“Is someone trying to destroy me? I would never hurt Baines or you. I mean . . .” Words flowed out of him as his voice bounced back and forth between confusion and fury. “That medicine bottle. The bogus emails. It’s all garbage.”

Evidence faked and planted. She remembered Rob’s notes and all his warnings. All those cases where a piece of information would appear, somehow missed and suddenly the only answer to fill in a blank. “Can’t they track that sort of thing and verify the emails are fake?”

“They’re not inclined to help me right now. They want me to confess so they can clear the case, answer the concerns you made public, and be done.”

She’d pushed and talked about bringing in lawyers and the media. She lit a match, and now it burned in a line headed straight for Liam.

“This is my fault,” she said, knowing they both thought it.

He pushed away from the rail and moved closer to her. “Of course not.”

“The fake evidence . . .” Rob had warned her about this happening. Exactly this.

Liam wasn’t listening to her. He kept talking. “I don’t know what’s going on in that detective’s head, but they didn’t arrest me, and right now I’m grateful for the breathing room. I need to find an expert to discredit the emails and prove I’m being set up. Clear my name then sue the fuck out of this police department for harassment.”

“You think someone planted the evidence then tipped them off to point the finger at you.” That happened. It was the only explanation.

“But how?” Liam shook his head. “The person had to get into my condo. Into my computer. The only two people in there are you and Kennedy, and neither of you did it. It really doesn’t make much sense.”

Only someone with power and access could accomplish this. Someone who could pay experts. “Earl Swain.”

Liam frowned. “What about him?”

Maybe not him, but his wife. Loretta Swain, the woman with a secret society at her command. “The stolen bid. Maybe that pushed him over the edge. He has money, so I’m sure he has connections.”

“I have money, and I wouldn’t hire people to frame someone.” Liam’s flat tone told her how little he thought of her theory. “No, he doesn’t gain anything by ruining my reputation. He battled with Baines, but Earl and I get along fine.”

“Okay, but—”

“Sure, he wins a few contracts, but he’s a guy who likes competition. And he’s not unhinged.”