Is there any way to prove this?” Joshua inquires, his brows furrowed and his nose scrunched.
He looks like he is already going over everything he just learned in his mind.
Sophia’s pretty face contorts into a grimace. “No, he didn’t keep any documents related to the switch. It would be hearsay. But it confirms our suspicions,” she continues. “We need to get to the bottom of this.”
“I don’t want you risking your job over this,” I admit. “Yes, I wanted the truth, and it seems my suspicions were right. But I can live with that knowledge without putting you in danger.”
I couldn’t live knowing she could be fired or even hurt because of me.
Sophia looks at me intently, her eyebrows pinched in confusion. “Don’t you want justice? Don’t you want to knowwhythey framed your parents?”
Her words resonate deep in my soul, and it feels like someone finally understands my need for the truth.
“Of course,” I whisper. “But we still don’t know the full extent.”
“Then let’s find out. What do you need from us, Sophia?” Joshua asks, putting his hands on my shoulders to massage them from where he is standing behind me.
She takes a moment before answering, biting her bottom lip in thought. “There was a witness mentioned in the report. She claimed she saw Carolina’s parents trying to avoid the crash, even though the official report says they drove straight into the wall. I’d like you to speak with her again. Maybe she remembers more details. Her name is Rebecca Stone, and she lives right across from where the accident happened.”
“West Harlem,” I whisper, taking a deep breath.
I could never forget the place. I visited it for weeks, asking myself what they thought in their final moments.
“We’ll talk to her,” Clay promises me, meeting my gaze with a nod.
“Thank you,” I breathe out, though a sense of unease settles in my stomach.
Am I putting all of them in danger with this?
The day is flying by.Sophia and I are working on an interesting case, making the hours pass quickly.
Clay and Josh looked for Rebecca first thing this morning and found her apartment, but she wasn’t there. And since tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, they said they’d try again in a couple of days. As much as I want answers, my parents have been gone for a while now. It’s not urgent, and I am grateful for any help.
We’re in the cafeteria, and I’m eating the sandwich Joshua got for me, watching Sophia be her usual bubbly self. It’s a complete one-eighty from her mood yesterday, but I’m relieved to see her back to herself.
“What are our plans for New Year’s Eve?” she asks.
“We’re on duty,” Clay reminds her between bites.
