“There’s no physical evidence tying him to Victoria’s murder and no murder weapon. I want to talk to him. Sean tried to talk to him multiple times after he confessed, but his first lawyer put up roadblocks. The one time he got in to see him—by not going through the lawyer—the lawyer found out and stopped Grant from speaking to Sean, and said that if he continued to harass his client, he’d file for a restraining order.”

That was news to Lucy.

“The new lawyer is fresh out of law school,” Max said. “Just passed the bar this year and has been with the public defender’s office for six months.”

“Meaning, you can manipulate him.”

“His former lawyer kept a tight leash and wouldn’t let anyone talk to Grant. His new lawyer brought my proposal to Grant this afternoon, and I’m confident that Grant will talk to me.”

Lucy admired Max’s confidence, even when it annoyed her.

Jesse called out from the kitchen, “Dinner, and I’m starved!”

“So am I,” Lucy said. She had a hunch that Max had more on her mind—and that Lucy would be hearing about it soon.

After dinner—which was filled with pleasant conversation mostly about Max meeting Dillon’s wife, Kate, and their excursion out into the Big Apple—Sean cleaned up and Max leaned back at the table.

“I have a favor to ask,” she said, “and I recognize it’s a bit of a gray area for you, but I’m going to ask anyway.”

“I had a feeling,” Lucy said.

“I didn’t say anything,” Sean said to Max as he put the leftover lasagne into a container. “I told you, this is between you and Lucy.”

Lucy already didn’t like the conversation and she hadn’t heard what Max was going to say.

“San Antonio PD has been less than forthcoming about this case,” Max said. “I haven’t been able to get any information out of them other than the media statement. Grover—Victoria’s father—went down and spoke to the lead detective, Jennifer Reed, and was able to learn more, but he was unsatisfied because other than the confession, the police don’t have anything substantive on Stanley Grant. They didn’t come out and say that, but Grover is smart, he read between the lines.”

Lucy shrugged. “The police may not tell anyone, even the victim’s family, what they have or don’t have.”