The more I think about it, the more I think it might have been a woman that attacked Nadia in the bathroom of the restaurant. She certainly didn’t specify a gender when she blurted the story out to me, and I got the impression that she thought it was a man, but since we only really have one lead, and it’s someone who is distinctly female, I’m going to have to keep my mind open until I get further in my investigation..

Again, maybe I’m grasping at straws, trying to find something that isn’t there, but because I’m desperate I’m sticking with it. Something in my gut is telling me that this is right, and I need to know for sure...

There is definitely something suspicious about my good friend Officer Whitfield, so if it wasn't her that attacked Nadia in the bathroom, I have a feeling that she’ll know who it was. I’m pretty sure that this won’t be a wasted journey at any rate.

“Hi,” I grin at the man sitting behind the reception desk in the police station. “I’m here to see Officer Whitfield, I have some questions for her about one of the cases she’s working on.”

“Can you please tell me your name so I can pass the message on to her please?” He asks in a bored tone. I don't tell him a message won’t be necessary because I’m pretty sure that she’ll be desperate to see me right away, especially if she has something on me, so I do as he asks.

“It’s Alexi Smith, I’m a lawyer.” I’m in my suit now, keeping up with the character even though I know she doesn’t believe it. I need to keep up appearances for the rest of the world anyway. “She’ll know why I’m here.”

He phones through a message, and just as I suspected Karen comes racing into the waiting room to see me. “Hello there, Mr. Smith,” she eyes me suspiciously. Especially after the way that our last meeting went, when she all but called me out for what my real job is. “Please come into my office.”

I follow behind her confidently, knowing that I’m onto something here. There’s something off about Karen, and I’m pretty sure it’ll only take a couple of threats to make her spill everything. I’m pretty sure that by the end of this meeting, I’ll have a lot more to go on. I might even be able to solve the whole damn thing. And once that’s done, I can start working on what the hell I’m going to do next.

“Please come this way,” she finally says, opening the door to a small office that I can instantly tell doesn’t have any CCTV cameras covering it. Perfect, I don't want any witnesses for what’s about to happen. “So, how can I help you?”

I spin around quickly and pin her to the nearest wall before she can even think. I do my best to hold her still, without actually hurting her. I’m successful because she looks absolutely petrified. It’ll only take verbal threats, rather than physical, which I’m much more comfortable with.

“What... what’s happening?” she asks, throwing her hands up above her head. “What do you want?”

“I want to know what you do,” I growl menacingly into her ear. “I already know for a fact that you’re more involved in this case with Nadia that you’re letting on, so why don’t we stop sidestepping this and fucking around. Why don't you just tell me everything?”

“I... I don't...”

“Karen, give it up. I’ve seen tapes of you, I know you know about the van and the attempt to pin the murder on Nadia. I’m also pretty sure that you attacked her last night... and she tasered you.”

I step back to yank her top up slightly, knowing that Nadia pushed the Taser into her stomach. I did question her on everything, but I didn’t tell her about my suspicions because I knew it would worry her. I want to be sure before I say anything. She doesn’t know that I’m here, and if this doesn’t turn out the way that I think it’s going to, she’ll never find out about it. But I’m pretty sure that I am right.

Sure enough, there are angry red marks all over Karen’s side that can only have been caused by a taser.

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

At first she holds my gaze defiantly, as if she’s going to hold her own, but then I spot tears filling her eyes, and it isn’t long before one falls down her cheek. The tough veneer that she has built up cracks, and it won’t be long before everything comes tumbling out of her mouth.

“This isn’t what you think,” she insists, and I roll my eyes. People always say that. “I don't want to be stuck in the middle of this, not one bit. I’m risking everything.”

“Why?” I ask sharply. People don't just throw their whole careers down the toilet for no reason. What could it be? Money? Notoriety? Love? “What the hell could you be doing all of this for?”

“My daughter,” she weeps, giving up the pretence completely. “He has her. He’s taken her and he won’t give her back until I do what she wants.”

Shit. This has just taken another turn for the worst. This is more complex than anything before—Karen has family in the middle of it. Maybe things aren’t quite as black and white as they seemed. Maybe, for the first time ever, it really isn’t what it looks like.

