Page 49 of Fatal Betrayal

"I had a source that I can't disclose."

"Interesting. A source that you can't talk about. I have to admit I'm curious about who that could be."

"Then you'll have to be curious." She pulled her phone out of her pocket. She'd turned it off during the press conference, and now there were several text messages. She read through them with a growing sense of excitement.

"Something has happened," Cooper said. "What?"

"My team found the car that almost ran us over last night. It belongs to Enrique Flores, the owner of The Fourth Street Garage, the gym where Daniel Guerrero, Solange's son, was working out the morning of the kidnapping. That doesn't sound like a coincidence."

"No, it doesn't."

She texted Nick that she would head over to the gym now. "I need to get to the gym."

"I'm going with you."

"Fine. My car is nearby. Where's yours?"

"Two blocks away in a parking garage, so you can drive."

"I was planning on it."

As they walked to her car, he said, "Has someone from your team spoken to Mr. Flores?"

"Not yet. Someone spoke to a staffer yesterday to confirm Daniel's alibi, but with this new piece of information, I'm curious to know what Daniel's relationship is with Enrique Flores." She shot Cooper a look as she started the engine. "Did you get anything else from Neil this morning?"

"No. Neil is frustrated and worried. I tried to calm him down, and I assured him you were doing your due diligence by investigating everyone."

She was surprised he could get those words out. "Did you tell him you and I knew each other when we were kids?" she asked.

"I did not. But it occurred to me today that I should have. What about you? Did you tell your team?"

"I just did. I should have done it from the beginning. They're hoping our past won't present a conflict for the case. Will it?"

"Not on my end."

"Because Damon will assign someone else to the case if you and I are going to be a problem."

"Someone like Agent Burnett?"

"Maybe."

"Well, he's the last person I'd like to see in charge. You're the lesser evil."

She sighed. "Well, I guess that's better than being the greater evil."

"That didn't come out right. The point is, I think you'll do a better job than Burnett, and I'll be there to help. We're on the same page where Elisa is concerned."

"That's what I told my boss." She pulled into traffic, working her way toward the freeway.

"Did you learn anything else last night after you went back to the office?" Cooper asked.

"I learned a lot about the Benedict's—Neil and his business dealings, his ex-wife, Shana, his partner Larry Friedman and his ex-wife, Michele, but it was all public information, nothing deep. There was a lot less information on Kristine or Solange and her family."

"I asked Neil more about Kristine after you left. He's surprisingly defensive of her."

At the odd note in his voice, she asked, "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing really."