Peering through the small square window, I stared at the back of Stone’s head.

With what Oscar had just presented me, he might have been onto something.

Could Sylvia be Stone’s connection on the outside?

The DA’s office certainly wanted to make the case—linking Sylvia to both women’s murders—but why? Was there more to it than I thought? This recent revelation complicated my triangle of assumptions, especially when I was still suspicious that Oscar was somehow working with Stone to cover up the murder of Tonya.

When the thick metal door buzzed and unlocked, I knew that not only did I need to convince Sylvia to turn herself in, but I also had to find the missing link between Tonya and Angel.

Stepping inside, my dress shoes clacked on the floor getting Stone to lift his head. He turned and quickly met my gaze with a sharp curiosity of his own.

Stone held eye contact like he knew something that I didn’t.

The lines of his face deepened around his newly grown dark goatee as the laugh lines around his eyes crinkled with a knowing glimmer.

As I rounded the metal table, preparing to take the empty seat across from him, I couldn’t decide if it was arrogance I was seeing or something deeper—something seeded in a hidden knowledge that made Stone keep his wits about him. After all, he was currently facing years in prison, and that was only on the state level. Yet, here he was, acting like nothing had changed.

Did I give him the hope needed to believe that I could get him off?

It was entirely possible, I thought as I dove my hand inside my jacket pocket, offering him a gift.

Lifting his cuffed hands off the table, he extended his elbows, graciously taking the cigar from my fingers. Closing his eyes, he slid the rolled tobacco under his nose saying, “My favorite brand.”

“Consider it a reminder of what it is we’re fighting for,” I said, opening my briefcase. Getting to work, I began by saying, “We have your preliminary hearing approaching and I would like to share with you my strategy.”

His eyes were still closed as he took his time, fully appreciating my gift. Slowly, his lids opened one by one, un-phased by the prospect of going to prison for a very long time. A thin smirk crossed his face as he said, “It must be eating you alive.”

Looking at him from under my brow, I lifted my head with a questioning look.

His eye contact was strong, confident. “Wondering how I managed to do it from inside here.”

My pulse ratcheted up another notch as I gently closed up my folders. Setting my pen on the table, I said, “You’re right. I have been wondering. But, frankly,” my palms turned to the ceiling, “I don’t care.”

First he snickered. Then it grew into a boisterous laugh. “Oh, but you do, Mr. Black.” His grin was as evil as the ominous look in his eyes. “Tonya had a reason to die.” His words slithered off the tip of his tongue like a venomous snake.

“And Maria?” I asked in an even tone. “Did she also have a reason to die?”

Sliding his sharp elbows forward, he leaned more of his upper body across the table. Lowering his brow, he glanced up at me from under the curtain of lashes. “I think we both know the answer to that.”

A headache pounded as I worked to recall the series of events inside my head.

Madam setting up Parker and Kendra on a date. Me assaulting Parker in the parking lot the night Madam instructed Kendra to fuck him. Then, Parker being pressured by the DA to press charges against me for assault, and Madam offering up a solution to blackmail Parker into dropping those same charges. One event after the other, eventually leading us to where we were now with Parker and Sylvia looking like they’d had a hand in Tonya’s death.

“Then tell me,” my shoulders fell back into the hard metal chair, “who did you have kill Tonya and why?”

He twisted the cigar between his fingers. “Mr. Black, what were you doing that day at Echo, anyway?”

My heart slammed against my chest, then suddenly stopped completely.

I wasn’t sure if he was referring to the photos of Kendra and me outside Echo the day she signed my NDA—the same images handed to me by the reporter currently digging into my life—or if Stone was mentioning the time I visited Tonya’s crime scene.

Realizing he might be behind the new reporter coming after me, it certainly got my attention as a chill zipped up my spine.

Stone continued to stare through beady eyes.

When the silence grew more intense, he laughed. “You’ve been there so many times, you don’t know what day I’m referring to.”

“You had someone leave me the note on my windshield the day Tonya died.” His eyes glimmered at my accusation as he flung one arm over the back of his chair. “How did you know that I would visit?”

His tongue darted over his lips. “I know many things. Like I’ve said before,” he raised his chin, “I’ve been keeping my eye on you, Mr. Black.”

Knowing I was being watched, I thought of my call from Sylvia. I wondered if it was her leaving that note on my windshield, and, if it was, then Oscar was right about her working with Stone.

“Interesting, seeing as how you’ve been locked up all this time,” I said.

“We have common interests.” His fingers drummed on the tabletop. A second later they stopped. “Despite our current positions, we both want the same thing.”

Opening up his folder, I redirected our conversation back to his hearing. “This is our angle, and if you notice any flaws, now is the time to let me know.” I lifted my gaze to his glare. “Because the only common interest I see between you and me is getting your charges dropped and having you released.”

His mouth flew open as he laughed. “Things aren’t what they seem.”

My stomach hardened, afraid that he might be on to Madam’s plan of hiring me to ensure his conviction.

Draping his forearms out in front of him again, he leaned forward with a new hardness in his eye. “Rumors are flying across the sky and things are getting dirty.” His knowing gleam was back. “But I suppose I shouldn’t believe everything I read, now, should I?”

Intrigued by his word choice, it was impossible to not be reminded of how Sylvia chose a similar phrase in the note she had instructed Parker to give to me. It only further solidified my belief that they were conspiring together—and she could be the one to feed Stone’s agenda from the outside. Except that still didn’t explain why Angel’s voice was on the call from Sylvia’s apartment.

“Funny how you’re fighting for justice when you’re to blame for these women getting killed.” Stone made a tight fist with one hand.

“How so?”

“You’re aligning yourself with the wrong players.”

My eyebrows drew together.

Stone turned his head in thought. “Maybe, Counselor, if you didn’t go to work with Madam none of this would have happened.”

Feeling my blood speed up, I muttered under my breath, “I never wanted Maria or Tonya to die.”

He turned to me with anger flashing over his eyes. “People are dipping their hands into my cookie jar and taking things that don’t belong to them.”

Without question, I knew he was referring to Madam. “Then let’s not forget that is the reason you’re locked up—without bail—in the first place.”

Leaning back in his chair, Stone moved the cigar off to the side.

“So, tell me,” I pressed further as he remained silent, “is that the reason you ordered Tonya’s death?”

Snickering, he said, “Remember, Counselor, it’s not what happens that matters. It’s how the story is told.”

Feeling my heart skip a beat, I was left breathless. He’d stolen my line. But what did he mean by it?

“I can help you achieve your goals, Mr. Black.” He clasped his hands out in front of him. “Just as you can help me achieve mine.”

I quirked a brow. “And what are my goals?”

Chuckling, he said, “We’re both living the nightmare Madam created, and it’s time we work together to make it stop.”

With perked ears, he had my full attention. Wondering what he knew, and what proposition he was going to make, I picked up my pen and tilted my head to the side.

“Wouldn’t you like to finally be free from her iron grip?”

The room spun as my mind raced to keep up. I had an outer body experience when I heard myself say, “Tell me, what exactly do you have in mind?”