Free BREAKING STEELE (A Sarah Steele Thriller) by Ellie Aaron; Ann Patterson Page B

fast way to die. Which made it one if his favorites.
    “You should have told me the truth, Marco. Not let me push you around. But you were weak, and the weak deserve to suffer.”

Chapter 23
    “SO WHAT ARE WE hoping to find out from Heather?” Joshua asked. He rolled down the window and set his arm on the sill to feel the breeze.
    “I don’t know, just want to talk to her, see what we can find out. I want to see what happened that made her file that ambiguous abuse claim. And if it’s anything, maybe get her to testify about him.”
    “So we are fishing?”
    “Pretty much.”
    “Got it.”
    “Have we got anything back from the evidence in the barn yet?” I asked, needing something concrete to hope in.
    “Nope, not yet,” he replied. “It is a long shot, not sure the judge will even let us use it.It has been in that barn a long time and it’ll look to the other side like it has been planted.”
    “I know, I need it more for my own motivation then anything else, proof in my own head.”
    The whole case from start to finish didn’t make sense. The more I thought about it the more messed up it seemed. From the paid jurors, my kidnapping scare, the forensic cokehead, the witness flaking out, the way Hank Williams was so calm through the trial, the flowers and threats, Hannah’s reticence, and it went on and on.
    “What is going on in that head of yours?” Joshua broke into my thoughts and I snapped back to reality.
    “Oh, just thinking about this case, the trial, and all of it.”
    “Kind of messed up.”
    “Yeah.”
    Joshua looked out the window. “I think he is just a spoiled man who has a lot of money and has some guys on his payroll that do his dirty work. I think he gets off on it.”
    “I agree. I just feel like I am missing something big, like he is playing this game and I only have half the rules.”
    “I feel the opposite,” Joshua said. “I feel like we’re searching for rules that aren’t there. Does he seem like the kind of man who plays by rules to you?”
    “No.” I sighed. “No, he doesn’t.”

Chapter 24
    HEATHER DADE LIVED IN the not-so-expensive part of Eagle. The whole town had been remade down to the cobblestone streets, but the old Eagle still had trailers and older homes from when all the stoners lived there twenty years ago before the housing boom.
    I parked behind a beat-up Nova and walked to the door of the single-wide trailer. I could smell something funky coming from inside, and when a skinny girl with dark rings around her eyes opened the door, the smell hit me in the face, almost taking my breath away.
    “What do you want?” Her voice was gruff and it sounded like she just woke up. She eyed me suspiciously, but her gaze softened when she saw Joshua. He was like a big teddy bear.
    “Heather?” I asked in my kindest voice. Joshua smiled tentatively.
    “Who wants to know?Are you reporters?”
    “No, I’m with the DA’s office. I need to ask you a few questions.”
    “Not interested.” She started to shut the door but I held up my hand. I know it was a bluff, but I banked on the fact that most of her information on law enforcement came from CSI Miami.
    “We can come back with a court order if you like, but then you will have to talk to me down at the courthouse.”
    Two court order threats in one day. I was getting my money’s worth out of that one.
    Heather stopped and looked at me through faded blue eyes. She was in her mid-twenties but looked forty. I was guessing meth.
    “Fine, what do you want?” she asked, opening the door a smidge.
    “Can we come in?”
    She opened the door all the way and we walked into her trailer. I couldn’t believe the mess; beer cans, cigarette butts, rotting food, animal feces, and trash littered every surface. My stomach churned. How could someone live like this? She lit a joint and I was about to protest until I realized the scent helped, so I decided not to say anything.
    “This is my associate, Joshua.” I motioned