“Before the arraignment. He wants my help with his sister, I want what he knows or thinks he knows. I have questions, he has answers.”

“I’m meeting him at eight thirty. He’ll be brought to the courthouse from jail. The hearing is at nine.”

“I’ll meet you in the courthouse lobby at eight fifteen. You’ll get me in with him.”

“I can’t promise that, but Mr. Grant said if he knows his sister is safe, he’ll talk to you.”

Her instincts were humming. Something was fishy. Stanley Grant was playing games, but whether the games were to benefit him or to protect his sister she didn’t know.

Marie Richards might have the answers.

“If Mr. Grant is concerned about his sister’s safety, why doesn’t he contact the police?”

“He has a strong … I guess I’d call it fear … of the police.”

“Many criminals do.”

“It’s different. You might not think much of me since I’m a public defender, but I’ve already been assigned one hundred ten cases. I’m not naïve. He made it clear to me that he doesn’t trust the police, and he was convincing.”

That wasn’t a selling point with Max. Criminals, by and large, didn’t trust the police. Some with valid reasons, most just because they didn’t want to be caught. Max had some run-ins with law enforcement over the years, she didn’t naturally trust anyone, even the police. As she was a reporter, most cops wouldn’t give her the time of day. But that didn’t mean she feared them or their motives. If she was in trouble or danger, she’d reach out to the police.

“Maybe this will help,” Jones said.

He slid over a printout from the county jail, the visitor log for Stanley Grant. She noted lawyer meetings. Mitch Corta, his business partner and Victoria’s ex-husband, visited him three times in the two weeks after his arrest. Simon Mills, Victoria’s older brother, visited twice—that was odd. And then his sister. She came by six times, all during regular visiting hours. The first time two days after his arrest, the last yesterday morning.

The day before he fired his attorney and changed his plea.

Yes, Marie Richards knew something.

She folded the paper and kept it. Jones looked like he wanted it back but didn’t say anything. Max planned to follow up with Simon. Why did he talk to Stanley and what did they talk about?

“You get me in to see Grant and I’ll tell him personally what I’ll do to protect his sister—if she needs it. But if he lies to me—about anything—all bets are off.”

Chapter Eight