Page 49 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“I need to speak to you about your case,” she said.

“What about it?” he asked, feeling unaccountably disappointed.

“It’s just that...I think someone...I’m not sure,” she hedged.

“Annie, if you know something, I need you to tell me.”

She frowned. “It’s not that I know something. I just think there might be something not quite right going on.”

“Talk to me,” he ordered.

“I can’t,” she said. “It’s just speculation. I’m not going to say anything until I know something concrete.”

“Then why bring it up?” he asked.

“Because I’m trying to trust you,” she said.

“Come here.” Without giving her a chance to refuse, Fisher opened his arms and pulled her close. “I know this is hard for you and I’m so sorry. If there was anything I could do...”

“You could.” She shrugged out of his embrace and stepped away from him. “You could end this investigation.”

7

“What?” Fisher frowned.

“You heard me,” she said. “End it.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “You know I can’t do that.”

“No, I don’t,” she argued. “I know you won’t do it.”

“You’re right. I won’t!” he said. “Someone is using you, Annie. They’re using you to launder money probably to sell drugs. How the hell can I walk away from that? Every time I see a kid hooked on drugs, I’m going to wonder is that one I could have saved? And you should be wondering the same damn thing.”

Her vibrant blue eyes went dim and her face crumpled. “Drugs? I just can’t believe that someone I know would do that,” she whispered. “And would use me to make it happen. I just can’t believe it.”

“Believe it, honey,” he said. “The world is full of scumbags, and the ones who get away with it are usually the ones you’d least suspect.”