Everyone had frozen. Ada’s goons had their hands in their jackets, ready to draw, but the beautiful Black woman stood there giving them no instructions. In the fragmented seconds of stillness, Jessica thought about doing what she really came here to do. Now that everything she knew about Dayly and John Fishwick was out on the table, she wanted to complete her next task. A task she dreaded with all of her being. She looked at Blair and thought about just saying it, here, now, in front of everyone.
I’m sorry. I was wrong. I know the truth about you.
Instead she turned to her colleague. ‘Tasik, what the fuck is this?’ she snapped.
‘Emily Lawlor,’ Tasik said, taking Sneak’s arm. ‘I’m arresting you on suspicion of the murder of your daughter, Dayly Lawlor. You have the right to remain silent.’
‘Tasik.’ Jessica grabbed his sleeve.
‘Back off, Sanchez.’ He shoved Sneak into the counter and cuffed her. ‘Or I’ll be back after I’ve processed this one to arrest your friends Maverick and Harbour for parole violations.’
‘Y-you have no evidence to arrest Sneak,’ Blair stammered. Ada was gathering up the maps on the counter, folding them, giving them to her men. ‘You can’t do this. She didn’t . . . Jessica, do something!’
Jessica followed Tasik to his car. Sneak trudged beside him, staring at the ground, lost.
‘What are you working with here, Tasik?’ Jessica said. ‘Talk to me.’
‘I’ve got a couple of Crips snitches who say Lawlor and her daughter had a fight on the night she disappeared.’ Tasik shoved Sneak into his vehicle. ‘I’ve got some suspicious texts. Meetings. Harbour and Maverick might be involved. I don’t know. I’ll have it out with this one in the interrogation room first, then I’ll connect the dots.’
‘Bullshit,’ Jessica snarled. ‘I’m working with these women, okay? We’re close to a solution here. This arrest is a time-waster. It’s painfully obvious.’
‘You can have her after I’ve sweated her out a little,’ Tasik said. ‘She knows more than she says she does. She’s a lifelong scumbag, Sanchez. Maybe you’re having trouble telling the difference. You haven’t been around as long as I have.’
‘Oh, fuck you.’ Jessica shook her head. ‘You’re not going to get this woman into the interrogation room. I promise you that. I’ll have you explaining yourself to Whitton at the fucking station fifteen minutes from now while I uncuff Sneak and let her walk.’
‘Sneak?’ Tasik snorted. He slammed the door of the cruiser behind his captive, opened the driver’s door. ‘Fair enough, Sanchez. You want to tussle over this heap of shit? Get in.’
Jessica ran to the passenger side and leaped into the vehicle.