Page 112 of Healed Heart

Angie reaches out, her hand cool and steady on my arm.“We’re doing everything we can.But this confrontation—it’s not going to help, Jason.It’ll make things worse.You probably shouldn’t be anywhere near him.You wouldn’t be if everyone around here didn’t already know you.You’ve been accused of---” She stops, shaking her head.“If he is who we think he is, he despises you.He thinks you stole his one true love.”

She’s right.Blake would have my ass if he knew I was here, and in any other circumstance, an accused wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a victim.Still, I shake her off.“This confrontation could get me everything I need.I’m going back in there.”

“You don’t have to,” she says, her eyes shining.

“Of course I do.I want those fingerprints, and I want him to admit that someone else did this to him, probably at his request.”

She smiles.“I can’t help you with his admission, but…” She pulls a cup out of her backpack.“I saw him drink with this, and I picked it up by the edge.”

God, I should be so angry at her for being here, but damn.

She pulls a Ziploc out of her backpack and carefully places the cup inside and hands it to me.

“Why don’t you take it to Blake?”I say.“Ralph and I need to have words.”

“Jason, he’s not going to admit anything to you.”

“Oh, he will.I’m going to get him to admit everything.”

“How?”

“His Achilles’ heel,” I say.“Lindsay.”

ChapterForty-Three

Angie

I leave at Jason’s insistence and take the cup to Blake’s office.He promises to take it to the lab right away to get dusted for fingerprints, and he’s going to talk to the DA about the handwriting.

Of course, none of this absolves Jason.And all the evidence so far about Ralph murdering Lindsay is circumstantial.

We have a long way to go.

I’m not sure where to turn until I realize Henry is probably still in town.I give him a call.

“Hey, Ange,” he says into my ear.“Great timing.I just got out of a meeting.What’s up?”

“I need some help,” I say.

“Anything for my little sis.Though I’m due in another meeting in fifteen.What do you need?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Can you abbreviate it?”

“Sure.Say a guy has been beaten up and is framing another guy for it.How do I prove he paid someone to inflict the damage?”

Henry pauses.“Security footage is the best way.”

“Except I don’t know where it took place.”

“So this isn’t a hypothetical?”His tone adopts an edge.“Ange, is everything okay?Are you safe?”

“I’m fine, Henry, but we don’t have much time.Just answer my questions.I’ll tell you the whole story later.”

“Okay.”He sighs.“Promise me that you’re safe.”

“Yes.Completely safe.”