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Fuck.“I was being sarcastic. If that’s true, the actual killer is stupid, careless, or wants to send a message.”

“What kind of message?”

I pursed my lips. “Maybe Stephen is involved with something bigger. Maybe his death is a warning for those wanting to look further.”

Detective Farmer considered me. He knew about my past because he was the only police officer who had listened to me back then. Detective Farmer had just graduated from the police academy and had sat with me while I waited to talk to the other two detectives assigned to my family’s murder case. DetectivesMike Matthews and Benjamin Jones weren’t helpful because I didn’t have money for a top-notch lawyer. My family’s murder case file was ruled as a fire accident caused by an electrical error and signed off by the fire investigator, Anthony Young.

But I’d looked into these men, and they were also on the Lindor’s payroll. Just last year, they were all found dead. Detective Matthews died when he fell off a cliff during a hiking trip, and Detective Jones died from a heart attack even though he had a clean bill of health, according to his family. Anthony got into an accident during a whitewater raft trip with his friends.

It seemed like the Lindor family was removing anyone with links to them. Why now?

I met Detective Farmer’s eyes. “Maybe you should step back with this investigation. It seems like everyone linked to my family’s murder case is dying.”

“I can’t step back now. If I stop now, there will be questions. Everyone knows I’m like a bulldog with these cases—I won’t let go until I get answers. Also, the system let you down back then.” His jaw tightened. “But I won’t. I take my job seriously.”

“If they came to you with a blank check to buy your loyalty, what would you do?” I asked, knowing too many men had taken that offer in the past.

The country was ruled by men who were easily bought. For all I knew, our government had been compromised by foreign enemies for some time now.

“I’d write ‘fuck off’ on it and return it to them.” He smiled. “Do you still have the check I returned to you?”

A smirk slid onto my lips, remembering when I’d given him a blank check to test him. “No, I fed it to the shredder.”

He laughed. “I’ll keep you posted on what I find out.”

“Thanks.”

Stephen C. Perry would go on my investigation board at home. How powerful was the Lindor family? I’d looked intotheir finances, and they had a substantial amount of money, but not millions. There had to be other accounts. Who was funding them? They had to be doing something illegal if they were killing people off like this. What did Stephen do for them? Or did he have information they wanted to bury?

Questions crowded my head.

“Nothing on Joseph?” I asked about my curator.

He shook his head. “That’s another mystery baffling me. Let’s hope we’ll get news on him soon.”

Could Joseph’s disappearance be related to the Lindor family? Was it possible that they were trying to sabotage me?

I rose from the chair and grabbed my cane. “Thank you for the update. Please keep me posted on everything.”

“Will do,” he said.

I walked toward his door.

“Attikus,” he called.

I turned around and met a pair of serious blue eyes. “Yeah?”

“Be careful, okay?”

“You too. Call if you need anything.”

“How’s your leg?” he asked.

“Better every day.” I tapped my cane on the floor.

Detective Farmer was the official the public needed. He was a rare find, and I’d make sure he remained safe not only for my sake, but for those who needed a voice—those who needed justice.

He didn’t know I had my own investigation on the side. It would complicate things if he knew, and I didn’t want him to lose his job for me.