“You make me sound awful. And yes, I wouldn’t share if I didn’t think they would do anything with my information, but I would never obstruct justice.”

“You’re right, I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“Truth is, I thought she was going to block me. I thought she was going to put her foot down and I already knew I would have given her everything.”

“And walked?”

“No. But I respect Lucy too much to withhold what I know. I gave her the timeline and the connections between the two cases and asked her to let me work with her on this. Within reason, of course.”

“That’s … almost surprising. So is Agent Kincaid calling me? For what, specifically? It would be nice if I had some background.”

“It may not be her, but I pointed out that you already offered to help, and this is your strength. Whatever scam is going on has to do with a lot of land and a lot of money. And a deep understanding of embezzling, which in this case according to Sean Rogan would also include a talented hacker. One reason I’m so late is because Lucy confided in me that she doesn’t think that Denise Albright actually embezzled the money from her client. She thinks the money was taken after she was already dead, that she may have been pressured into changing the accounts the day she died and then someone else actually took the money and moved it from company to company until it disappeared.”

“I love shell corps. They’re so much fun.”

“You’re crazy, you know that.”

“You love me for it. But seriously, I am happy to help, and I’m not going to tell you not to get involved, but I looked up Agent Kincaid’s file. First, a lot of her file is sealed. Even I don’t have the clearance to see it.”

“I don’t want to know.” She did want to know, but she had promised Sean and Lucy that she wouldn’t dig into Lucy’s background.

“I was only going to say, she’s been involved in several high-profile and dangerous investigations over the last couple of years. I need you to be careful. For me and for Eve. We worry.”

“This isn’t a dangerous case.”

“Stanley Grant was shot and killed this afternoon. You could have been with him at the courthouse instead of Rogan, and you could have been shot. I can’t help it, Max, you take risks, and I need you to be extra careful.”

“I will be. I want to come home just as much as you want me home.”

“I’m glad you recognize that.”

“I am tired, though.”

“I wish I was there.”

“So do I. I need a massage.”

“I feel used.”

“You love it when I use you.”

“Use me whenever you want, Maxine Revere. I am yours. Sleep tight.”