“What do you mean?” I ask cautiously, finally moving away from her. “What the hell is going on here? And who is he?” If I can find out who’s behind all of this, then I can finally put a stop to it once and for all.

“Dimitri Novikov,” she confirms sadly, slumping into her chair. I imitate her by sitting in the nearest seat too. “Damien’s brother. He’s behind all of it. He had his brother killed, I assume that he had Nadia framed for it, and now he wants to kidnap her... he wants her for his own.”

“So why has he taken your daughter?” My head is spinning, this makes no damn sense. What the fuck is going on here? Is this brother worse than the fucking one Nadia married? Do I have some sort of psychopath on my hands?

“To make me do what he wants,” she hangs her head and I can see the tears dripping onto the floor. “She’s only ten years old, she’s probably terrified. I don't even know where he’s holding her, or what he’s doing to her. I just... I don't know what to do.”

“Shit... so this is all because, what? He’s in love with her or something?” I need to understand the motive here, I’ve got to have something solid to work with.

“I think so... it certainly seems like it.”

“So, he wants her framed for murder?” I still don't get it. I’ve seen some fucked up, crazy shit in my time, but this makes no damn sense to me. “Why?”

“From what I can work out in my own mind, he wants to swoop in and be the hero. He’s got the crazy notion that she has feelings for him too, and that they were always meant to be together. He knew that she was unhappy with Damien and that he was horrible to her... maybe he thought that by freeing her from that, she would fall at his feet.” She shakes her head, clearly thinking that it’s all as insane as I do. “I don't know, I mean... I deal with crazy stuff all the time, but still...”

“And he told you all of this?” I ask, confused. “How did you end up getting involved?”

“I started investigating them because of a drug business they’re both involved in. It was supposed to be a straight up job, one where I go in and arrest the bad guys, but it quickly turned bad. The brothers were arguing all the time, falling out over God knows what, and I somehow got twisted up in that.” She pauses for a moment thoughtfully, and I give her the time she needs to organize her thoughts. “It’s Dimitri, he’s so manipulative, so charming, so... I don't know.” For a split second, I think that I can see something there, a glimpse of feelings maybe. “He told me that he wanted to help me, to bring his brother down. He told me that he didn’t want anything to do with drugs anymore, that he wanted me to put an end to it all... I guess I was naive enough to believe him.”

“Wow, this really is something else,” I admit. “I don't know what to think of it all.”

“Trust me,” she replies knowingly. “I have endless files of information that I’ve spent many, many hours poring through, and I don't fully get it either. There are so many twists and turns, so many uncertainties. It’s all just... too much.”

I think I might have a solution to our problems, one that helps us both, but I don't know how she’ll react to it. She’s already been betrayed by someone she decided to work with outside of the police force, so I’m going to have to tread carefully. She has something that I need—information—and I can help her with her daughter, I can do whatever needs to be done to free her. I just need to get Karen on my side.

“I can help you,” I tell her honestly. “If you’ll let me. Just... let me see all the information, let me work alongside you, and we can bring this guy to justice.” She looks at me with distrust in her eyes, and I know that I need my next words better be good if I’m going to get her assistance.

“I will get your daughter away from him, I promise. I know that it might be scary to put your trust into someone again, but we both have something to gain here, and a whole lot to lose. You have your daughter, and I have Nadia. If we don’t do this, we risk losing them both.”

She’s still silent, which bothers me. “Look, clearly neither of us are doing very good by ourselves, we need each another, so why not just accept that and do what needs to be done?”

“Okay.” She finally concedes. “I guess I don't have any other choice. But please... don't turn on me. Don't make me go through that again, okay?”

“I won’t,” I promise her. “I know that you’ve been through a lot. Trust me, I have too. All we both want is Dimitri Novikov behind bars. Together we can do that, together we can save the people we love.”

Relief floods through me as she stands up and grabs me a box of paperwork. I’m finally moving forward now, actually getting somewhere, and that feels amazing. Okay, so I’m stepping into enemy territory to do so, but I don't think Karen is a bad person. I think she’s telling the truth, and that she just got herself mixed up in something that she didn’t understand.

I’m dreading telling Nadia that Karen is now working with us, but I hope she understands that this is best for all of us. This is the only way.