Page 73 of Hard Heart

Levi had never experienced the Diamondback Devils’ methods firsthand. Sure, he’d heard stories from Diesel, but he’d assumed those were embellished to some extent. Never in a million years had he expected them to pull a stunt like kidnapping Jacobs and then forcing Sera to witness the man’s interrogation.

“I’m so sorry it happened that way, and it was never my intention. But your safety is my highest priority—the only thing I care about right now—and if I ask them for any more favours, I’ll be very specific regarding what that help entails.”

“Stop sounding so contrite. That makes it hard to stay mad at you.”

Levi tried a smile. “I’m sorry. Tell me those boots have a zipper?”

She shook her head. “No zipper.”

“Fuck.” Jim wasn’t there, so he reached his hands across the table, relieved beyond measure when she curled her fingers around his. “So, what did Jacobs say? Did he talk?”

“Yes, although he was a little hard to understand through all the broken teeth.”

“I can’t pretend I’m upset that he finally faced some semblance of a punishment. The man killed my friend, Sera, a man I worked with for three years. August was more of a father to me than my actual dad. I’m only sorry you had to witness the breakage.”

“I became a lawyer because I believe in justice,” she said softly. “In truth, in fairness, in equity. But these past few months have shown me that justice doesn’t always come through the legal system, and I can’t lie—that’s shaken me. I hate the realisation something I once believed in so strongly has proven itself to be a sham.”

Levi gripped her hands tighter. “That’s how I felt when Ruby died. My roommates had become my family, and one of them betrayed me. She was the one with the knife in her chest, but I felt that same pain.”

Sometimes, he thought it would have been easier if Dawson or Zach or Brax had just punched him in the face and put him out of his misery, but other times, he was glad he still had his teeth. And now, a spark of hope.

Thanks to her.

“I’m doing everything I can to get you out of here,” Sera whispered.

“No, you’re studying for the fucking bar exam.”

She managed half a smile. “That too.”

“Tell me what Jacobs said.”

“He was paid fifteen hundred bucks by a man named Stark to set a fire in Professor Groveland’s home. Apparently, murder was never mentioned. It was just meant to scare him.”

“But why? Why would someone do that?”

“Stark said Professor Groveland screwed his mama—we’re talking metaphorically rather than physically—and made her lose her job. Do you recall anyone named Stark working at the university?”

Levi shook his head. “Not in our department.”

“How about his car? It was a flashy red Audi with lowered suspension and a loud exhaust, and he’d dicked around with the engine to make it go faster.”

“Doesn’t ring any bells. He could have been lying.”

“It’s entirely possible Stark made up the story about his mama, but I don’t think Jacobs was lying. Not when a man was threatening to wire a motorcycle battery to his balls. I mean, would you fib in that situation?”

“Probably not,” Levi admitted. He liked his balls the way they were, not charred and smoking.

“So, the background story might be bogus, but the car is fact because Jacobs saw it. He remembered the vehicle better than the person.”

“Did you get a description of Stark?”

“Mid-twenties, brown hair, thin face. Looked as if he spent time in the gym. Jacobs got the impression he might have been military or ex-military, but he didn’t know for sure.”

There had been one former soldier in the chemistry department at Georgetown, but he was in his forties. He’d also lost a leg in Iraq and walked with a cane, which was something an observer would remember.

“Groveland didn’t work with anybody like that, not at Georgetown. Maybe at UCC, but he moved on from there almost a decade previously.”

“So where does that leave us?” Sera murmured, mostly to herself.