When He's Dirty, стр. 21

“Let’s not put that into the universe,” I say, and yet, she’s right, I think. Lord help me, the collective hell, might just motivate Ed to make a deal.

“It’s not about the universe,” she snips. “You need to take the threats seriously. Waters has proven to be the devil he calls himself. I don’t know how you ended up on this case. Okay, I do,” she quickly amends. “You learned how these monsters think when you were with your father. Listen to your gut and listen.”

I learned with my father.

And there it is. My reputation for defending monsters. It’s a part of me, but damn it, maybe winning this case will make people forget. Maybe it will make me forget.

Agent Pitt appears in my doorway. “Got a minute?” he asks.

Grace glances over her shoulder at him and then back at me. “I can wait.” She pushes to her feet. “Can you do lunch?”

“Not until this is over for every reason you just gave me to set that timeline.”

“Drinks it is,” she says. “I’ll call you later.”

She backs out of the doorway and Agent Pitt walks into my office. No. He doesn’t just walk in, he shuts the door with him inside, a puff of cranky energy hitched on his back for the ride. “I heard Waters is trying to make a deal.”

My brows knit together. “Heard from who?”

“Why haven’t you told me?”

“Heard from who?” I repeat, my voice a hard push this time.

He waves that off. “His attorney is buzzing it around to anyone who’ll listen.”

“Of course,” I say dryly, really not that surprised by this realization as I add, “He wants the DA to be pressured to take the deal.”

“What did he offer?”

“A guy named Jason Whitaker. He’s an attorney long suspected of helping some very powerful people launder money or just plain hide it.”

“I know him. What’s your play?”

I have no idea why I hold back my intentions to stay my course, but I do without hesitation. “I’ll let you know when I know.”

“What does that mean?” he grumbles.

“It means,” I gather up the Walker references on my desk and stand, “that I need to see the DA before I make any decisions. I am, after all, an Assistant District Attorney, not the District Attorney.” I round my desk and he doesn’t move. Pitt’s a big man, broad and fit, his hair and eyes as dark as his mood, and yes, now I notice that he is rather good looking. And yet, even standing close to him, there is no buzz to my skin or heat in my belly. We don’t vibe romantically at all. Right now, he’s just a wall blocking my path.

“What is it you want from me, Agent Pitt?” I snap.

“A lot of people worked really hard to take down Waters,” he bites out.

Rafael’s words come back to me: too many people gave up their lives to get him where he is now for you to set him free. Which in hindsight was a big statement. My decision is made. No deal, not if I can stop it from happening. I won’t set Waters free.

“Pri,” Pitt snaps, the use of my first name, not under objection, as it’s my preference, but his impatient tone is another story.

I blink him back into view. “I know many people worked and sacrificed to arrest Waters, Agent Pitt. I get it. You know I do.”

“You sure about that?” he presses. “Bodies are dropping. Maybe you don’t have the stomach for it.”

“I never have the stomach for murder,” I say.

“Maybe that’s why Waters thinks you’ll make a deal. You’ve made plenty in the past for guys like him.”

“Don’t push me, Agent Pitt.”

I try to step around him and he moves with me, blocking my path again. “Are you going to make the deal?”

My heart is now thundering in my chest. “Move out of my way,” I order, my voice low, tight, controlled when my pulse is not.

The intercom on my desk buzzes and Ed’s voice bellows. “I understand you have something to tell me, Ms. Miller. Why are you not in my office telling me now?”

I walk to the desk and punch the button to reply with “Because Agent Pitt is discussing the case with me. I’m on my way.”

“Make it now,” he snaps and the line goes dead.

“The defense is manipulating you,” Pitt accuses.

I step back in front of him. “Why don’t you do something besides trying and failing to intimidate me and help, Agent Pitt? Adrian Mack changes everything. Tell him it’s time for a one-on-one talk. Now.” I step around him and this time he doesn’t stop me. I open the door and exit to the hallway, leaving one hot-headed male opinion, and on my way for another.

I start down the hallway and Cindy steps into pace with me. “Tell me you’re not making a deal.”

I glance over at her and grimace. “My God, did the defense do a press release on the offer?”

“Might as well have,” she says, “it’s buzzing everywhere. What are you going to do?”

“Send Waters to jail for the rest of his life.” We halt at the alcove that houses Ed’s office, and I peek inside relieved that his prickly secretary Lynn is missing. “Wish me luck.”

She squeezes my arm and doesn’t let go. “People are dying.”

“And they’ll keep dying for years to come as long as Waters has the resources and opportunity to kill them.” I pull out of her reach and enter Ed’s office.

I find him standing with his back to me at his window. “Ed?”

He rotates and motions to the door, his expression taut, his tie red, of course, which tells me a story I already know about Ed. He’s a man who needs power and presently fears losing it. He’s an asshole, impatient and demanding. He’s also a man of courage to even take us down this path with Waters. He cares about justice. He motions to the