She crossed her legs, and he realized she was wearing another version of the outfit she’d had on yesterday—a snug-fitting skirt and silk blouse. Only the colors were reversed, and today her skirt was white and her top was black. The switch intrigued him, for some reason.

“I won’t take much of your time.” She glanced at her chunky sports watch. “I just had a follow-up question.”

“Follow-up?”

“About Vanessa.”

A “follow-up” implied that she’d been interviewing him, when it was the other way around.

“When we first talked at the courthouse, you asked me about Gertrude Soltis, the public defender.”

“Yeah?”

She tipped her head to the side. “Why did you ask that?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what’s the link between Vanessa and Gertie, if there is one?”

He watched her, mulling how to respond. Again, he didn’t want to tell her anything, but if she had anything useful, he needed her cooperation.

“Vanessa doesn’t have a criminal record. I checked,” she said. “So how did Gertie come up?”

“Why does it matter?”

“Well, I’m her lawyer. I’m trying to understand her legal issues. I’m building a comprehensive file—”

“Why?”

She looked startled. “So I can help. Why else?”

“Help Vanessa? Or the police?”

“Well, both, really. I’m trying to understand her legal situation at the time of her disappearance. It could be relevant to what happened to her.” She paused. “Don’t you agree?”

Brandon gritted his teeth. When he’d first gone looking for Leigh Larson, he’d thought there was a chance she held the key to whatever had happened to Vanessa. She still might. But he’d underestimated how much getting a lawyer involved would complicate things. He should have known. And he should have resisted the temptation to loop her in. But she was smart and smooth and, yes, beautiful, and each time she reached out to him he convinced himself it only made sense to hear what she had to say.

“Well?” She leaned closer. “Do you?”

His attention snapped back to her question: Did he agree Vanessa’s legal situation could be relevant?

“Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean I want you involved.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. You’re being territorial. I’m on your side here. I want to help you find Vanessa.”

He just looked at her.

“Okay, here’s another question,” she said. “Has there been any activity on Vanessa’s credit card? Purchases, ATM withdrawals? I assume you’re monitoring her cards.”

They were, and there hadn’t been any activity, but Brandon didn’t tell her that.

“Sorry,” he said, although he wasn’t, “but I can’t discuss details about the investigation.” He stood up. “I have to head out.”

She stood, too, looking annoyed now. “You still haven’t answered my question about the link between Vanessa and a criminal defense attorney.”