Free Victoria by Laura Marie Henion

you?"
    "Yes, I do, but she's his cousin, his family, that's sick."
    "Exactly. He was the one who took that picture. Linda did have a thing for your father, but he didn't entertain it. Collins has been spreading corruption and making promises to cops for years. We're pulling our evidence together, and so far, we've got him for money laundering, taking bribes, fixing his elections, tax evasion, and are close to pinning him for murder."
    "If you have so much evidence, what do you need me for? Can't you arrest him and interrogate the shit out of him?"
    "We plan on doing that, but you see, our evidence has loopholes that may not hold up in court. We need more proof and we don't think he's working alone. So far, the other person involved has stayed anonymous, covered his or her tracks really well,” Warren explained.
    "In all honesty, I don't think Collins pulled the trigger himself. He's too much of a coward. I think he has a partner, someone who's on the inside and taking kickbacks,"
    "What is it you want me to do? If he hated my father, he wouldn't confide in me. What does he want?"
    "It may be just simply extra votes that will ensure him winning the election. Your family is large and heavily involved with the police department, fire department, military, and local community. Your support would mean a great deal,” Warren told her.
    "Not if these accusations of my father having an affair are released. People don't like that kind of stuff. It turns them off whether it's true or not.
    "Once it's out there, it sticks in their minds. They'll be saying he deserved to die, that the killer was probably a jealous boyfriend. Oh, my God, this is crazy.” She covered her face with her hands.
    "The DA's office can't stop the detectives from conducting their investigation. We need to stay silent. They can't know we're on to all of this. We've risked telling you in the hopes that you'll help us.
    "First of all, there's a Detective Monroe working out of the Boulder Point Police Department. He's gone through the whole FBI training academy. He's the only person other than you that knows what's going on. He's our inside guy in the police department and is currently working on some cases with the River Point P.D. Monroe and I will be working with you to organize everything. If your paths cross, you are not to acknowledge one another. Monroe and I will continue to investigate Collins and some others."
    "What is it that you want me to do?"
    "We want you to continue to date Collins, no matter what your family says. We want you to get close to him, confide in him, and make him believe you. You're to tell him how bad things were in your family. You'll have to lie and make it believable. If he thinks you're out for revenge, or aren't so loyal to your family, then he'll confide in you, perhaps reveal the name of his secret partner."
    "I don't know if I can do this. How can I get close to a man who is somehow responsible for killing my father, whether he pulled the trigger himself or not?"
    "Because the end result will be clearing your father's name, capturing his killer, ending corruption in the department, and protecting your family. We're close, Victoria. Can you do this?"
    Victoria sat back and thought about everything the investigator told her.
    "Victoria, don't think for a minute that your father even considered an affair with the Delaney girl. He had his reasons for meeting her at this restaurant.” Warren motioned with his arm toward the building behind them.
    "So why was he meeting her? You know why?” Victoria needed to know everything.
    "Linda Delaney was an artist. She enjoyed creating paintings from photographs, mostly engagement or wedding pictures. She sold the idea to him, showed him other work she did. Your father hired her to paint a portrait of his and your mother's wedding picture. The unfinished work wasn't recovered as of yet."
    "Why was Bret there if my father hated him so much?"
    "Bret and Linda did have a thing going on, but